|
|
|
Kelly Chestnut, Heather Blackwell & Leslie North with a floral work by artist Lisa Frank.
|
|
March is a month of considerable frustration - it is so near spring and yet across a great deal of the
country the weather is still so violent and changeable that outdoor activity in our yards seems light years away.
--
Thalassa Cruso
A few of us might remember the charming Thalassa Cruso's appearances on the Johnny Carson Show and her PBS show, "Making Things Grow". She was often referred to as the Julia Child of Horticulture, and British to boot! She really was just like all of us--a real person who LOVED plants. She truly sums March up well, doesn't she? *
It is almost Spring! We've certainly had a taste of it in February. Have you been spending your free time pouring over seed and plant catalogs, deciding what plants you can squeeze into your garden this year? Are you hoping that February's warm weather doesn't doom those early buds to a Spring snowstorm? If you answered "yes", well, you've come to the right place! I bet our newest member, Kim Piekos, answered "yes", too. A very warm, KGC welcome to her!
KGC has many moving parts and all seem to be running in overdrive! Our Floral, Horticulture and Photography Chairs have been hard at work. It's thrilling that so many of our members have entered the Floral Division and we have a few budding photographers among us, too! The Founders Fund Committee is moving "full speed ahead". Karin Balsbaugh is at the GCA National Affairs and Legislation Meeting in Washington, D.C. and the KGC website Conservation page has been updated. The Finance Committee is preparing the new budget, Philanthropy is reviewing funding requests, Club and GCA Award paperwork has been filed, the Nominating Committee is making calls, 2017-18 Programs are being planned, and the Benefit Committee is knocking itself out!
Speaking the Benefit, Sybil Brooke Sylvester's book is a knockout, too! It is simply stunning. It is the perfect Mother's Day gift! Please remember, too, that this is our only fundraiser this year. Hopefully you've received Polky's beautiful Angel letter. Please be an Angel to the Benefit! It's going to be a beautiful event, so do bring your friends.
It's time to vote for a GCA Founders Fund project! They are listed in your Winter Bulletin, in last month's Newsletter and on the GCA website. Attendees voted at the February meeting. If you missed that meeting, please email me asap with your project choice and I'll add it to the tally. I look forward to hearing from you.
Finally, there are still a few openings in Show of Summer's Floral Design Division. Classes 1, 2, 5 6, and 7 have at least one opening. Don't delay, register today!!
In closing, more of Thalassa's wisdom:
Every year it seems to me I hear complaints about Spring. It is either "late" or "unusually cold," "abnormally dry" or "fantastically wet," for no one is ever willing to admit that there is no such thing as a normal spring.
Happy Spring to you and yours!
|
KGC Website News
Have you checked out the KGC website lately?
www.kenilworthgardenclub.org The Conservation page has been updated to include the GCA Pollinator Project (Lenore has been lobbying GCA to create a silk scarf out of the Pollinator graphic) and the Resource section has been expanded. Site's use is on the rise, with many visits from non-members. The Members Only pages are getting lots of hits, too! Let Lenore know what else you'd like to see on the website. She'll do her best to add it in all her free time!
|
|
Upcoming Events
|
KGC March Program
Conservation & Preservation:
The Great Lakes
Wednesday, March 15 -- 9:30 a.m.
The home of Ann Jones
1115 West Deerpath Rd.,
Lake Forest
|
|
|
March Board Meeting
Monday, March 13 -- 10 a.m.
Church of the Holy Comforter
222 Kenilworth Ave., Kenilworth
Please let Lenore know if you would like to add something to the agenda.
Horticulture Workshop
Tuesday, April 4
Mark your calendar and watch
your inbox for an invitation
|
|
|
Deadlines
|
SOS -- Horticulture
March 21, 2017
3-Month Ownership Deadline
|
|
|
|
|
|
Zia Gallery owner John Vlahakis talks about his camera and photographic techniques
|
|
February Meeting Recap
KGC members gathered at Zia Gallery in Winnetka for an informative talk in intriguing space filled with a marvelous assortment of art and photographs. Our host John Vlahakis shared his passion for photography and his concern for raising awareness regarding the importance of preserving our environment. Although he's taken only one Photography class, he shared the tricks and tips that he has learned through hands-on experience. The key elements to getting a good photograph are patience, observation of the environment and light.
