December Gathering

Happy Holidays to all!

Christmas Party, December 9 – There were 18 members present and 3 guests. Mike read some of his poems as entertainment.

The gift exchange followed, with everyone receiving great presents. Norma furnished the ham, and members brought appetizers, sides and deserts.

Community Project:  K-9 Gift boxes – we shipped 6 boxes to Afghanistan for 10 K-9s and their handlers plus some extras. The gifts were acknowledged as received before Christmas. Doc & Peggy, Valerie, Sandra, Norma, Kathie and Beth helped wrap the gifts.  Beth mailed boxes on December 1.

November Monthly Meeting

President, Norma Chiaramonte, called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. at the Cypress Creek Lakes Community Center.

THOSE IN ATTENDANCE INCLUDED: Bev & Larry Allen, Norma Chiaramonte, Kathie Corbett, Sandra Gilbert, Debbie Haluch, Liz Hearn, Ellen & Mark Jones, Ian McWilliam & Nicole, Marcia & Dave Mausolf, Cathy Oland, Mike Owens, Peggy & Doc Stokley, Beth Weers, Melissa Yahner. Our Guests were Micheal Dodson and Liz Dunphy who were the Yard of the Month Winners, and Barb Besecker.

PROGRAM: Melissa Yahner presented Patti Suler with HCMGA, who spoke on Butterfly Gardening plants, Propagation tips, and Photography based gifts. Norma will get Patti’s notes and email them to the club members.

YARD OF THE MONTH: Kathie announced that Micheal Dodson and Liz Dunphy were the recipients of the Yard of the Month, and presented them with a certificate.

HOSTESS:  Thank you to Bev and Larry for being hostess this month!

DOOR PRIZE: Thank you to Doc and Peggy for the door prize, won by Cathy Oland.

MINUTES:  A motion was made to dispense with the reading of the minutes.

OLD BUSINESS: Committee Reports

Bricks: Sandra reminded us that bricks make wonderful memorials and gifts.

Butterfly Garden: Larry said the planting was a great success and was planted in record time, due to the 16 volunteers and Kyle placing the plants for us.
Signs: Larry said that will not need more signs. Ian will help place the signs.

Field Trips: Beth reminded us that the dinner at Romero’s is this Friday, November 18 at 7. She said 25 members are coming and will send reminders on Wednesday.

Jr Gardener Event: Liz said she is still working on the event.

Blog: Debbie said that she would post the blog this week.

NEW BUSINESS:

Christmas Party: Norma said that the party will be at her house on December 9, starting at 7. She will provide a ham. Last names from A – J will bring desserts, K – Z will bring appetizers and side dishes. Norma will send Evite to members and guests. Everyone should bring a gift of not more than $ 30.00 value, to participate in the gift exchange.

Community Project:  We voted to adopt a K-9 unit with 9 dogs and their handlers, who have been deployed. They provided us with a wish list. The club voted to buy items from their list. Norma will buy the items and get them shipped.

February 13 Meeting:  The club house (Community Center) is being remodeled in the month of February.  Norma has reserved the Phase 3 Community Center for that meeting. The members voted to have the meeting there instead of skipping the meeting.

Gardening Checklist of the Month: ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬If you know a freeze is coming, water the landscape plants thoroughly around the root zone. Since the ground never freezes along the Gulf Coast, it is one of the best ways to keep plants safe during colder weather.  1001 GardenLine Questions with Randy Lemmon.

Christmas Party: December 9, 2016  7:00
Program: Christmas Party At the Chiaramonte home
Hospitality: A-J bring desserts    K-Z bring side dish or appetizer
Door Prize: Gift Exchange

Semi Annual Replanting of Butterfly Garden

16 Garden Club members arrived early this morning (before the scheduled 8am start time) to replant the neighborhood butterfly garden. 

Helen provided layout for new plants.  

Kyle’s team had removed the old ones and individually placed new ones in planting spot.  Please express a personal thank you to Kyle Franklin for his assistance and support.  We are lucky to have him on our team.

Our rich soil should have plants growing quickly.

Thank you Garden Club members for great conversations, team work and enhancing our neighborhood!

October Monthly Meeting

President, Norma Chiaramonte, called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. at the Cypress Creek Lakes Community Center.

THOSE IN ATTENDANCE INCLUDED: Bev and Larry Allen, Jennifer Burchert, Bonnie Buhl, Norma Chiaramonte, Kathie Corbett, Sandra Gilbert, Debbie Haluch, Kristina Haygood, Liz Hearn, Marcia and Dave Mausolf, Mike Owens, Ann Wiseman Schmidt, Valeria Sterrett, Peggy and Doc Stokley, Melissa Palacios Yahner

PROGRAM: Kristina presented Fred Billing, with Buds & Blossoms. Fred spoke on Vegetable Gardening and the importance of getting the soil right. Specific conditions needed in the soil are carbon, water and air in the right proportions so the micro-organisms can work. Soil should have equal part compost, sand and top soil.

