Editor: Mindy Delano mindyanddaisy@comcast.net

More info: www.gardenclubdearborn.org / president@gardenclubdearborn.org / Member of Michigan Garden Clubs, Inc & National Garden Clubs, Inc

Key Meeting Dates *Sat, Dec 2 (10-2)

Holly Berry Brunch @ Dearborn Inn

*Sat, Dec 2 (1-6 pm) Dearborn Historical Museum’s Christmas Tea @ Commandants Headquarters

* Wed, Dec 6 @ 10 am

Board Meeting @ McFadden Ross on Brady

*Mon, Dec 11 @ noon

Christmas Friendship Pot Luck Lunch @ First Presbyterian Church on Brady…..SEE PAGE 6 FOR DETAILS! YUM!

*Hostesses: Janice Gardner & Julia Casey

* Wed, Dec 13 @ 10 am

Horticulture Therapy @ Oakwood Common As-sisted Living Activities Room. Project de-signed and led by Mary Dietrich.

Garden Club of Dearborn ~~ Founded in 1915 ~~ December, 2017

Garden Club Journal

President’s Message

Well, I saw a few snowflakes, so we know that winter is on the way. All the more reason to attend our December 11th meeting and share delicious Potluck with caring, friendships from members. Pat Knoop, Carole Hogg, Shirley Painter, Cindy Jackson, Paulette Baumgart, Paddi Matzelt, and Marie Chapman are making arrange-ments so call them with questions.

But before, the general meeting, comes our incredible fundraiser, HOLLY

BERRY BRUNCH...Saturday, December 2. Thank you for the graciously donated gifts or donation(s) from area merchants. Mary Lou Herrst has secured almost $7,000 in large sponsorship donations from area businesses. Be aware of them in our HBB program and do some purchases with them. Gratitude is extended to HBB Chairwoman, Kathy Gapa, along with each

and every volunteer on Committees making our 21st Holly Berry Brunch another success. Laurine Griffin, Karen Marzonie, and I have been busy logging donations. Wrapping committee, chaired by Wanda Unis-Flaim, has been assembling gifts beau-tifully. Donna Wallace get an A+ for making the most beautiful bows & Helen Ross for her artistic talents! Panicky over enough gifts... but you came through! Final count: 128 raffle gifts and 14 silent auction gifts.. Hooray! Thank You Very Much! Lunch ticket sales are lagging a little...many tables have 1-3 vacant seats. Multiply this by the number of tables and it’s a big dollar loss in the total scheme of fund-raising. Please try to fill your tables! Ask your neighbors, friends, relatives,

church buddies, other club members... It’s “crunch” time! It’s so important! Call me

(313) 613-0870 for reservations, or indicate meal choice: main entrée is Chef Hilty’s Meatloaf, or vegetarian, Butternut Squash Ravioli. On November 15, our Volunteer of the Year, Laurine Griffin, was recognized along with nominees from 8 other Inter Service Club Council organizations. Four-teen G.C. members attended! Good showing! At our November meeting, the MGC District I Director, Ruth Moline, pre-sented TWO Awards that our club earned at Regional Level, competing with 7 states. She delivered 20 lapel pins of the Black Swallowtail butterfly which we are lobbying for our State Butterfly. Pins are $5 so contact treasurer, Laurine,(313) 274-8930. Countdown to spectacular HOLLY BERRY BRUNCH. Looking forward to this very special event and seeing you...Mary Bugeia.

Recently, a blue spruce tree was adopted by our state Capital, to be the state Christmas Tree, as a part of Silver Bells in the City celebration, in Lansing.

This will be Michigan’s 32nd official Christmas tree. It will also be the 23rd time the official tree has been selected from the Upper Peninsula. This one hails from Stephenson, in Menominee County. It stood on the prop-erty of William Winter, 91, and his grandson, Alex Ste-vens, who bought the property from his grandfather. The donation by the family was prompted by the fact that the tree grew too tall, and interfered with the property’s infra-structure of the home.

The tree was chosen by staff from the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget. “DTMB’s work to select the state’s official tree is among the department’s most popular and enjoyable projects,” said DTMB Director and Michigan CIO Dave DeVries. “Everyone, no matter the age, enjoys watching the Christmas tree arrive at its holiday location at the front of the Capi-tol.”

“It’s another beautiful tree,” said DTMB Christmas Tree Crew Member Heath Miller. “It’s the perfect height and shape for a dazzling display of lights.” The tree stood over 60 feet tall on the property where it was harvested.

