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Happy Birthday, KGC! You're looking fantastic!!
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From Our President
I recently ran into a long-time member of our club whom I had not met before. She was sitting with a girlfriend, waiting for a ride back to their retirement community. The two of them were at an event that was full of much younger people (several of us talked about how fun it was that they were there), and at this point it was pretty late at night. So here were these two spunky older gals, sitting, taking it all in...and after I introduced myself and we'd chatted for a minute, the KGC member said to me, "Well, we'd rather be you. But we had our time; now it's your time." On the other end of the spectrum, our son Sam just graduated from his all-boys prep school last week. They have a tradition at Salisbury School of calling out "Seize the day!" when the prompt "Carpe diem" is offered by the headmaster or the chaplain or whoever is leading the group. And that was the exclamation point at the end of their (very long) graduation ceremony, "One last time; loud and proud -- CARPE DIEM..." and 100 young men, on the very front end of "their time," answered loudly, "SEIZE THE DAY!" I mentioned a new tagline at our Centennial celebration last month, MyKGC. As we embark on a new fiscal year, make it your KGC this year. Make your membership in this group work for you. Talk to me and your board members if there's something you want that we're not offering or something we're doing that you don't like. Consider my email inbox your Suggestion Box. Really! Friendship, Flowers and Fun. We'll try to keep it simple, and effective, and definitely fun. Life's too short for anything less. This is our time. Seize the day.
Yours,
Stephanie
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KGC Celebrates 100 Years!!
One hundred years after Anne Spicer gathered friends and neighbors to her home for the very first Kenilworth Garden Club meeting in 1915, KGC members gathered once again on May 13th, 2015 to celebrate the illustrious 100th anniversary of the garden club Mrs. Spicer lovingly founded.
At the entry, a fascinating and comprehensive display of historical KGC items, including a wonderful video of a 1961 KGC housewalk, welcomed guests and sparked interest and curiosity.
Members, old and new, arrived wearing hats of all shapes, sizes and hues - a nod to the original members and their timeless style.
Mary Glerum and her amazing team of hostesses - Cyndi Chase, Carole Read, Tobey Taylor, Marcia Hines and Suzy Hutchins - prepared an elegant luncheon, as beautiful as it was delicious, consisting of tea sandwiches, sesame chicken salad (recipe to follow), fruit salad and a stunning cake by Three Tarts bakery. Mary Quinn Gordon and Martha Spalding created cheery geranium centerpieces to brighten the tables.
Even Mother Nature cooperated with a gorgeous, sunny spring day to accentuate Elizabeth Dugan's beautiful gardens. A special congratulations to Barbara McDonough who was the very first recipient of the newly created Barbara Jean McDonough Award for excellence in a horticultural entry in an in-club flower show that was propagated by the entrant. Members for years to come will be honored to follow in Barbara's footsteps.
Hats off to Elizabeth Dugan for opening her stunning home for our celebration and to Mary Glerum and her extremely competent Social Committee for organizing and catering an astonishingly lovely event!! Thank you to
Mary Quinn Gordon and Martha Spalding for the centerpieces and to Cissy Crawford for the fun KGC memorabilia!
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KGC Spring Benefit: A Stylish Affair
Author Bettie Bearden Pardee Charms the Capacity Crowd
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Guest speaker Bettie Bearden Pardee (center) with Benefit chairs (L-R) Diane Phillips, Julia Kyle and Terri Lorenz.
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A delightful time was had by all on April 23rd at our KGC Benefit at Skokie Country Club in Glencoe. With a record-breaking 226 attendees - from garden clubs near and far - and many very generous contributions, KGC raised over $19,000 -- an impressive amount for the charitable and educational projects and programs of the club!
Via her beautiful presentation, Bettie Bearden Pardee, celebrated author of "Living Newport," took us on a virtual tour of the historic town's famous gardens, homes and social scene! Exclamations over the gorgeous photos were often followed by a knowing laugh from the audience, as Bettie peppered her lecture with humorous anecdotes.
We sold
all of our 29 flower arrangements, featuring lush pink hydrangea in blue/white Chinoiserie containers.