YARD OF THE MONTH: The recipients of the Yard of the Month are Dale and Theresa Stasney.

HOSTESS:  Thank you to Mike and Peggy Sue Owens for being hostess this month!





DOOR PRIZE: Fred brought a flat of flowers won by Liz Hearn.





Thank you to Mike Owens for the door prize, won by Jennifer Burchert. Ann brought an Angel Trumpet plant from her yard which was won by Mark Jones.

MINUTES:  A motion was made to dispense with the reading of the minutes.

OLD BUSINESS:
Bricks: Sandra brought a display of the Butterfly Garden brick, pictures of the bricks laid at the garden and a form to order the brick.

Signs: Larry reported that he had changed out some of the old signs. All the signs were placed.
Butterfly Garden: Larry reported that we will do the plant change-out on Saturday, November 5 at 8 am. Donuts and kolaches will be served. If Kyle places the plants as he did last time, it probably will not take more than an hour to do the planting.

Field Trips: Valerie reported that we will have a members dinner at Romero’s on Barker-Cypress at Queenston Roads on November 18.

Marcia has planned a trip to Brookwood for a program on Holiday Decorating with lunch to follow. The trip will be on October, 20. We will meet at the clubhouse at 9 am and carpool to the site. Reservations need to be made. Lunch will cost $ 21.95, payable at Brookwood. Let Marcia know if you want to go.

NEW BUSINESS:

Yard of the Month: We will choose one yard, with the boundary stopping on the north side of Tuckerton

Honorary Member: Helen Lombardo was made an Honorary Member, because of her continuing work on the Butterfly Garden. Norma prepared a certificate for her, along with a card. The club will purchase a brick to be placed at the Butterfly Garden and will send the form for Helen to designate the wording.

Speaker of the Month: Norma has contacted the Houston Chapter of Master Gardeners requesting a list of their speakers. Melissa Yahner will contact Patti Suler to speak next month.
Standing Committees are as follows:                                                            
Yard of the Month: Bev, Kristina, Ellen, John, Marcia, Valerie, Kathie C.          
Sign Placement: Larry, John, Ian                                                                    
Brick Sales: Sandra                                                                                        
Brick Installation: Larry, John, Dave, Mike                                                  
Butterfly Garden: Larry, Helen                                                                        
 Jr Gardener: Liz, Lyn                                                                                      
Field Trips: Beth, Valerie (Marcia – Brookwood only)                                      
Blog: Debbie

GARDENING TIP OF THE MONTH: If you have caladium bulbs and want to save them for next year, dig them up. Store these bulbs in a cool, dry location and make sure all the dirt is off every part of the bulb.

This is also the best month to divide and move bulbs, such as Lilies and Iris.
¬¬¬¬Keep an eye out for all the bulb marts/shows/sales.
1001 GardenLine Questions with Randy Lemmon.

September Monthly Meeting

President, Norma Chiaramonte, called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. at the Cypress Creek Lakes Community Center.




THOSE IN ATTENDANCE INCLUDED: Bev and Larry Allen, Norma Chiaramonte, Kathie Corbett, Debbie Haluch and Dale Smothers, Kristina Haygood, Ian and Lyn McWilliam, Dave and Marcia Mausolf, Mike Owens, Ann Wiseman Schmidt, Valerie Sterrett, Beth and Gary Weers

PROGRAM: Debbie Haluch introduced Kyle Franklin, who spoke on Healthy Landscaping. He spoke on irrigation practices, fertilization, how to treat brown patch, chinch bugs, and fire ants, and how to plant container gardens using his: Thriller, Filler and Spiller technique. He brought numerous plants, which he gave to all the members.



YARD OF THE MONTH: Bev announced that Dean and Fern Bimeler  were the recipients of the Yard of the Month.










HOSTESS:  Thank you to Debbie and Dale for being hostess this month!


DOOR PRIZE: Thank you to Dave and Marcia for the door prize, won by Debbie Haluch.



MINUTES:  A motion was made to dispense with the reading of the minutes.


OLD BUSINESS:
Bricks: Sandra will continue to order bricks.
Signs: Larry reported that we will place 16 signs at entrances and the Butterfly Garden each month. Larry, John, and Ian will place the signs each month.


NEW BUSINESS:
Honorary Member: We voted to make Helen Lombardo an Honorary Member and to place a brick at the Butterfly Garden honoring her. We will pay yearly dues to Federation for her.

Yard of the Month: Norma explained that the new section is not part of the CCL HOA and we should not include that section in the Yard of the Month selection. Therefore, we will choose only one YOM. Bev will continue to check on the recipients’ eligibility, and Norma, Ellen, Kristina and Kathie will help in the selection each month.