On October 27th, the tree was cut down and delivered to Lansing. Tree cutting and transporters were the Michigan Associates of Timbermen, the Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association and Michigan Operators Engineers. The timbermen had cut the tree and transported it to Lansing at no cost to the state, and no cost to the homeown-ers.

On Saturday, October 28th, the tree arrived in Lansing, whereupon the Hi-Ball Company of Lansing provided a crane and crew to set it at the intersection of Capitol and East Michigan avenues.

According to Christyn Herman, spokeswoman for the state’s Department of Technology, Management, and Budget, the spruce was “fully installed and good to go.” Two feet of the tree was lost when it was cut down. Another shortage of six feet oc-curred when they sank the trunk below sidewalk in the custom “hole,’ leaving the rise of the tree at 52 feet above the Capitol grounds, Herman said.

While the tree was on the trailer, local Boy Scout troops 109 and 125 assisted with un-twining the tree. Herman indicated that the boys were very excited...but looked to be freezing to death.

The tree remains throughout the holiday season. The tree lighting took place on Friday, November 17th as part of Silver Bells in the City celebration. Officials pulled the switch at 7:45 that evening, doing the “big reveal” of thousands of lights. The festive event included the Electric Light Parade with floats, marching bands, and thousands of sparkling lights. The finale was awesome fireworks above the Capitol dome.

December Birthdays

Laurine Griffin Dec 1

Carolyn Hebb Dec 8

Jo West Dec 8

Charlotte Dolan Dec 23

P a g e 2

C a p i t a l G e t s C h r i s t m a s T r e e !

The Potting Shed

By Mindy Delano

Submit mail, email, or phone info to Mindy by 20th of month! (313 565-1266) mindyanddaisy@comcast.net

Trees for Troops a campaign to give a military family a

Christmas tree 1. $40 donation on- line 2. any monetary donation on-line 3. Phone pledge 800-965-1653 4. English Gardens accepts $30 donations for them.

Member News: Marsha Movsesian is recovering f/surgery. Sandy Bruce will be having surgery shortly. Sharon Olshansky is recuperating from her surgery. Our prayers are with these members for a speedy recovery.

Ken: Where do snowmen

store their money?

Luke: Where?

Ken: In a snowbank!

P a g e 3

Popular Michigan-Grown Christmas Trees

Fun Fact...did you know the Golden Books that kiddies adored from way

back is now in their 75th anniversary year? Here’s a favorite Golden book issued in 1942.

The most popular Christmas tree is Fraser Fir. Michigan plants 9 varieties, (see right) because of ideal soil. & climate. Farmers give Michiganders a big choice, whereas other states are limited on variety.

Fraser Fir: Dark blue-green branches slightly upward. Good form; needles stay on! Scented!

Douglas Fir: Soft needles are dark green to bluegreen & 1 to 1/2” length. Needles radiate all directions.

Balsam Fir: Needles are 3/4 to 1 1/2” in length and last a very long time. Has a dark-green appearance.

Scotch Pine: Needles 1” and don’t drop! Bright green, keeps well & stays fresh longer in classic conical shape.

Concolor Fir: Small narrow needles 1 to 1 1/2” & occur in rows; good foliage color, good needle retention w/pleasing shape & aroma.

Noble Fir: Needles turn upward, stiff branches hold heavy ornaments; excellent greenery in garland & wreaths.

Blackhills Spruce: greyish green to bluish green; dense w/short needles, stiff enough for holding ornaments well.

Blue Spruce: Sharp needles are 1 to 1 1/2 “ in length & are bluish-gray. Good symmetrical form & retains needles well.

White Pine: Soft, flexible needles & bluish-green. Needles are 2 1/2—5” long. Little aroma; not good for heavy ornaments.

Clara Jane Bryant Ford was the wife of Henry Ford and the mother of Edsel Ford. She was the matriarch of a family that changed the world, and she left behind an important legacy all of her own.

Mrs. Ford was inducted into the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame on Oct. 18, joining a long and wonderful list of influential women who have earned this honor. She was a strong advocate for women, a philanthropist dedicated to bettering the lives of women and girls, and a suffragist. Clara is quoted as saying, "Men are willing to help boys and men; it behooves women to help womankind." Mrs. Ford made it her life's mission to do just this.

During her life-time, Clara Ford helped create and fund numer-ous programs on local, state, and national lev-els that focused on women's rights and self-sufficiency, education, healthcare, and environ-mentalism. We were thrilled to join the Michi-gan Women's Hall of Fame in honoring Clara Ford. And we are hon-ored to be continuing her legacy through the restoration and preservation of her home and gar-dens.