We have two signed copies of Bettie's book remaining. If you would like to purchase one, please contact
phillipschasdi@sbcglobal.net.
And thank you to everyone who contributed to the great success of this event!!
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Wednesday, July 15th
at 5:30 pm
Our annual mid-summer casual garden party at Ware Garden.
Don't miss it!!
Details to follow.
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Sip 'n' Shop Raises Almost $700
Following on the coat tails of KGC's great
Benefit success, the informal Sip 'n' Shop
on Thursday, May 7th raised $680.
We enjoyed prosecco, pinot grigio and delicious snacks, while we shopped!!
Thank you to JMcLaughlin Winnetka for your generosity! And thank you to Anne Brown, Sue Cozzens, Shelley Galloway, Mary Glerum, Stephanie Keehn, Lenore Macdonald, Marty Shaw, and Wendy Yamada, who shopped 'til they dropped!
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June Meeting -- Field Trip!!
rescheduled to June 24th
The in-club flower show is postponed, and we're hitting the road instead!
Here's our chance to finally hear our February program with Roy Diblik of Northwind Perennial Farm, AT the farm!
From his website...
Just north of Lake Geneva, on a 19th century dairy farm lies Northwind Perennial Farm. We specialize in hardy field grown perennials, while our barns are filled with garden art and unusual treasures. Visit Northwind and explore our lush serene gardens, benefit from our cutting edge plant knowledge and leave with flourishing plants and rare finds.
Please note the change of date to Wednesday, June 24.
Watch for an evite for more details and opportunities to carpool - let's go
green!
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April 15th Meeting Featuring Joel Greenberg
With Special Guests GCA's May Reay & Colleen Grant
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Heather Blackwell, May Reay, Collen Grant and
Stephanie Keehn (L-R)
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Lesson number one: Passenger pigeons are
NOT messenger pigeons nor carrier pigeons. Joel Greenberg dispelled that common misconception while enlightening us to the wonders of the passenger pigeon and its mysterious extinction. Surprisingly, passenger pigeons look like a morning dove but are larger and more brightly colored.
Joel entertained the group with his eloquent, theatric, and often humorous, account of the passenger pigeon's flight to extinction. Highly abundant in North America in the 19th century, passenger pigeons were estimated to be in the billions in number by 1860. However, by 1914, the species was entirely extinct. This depletion in such a short time, says Joel, is unique to say the least and has caused ornithologists like John James Audubon to study the causes.
At their height, passenger pigeon flocks were so numerous that they "obscured the sun".
Audubon, considered the father of ornithology, documented in Louisville that "for three straight days, the sun was eclipsed by flocks of passenger pigeons. Droppings fell like snowflakes." Their abundant flocks were likened to tornadoes.
No one, therefore, could have predicted the demise of the populous breed and in such a short time. The pigeons were so plentiful that they were killed in great numbers for sport, food and recreation. They were even used to feed livestock and fill potholes in the road!
Reasons for the extinction are believed to be:
- Railways allowed hunters to deliver birds more expeditiously to urban markets;
- The invention of the telegraph allowed for quicker dissemination of the birds' whereabouts;
- Habitat loss due to logging which destroyed nesting sites; and
- Passenger pigeons only produce one young per year, leading to a population collapse.
The passenger pigeon's untimely demise, however, left an important legacy in the form of the first conservation laws designed to discourage the extinction of a species.
Special thanks to GCA Zone XI Chairman May Reay for her thoughtful and inspirational introduction. May and Collen Grant, Zone XI Vice Chairman, were in town to tour the sites and locations for our September Zone meeting and were able to stay for Joel's engaging presentation and chat with KGC members.
Thank you to Katherine Buehler for opening her beautiful home for the evening's event, and to Heather Blackwell and Cristy Laier for hostessing.
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Ikebana International Exhibition
June 13, 10 to 4:30, demos at 11:30 and 2 pm
June 14, 10 to 4:30, demos at 11:30 and 2 pm
Sogetsu School of Ikebana
Sat. June 27 noon to 4:30, demo at 2
Sun. June 28, 10 to 4:30, demo at 1
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UPCOMING DATES
Mark the following dates on your calendar for these exciting upcoming Kenilworth Garden Club events and activities!!
