Places to go and things to see by Gypsy Bev

Posts tagged ‘winter’

Grow & Show Garden Club Touches the Community in Many Ways

To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.

Creative ladies who enjoy gardening, flowers, and nature started the local Grow & Show Garden Club sixty-one years ago. As part of the Ohio Association of Garden Clubs, their purpose is to stimulate knowledge and love of gardening among members, increase their interest in knowing, growing, and sharing, and to promote protection of our environment.

Members of Show and Grow Garden Club prepare to decorate the Downtown Branch of the library for Christmas. Pictured are Kay Bennett, Kat Bennett, JoEllen Hayes, Marti Reed, and Sue Cowden.

One of their first projects was a flower show downtown. Area residents have fond memories of the beautiful Guernsey County Fair booths and the Christmas wreaths they used to display.

The committee working on the Scarecrow named Garden Goddess Antheia-Flora included Paula Shockley, Marti Reed, Kat Bennett, and JoEllen Hayes.

Today they enjoy decorating for many occasions. Just recently they took part in the Scarecrow on Parade Decorating Contest at the Great Guernsey Trail. They built a ten-foot-tall scarecrow with grasses for the skirt, a wreath collar, and a hat decorated with plants and flowers. After the contest, they moved the scarecrow to the Guernsey County Senior Center so it could still brighten someone’s day

They decorate two fireplaces each year with greenery and Christmas decor.

One project at this season of the year is decorating the Downtown Branch of the Guernsey County Library for Christmas with a Victorian touch to honor the popular Dickens Victorian Village. The library display continues through November and December.

Charles Dickens writes beside the Christmas tree decorated with handmade Victorian angels.

The tree is decorated with handmade Victorian angels. Marti Reed’s grandmother made the doilies and the club members turned them into angels. Marti’s grandmother always took her to the library so she thought it fitting her doilies would end up there. Large wreaths hang above two fireplaces and the mantles are covered with greenery and touches of the holiday. The 12 Days of Christmas vignettes appear in the windows.

Next time you visit the library, take time to appreciate the work involved in creating a holiday venue.

A special Easter Egg tree is part of the holiday decorations during the Easter season.

But that’s only one season of decorations for the group at the library. Another time they enjoy decorating is at Easter. At that time, they have stuffed animals and an Easter egg tree. Fluffy yellow chicks and bunnies of all sizes rest on the shelves and windowsills.

The first week of December, Grow & Show holds a Gingerbread House workshop for their members at Crossroads Library. Wonder if their gingerbread houses have plants or flowers around them.

Members take time to visit Cardinal Place each month where they take candy and treat bags to the residents while visiting them. They hope to expand this to other care facilities in the future.

A tree was planted for Sue on her 50 years of being a member. Pictured are Cheryl Lowry-Miller, Kat Bennett, Sue Cowden, Marti Reed, and Pat Graven.

The garden club plants and helps maintain trees that are dedicated in someone’s memory or just to honor someone special. There are two gardens where they plant trees. One is Shafer Park in East Cambridge while the other is a donated park at the corner of Beatty Ave and Clark St.

Jo Lucas has not only a beautiful flower garden but many fruit trees. At this time, she placed parachutes over them to protect the fruit from the birds.

They hold one public meeting related to gardening each year at the Cambridge Senior Center. This year the topic will be Gardening for Pollinators. Light hors d’oeuvres and a selection of desserts will be available. Reservations must be made for this March 26 meeting. Cost is $15.

Kat Bennett, Violet Scott, and Pat Graven explain using straw bales for planting.

Every year in May, they hold a Mother’s Day Garden Sale the Saturday before Mother’s Day where you can find some beautiful plants or flowers for mom. This year the event will be on May 10 at the Cambridge City Park Big Pavilion from 8-12.

Indoor plants are also a joy. Pat Graven has a green house in her bathroom.

Purchasing a couple hanging baskets to beautify downtown Cambridge is one of their projects. Some of their members also participate in watering the baskets throughout the summer months.

Much work has been done on the Great Guernsey Trail by members. They have contributed benches, trees, and flowers as well as helped with the Butterfly Garden. Plans are now being made for another display of plants there.

As you can tell, their community is very important to the members and many projects revolve around the beautification of Cambridge.

Bonnie Perkins has a beautiful koi pond in her yard surrounded by a variety of plants and flowers.

Grow & Show Garden Club meets the fourth Wednesday of each month at Crossroads Library at 1:00. Programs are always garden-related. A couple of times a year, the group visits a member’s garden. Some of them include waterfalls surrounded by plants, while others might have plants inside or a garden or orchard for their own food. Perhaps they might also visit a greenhouse or apple orchard. New members are always welcome so if you have an interest in gardening, stop by for a meeting..

These busy ladies know how to have fun while making the world a more beautiful place!

Category:

Art, Gardens, Nature, Ohio, Organizations, Uncategorized

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Beautiful Ohio’s Winter Wonderland

Jackson Park near Byesville provides a scenic place to walk on a winter day.

Jackson Park near Byesville is a great place to walk on a winter day.

Snow flakes fall against the window panes while the wind howls through the cracks in the wall. Looking out the window here in Ohio, there is snow as far as the eye can see. This is the perfect time to get out the picture album and reminisce about other snowy days.

Dad shovels snow.

Dad bundles up to shovel snow.