Butterfly Garden at Tuckerton: Since the area at Tuckerton is not part of our HOA, we will table pursuing trying to get a butterfly garden installed.

Field Trips: Beth and Valerie will coordinate these events. Marcia will coordinate the Brookwood event.

Jr Gardener Event: Liz will chair the event again. Lyn will help.

GARDENING TIP OF THE MONTH: September is the month to start planting fall vegetables and Chrysanthemums; continue control of brown patch and grub worms; wait until late October to plant pansies and other cool season annuals.
1001 Garden Line Questions with Randy Lemmon.

Butterfly Garden Replanting

Thanks to all who participated in the CCL Spring Butterfly Garden planting.


We had a great number of club members turn out and finished in record time of 45 minutes. This usually take 1:30 hours.



Thanks to Kyle Franklin with I.M.S. Landscaping for the bed preparation, delivering the plants and placing each plant in the “spot”.

Everyone should be proud of the this community service project.



 

May General Meeting

President, Norma Chiaramonte, called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. at the Cypress Creek Lakes Community Center.

THOSE IN ATTENDANCE INCLUDED: Larry & Bev Allen, Jennifer Buchert, Norma Chiaramonte, Kathie Corbett, Sandra Gilbert, Debbie Haluch, Kristina Haygood, Liz Hearn, Gigi and John Marenco, Ian and Lyn McWilliam, David & Marcia Mausolf, Kathi Palacios, and Ann Schmidt. Guests attending were the speaker Ed Eargle, Carol Carmean, Roger and Sheila Guzman, Sandi Mueller, and Valerie Sterrett

PROGRAM: Marcia Mausolf invited Ed Eargle to speak on Keyhole Gardening. He explained that this is a method of a raised organic garden that takes very little space, uses very little water, is sustainable, and easy to care for. He gave us instructions on how to build a Keyhole Garden.

YARD OF THE MONTH: Bev announced that Dan and Sandi Mueller were May Yard of the Month winners.

HOSTESS:  Thank you to Jennifer Buchert for being hostess this month!

DOOR PRIZE: Thank you to Marcia Mausolf for the door prize, won by Kathie Corbett. Other door prizes were won by John Marenco and Kathi Palacios.

MINUTES:  A motion was made and seconded to dispense with the reading of the minutes.

OLD BUSINESS:
Jr. Gardener Event:  Liz reported that there were 52 kids decorating and planting pots for Mother’s Day gifts. The event was a great success. Larry commented that there was more participation from members at the event this year guiding the children through the decorating and planting, which kept the process moving along.

Audit: Norma reported that Doc Stokley had done the audit on the club’s bank account. He found that we needed receipts on the donation we made to CAM and receipt for the dues that were paid to District IV, Houston Federation of Garden Clubs, and Texas Garden Clubs. Those receipts have been place with the bank statements.

Bricks: Sandra reported that she will probably not place any more orders for bricks until the fall.

Butterfly Garden: Larry reported that the plant change out at the garden will be done this Saturday, May 14 at 8 a.m. He asked that we all help with the planting and it should not take more than 1 ½ hours. Please bring your garden trowel and a knee pad.

Yard of the Month: Norma reported that next year there will be 2 yards chosen because of the growth of our community. She also asked for volunteers to take over this job.

NEW BUSINESS:

Brick Installation: John reported that the five bricks will be installed on Tuesday, May 17.

Sign-Up Sheet: Norma passed the sign-up sheets for next year’s monthly speaker coordinator, hostess and door prize.

Brookwood Tours: Marcia announced that Brookwood will have Horticultural Tours of their greenhouses this summer. Tours will be Monday through Friday from 9-11 or 1-3 each day and are free. A minimum of 10 people are needed for a tour. She will coordinate getting a tour scheduled for July.

Dinner: Norma asked that we change the dinner to May 20, so it will not conflict with Memorial Day weekend. The dinner will be at Marvino’s at 7 p.m.

Planning Meeting: Norma announced that the planning meeting for next year will be August 8 at 7 p.m., at the club house.  She asked that we all come to help plan next year’s activities.

GARDENING TIP OF THE MONTH: MAY: This is the best time to start transplanting the heat loving annuals and perennials like VINCAS, CALADIUMS, ZINNIAS, PURSLANE, MOSS ROSE AND COPPER PLANTS.
1001 Garden Line Questions with Randy Lemmon.

PLANNING MEETING: AUGUST 8, 2016

Mother's Day Planters

5th Annual Jr. Gardeners Planting

The annual container gardening planting is very popular in neighborhood. 

This year, 51 containers were created for Mother's Day presents.

Thank you Liz Hearn for spearheading the project and all garden club members for making the process fun.