New and Old Board Members Take Note!
June transition board meeting:
Monday, June 22nd, 11:00 at Stephanie's house
June Meeting: Wed., June 24
-- FIELD TRIP!!
Northwind Perennial Farm in Burlington, WI
July Meeting:
Wednesday, July 15th, 5:30 pm --
Ware Garden Party
Zone XI Meeting: Monday, September 21
-- Kenilworth Assembly Hall
No August Meeting - relax in your garden or at the beach!
(Please be respectful and RSVP for all KGC meetings and events. Thank you!)
(COPY & PRINT THIS PAGE, SO YOU DON'T MISS A THING!)
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KGC thanks to Amy Thompson and her planting team - Mary Glerum and Joan Senko - for their work sprucing up Magnolia Garden.
It sprang to life with the delightfully happy color palette of purple Petunias, magenta Geraniums and chartreuse Potato vines cascading over the edges of the two urns. Their choice of colors coordinates with the neighboring flowers around the train station and the fountain.
In 1994, the village's centennial, Kenilworth Garden Club and the family of Fred D. Sauter gifted Magnolia Garden to the Village of Kenilworth in memory of Mr. Sauter's service to the village. The three benches in Magnolia Garden are shaded by two beautiful trees, making it the perfect place to wait for a train or simply to sit and take in the surroundings while on a leisurely walk. Newly renovated Centennial Park in the background invites all to enjoy its open space and handsome hardscape features, a wonderful protected area for recreation and sports.
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HOORAY FOR HORT!!
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The team at Fuel Restaurant, Wilmette
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What Does Farm-To-Table Even Mean?
The idea behind farm-to-table is not new. In 1971, Alice Waters pioneered the movement when she opened Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California, famous for its organic, locally-grown ingredients. In Europe, it followed in the 80s and was called the "Slow Food Movement." Both were created as a response to the rising costs of the food industry. Most recently, since 2005, it has become a super trendy "buzz word" in the United States.
Farm-to-table is more of a movement than a particular cuisine. At its core, "It's a focus on eliminating as many steps as possible between where the food is grown and where it's eaten," says Khaled Allen, managing editor of the blog farmtotableonline.org. Alice Waters grew most of her produce behind her restaurant, as do many chefs today. The Zone XI representatives who attend our September Zone meeting will be treated to a tour of Rick Bayless' kitchen gardens downtown.
Obtaining food straight from the farmer cuts out the middleman - such as packagers, processing plants and commercial vendors - and assures consumers that their fare is fresh, nutritious and locally produced; something worth paying a little extra for. Even though farm-fresh produce and meats might cost more, consumers are not spending their money on transportation costs and are being more environmentally friendly in the process (think less gas and fewer emissions). The farm-to-table community is strongly of the belief that over time, once we shift more resources into our local food culture, prices will drop.
Farm-to-table food encompasses any type of whole food imaginable, as long as it's in season. This includes fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, cheeses and other dairy products, nuts and even baked goods.
Locally, you can check out Wilmette's very own farm-to-table restaurant: FUEL. Owner Tim Lenon moved to Wilmette from Chicago because he thought Wilmette could use a really great "Chicago type" restaurant. His long-time dream of opening a "farm to table" breakfast/lunch and dinner restaurant was actualized when he suddenly had a life-changing event and realized "there was no time like the present" and a "right" time might never arrive. To find out more about Fuel or to check out their menu, go to fuelwilmette.com.
Sharon Hayes
KGC Horticulture Chair
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KGC Members Beautify Misericordia
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| Joan Dodson (pictured) and Jeanne Daniel added spring color to planting areas at Misercordia. |
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ALL HANDS ON DECK
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YOU CAN BECOME THE MOTHER OF A BUTTERFLY!!
