Janurary 8, 2009
Dear Garden Club Members

It is hard for me to realize that it is already a week into the new year and I am just getting started on this newsletter. Next week will be our first meeting of the season so I'm scrambling to get this out into the mail.

Our next four meeting: (see home page)

Our President, Mary Lee Reynolds-Fisher has been very busy doing her civic duty as a trial Juror but Garden Club goes on. We entered the Christmas Tree contest sponsored by Raymus Homes and won second place! Our tree's theme was "CHRISTMA IS COMING UP ROSES". It was decorated with dark red satin roses, Deodar Cedar Roses sprayed gold, Baby's Breath and dark red ornaments and was it beautiful! ! The committee won $300 for our club and had a little celebration party when they took the tree down last Saturday. Judy Scheppman, Lynne Mayer, Nancy Selman, Solet Deicke, Frances Groom and Monique Boyajian were among the group that took care of the tree. We learned that votes could be called in--so next year perhaps we can organize more votes.

We lost a long time member, Ruby Jack, whose home was in Arnold. When I moved to Linden in 1963, she was welcoming and active in our club. Later when we had a second home in Arnold, I renewed our friendship. I believe she and Frances Groom were classmates! Through she lost her eyesight she stayed active and interesed and was wonderful role model. She lived to be 93 but I will never think of her as OLD and will remember her with love.

Our Pauline BeBenedetti just celebrated her ninety-second birday! Congratulations Pauline.

Winter District Meeting will be February 5th, 2009; hosted by Lodi Garden Club in the Church of God (7th-Day Aventist) Fellowship Hall in Lodi. Plan to attend. It is always a beautiful meeting when Lodi hosts. They will be electing officers that day. For more information contact Mary Lee, Judy Scheppman or Lynn Mayer.

Spring garden catalogs are arriving. My Sasanqua Camellias were lovely but the Japonica Camellias are blooming now. My gardening days are pretty much behind me, but I love looking out the window at orange and tangerine trees loaded with fruit that I personally planted more than 30 years ago. I watch buds swelll on a treasured star magnolia that I planted because Dorothy Brandstad had (still has) such a beauty in her garden.

Best wishes for a wonderful 2009. May you find something new and exciting to plant in your garden and MAY ALL YOUR WEEDS BE WILDFLOWERS!

Jane