"Waking Up in Eden" Published

June 22, 2009: Lucinda Fleeson gave the program at the March 12, 2009 District 1 meeting. Her book: "Waking Up in Eden: In Pursuit of an Impassioned Life on an Imperiled Island" has been published and reviewed and, so far, it reads very well. Fleeson's Capitol Hill garden was the location of the launch party. In attendance was John Fay, of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who is mentioned in the book!

For more photos of the garden and party, go here.

New Carrollton Garden Club Celebrates 50 years

Annapolis, MD, June 20, 2009: Co-President Norma Hetrick welcomed old and new members and their guests to the 50th anniversary celebration of the New Carrollton Garden Club at the beautifully decorated Moorings Bistro at Heritage Harbour.

Norma (below left) proudly showed the Certificate of Merit from the National Garden Clubs, Inc. and presented it to Andrew Hanko, mayor of New Carrollton. Mayor Hanko read a proclamation thanking the garden club for initiating and maintaining the beautification of New Carrollton. He will devote a display case in city hall to the achievements of our club.









Mayor Hanko above with Norma and founding members Polly Wilson and Dotty Zahringer.

The two founding members still with us, co-president Polly Wilson and Dorothy Zahringer, recounted the first meetings of the club. Below, Dorothy shows her 50 year membership certificate from National Capital Garden Clubs, Inc.
Norma thanked Claireen Enciso (below left) for her long term as treasurer and Freia Lorimer (below right) for being the president for the four last years.








Project chair Margaret McKnew (right) talked about the Blue Star Marker, a marker promoted by the National Garden Clubs, Inc., to honor all service men and women of all wars. New Carrollton Garden Club, in conjunction with the City of New Carrollton, is soliciting funds to be able to place a marker at the intersection of Rt. 450 and Riverdale Road.



Member Charmane Truesdell gave a short demonstration on how flower arrangements changed over the past 50 years,

Following a delightful lunch, attendees were invited to reminisce and all shared in our 50 years as a garden club.

--Submitted by Freia Lorimer


Click on slideshow to open in a new page with photo captions.

Eastland Gardens Flower Club Celebrates 53 Years

June 20, 2009: The rejuvenated Eastland Gardens Flower Club, the first African-American garden club in metropolitan Washington DC, celebrated its 53rd anniversary with an homage to its founder Mrs. Rhuedine G. Davis. Mrs. Davis was on Lady Bird Johnson's committee for the "beautifying" (today we'd call it "greening") of Northeast Washington and worked tirelessly in the Eastland Gardens community. The celebration occurred under a steady rain at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, but during the proceedings the storm passed and we had a sunny interlude to see the water lilies, lotus and Kenilworth Marsh.

Violinist Danielle Davis performed for the assembly:








Zerline A. Hughes gave the welcome and Erman T. Clay, Sr., discussed the history of the club; Mr. Clay regularly presided at the installation of club officers when it was a women's club:











Club president Javier Barker recognized special guests and thanked those who organized the event; Delores Crim-Neal spoke about club founder Rhuedine G. Davis, whom she had known:











The program closed with a recitation of the club's Gardener's Creed:
The club history display:
The hats of early club members (Mrs. Davis's on the left):
A luncheon followed the meeting:













Canada geese in the rain:




















Shine:

District 1 Director David Healy and NCAGC 2d Vice President Babs McClendon pause at the end of the boardwalk into Kenilworth Marsh.

This view of Kenilworth Marsh is looking west towards the Anacostia River which is hidden by the distant trees. The river of brown plants are nuphar, which are believed to be the ancestor of both water lilies and lotus.
Two bees on pickerelweed blossom and a dragonfly:








Butterflies:








Smoky Bracket (Bjerkandera adjusta) on a decomposing tree:
Red-winged blackbird and an osprey:








A turtle:
Photos by Bill Dean.

Presidents' Meeting Features Anacostia Cruise

Bladensburg Waterfront Park, June 11, 2009: Club presidents, board members and guests enjoyed an environmental cruise on the Anacostia River as part of District 1's annual presidents' meeting. The cruise was conducted by Maryland-National Capital Parks and Planning Commission, The Anacostia River was at flood stage due to recent rains. Storm water runoff caused the river to be brown and brought trash into the river. We got only as far as the US National Arboretum before turning back so as to make it under the railroad bridge before the incoming tide could trap us downriver.

[Note: You can click on photographs for a larger view; right click to open in another window.]












[Click on arrow at lower right to play the video.]

Along the way, we saw ducks, an American eagle, . . .

Great blue herons:









Osprey and Canada geese:

Following the cruise, we had picnic catered by the District 1 board; there was a "picnic arrangement" by Tanta-Cove president Poss Tarpley:












National Capital Area Garden Club president Mary Ellen Alden (standing right) presented several state awards to the co-presidents of New Carollton Garden Club (standing left and center):
NCA 1st Vice President Vickie Godwin presents a National Garden Club certificate of achievement to Capitol Hill president Vira Sisolak:
Jack Wennersten spoke on the history and future of the Anacostia River. He is the author of Anacostia: The Death and Life of an American River. Wennersten said the Anacostia had been treated as a sewer for most of the 19th and 20th century. He said fecal coliform bacteria was slowly becoming controlled but that the river still faced challenges from storm water runoff and pharmaceutical pollution.
Photos by Bill Dean.