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September Happenings

Our season has started off with a bang — the September General Meeting was very well attended, with everyone happy to see each other and anxious to catch up on the summer’s news. Despite lots of conversation and a beautiful spread of refreshments, members were able to get down to business. Our new President, Susan C., updated us on club news and introduced the Committee Chairs, who briefly described their functions. The committees then met individually to lay out plans for the upcoming year.

Linda V. discusses Environment & Conservation’s 2018 Mini-Grant award winners at the September Meeting.

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One of the first exciting events of this season is a Field Trip to the Woodman Museum in Dover. This is a Promise Tree event offered by Johann. She has planned a trip to Dover that includes brunch at Harvey’s Bakery & Coffee Shop, followed by a tour of the Woodman Museum.

The date is Wednesday, October 10. A carpool will leave from the Stratham Public Library at 9:30 am. RSVP to Johann by Oct. 1.

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Lee has shared some lovely pictures of her summer garden. This is her celosia bed:

And here is her re-blooming iris:

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Environment & Conservation Chair, Linda V., provided members with some great posters of  our 2018 Mini-Grant Award Recipients at the September meeting. For those who couldn’t attend the meeting or didn’t get a chance to see the posters, visit the Mini-Grant page of the website to see some terrific photos of  the gardens our hard-earned grant money funded this year. Carol C., who volunteers at Seacoast Family Promise, also shared pictures of  the vegetable gardens that she helps SFP grow for the benefit of their clients. They had a very productive year, judging by the photos!

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For anyone who’s always wanted to learn about landscape design, the Landscape Design School of Massachusetts is offering a course on Oct. 25 & 26 in Lexington, MA. For more information about the class, check out their website here.

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More July-August Happenings

Butterfly Place Field Trip

Five members enjoyed a wonderful field trip to the Butterfly Place in Westford, MA  on August 9. Linda V took pictures so we can all enjoy the beauty. Can you identify any of these butterflies?

 

If you can’t identify this next butterfly, you haven’t been attending our meetings!

Susan & Betsy V:

Jann & Jill:

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August Summer Meeting

The twenty-five members who attended our August 16 Meeting/Luncheon enjoyed sharing this summer’s gardening experiences (too hot & humid!), loads of delicious food, and had the opportunity to get acquainted with some our new members. As you can see by the pictures, there was no shortage of eats or laughs. Thanks to Nance J for photographing the fun and to Susan for providing her beautiful home.

 

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Meet our New Members

We are so pleased to welcome these gardeners, who have joined us in the past few months:

Ginny Bulmer from Rye

Barbara Herron from Exeter

Jennifer Howard from Stratham

Mary Jo Reynolds from Stratham

Donna Richardson from Dover

Ginny Tremberth from Stratham

Be sure to introduce yourself to them at the September General Meeting!

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Make sure you’ve marked your calendars for our season kick-off General Meeting. We’ll be gathering at the Stratham Municipal Center between 9 and 9:30 on Thursday, Sept. 20. Find out what’s in store for the next nine months and pick up your hot-off-the-press 2018-19 Yearbook.

June Happenings

An informal Summer Meeting had been scheduled for next Thursday, July 19. Unfortunately, this meeting had to be cancelled, but Susan C. will be hosting a lunch/barbecue meeting at her home on Thursday, August 16. Watch your email for further details!

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The June Board Meeting includes both the current Board and the new, incoming members of next year’s Board. This is the meeting where next year’s plans are discussed and new Board members are familiarized with their upcoming jobs. Of course none of this happens without good food, so the new Board members were treated to a potluck brunch. Here are a few shots of the action. (Sorry, no food photos!)

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The big news for June was our festive June Luncheon and Plant Auction, held at the Portsmouth Country Club, with 44 attending.  As always, members and guests were able to bid on lots of happy, healthy plants which had been nurtured and donated by fellow members. Max performed admirably as auctioneer again this year – whipping through dozens of plants with efficiency and a hefty dollop of humor. We added $849 to our treasury thanks to the plant sales.

Plants (and Auctioneer Max) arriving for the auction. 

Betsy A. and her Hospitality Committee arranged for a delicious buffet luncheon and lovely table settings, including handmade centerpieces which were raffled off to some happy winners. The Environment & Conservation Committee provided two spectacular baskets packed full of gardening items, one of which was awarded to the member who brought her own coffee cup to the meetings most regularly – a great way to emphasize the “conservation” part of this committee’s goal.  In total, the various raffles brought in almost $125 for our club.

E&C’s Raffle Baskets:

    

Table centerpieces

The luncheon culminated with the installation of  our club’s new Executive Board and the grateful acknowledgement of  outgoing Presidents, Jill and Betsy and Vice-President Mel, for jobs very well done.  Anne C. performed the installation of new officers, presenting each of the five board members with a plant to symbolize their individual responsibility to the club.

Anne C. installing officers

A list of  the full Board, including Committee Chairs, can be found on the website under “Members Only“. (While you’re there, check out some of the other interesting members only info available to you.)

Our new Executive Board: Susan, president; Linda S, vice-president; Vicki, recording secretary; Florence, returning as corresponding secretary; and Jill, treasurer. (All the distractions of this fun event made a better picture impossible!)