Let's not allow another species to become extinct - the monarch butterfly depends on swamp milkweed for its habitation. It is the only plant on which the monarch butterfly will lay its eggs. But the habitat for milkweed is disappearing with urban sprawl. Therefore, after the monarchs make their thousand-mile trek from Mexico to the Midwest, they have difficulty finding milkweed plants on which to lay their eggs.
There is a simple solution. Plant more milkweed! We have seeds that you can purchase for just $2.00. Please consider purchasing the seeds, sow and plant the milkweed. They are perennials. At the end of the growing season, you can harvest the pods with the seeds inside. We will collect your harvest and send them to the appropriate place. With our help, more seeds can be planted along the highways in Illinois. This effort is a small step, but you can be part of growing this plant that used to flourish in the open fields of the Midwest.
To obtain your seed packets, please contact Karin Balsbaugh at
kbalsbaugh@comcast.net after June 7th.
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KENILWORTH COMBINED COUNCIL
OF GARDEN CLUBS
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Park District's little green truck signals work is beginning in the Village. Yeah Spring!!!
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Beautification meeting -- May 4th, 2015
? The Kenilworth PLANT SALE was a huge success! The net profit is $6,800 and counting. These monies will benefit the Maggi Park renovation next spring.
? The Program chairs of the 4 local garden clubs shared with the group their club's programs from the past year. The word from one club is...... the CBG Orchid Show will be even more spectacular in 2016!
? Beautification will work with the Village for the restart of the "parkway tree program" in 2016. The tree planting program has been on hold by the Village since 2012 due "to a lack of grant revenue, focus upon construction projects and...some difficulty finding suitable locations for parkway trees."
? Coming this year: a "new look" in front of Village Hall. An effort will be made to match the soon-to-be "new look" in front of the Historical Society; however, the two areas differ in the amount of sun they get.
? Beautification members will watch how the sun falls on Maggi Park during this next year; that will aid in choosing the right plants for its renovation next spring. The proposed sign for the park will be like the one in Mahoney Park, if the cost is not prohibitive.
? The transition team for the acquisition of the Kenilworth Club by the Kenilworth Park District is already in place and reviewing the negotiated contract. In deciding on the programs for the new venture, the schools and library are being consulted for program ideas that will be of interest to Kenilworth families. The Park District will receive funding in August of 2016.
? The "Weekly Weeders" met for the first time this year on a very chilly Earth Day, April 22nd. This is their 15th annual meeting in Mahoney Park from April to the end of October. The Jens Jensen bird pond renovation will be completed the first part of June. Dan Grundstrom located some flagstones for the curving bird pond.
? There will be some fill-in grass for bare spots put in and the Weekly Weeders will help keep the area neat and tidy. They are cleaning up the winter wash-up on the beach and getting quotes on anchoring, retaining types grasses (plugs) to combat the erosion of the beach that happens every year. Work continues on the bluff.
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| Spring "Mayapples" in Mahoney Park. |
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| Photos by Cheryl Anderson |
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-- Cheryl Anderson, Kenilworth Civic Co-Chair
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WHAT'S WHAT AT WARE?
At this writing, I understand that Ware Garden is bursting out - scillia, daffodils and green leaves all around! You have already received 2 emails regarding the SignUp Genius sign-up for weekly weeding; I goofed on the first attempt and many were confused, so I revised it. Thanks to all who have signed up already. Please sign up for more than 2 hours! We will need many hands to keep the garden looking its best and ready for a community gathering in July (TBD) and the Zone Meeting in September.
As you may know, Ware Garden received $5,000 from the Storch Fund this year; we have contracted with Nature's Perspective for an oak tree and many native forbs (aka wildflowers). The good news is that NP will be doing the planting, but we will need to water and tend to the plants to keep them healthy and thriving.
Welcome to Wendy Yamada, who will be our 4th co-chair for Ware Garden.
We look forward to working with Wendy!!
See you at Ware Garden!
-- Sara Morgan, Elizabeth Dugan, Barbi Paine
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Stay tuned for our delegates' report on the 2015 Annual Meeting in Rochester, NY next month!