John concentrates on exotic people and landscapes. He loves New York City for the sheer diversity of its people, especially in Chelsea and the meat packing district. His street shots are close up to show the human condition, and he tries to catch people unaware. His perfect day is NYC is overcast with lots of people on the street, particularly street vendors. He "can't get enough of people" and loves immigrant stories. Photographs are important, he says, because they "become recorded history of a bygone era."
But John is also an environmentalist whose passion was ignited in seventh grade when he participated in an Earth Day challenge and passed out trash cans on the street. He owns a Green business with household cleaning and personal care products. His love for the environment is evident in his landscape portraits. Iceland is his favorite destination, and the Faukland Islands is on his bucket list of places to capture. The majority of his outdoor work is done in New Jersey, where his wife is from, and where he says there are more wildlife refuges than any other state.
|
|
|
One of John Vlahakis' landscape photographs
|
For taking photographs, John feels that we are challenged here in Chicago with pollution. He advising getting up early to get shots, or waiting until after sunset. He uses a Lecia camera and film as he believes they provide a color and mood that digital images can't match. Many of John's images are on display at Zia Gallery, and he will soon release a book of images.
|
|
|
Zia Gallery features a variety of artwork.
|
|
|
|
|
Photos from John Vlahakis' upcoming book.
|
|
|
|
|
Black & White Floral by Kendra Cunningham
& Stacey DeLuca
|
|
|
|
|
The Color version of Kendra's
& Stacey's vision
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mary Lois Hakewill & Lenore Macdonald
|
|
|
Floral Design 101 Workshop
A dozen members gathered to learn the basics on February 22's Floral Design 101 workshop at the Church of the Holy Comforter. Our Zone XI Floral Chairs Molly Stephan and Weezie Monroe conducted Part I of a very informative program that provided insights and helpful tips for everyone -- not just the novices in the group. Participants watched as Molly and Weezie spoke on the elements and principles of design, and gradually built an arrangement focused on one form, Line. Then they had the opportunity to create their own masterpieces with curly willow, lilies and leaves.
In addition to an arrangement, the group took home a folder of information including a detailed list of tools and supplies that ease a floral arranger's task. Did you know that a turkey baster is a great tool for getting water just where you want it to go? Or that pipe cleaners -- known in the floral world as "chenille stems" -- can be inserted into hollow stems and help wick water up to the bloom(s)? The most coveted item in the room was Weezie's rolling tool kit, monogrammed and filled by her sister as a gift.
Many myths were dispelled, including crushing the ends of woody branches. Instead, snip vertically from the bottom about one inch to allow more space for water to absorb. Also, wet and unused floral foam does not have to be discarded. Simply place it in plastic bag and keep it in the refrigerator.
|
|
|
|
|
| Weezie & Molly went from table to table offering suggestions on height, balance, shape, placements of the kenzons ( frogs), and tips for keeping materials in place. |
|
|
|
|
|
The Club hopes to offer Part 2 of this workshop some time in the coming months. Watch future newsletters for details.
|
Please save Thursday, April 27th, to attend our annual KGC Benefit at The Glen View Club. We are excited to have Sybil Brooke Sylvester as our speaker, a flower arranger extraordinaire who will be debuting her new book,
Fresh. Tickets are $95 each, tables of 8 and 10 are available, and invitations will be mailed in mid-March. If you would like to add to or revise our guest list, please contact Beth Glass at coglass@comcast.net. We look forward to seeing you and your guests at the Benefit !
--
Kathy Elmer & Beth Glass
|
Expand your Floral Design Horizons
There is still room at the Show of Summer Annette Van Einem morning lecture/demonstration, and in the afternoon workshop. These are two tremendous opportunities to see and study under one of the world's top floral artists. Do register while space is still available at
http://www.showofsummer.org/lecture-demonstration/ and
There are Perks to Being a Clerk!
One of the great opportunities presented by Show of Summer is clerking! It is the easiest thing you will ever do in garden club. Just listen and jot down judge's comments during the judging period. This is your big chance to be the quintessential fly on the wall. You will learn what makes a great floral design, horticulture entry or photograph. The judges are always nice, and you get lunch! (Who says there's no such thing as a free lunch?)
Our own Elizabeth Drake and Joan Senko are Chairing SOS Clerks this year. Sign up on the SOS website at http://www.showofsummer.org/judges-clerks/clerks-registration/
March Flashback!
It was a short three years ago when Tina Rice and Elizabeth Drake were part
of KGC's New Member Challenge Team. Here they are with the team's glorious,
beribboned entry. Can it be three years ago already?
|
Reminder -- we've Moved!