More Luncheon Photos (thanks to Nance J.):

 

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Gardening Event

Members of our club have been invited to this interesting and timely presentation:

Please join the Piscataqua Garden Club on Thursday, July 19, 2018 at 10:30 am at The Reading Room, 491 York Street, York Harbor, Maine, for a presentation on the impacts of climate change, “Preparing for Sea Level Rise” , by Gayle Bowness, Science Education Program Manager, Gulf of Maine Research Institute.

We have all noticed the increasing news coverage of intense storms, unusual temperatures, ocean warming and coastal flooding. As these issues become more prevalent in our daily lives, it is becoming more important to understand the impacts of these events – today and in the future. Ensuring the region’s resiliency to climate impacts, such as sea level rise, requires a scientifically informed and engaged public.

Join us for an interactive presentation to explore the data behind sea level rise. Together, we’ll review models projecting impacts in your community and case studies of resiliency from across the globe.

Gayle Bowness, a Nova Scotia native, with a B.S. in Marine Biology from Dalhousie University and a M.S. from Lesley University in Ecological Teaching and Learning will lead us in this experience. Gayle and her family have lived in Cape Elizabeth, Maine for 14 years where they enjoy exploring the state’s coastline. She has been working at Gulf of Maine Research Institute since 2005. As a pioneer in collaborative solutions to global ocean challenges, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, located in Portland, is dedicated to the resilience of the Gulf of Maine ecosystem and the communities that depend on it. Gayle has designed and delivered a variety of education programs, from watersheds to electrical efficiency and is now focused on sea level as the impacts of climate change become increasingly visible.

Understanding more about this timely topic seems to have become a priority of younger generations which we hope captures their and all interested guests’ attention to participate and engage in this event.

Open to the public. Suggested donation $5 at the door.

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 Lee C. has added a Leaf to our Promise Tree:

⇒ Iris — Baby blue to white, sometimes fall-blooming. They grow to 2 1/2 to 3 feet tall. Three dollars a pot while they last. Email Lee to arrange pickup.

Are you new to the club or need a refresher on how our Promise Tree program works? Click here for details!

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May Happenings

This is a jam-packed edition of the Happenings. We have lots of pictures of last month’s activities and a number of announcements about upcoming events, plus some very useful information. Here goes:

Our Yearbook Editor, Max asks you to please update her on any changes to your personal information for next year’s issue, including the committees to which you belong. She makes every effort to produce an accurate Yearbook and needs everyone’s help to do that. She’ll be starting work on the new issue soon, so please check your Yearbook entry and let her know if she needs to change anything. Max can be reached here.

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On May 4, EAGC was very pleased to award our Ruth B. Dubenitz Scholarship to a very worthy recipient, Patrick Howard of Enfield, NH. Patrick is a returning student to the Thompson School of Applied Science majoring in Horticultural Technology at UNH. The award ceremony took place at Cole Hall at UNH. Four respresentatives from our club attended.

Anne C. had the honor of  presenting the $2000 scholarship to Patrick and also speaking briefly about Ruth and her love of gardening and the environment. Patrick aspires to own his own landscaping company. This year, he was president of the Horticulture Club at the school and has been pursuing certification in as many aspects of landscaping as he’s able. He was very grateful to receive our scholarship, which will certainly help him in acheiving his career goals.

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Spring Japanese Flower Workshop

Twelve Exeter Area Garden Club members discovered the elegance and simplicity of freestyle Ikebana, a contemporary method of Japanese arranging that allows the freedom to create with no hard and fast rules. Participants enjoyed learning more about history of the art and arranging basics from two talented EAGC members. After Japanese tea and refreshments, members set out to create their own masterpieces, experimenting with lines, space and texture using kenzans (spiked flower holder ‘frogs’) for stabilizing their materials.

Ann H., Design Co-chair

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The Beautification Committee had a busy month. The flower boxes for the bandstand were planted at Churchill’s early in the month…

Then the bandstand cleanup and installation of the planter boxes followed on May 23rd…

Nance, Bandstand Beautification’s Fearless Leader

 

  

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EAGC is very pleased to introduce three new members: Barbara (Exeter), Jennifer (Stratham), and Donna (Dover). Welcome to the club!  We look forward to getting to know you soon.

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Mark your calendars now for Thursday morning, July 19. That’s the date of our Summer Meeting. If you’re unfamiliar with our Summer Meetings, they’re informal gatherings where members share their gardening woes & successes and generally enjoy each other’s company. Plans are not yet finalized, but you’ll be notified by email when they are.

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Minutes of the May Board & General Meetings are available on the website. Click here to find them. Also available on the site is the Budget for the 2018-19 season, which was finalized by Susan C. & her Budget Committee and approved by the membership. The Budget page can be found under Members Only. Click here to view it.

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We received this invitation via email. This sounds like a very informative program…

Please join the Piscataqua Garden Club on Thursday, June 21, 2018 at 10:30 am at The Reading Room, 491 York Street, York Harbor, Maine for a floral design presentation.