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RECIPE OF THE MONTH
from KGC's "Homegrown" cookbook
Chinese Chicken Salad
This recipe continues to be a KGC favorite and delighted all who attended
the Centennial Luncheon on May 13th.
For the salad: 4 Split chicken breasts, bone-in, skin on Extra Virgin Olive Oil Kosher salt and black pepper 1/2 lb green beans, trimmed 1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded, cut into thin strips 2 scallions (white and green parts), sliced diagonally 1 TBL sesame seeds, toasted Baby spinach, washed and dried For the dressing: 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 3 TBL soy sauce 1 1/2 TBL dark sesame oil 1/2 TBL honey 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 tsp peeled, grated fresh ginger 1/2 TBL sesame seeds, toasted 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter 2 tsp Kosher salt 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Place chicken on a sheet pan, rub with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 40 mins, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin and shred the chicken into bite-size pieces.
Blanche the green beans in boiling salted water until crisp tender. Plunge into ice water to stop cooking and set the color. Drain. Combine the chicken, beans and red bell peppers in a large bowl.
Whisk together all dressing ingredients and pour over the chicken and vegetables. Add the scallions and sesame seeds and season to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature over a bed of baby spinach.
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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Each month, we feature two KGC members. This month, the spotlight is on
Joan Dodson and Cyndi Chase.
Joan Dodson
1) Why did you join KGC?
I have been a member of KGC since 2000. I grew up observing my parents and grandmothers spending hours working in their gardens. It was not until moving into my first home that I experienced the pleasure of gardening myself.
2) What is your KGC area of interest?
My special interests within the club involve gloved, hands-on work. The Ware Garden and outreach opportunities, such as
Misericordia and Midwest Palliative, are perfect places to serve. Club projects and shows enable me to make new friends and challenge myself.
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| Joan planting at Misericordia in May. |
3) Who is your mentor (inside or outside of KGC)?
Friends/gardeners from Holy Comforter, especially Courtney Davis, Sue Cozzens and Barbi Paine, urged me to expand my love of gardening and join KGC. I am so glad they persevered!
4) What are your interests outside of KGC?
I am on the Flower Guild at church and am eager to see arrangements all over the world from cathedrals in Rome to the tiny parish churches in the Cotswolds.
This one is from Mexico.
5) Tell us something we may not know about you.
You may not know, I love to create travel itineraries.
My husband and I are traveling more these days, and it may not surprise you that there isn't a place we visit that we don't check out gardens, large and small, famous and hidden.
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Cyndi Chase
1) Why did you join KGC?
My sweet friend, Mary Glerum, asked me if I would be interested in attending a speaker luncheon at Glen View Club. It was a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed the women I met. I was invited to join in 2003.
2) What is your KGC area of interest?
I really don't have one area of interest. I've served on many different committees and enjoyed each one. One of the reasons I like our club so much is that there are countless ways to participate and there is always something new to learn.
3) What is your favorite KGC moment?
I've had countless memorable KGC moments. One of my favorite memories is a workshop I attended on container gardening. We planted a crazy number of bulbs, maybe 50, in one container and left it in the garage over winter. The next spring was an endless display of blooming bulbs...several times I thought the end had come when something new would start to bloom. I still can't believe it survived the winter in my garage. We should do that again!
4) Who is your mentor (inside or outside of KGC)?
In the gardening world, I'd have to say my mentors were my grandmother & grandfather, Lucille and Bert. They had apple/peach orchards in western Colorado, and as a child, I spent a lot of my vacation time with them. I remember being about eight and moving into a new house. It had a terribly neglected rose garden in back - it really just looked like a rubble heap covered in small white marble rocks. Remember white rock ground cover? Yuck. My grandmother spent a few days working on the rose garden, and it was transformed and beautiful. My grandfather spent every morning in the garden, and I loved spending time with him there, too. It was so exciting to see what was planted and watch it grow...peas, potatoes, corn, strawberries, raspberries and, of course, in the orchards, lots of apples and peaches. They could make anything grow.
5) What is your favorite plant or flower?
Do I have to choose one??? I guess I would say white tulips. I think a vase with white tulips makes any room look beautiful. I'm also a fan of lily-of-the-valley.