KGC no longer has a post office box in Kenilworth. We've moved to Wilmette! Our new address is:
Kenilworth Garden Club
1189 Wilmette Avenue, #157
Wilmette, IL 60091
Diane Phillips and Lenore Macdonald have keys.
|
Kim Piekos
How did you come to join KGC?
I was led to the Kenilworth Garden Club by my dear friend, Chris Wiedrich. I attended two meetings in the Fall, one featuring Jack Pizzo and the other Nancy Chase, and was hooked! She shared the directory with me so I could get a sense of what KGC was all about and I was taken by this statement in the history section: "Any member not brave enough to wheel a barrow of manure down Kenilworth Avenue, if need be, was not worthy of membership." That resonated with me because I'm the kind of girl who doesn't mind getting down and dirty -- in fact, I find it therapeutic to plan a garden, dig in the dirt, plant, weed, prune, and gaze upon the results of that hard work. As I enter the empty nest season of my life this coming Fall, I am looking forward to finally having time to deepen my understanding about things, like gardening and nature, that pique my interest.
When did you become interested in gardening?
My mother was an avid gardener and I have fond memories of her walking me around her gardens, spouting off scientific names of plants. At that age, I listened, amazed that she knew those hard-to-pronounce names, but rolled my eyes a lot! She had a green thumb in designing flowers as well and worked part-time at a garden center when I was teenager. I am hoping her green thumb has begun to rub off on me! Over the years, I've had gardens at each of my homes, some better than others depending upon the amount of sun they got. I still have yet to truly tackle the property we have now, but I'm looking forward to doing that.
What is your KGC area of interest?
From a committee perspective, I am interested in the work with JourneyCare, conservation, landscape design, learning about gardens in the area, floral design and planning educational activities around any of the topics the club is interested in. Though I am by no means an expert on anything related to gardening except through my own trial and error, I do love it and love learning about it and sharing that love with others.
What is your favorite plant or flower?
My favorite flower is the hyacinth. I think it smells like heaven!
What are some of your interests?
I enjoy being active in the community in which I live. In the past, I have been on the New Trier Fine Arts Association board serving as a member, Secretary and Public Relations Chair, and served on the Church of the Holy Comforter's Vestry as Chair of the Parish Life Committee. I also volunteered regularly with the PTA of Central and Highcrest Schools in Wilmette, and was in charge of Public Relations, the monthly Birthday Books program, and served many a hot lunch in the cafeteria. Currently, I'm completing a program to become accredited in Spiritual Direction. Before deciding to stay at home with my three children (ages almost 24, 21 and 18 now), I worked in healthcare public relations for Porter/Novelli and Fleishmann-Hillard PR agencies, and Searle Pharmaceuticals.
Tell us something we may not know about you.
I am originally from the Washington, DC area, am happily married to Mark Piekos for almost 26 years.
I look forward to meeting other KGC members and becoming an active part of the Club!
____________________________________________________________________________
Please add Kim's contact information to your directory:
342 Chestnut St.
Winnetka, IL 60093
Ph: 847.446.5011
Email: kpiekos@aol.com
|
|
|
|
Kenilworth's North Park, which will undergo renovation beginning in early Spring.
|
|
|
Fundraising:
Beautification's annual plant sale has been canceled. The work involved, risk of injury at the Village Yard, funds raised on the decline all called for the change. Other fundraising options were suggested and discussed. There will be more news about that in the future. The biannual fundraising letter will be going out to the residents in April this year; previously it was mailed in December.
It was deemed too expensive to connect to the main
water
source for Maggi Park. However, plants that have been selected for Maggi and North Park are drought tolerant. The Park District will water the park's new plantings with the large tank of water on the truck that travels throughout the village.
There is an on-going effort to contact community groups for donations; reaching out as they may like to contribute to the village and would welcome ways in which to do so. New trees being considered for Maggi and North Park are Thornless Hawthorn ($250) and Red Buds ($450). A sign, the design like others around the village, will be placed in Maggi Park; the cost is $1,650 and would be available to be donated by a community group or individual.
Tree Program:
On the Kenilworth website,
villageofkenilworth.org
,
click Memorial Tree Program. There you'll find how one can purchase a tree for the village. It doesn't always have to be in memory of a loved one, perhaps instead a way for families, individuals or clubs to give a tree to the community and watch it grow! In the words of Valerie Foradas, A Living Legacy.