The Garden Club of

Dearborn is in their 102nd year, thanks to Clara who was our founder!

P a g e

4 C l a r a F o r d I n d u c t e d i n t o M i c h i g a n W o m e n ’ s H a l l o f F a m e

New Member: Paddi Matzelt has been re-instated with the Garden Club after a brief term of absence. We are happy that Paddi returned to enjoy the monthly meetings and Holly Berry Brunch. News from Member: Chris Nowak wishes to extend thanks to many Garden Club members who sent uplifting cards & emails during her foot surgery leave.

Sock Drive for Veterans Marie Chapman is collecting socks for

vets, on behalf of Veteran’s Hospital

downtown, through November &

December. She requests that at least

2 pr for either men or women, be

wrapped in Christmas paper, &

labeled, Men or Women and Size.

Marie’s phone: (313) 563-1245

Marie’s address: 461 Fort Dearborn

“Thank You!” says Marie.

“Look, Betty,” said Veronica, “my husband gave

me a blank check for the raffle tickets!” “Holy cow….lucky you!” chimed Betty.

L-R: Edsel Ford (Clara’s son),

Clara, and husband, Henry Ford.

~~Courtesy of Historic Ford Estates

Left: Mindy Delano’s Horticulture project was a turkey in early Nov @ Oakwood Commons Assisted Living.

P a g e 5

2 tbsp. olive oil 1 1/4 c halved, sliced zucchini 1 1/2 c diced yellow onion 2 tsp dried basil 1 c diced carrots 1 tsp dried oregano 1 c diced celery 1/2 tsp dried thyme 1 can cut green beans salt, pepper to taste 4 cloves minced garlic 1 (9 oz) pkg refrigerated “3 cheese tortellini” 3 cans chix broth 1 (14.5 oz) can red kidney beans, drained, rinsed 2 cans diced tomatoes 2 c fresh spinach 2 tbsp. tomato paste 1 1/4 c half and half Finely shredded parmesan cheese (topping) 1. Heat oil in large pot over med-high heat. Add onions, carrots, & celery & saute 5 minutes.

Add green beans & garlic & saute 2 minutes more. Add chicken broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, zucchini, basil, oregano, & thyme. Season w/salt & pepper & bring to boil, then cover, & simmer 10 minutes or until veggies are tender. Add tortellini & cook 7 minutes, then add kidney beans, spinach, & half and half, cook until warmed through & spinach is wilted, 2 minutes longer. Stir in more broth IF you want it more brothy. It is a hearty soup... serve warm, topped with parmesan cheese.

DELISH (favorite of Editor) from Food Blog, Cooking Classy

1 1/2 c granulated sugar 1 1/2 c bittersweet chocolate chips 2/3 c evaporated milk 2 c mini marshmallows 2 Tbsp butter 1/2 c chopped pecans (optional) 1/4 + 1/8 tsp salt Line 8 x 8” baking dish with aluminum foil leaving a 2” overhang of foil on 2 sides, set aside. In heavy bottomed med saucepan, combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter, & salt. Bring to rolling boil o/medium heat, stirring constantly. Allow to boil 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove f/heat, stir in vanilla, then add choc chips and mini marshmallows and stir until well-blended. Stir in pecans. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish & spread evenly across. Transfer to fridge & chill 2 hours. Lift fudge out, using foil. Peel fudge from foil & cut. Store in air-tight container. 20 servings.

...getting the tree home...whew!

O u r L o g o a n d a f f i l i a t i o n s

Page 6

The Garden Club of Dearborn thanks the following sponsors of Holly Berry Brunch! Beaumont Health Fairlane Ford Leader Printing Westborn Market Dearborn Bank and Trust Fairlane Town Center Mayor John B. O’Reilly Dearborn Federal Savings Bank Henry Ford College Park Place Catering Dearborn Inn Henry Ford Village University of Michigan-Dearborn Dearborn Sausage Historic Ford Estates Village Ford Driver Source, Inc. Jack Demmer Lincoln West Dearborn Downtown Development Authority

Please provide dish to share w/4-6 persons, prepared by store, OR cooked/baked by yourself. It can be: salad, casserole, main entrée, side dish, hors d’oeuvres, dessert. Include address label on serving utensil. Our THANKS to Committee: Carole Hogg, Pat Knoop, Shirley Painter, Cindy Jackson, Paddi Matzelt, Paulette Baumgart, & Marie Chapman.