6) What are your interests outside of KGC?
My family. I have one son who just graduated from college and is living and working in Los Angeles. My youngest goes to school at The University of Colorado, Boulder. They're both great places to visit! I also love skiing in Colorado, hiking/walking and hope to take a bike trip in Italy this fall.
7) Tell us something we may not know about you.
My friends in the club will probably be sick of hearing me talk about this, but recently I became a Certified Financial Planner. It was a lot of work and gave me a much greater appreciation of how hard all our kids have to work to be successful in school. It's not easy to stay on top of studying when you really just want to relax or do something fun with your friends.
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FOCUS ON PHOTOGRAPHY
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Photo courtesy of Chicago Botanic Garden
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Taking Good Garden Photographs
HINT:
It's All About Light!!
When photographing nature, you have to pay close attention to natural light - it can make or break a great shot. Some things to consider:
Time of day -- For landscapes, shoot in the morning or late afternoon. The "golden" hours are at sunrise and sunset. Mid-morning light is stronger, casting noticeable shadows, but still can be a great time to shoot. Midday sunshine is difficult because of the contrast of dark shadows with blown highlights. If you must shoot midday, find open shade or wait for a cloud to cover the sun. A diffuser or polarizing filter will also help.
Weather -- A sunny day is both your best friend and worst enemy. Sunlight will add sparkle and bring life to your subject but can also wash it out. On the other hand, overcast days with dull light can produce flat-looking photographs, while bright overcast days can produce soft, evenly illuminated light which can be perfect for outdoor portraits or wildlife. Dynamic, changing weather often produces dramatic light. After a rainfall is a great time to shoot in the garden. Look for the light being reflected in a raindrop and saturated colors.
Camera Direction -- Move around your subject to see how the light changes. Position yourself so that the sun is at an angle, and you can see how it will frame your subject with a bright outline. Experiment with the sun backlighting a flower and see how the petals glow. At sunrise and sunset, you can shoot toward the sun and create a dramatic silhouette.
Polarizing Filters -- A polarizing filter is useful for landscape photography. On a sunny day, it will make blue skies richer, and it magically removes reflections from glass, water and metal. On an overcast day, it saturates the colors by removing glare from every leaf or blade of grass.
-- Derived from "The Bulletin", Spring 2015
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Happenings Around Town
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Saturdays through September, 8 am - 1 pm
Wilmette French Market
As always, the French Market offers a variety of traditional farmer's market goods, like fruits, vegetables, flowers, cheeses, meats and breads from local and regional vendors
Wilmette train station
S
aturday, June 6, 10:30 am Companion Gardening Primer
Learn about using plant characteristics like smell, height, etc. to create mutually beneficial relationships with other plants. Plants helping plants. The result is a more earth friendly, healthy garden.
Fee: Free Preregistration required. Call 847-272-1209 or email Red's Garden Center
Saturday, June 13, 10:30 am Made in the Shade- Shade Gardening 101
Gardening in the shade can be a challenge. With the help of some simple design techniques and great plants, you can transform any shady area into a showcase. Join us for this informative seminar.
Fee: Free Preregistration required. Call 847-272-1209 or email Red's Garden Center Saturday, June 20 at 11:30 am Perennial Garden Maintenance Seminar
It's easy to keep your perennial garden in tip top shape. Proper care can encourage repeat blooming, reduce disease, and keep your plants compact. We will demonstrate pruning, pinching and thinning techniques that you can use in own your garden. We will also discuss specific plants and what maintenance approach works best for each. This seminar is back by popular demand, so reserve your space soon!
Fee: Free
Preregistration required. Please call ahead (847-272-1209) to reserve a seat.
Red's Garden Center, 3460 Dundee Rd., Northbrook Saturday and Sunday, July 4-5; 10 am-5 pm; Member Preview Friday, July 3rd, 4-7 pm CBG Art Festival
More than 100 juried artists exhibit botanic-themed or -made art for sale, including photography, paintings, ceramics, metal, fiber, wood, jewelry and much more.
