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President’s Message
Your time on earth is limited. Don’t try to “age with grace, ” age with mischief, audacity, and a good story to tell. Happy May, Everyone, I hope you all are enjoying this stretch of beautiful weather and are in the midst of sprucing up your outdoor space. The many shades of green and pink are truly energizing! With the unfortunate passing this year of three dynamic members of GCM, we’ve lost some very special friends. We are better for having known them and their generous spirits. I’d like to think that during their impressively productive lives, Pam, Missy and Helen embraced mischief and audacity and regaled their families and friends with great stories. Let’s celebrate all three terrific women by living our lives as best we can, resulting in some good stories to tell. Did you know that the Plant Sale needs you? Yes, you! In case you hadn’t heard, our major fundraiser of the year is coming up, and we need each of you to jump in. If you will be away for the sale itself, it’s ok - there are plenty of opportunities to help in advance of the weekend. Please note all the info from Michelle and Jocelyn to find out where you can help. Looking forward to working with all of you to make our event a very successful one, and to seeing all of you soon after at our annual meeting at Ginny Pierson’s house. Thank you, Ginny ☺ Onward ho! Carolyn Click here to read the entire May Issue of the Grapevine
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President's Message
Dear Garden Club Friends, Ever hopeful, the signs of spring are coming! Our mostly mild winter has the hellebores in full bloom and in particularly sunny spots, snowdrops and some daffodil leaves. This is decidedly not good – climate change is skewing our weather and our seasons, but as a lover of warm weather and spring flowers, I still delight in the pops of color and peeks into the season to come. Cindy Ehrenclou’s talk at our last meeting about the work of the Raritan Headwaters was so engaging and full of information. With a full spectrum of projects including research and education, the organization is determined to protect our watersheds and engage students of all ages in actions large and small. The more our community is aware of the importance and challenges for clean water, the better off we all will be. I came away fully energized to make conservation a priority. Please explore their website for more information about their programs, www.raritanheadwaters.org. Are you still trying new things? Any attempt, big or small, is good for the soul and could lead to more amazing things! My water coloring is still struggling but the new brushes are so much fun. Exploring and learning, with some fun along the way, is a win for sure and we look forward to hearing your stories. While March may be less busy for some GCM members, April and May will be teeming with activities. Please note workshops, Macculloch Hall clean-up, our Floral Design show and the Plant Sale opportunities to stay involved. And don’t forget to spring forward on March 10th. Cheers, Carolyn Click Here to read March's Grapevine Issue President’s Message
Hello friends, These winter days can sometimes feel invigorating, sometimes refreshing and sometimes dreary, and sometimes all 3 in one day! Here’s to making the most of each moment and embracing the chocolate, a new book, and/or a brisk walk in the woods all bundled up. The Virtual Photography Conference just wrapped up, and wow, what a great collection of photographers offering diverse points of view for taking and manipulating photographs, including developments in AI technology and security. The four speakers’ presentations will be available for a full year on the GCA Photography page. Please check out part or all of it for some great information and inspiration. One takeaway (of many!) is to experiment, know the rules and then break them, and simply get out and try something new. It’s so easy, especially at this time of year (and for those of us not in the sunny south!!) to let inertia get in the way of action. Most of the time, we’re better off for having said yes. So consider this a little challenge to get each of us us to try one new thing each week in February. Four short weeks – totally doable! The days are getting noticeably longer which in and of itself is inspiring. Yay!! I look forward to hearing your stories of your new explorations! Carolyn Click Here for February's Issue President’s Message
Happy New Year, Everyone! We’ve received several notes of thanks for our beautiful wreaths. Your work is greatly appreciated, and we should count among our blessings our ability to bring joy to so many in the Morristown community. Well done, all! I will share the notes with you the next time we’re together. It’s time to get excited about another year full of learning, friendships and a few surprises. In other words, the next twelve months…. Snowy, Flowy, Blowy, Showery, Flowery, Bowery, Hoppy, Croppy, Droppy, Breezy, Sneezy, Freezy ….should bring adventure for all of us. Some of you have expressed interest in workshops for a variety of topics. This is a call for specific requests so that we can set up opportunities to learn something new, and/or for some of us to do the teaching. The first gathering for our newest members, their sponsors, and some exec committee members was a great opportunity to answer questions, review best practices, and share our favorite garden club activities. Another meeting will be scheduled in the spring for those who weren’t available this time. And a reminder for sponsors….as well as introducing prospective members to GCM, please remember it is your job, with guidance from the membership committee, to shepherd your sponsored new member through her first year. A thorough, on-going orientation is essential for a successful membership. Thank You!!! Cheers to a happy, healthy and peaceful 2024 for the wonderful group that is GCM. Carolyn Click Here for January's Grapevine Issue President's Message
Cheers, Gardening Friends --- Members of GCM/GCA are by nature doers and givers (as we witnessed at the November membership meeting!). How lucky for GCM and GCA!! One of the GCA monikers is “when asked, say yes.” Saying yes provides opportunities to meet fantastic people with all sorts of knowledge, opportunities to travel across the country and the world, opportunities to learn and practice new skills like Japanese flower arranging or macro photography, and opportunities to share your knowledge with other enthusiastic GCA members. Don’t you think these activities will keep our minds and bodies sharp? I do! I’m grateful to all of you for saying yes, for all your energy and enthusiasm, and for your delightful senses of humor and realistic expectations. And, at this time of year when we can be overwhelmed by all these opportunities and by family and holiday obligations, it’s equally important to take time for our selves. Slowing down for fresh air, a massage, an afternoon with a book and/or tea with a friend will help restore us so we can continue with our good work. i will never have this version of me again let me slow down and be with her - rupi kaur Looking forward to the camaraderie of our wonderful wreath-making day, and wishing you a happy – and balanced? - December! Carolyn Click Here for December's Grapevine Issue President's Message
Hello GCM Friends, In light of the incomprehensible state of affairs in other parts of the world, we are beyond fortunate to be carrying on our lives with little disruption. Of course we each have very valid challenges, some quite serious, but our access to family, friends, medical care and outstanding comforts of home cannot be taken for granted. Sadly, humanitarian crises and war are nothing new, and equally sadly, it takes another conflict to remind us of our good fortune. With gratitude for our many blessings, let’s focus on GCM. Our year is off to a rousing start! A hort workshop on planting bulbs, an informative demonstration on dazzling dahlias and arrangements from whatever is in your garden, and a beautifully touching meadow dedication at Foote’s Pond Wood are examples of the inspiration, energy and capability of the members of GCM. Organizing and participating are equally important to accomplish all points of our mission. Thank you! November brings shorter days, bulbs to plant and hopefully time to reflect on what worked and what to change up in the garden next year. Gardens, as well as any projects we take on, are healthier when we reevaluate their relevance. Keep up the good work on your committees and please offer suggestions for improvements. Innovation is what will best serve GCM and GCA. Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life. - Amy Poehler Happy November, everyone! Carolyn Click Here for November's Grapevine Issue President's Message
Happy September, Gardening friends – I look forward to seeing you at our first meeting of the year – on a bus into New York and GCA headquarters. This will be a great kick-off for a year of what I hope will be connections with new members and reconnections with the old guard. Ask questions, share tidbits, tricks and shortcuts, and gather to enjoy the magic of flowers and trees, gardens and forests, and each other! What do you get when you cross a four-leaf clover with poison ivy? A rash of good luck. Let’s make this a year with few rashes and lots of four-leaf clovers. Cheers! Carolyn Click here for September's Grapevine Issue |
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