BEV KELVER VISITS DIRTY HANDS

Many thanks to the lovely and very gracious Bev Kelver, an active member of the Four Seasons Gardeners Garden Club of LaPorte, for her visit to our newly formed club. Bev has been a wonderful mentor as our club has moved forward from idea to infancy. We value her friendship and help so very much. Through her we hope to form a strong bond with the membership of her club--after all, to be a gardener is to share what you have and what you know with others.

Bev brought a vase of absolutely GORGEOUS daffodils with her, which were given as a prize to the lucky Bobbi Dosmann, and talked to us about the importance of garden design for year round beauty. Such concerns as structure for winter interest (grasses are great for this), attention to mature plant size and tree canopy in the planning stages, as well as suggestions for layered planting of spring bulbs to maximize color and succession in a given space were covered. Bev recommended several books. Among them were "Color for Your Winter Yard and Garden" by G. Wilson and "Four Season Landscape" published by Rodale books. In addition, Bev spent a lot of time telling us about the National Garden Clubs, Inc., drawing on her extensive history in the organization, which includes serving as State President. She also mentioned that her husband, Donn, who is quite an authority on the subject of gourds (and has a published book to prove it!) would be available for a program--something we will certainly take him up on in the near future!

All in all, it was a wonderful "first official" meeting and a positive way to get on our feet. We all appreciate these two lovely people and look forward to an ongoing relationship with them.

Notes and junk from your Fearless Leader

Hi Folks:
Just a little philosophizing and general stuff. I want to know your reactions to the blog. If you see changes you want made, let me know. Stuff like--is the text to small--do you hate the colored text, is the layout confusing, any announcements you want me to put up. I have a brain like a sieve and this time of year is the worst. I go about 8000 directions at once so things get forgotten or left half done A LOT. I don't mind being reminded about things and poked once in awhile to complete tasks so don't hesitate to do that. Just be nice about it :-).
It is my belief that a club takes on the identity and priorities of its membership. If the priority is to be exclusive and superior feeling, then that is how the club will feel to others. This can be a subconscious thing or an active attitude. Regardless of how it happens, it will happen. For my part I want our club to be informal and fun, inclusive to everyone who loves gardening, and an active and busy organization that is a pleasure for its members. None of us has time to waste, and a club that doesn't enhance our existance as friends and gardeners isn't worth the effort. To me what this means is that everyone should feel the desire to contribute in some way, which I think most people want anyway. My job is to open the door by listening to all ideas impartially and by setting an example by my own actions. Gardeners are by and large highly creative people--after all the act of gardening is a kind of creation itself--and creative energy is the most valuable thing everyone can bring to this organization. We can foster creativity in many ways--by the kinds of programs we offer and by encouraging everyone to take an active part. To me the start of a project begins with casting a huge net upon the waters and seeing what is pulled in. I tell people when my mind takes on an idea it goes like a runaway train, with thoughts and ideas falling headlong over themselves. I enjoy this process and let every idea have its "say" and then add or reject each idea as its merits or shortcomings become apparent. I feel this club will best be served by the same type of process--so lets hear the ideas!
And patience will be needed too--I ask for your tolerance as I figure out what the heck I am doing. I have never been an officer in ANYTHING and really don't have the first notion of how to go about it--so I am just relying on my common sense. I tend to be a bit inelegant sometimes, it is not intentional and certainly never intended to hurt or offend. I value honesty much more highly than a sensitivity to whatever feelings you think might be hurt. Tell me the truth, and expect to get the truth from me. That is the highest measure of regard we can show one another--the willingness to be truthful in our interactions.
Guess thats all for now--be thinking about what you want this club to be and how to get there from here. The journey will be fun if we decide to make it that way!

Welcome to the Dirty Hands Blog!

Hello Dirty Hand-ers! Welcome to our blog! This will be a place to share information, pictures, garden tips, whatever. I have just created it, and don't know a lot about the process yet, so don't expect anything miraculous. In the coming days I will try to get a protocol established so I can post pictures or info that you send along. For the moment, please direct questions ONLY in text form to the dirtyhands email :(dirtyhandshappysouls@yahoo.com) do not send any picture files to that address. Bobbie--the email czarina is on a slow dialup connection and uploading might create a problem. We will address this later on and get everything operational. Right now--here are the following upcoming things:

NEXT MEETING IS TUESDAY, MAY 4 AT 7 PM AT SHIRLEY'S. After this meeting (which will have been our third meeting) I will finish the paperwork to complete our federation with the Indiana Garden Club and the National Garden Club. If you haven't paid your dues and know you want to join, don't forget to take care of that. (its 20 bucks).

REMEMBER BREAKFAST AT MY PLACE ON SAT. MAY 15 FROM 7:30 TO 8:30 BEFORE WE HEAD TO LAPORTE AND PLANT SHOPPING. If you can't attend the breakfast but still want to go to the sale--I will get some directions to the park shelter figured out and post them here later.

MAY 1 IS THE NORTH WINDS GARDEN CLUB GARDEN PARTY IN ELKHART. REGISTRATION FOR HALF DAY IS 15.00 AND FULL DAY IS 27.00 OR 27.50--CAN'T REMEMBER AND DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME. I SENT ATTACHMENTS WITH EMAILS OUT ABOUT THIS. LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT TO GO AND WHEN--I AM PLANNING TO ATTEND THE MORNING SESSION. THEIR DEADLINE IS 4/26 BUT SINCE WE MAY BE A BIT LATE, THEY WOULD JUST LIKE A HEAD COUNT SO THEY HAVE ENOUGH FOOD.

MARY ANN MCGWIN HAS WRITTEN A QUESTIONNAIRE TO HELP GET TO KNOW EVERYBODY'S INTERESTS. MORE ON THIS LATER.

Remember that Shirley has business cards with basic information about the club on it for you to pass out if you come across someone you think might be interested.