Fee: Free*
Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Rd., Glencoe
July 18-19; Saturday 10-5, Sunday 9:00-1:30 Red's Butterfly Festival
Mingle with live butterflies at Red's Butterfly Festival. Don't miss their butterfly releasing ceremony Sunday at 2:00 pm.
Fee: Free Preregistration required. Call 847-272-1209 or email Red's Garden Center Now Through October 4th; Saturdays and Sundays, 1:30 and 2:30 pm
CBG Garden Chef Series
You won't want to miss this season's demonstrations, featuring fresh, local produce. Noted chefs prepare dishes in the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden kitchen ampitheater - and share their recipes.
Look for the chef calendar at
www.chicagobotanic.org/chef.
Fee: Free*
Chicago Botanic Garden, Alsdorf Auditorium, Regenstein Center
* Chicago Botanic Garden charges a $20 parking fee for non-members
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Celebrate the beauty of flowers
while you surround yourself with the rich history
of Mackinac Island and Grand Hotel!
Sunday, August 30-Tuesday, September 1
Visit www.grandgardenshow.com or call for details: 815-899-1973
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What Is Beauty?
By Cheryl Anderson
What we perceive as beautiful is a personal judgement, a subjective opinion; it does not offend us on any level.
A memory from once we gazed upon something beautiful, oft time stays with us forever; a sight ever so pleasing to the senses or to the eye. I shall never forget walking into Balzac's house in France and having the scent of lilies so over-whelming a numinous moment was had. We are moved by a beautiful sight; perchance creating an inner gasp, stopping us in our tracks. The intensity of the emotion evoked may not be possible to explain. I don't feel it's important to debate why I think a flower, painting, sunset or how the light streaming through a magnificent stained-glass window is beautiful. The power of the sights create an emotional reaction in me. I don't expect or concern myself that others will or will not agree with me. Can all agree that an act of kindness is beautiful.
I look upon a thing of beauty as a whole; elements coming together making it so. A single brush stroke of a painting does not alone create the impact of beauty, but all together, it becomes beautiful; one element removed and it is changed. The location of a sunset is part of the beauty; one's mood, for a few moments, can be altered at the sight. A perfect flower is beautiful when for all of the petals together are what forms its perfection; a pleasant, intoxicating scent is part of the beauty.
There is beauty in nature and the beauty created by artists. When I see a piece of art that I deem beautiful, I wonder about the artist; where was it created, what drove them to the subject matter? These questions lead me to research; to better know about them and ponder how they came to create the piece of art. I'll still think it beautiful, but perhaps further knowledge will broaden my understanding of why I like it. (As if that is really necessary, but I like research.) Standing in the middle of a rose garden, with the warm sun further forcing the pungent aroma of the flowers to fill the air adds to nature's expression of a most beautiful moment. The sound of birds chirping on a spring day calms.
Aesthetics have long been a topic amongst philosophers. One can spend a lifetime studying the subject. In thinking about the question "What is Beauty?", I've simply come away with that I am the beholder whose eye it is in. Suffice it to say, my private assessment of what strikes me as beautiful is all I need to know; to get pleasure from the visual, auditory or olfactory sensations. We cherish beauty, for without beauty our lives can be grim.
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A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO...
Elizabeth Dugan for opening her beautiful home for our Centennial Celebration.
Mary Glerum and her team for organizing and catering the Centennial Luncheon.
May Reay and Colleen Grant (our Zone Chair and Vice Chair) for flying in and attending our April meeting, and to May for her insightful speech about GCA.
Amy Thompson, Joan Senko and Mary Glerum for brightening up Magnolia Garden.
Polky Kibler for working at the Beautification Plant Sale
(We had five additional KGC volunteers but the first shift got everything done!)
Joan Dodson and Jeanne Daniel for adding much-needed color to Misericordia. And a special shout out to Joan who is recovering from hip surgery.
And to all of our amazing Angels who were so generous with their contributions to help underwrite Benefit expenses - merci beaucoup!
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To submit material for inclusion in the Kenilworth Garden Club newsletter, please contact:
sdeluca13@yahoo.com
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