“Designs for Entertaining (Don’t Worry about the food if the flowers look great!)” promises to be an informative demonstration of memorable flower designs for cocktail and dinner parties and special occasions.

Maureen Christmas, AIFD, CFD, an Accredited Master National Garden Club Flower Show judge who was inducted into the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) in July 2016 and is presently completing her European Master Certification, will share her knowledge while completing flower arrangements. She is a top award winner at the New England Spring Flower Show, Boston Flower and Garden Show, Newport and Rhode Island Flower Shows. A recipient of the Cindora Goldberg Award given by the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts and the Deanna Mozzochi Creative Design award given by the New England Region, our demonstration is anticipated to include tips representative of her experience and accomplishments.

Open to the public. Suggested donation $5 at the door.

Lucy Andrews
[email protected]

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Our club also received this invitation.  Flowers and hooked rugs — what a great combination!

2nd Annual Garden Party Stroll and Hooked Rugs in the Garden 
to benefit the Gilmanton food pantry and The GYRL!  

BARR RESIDENCE GARDENS
30 HIGH STREET
GILMANTON, NH
Saturday June 23rd, 2018 4pm-6pm
(Sunday 6/24 rain date)
please RSVP to 603-267-1905 or [email protected]

All proceeds to benefit two Gilmanton organizations.
Come one – come all! $20.00 each or two for $35.00
Wine with cheese and crackers will be served.
PLEASE JOIN US FOR A FUN COMMUNITY GATHERING!

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We hope to see everyone next Wednesday, June 20th, at our fun & festive

June Luncheon & Plant Auction!

See you at 11:00 at the Portsmouth Country Club in Greenland!

Questions about the luncheon? Contact Betsy A. here.

April Happenings

Welcome Spring! It seems we’ve been waiting a long time for your arrival.

While we’re all savoring the daffodils, blooming fruit trees, and the chance to dig in the soil once again, let’s take a few minutes to review the activities of April. Our club was quite busy, despite the tiresome, March-like weather.

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Linda’s afternoon of Bunco, a Promise Tree event, gave new definition to the phrase “a barrell of laughs.” The three tables of participants (who may have gotten a little rowdy) thoroughly enjoyed Linda’s gracious hospitality and several raucous games of bunco.  Here’s the evidence:

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Our April “Member Meeting” was an enormous hit — instructional, entertaining, and very much fun! Attendees, including several guests, learned so much from (and about) our six member presenters.

The meeting began and ended with Lynda’s lovely vocal renditions in honor of spring…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LuAnn explained the care and feeding of compost worms…

Becky showcased some of her favorite historic gardening books…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carole demonstrated how to make a hydrangea wreath…

Pat explained how to get our tools ready for the spring planting season…

Carol’s presentation featured Dill, including delicious samples made from her recipes…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the meeting ended with the raffling off of the products of each demonstration. Meredith was the pleased winner of Carol’s dilly carrots…

 

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Patti Elwell sent us this photo of her April gardening frustration. She said, “Here is a photo of my April garden: growing lush in the basement! These should already be growing outside! Such is the life of a gardener, you can’t change mother nature!”

Fortunately for Patti, and the rest of us, mother nature has chosen to smile upon us in May. Patti’s veggies are surely thriving in her back yard by now.

 

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Our May 17 General Meeting will have a special appeal for the rose lovers among us – our speaker will be Jamie Colen, who helps Fuller Gardens maintain their gorgeous rose displays. Jame will be speaking about “Dispelling the Myths about Growing Roses and Other Garden Plants.” Our members will also be voting on two important club items: the slate of nominees for next year’s board and the 2018-2019 budget. (Click here to see the slate of nominees.)

Don’t miss this important meeting!

 

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Linda noted an article in the April 12 edition of Seacoast Online by Pam Stuppy on the value of fresh, homegrown vegetables to our health and including helpful gardening suggestions for even the patio gardener. If you missed this article, click here to read it in full.

 

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Minutes from the April General Meeting and the May Board Meeting are available on the Minutes page, under “Members Only.” Here’s a quick link to see the Minutes Page.

 

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If you’ve wondered how all those nasty stinkbugs found their way into your home this winter, here’s an extremely interesting (and disgusting) article from the New Yorker about these ugly invaders from Asia. You’ll be amazed at how truly invasive and potentially destructive they really are.

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With strawberry season nearly upon us, here’s a tip to keep your berries fresh for a longer period of time. To extend their fridge life, use 1 part white vinegar to 10 parts water; soak the whole strawberries for 5 minutes; then drain until completely dry. Store in an uncovered bowl in the vegetable drawer of your fridge. The vinegar kills mold spores that cause rotting and doesn’t affect the taste. This tip is from TheFrugalGirls.com.

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And lastly, a reminder that our blowout Annual Spring Luncheon and Plant Auction will be on Wednesday, June 20, from 11 to 3, at the Portsmouth Country Club. Don’t miss this celebration of our members and of another wonderful year of garden clubbing. Invite a friend or two – They’ll love our auction, raffles, a great meal, and most of all – our friendly, welcoming members! Contact Betsy A. to sign up for or to get more information about the luncheon. And click here for info on potting up and maintaining your auction plants.