Bids for the work on Maggi and North Park are being studied; planting to begin in early spring.
THIS SPRING WE'LL WATCH MAGGI AND NORTH PARK
BLOSSOM !
--
Cheryl Anderson, Civic
An update from Lois Stanley
On Monday, February 13 @ 7:30 at the Sears School Board Meeting in the Sears School Library and at the Park District Meeting on Thursday, February 16 @ 5:30 at the Kenilworth Assembly Hall, residents had an opportunity to understand the possibilities for a new Village House (VH). The two Park Board Commissioners, working on this project, Jack Pressman and Kevin Reilly, will present Chip Hackley's drawings.
This is the plan Katie Nahrwold raised funds to begin. The architectural sketches will also be available for your review at the Kenilworth Club. The proposed structure is traditional in style with a steep roof, cupola and porch overhangs on three sides. Most residents would, as I do, find it quite attractive. It would be in the same location as the existing VH. The structure is much larger than the current VH.
The preliminary plan includes a:
- Full size basketball gym on it's west side, for the community and for Sears students during lunch and gym classes
- Small kitchen just outside gym for use to microwave lunches & concessions
- Porch overhang on the south side with an outdoor fireplace
- Large flexible open area on first floor for exercise classes of about 40, and a lounge area with fireplace
- Storage, accessible from the outside, for lacrosse & football equipment
- Vehicle storage on the north side to replace the Scout House
- Locker room on first floor
- Second floor finished with a full weight & cardio center for12-16 users, two stand alone rooms for 18 students, locker rooms with showers
- New access to VH via Cumnor Road with circle turnaround on south side of VH and a low wall to separate kids from traffic
- 10-12 parking spaces along Cumnor on the far east side of Townley Field, preserving large trees
- possible small parking lot on Townley, just north of Melrose Ave.
This project is moving forward and it is important for residents to be involved at these early stages. Also, would each garden club president email this information to their members. Thank you for your active interest in our wonderful home town.
|
|
Don't Miss This Year's
Going Green Matters Annual Fair!
March 12 -- Noon - 4 p.m.
Michigan Shores Club
With this year's event - One People One Planet - explore more than 100 exhibits. Experience an art exhibit based on climate change data. Enter the amazing giant GeoSphere. Compare electric and hybrid cars. Watch a slide show of local residents and exhibitors taking action. Take home a list of things you can do right away to make a difference. Visit the event website at www.goinggreenmatters.org.
NAL News
Karin Balsbaugh attended the GCA's NAL conference in Washington DC last month. Look for her recap of the meeting in the April Newsletter.
As the new Congress begins, there is one piece of legislation that was introduced in February that is of concern. Rep Matt Gaetz from Florida proposed: H.R.861 - To terminate the Environmental Protection Agency
The EPA was created for the purpose of protecting human health and the environment. Some of you may remember --the EPA was actually an initiative of Pres. Richard Nixon and began operation on December 2, 1970. The agency conducts environmental assessment, research, and education. It has the responsibility of maintaining and enforcing national standards under a variety of environmental laws, in consultation with state, tribal, and local governments. It delegates some permitting, monitoring, and enforcement responsibility to U.S. states and the federally recognized tribes. The agency also works with industries and all levels of government in a wide variety of voluntary pollution prevention programs and energy conservation efforts.
Contact your representatives to voice concerns about this troubling legislative proposal.
Articles of Interest
Get your Gardens Ready and shop for Native Plants
Native Plant Sales
Before the Flood Screenings
Before the Flood screenings have drawn large audiences in Wilmette, Winnetka, Glencoe and Kenilworth, and more screenings are planned. This eye-opening documentary on climate change can move viewers from "a bit concerned" to "ready to take action." View the documentary here. (
www.beforetheflood.com/screenings)
Green Your Spring Cleaning
Source: Green America
Buy green cleaners at your local natural foods store or via mail order or the Internet.
Make your own cleaners. To avoid toxic chemicals, consider making your own cleaners. Household items like baking soda, lemon juice, vinegar, and club soda, can be combined to clean everything from carpets to toilet bowls.
Use old clothing and sheets for dusting and cleaning rags, rather than paper towels.
Avoid cleaners that contain phosphates as a water softener. Phosphates appear in a number of cleaners such as some dishwashing liquids and promote rapid algae growth which pollutes the water supply.
If you use mothballs, consider replacing them with a more natural alternative. Try cheesecloth-wrapped cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, or whole cloves.
