Words of Winter

A change in the temperature sure indicates that winter is amongst us. From the slow down of weed growth to the northern songbirds that have migrated south, it is a warm welcome. Last week the garden celebrated its 5th annual fundraiser, ‘Hats in the Garden’. The grounds were in tip-top condition as 400 people converged onto the grounds. A new 5 ½ minute video showcasing the garden, that had literally just been completed, was unveiled.

This week we had our ‘Thanks-for-Giving’ potluck, with volunteers and staff. We all enjoyed turkey, stuffing, potatoes and the endless supply of homemade dishes! Volunteers had the opportunity to see the new video as well, while enjoying the feast. Three 1st graders from Avalon Elementary school read their paper on “What I’m thankful for”.

The Lifelong Learning Program has begun! There were two programs this week and both were enjoyed by many! The first program was on ‘Growing and Preparing Herbs’, by Pat Johnson. She demonstrated how to make herb flavored vinegars and tea mixtures. Each participant made a bottle of flavored vinegar and also took home a number of dried herbs. And I will say this, I stepped into the room after the class was completed, and it smelled wonderful!

The second program this week was ‘Utilizing Native Plants in Your Yard’ and was taught by NBG Natural Area Manager, Chad Washburn. Chad talked about native plants and how they can be used in the landscape. This class was nearly full to capacity!

The next lecture will be on Tuesday, December 2nd at 10 AM. It will be ‘Tropical Fruits Made Simple’. Have you ever wondered what the secret is to making your fruit trees fruitful? Join local experts David and Jenny Burd as they share their successes in growing tropical fruits in Collier County.

Now, in closing, there was a spectacular site just outside the back doors this morning. A juvenile bald eagle perched itself up in the pine tree and was just calling away. It looked so majestic sitting there against the deep blue sky, just resting. It still amazes me how big these birds are!