January 2018 Newsletter

UPCOMING EVENTS

January Program

Our Amazing Stone Walls: What They are and Where They are Going with Sylvia Reiss

Wednesday

January 10, 2018

9:30 - 11:30 am

NC Nature Center

March Program

All the Presidents' Gardens with Marta McDowell

Wednesday

March 7, 2018

9:30 - 11:30 am

NC Nature Center

April Program

Exciting speaker to be announced soon!

Wednesday

April 4, 2018

9:30 am - 11:30 am

NC Public Library

Adrian Lamb Room

A Letter From Our Presidents

It's now 2018 and we have lots to look forward to. So here we go, off to a great start!

Finishing up 2017 was terrific for NCBL.

We had great coverage from the New Canaan Advertiser. Many thanks to Robin Bates-Mason for suggesting we donate coffee at one of the Friday Advertiser coffees. It was a great idea and well received and appreciated. Good press relations always help!

Our holiday greenery has once again dressed the town for both residents and visitors to savor. Thanks again for all the hard work by Ty Tan, Liz Mallozzi, and their elves.

Sadly, we extend condolences to our long-term member Marion Blose on the loss of her daughter Ann Eydt.

Our coffers have been filled this year and in the past by generous donors. Soon, you will be hearing from our fund raising crew who are diligently getting organized for the Annual Appeal. Please be prepared to lend them a needed hand.

Save the Date! We are all looking forward to our next guest speaker on January 10 on the subject of our amazing stone walls. Sylvia Reiss has had good reviews and we know you'll never take our stone walls for granted after hearing her speak.

The days are getting longer -- so as we progress from a brown to white to green landscape, thoughts of planting, weeding, and seeding have been dancing in our heads. So here's a gardening tip -- those plastic pill containers from your pharmacy make great seed savers!

Happy, Happy New Year!!!

Barbara and Karen

CURRENT NEWS

Join Us this Wednesday!

Warm up and bring your friends for this

delightful program!

SYLVIA REISS

OUR AMAZING STONE WALLS

WHAT THEY ARE AND WHERE THEY ARE GOING

Wednesday

January 10, 2018

9:30 am coffee

10:00 am presentation

New Canaan Nature Center

Sylvia Reiss lives in Connecticut and is a former teacher, retired antiques dealer and past president of the Antiques Council. She is also active in the Darien Historical Society.

Stone walls define New England and certainly Connecticut, with its hundreds and hundreds of miles of dry stone walls: very old and very new; well-built or shoddy; some treasured, some threatened; the good, the bad and the ugly. Fairfield and Westchester counties are the epicenter of America's historic stone walls, and we are their custodians. Come listen to

Sylvia Reiss discuss their history and future.

To download a program flier, click HERE.

Available in our NCBL Library

In preparation for our January program, the NCBL library has the book Exploring Stone Walls, A Field Guide to New England's Stone Walls by Robert M. Thorson available for borrowing. Contact Faith Kerchoff to borrow this copy.

Invitation Coming to Your Inbox Soon!

Many thanks to everyone who helped us make the 2017 Annual Appeal so successful!

On January 10 we will start working on the 2018 appeal, for mailing on March 1.

We are encouraging everyone to address envelopes again this January. You will be able to pick them up at the Wednesday, January 10 NCBL Program at the Nature Center. The "appeal bags" contain a list of addresses, cover letters, bookmarks, remittance envelopes, and envelopes to address. Handwriting the envelope makes a difference in personalizing the mailing. Again, we are NOT allowed to write a personal note of any kind on the letter this year (per post office bulk mail requirements).

Thanks for your support of this important fund raising campaign.

"Many hands make light work".

Looking forward to seeing you in January!

Enjoy the season!

Rose Bauersfeld

Tonya Gwynn

Dody Whitehurst

Winter at Lee Memorial Garden

There's a lot to see when you take a walk in the woods in the winter. Tracks in the snow, winter birds on bare branches, and with the branches bare, evergreens become more evident to the eye.

Did you know Lee Memorial Garden has a Japanese Umbrella Pine? You can find it by entering the garden and walking along Wood Road. About half way down, on your right, you'll see this magnificent specimen. With the foliage surrounding it gone for the winter, you can walk right up to it and feel the large, plastic-like needles. You can read more about this interesting tree, Sciadopitys verticillata HERE.

DECEMBER HAPPENINGS

NCBL Spruces Up Police Station Planters

The Police Department phoned NCBL in early December to say they had new large planters in the front of the building that were in need of some greens. "Could the NCBL help?" When the Police Department asks for help, we'll spring into action!

We were able, with permission, to cut andromeda and juniper tips at Ann Gillerlain's house, as it's being torn down, and used those to spruce up the planters.

Before:

After:

Setting the Scene for the Band

Part of the decorating NCBL does for the holidays includes decorating the bandstand on God's Acre. On Christmas Eve, the band played on the freshly dressed stand and residents surrounded it singing Christmas carols.

Thanks to Kathy Lapolla, Faith Kerchoff, and organizer Ty Tan who braved the wind and cold temps on that day to make our bandstand look so festive.

NCBL members made Waveny Care Center arrangements in December. This pretty one was part of the nine dining table arrangements Faith Kerchoff made one day.

OUR MEMBERS SPOTTED!

NCBL Advisory Member Chris Schipper was spotted planted bulbs at Waveny Park along a recently reconstructed trail. The NC Highway Department saw him planting daffodils, squill, and crocus by hand and offered their services and backhoe help!

You can read about Chris in this feel-good story in the Advertiser HERE.

Four members found themselves together at a December event at member Jen Cipriano's nursery, Copia. Cindy Bamatter, Nancy Geller and Betsy Sammarco were among twenty or so people who attended a Woodland Centerpiece class at the shop. Copia was transformed into a wild, natural classroom and Jen gave tips and trips and tons of supplies for making a long-lasting arrangement for the holidays.

The very talented Jen, of Copia, demonstrates how to create a woodland arrangement.

Cindy Bamatter gets some tips on her beautiful Christmas arrangement.

Nancy Geller's arrangement (L) and Betsy Sammarco's arrangement (R). Every arrangement was different!

EVENTS OF INTEREST AROUND TOWN

Garden Master Class

JANUARY 27, 2018

10:00 - 12:00

at the Bartlett Arboretum

151 Brookdale Road Stamford

Karen Bussolini presents:

THE UNSUNG SEASON: GARDENS IN WINTER

Garden Master Classes are offered through the UConn Extension Master Gardener Program. This class is also open to the general public with a fee. Click HERE

for info and to register.