Eliminate the need for chemical fabric softeners by adding ΒΌ cup of vinegar to your washing machine's rinse cycle.
Let your houseplants do the cleaning! Some houseplants-such as Boston ferns, English ivy, rubber plants, and peace lilies-can help clean your indoor air by absorbing toxic chemicals.
--
Ann Jones
Spring Tip:
|
Great Lakes Funding
On KGC's behalf, Lenore Macdonald sent an email to Rep. David Joyce (Ohio) and Rep. Sandy Levin (Michigan), sponsors of the Federal Great Lakes Initiative's continued funding at the $300 million level.
|
Visiting Gardens is happy to announce a NEW procedure for signing up on Interest Lists for trips. There is now a submission form for each trip's Interest List on our Visiting Gardens Committee landing page:
https://www.gcamerica.org/members/visiting-gardens
If you are interested in a trip, please locate the trip's description on the Visiting Gardens Committee landing page on the GCA website. Within the trip's description, you will find a link to a Interest List sign-up form for that specific trip. Complete the form and submit. Immediately you will be notified of your successful submission. If you would like to sign up for multiple Interest Lists you will need to access and submit an Interest List form for each trip. Please note that this new procedure replaces using gcainterestlists@gmail.com for interest list sign-ups.
Thank you so much for your prompt attention to this exciting change. The VG Committee hopes that using this form will make signing up for Interest Lists easier and more accurate.
When you go to the VG landing page, you will find the listings for these exciting trips for 2018:
Dallas - April 9-13, 2018
Santa Fe - July 13-18, 2018
Hudson River Valley -Sept 23-28, 2018
South Africa - Oct 8-18, 2018
We hope that you will travel with Visiting Gardens and don't forget to plan garden visits for your club, too!
--Debbie Ross, Zone XI Visiting Gardens Chair
|
An Invitation from the Lake Forest Garden Club
|
KENILWORTH ADULT NIGHT OUT -- REGISTER TODAY!
Register for the most buzzed about event of 2017. Adult Night Out is for community residents ages 21 and over. Join your neighbors as you enjoy refreshments, music, and fun!
March 21
"Central Park"
7-10 pm
We have TWO options for you. You can register for each night as they become available OR you can register for all the date nights right now and get the last one FREE!
Your ticket will provide you with:
Appetizers from Jordan's Food of Distinction
Signature Beverages from Spritzology
Transformed Lounge by Northern Decor and M&M Special Events
DON'T DELAY- Sign up now!
|
|
A big thank you to the following members:
Stacey DeLuca, Shelley Galloway and Elizabeth Dugan for our terrific February meeting at Zia Gallery;
Kendra Cunningham and Stacey DeLuca for the fabulous February flower arraangements;
Sue Cozzens, Karin Balsbaugh, Anne Brown, Kelly Chestnut and Stacey DeLuca-our fantastic February hostesses;
Terri Lorenz for organizing our very successful Floral Arranging 101 session--the first in our Zone in many years;
Terri Lorenz, Heather Blackwell, Stacey DeLuca, Shelley Galloway and Chris Wiedrich for making the KGC Show of Summer Special Edition Newsletter a reality;
Joan Senko and Elizabeth Drake for getting the Show of Summer clerks in ship shape;
Stacey DeLuca and Shelley Galloway for their hard work as Show of Summer Photography Chairs;
Polky Kibler for chairing the Benefit Angel outreach;
Cheryl Anderson for painting the beautiful Maggi Park watercolors;
Jeanne Daniel for updating our membership materials, and for all of the things that she does for KGC that most of us don't even realize;
Karin Balsbaugh for attending the GCA National Affairs and Legislation Meeting;
Shelley Galloway for her work on the club Awards;
Diane Phillips for all that she is doing to keep the club on good financial footing;
All members who submitted Philanthropy proposals;
Beth Glass, Mary Lois Hakewill and Chris Wiedrich for serving as our Nominating Committee;
The KGC Board of Directors for all of its "hard work and heavy lifting"; and
KGC
Past Presidents
Kathy Elmer, Shelley Galloway, S
ue Cozzens,
Stephanie Keehn,
Mary Glerum, Nancy Kurz, Lyn Little, Carole Read, Kitty Kirby, and Judy Keller who have generously shared their advice and counsel.
|
 |
|
|
|
Spring cake from Mariano's in Northbrook
|
|
|