Shoveling snow has always been a winter chore throughout the years. Often this task got delegated to the man of the house as he bundled up in buckled boots, old overcoat, and toboggan to protect himself against the winter cold. At the time of this picture, the car wasn’t driven into the garage because the tires had chains on them to enable better traction in the snow. Sometimes it may have been days before anyone cleared the roads. It may be a neighbor with a blade on his tractor or perhaps the highway department, that finally opened the roads for needed supplies. Often when the snowplows cleared the roads, they would push a pile of snow a couple feet high across the end of your driveway. Or you may have lived in a place where the winds blew drifts several feet high. Those were and still are the times that try men’s souls and their backs.

Children enjoy a sled ride.

Children enjoy a sled ride.

Children always enjoy a ride on their sled whether they are being pulled by someone or gliding down a hill. Many neighborhoods have a favorite hill where children gather to race on their sleds. Sometimes they may use a large lid or piece of cardboard with the front bent up so it can slide easily down the hills without getting caught in the snow. An old innertube also provides a great way to slide down a hill. You can be certain that everyone is going to come home covered with snow and ready for some hot chocolate.

Carrot nose placed on his first snowman.

Carrot nose placed on his first snowman.

Another favorite activity in the wintertime is building a snowman. Parents enjoy helping youngsters build that first snowman as it makes dad and mom feel young again too. To add the finishing touches, a nose is created by using a carrot, while its mouth and two eyes are made out of coal. Many times a hat is placed on the snowman’s head with a scarf around their neck. Then everyone hopes it doesn’t melt away too quickly after all that hard work.

Pepper, the Pony, pulls a sleigh through the snow.

Pepper, the Pony, pulls a sleigh over the snow.

If you are lucky enough to have a horse of your own, or a kind neighbor with a horse, hooking up a sled or sleigh behind a horse is great fun. It is important that someone either lead the horse or ride it as otherwise the horse might take off too quickly leaving passengers on the ground in the snow. What a treat when it works properly!

Deer wander over the Ohio hills.

Deer wander over the Ohio hills, as seen from my kitchen window.

This is also the time to see animals seemingly enjoying the snow as well. Kittens leap over snow covered chairs and playfully wrestle on the ground, while dogs might just sit and watch the activites around them. Deer graze on a few blades of grass still poking through the snow, while keeping alert to any danger around.

While this is not a favorite season for all, many truly enjoy taking a walk in the snow, skiing, or ice skating on a frozen farm pond. Winter recollections can be an enjoyable way to pass a homebound day. Wonder what your favorite wintertime activities might be? To tell the truth, this gypsy would rather take a road trip on a sunshiny day!

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Back Roads, Ohio, Travel Tale, Uncategorized

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Magical Sleigh Ride

Waiting at the theaterTap, tap, tap! Sitting on a cold bench outside the theater, Katherine tapped her foot impatiently waiting for the show to begin. Dressed in a warm cape with a red knit scarf around her neck, the winter chill didn’t bother her. The Christmas season always brought her out to watch the crowds pass on their way to shop for the holidays. But Katherine didn’t need to shop for anything, she only wanted to see the Christmas show.

While she waited, she heard the clip-clop of horses’ hooves on the pavement.  Riding in a horse and sleigh would be more fun than playing charades at a party, thought the young lady. The second time she heard it, she jumped from the bench and moved quickly to the side of the street.

“Any chance you could pick up a lady for a short ride?” Katherine smiled as she approached the driver of the sleigh.

“Usually people pay to ride, but I’m in the Christmas spirit tonight so let me help you up here.” Then the driver wrapped a warm blanket around her legs before they headed off on an adventure.

Katherine and the sleigh just seemed to float over the town almost like a magic carpet with sleigh bells attached.  She could look down and see all the mannequins along the street. There were those beautiful courthouse lights she had heard so much about but had never seen.  Katherine’s laughter warmed the air as she pleaded with the driver, “Could you circle around again so I can see those lights a little better. Slow down!”

The driver settled the sleigh softly on the roof of the bank building. Then he watched with Katherine as they enjoyed the beautiful courthouse with pulsating Christmas lights synchronized to holiday music.

Later as they drifted over the city, Katherine was as excited as the kids at a chestnut roasting. Her heart skipped a beat as they swooped down around the frozen Salt Fork Lake. The dazzling snow-capped firs and pines were the perfect hide-out for a family of deer. The snow glistened in the moonlight creating a magical feeling in the air.

Mannequin still waitsThe evening flew by with Katherine feeling like a young girl again. Happiness like this was a priceless treasure even though she knew it would soon end. As the sleigh came back to the theater, it dropped down to the street and the clip-clop of horses’ hooves was heard once again. Katherine sat back down on the bench and waited with the ticket still in her hand. Perhaps that ticket will bring her more magical happenings in the future. But for now, Katherine is again the mannequin that sits on the bench in front of the theater, hoping the passers-by will enjoy their walk through Dickens Victorian Village.

Story Behind the Story

Being a volunteer at Dickens Victorian Village in Cambridge, Ohio brings me lots of pleasure. A few weeks ago, however, one of  the mannequins was stolen from the bench in front of the theater.  Strangely enough, the next day she was back on her bench. Another volunteer, who knows I enjoy writing stories, suggested that I create a story about her adventure while she was gone.  Hope you enjoyed Katherine’s little sleigh ride!

Category:

Cambridge, Just for Fun

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