I belong to a garden club with no name! I've been a member for about 20 years and it was running for a long time before I was invited to join. The club has always been by invitation only and approved by the membership. We stay around 15 members and meet once a month. Now that we are away in the winter I manage to attend 5 or 6 meetings. In the beginning we met in a coffee shop but the it was then decided that we would rotate to each members house month by month on the last Thursday of the month at 10am. That way we could tour eachother's gardens. July is a luncheon and has been at Aveline's house at mailbox point on Lakelse Lake for many years.
At present the age spread in the group is from 69 to 88 years of age! The majority of the group are now widows. This past year we lost our " English Rose" Pat and we miss her dearly..she was 92 and still gardening! Hannah one of the founding members has been gone a few years and I still hear her voice in my head when I'm in the garden! Christine keeps track of our meetings and reminds us each month. Thanks for that Christine😊
Over the years members have passed on and husbands have died but we remain a tight little group. So much shared history both in our lives and in the garden.. some of us need help with the garden and some are fit enough to carry on by ourselves. Every month we have one or two round table discussions about garden issues while we drink coffee and have snacks but there's always time for socializing 😊 As we are all aging decisions have to be made by some about where they'll go when their place gets too much. That's a really hard decision for a gardener because you can't take the garden with you. One member who's over 80 sold her big place and as she couldn't find a suitable place to move to she had a house built! Now she will recreate a small garden but she misses what she had. One of our widows got married last month…congrats to Brenda!
Yesterday we had our annual luncheon at the lake. We started out on Aveline's beautiful deck overlooking the lake surrounded by all her beautiful planters. It was really hot yesterday so it wasn't long before we headed inside for lunch. Yesterday we had ten ladies at lunch with a few who couldn't attend. We do potluck and nobody keeps track of who brings what so it's always a surprise😁 Last year there were three potato salads and so this year there was…none! I always bring an entree and they count on that😉 Hot chicken salad from me, fresh fruit, cold meat and cheese plate and an array of all different salads. Dessert was cake with local huckleberry compote and whipped cream along with fresh local cherries and loaf cake! All fabulous😋
Aveline and Gord will celebrate their 60th anniversary next month and she shared an update on her family and so did a few more of us. So very interesting to hear about the diversity of families in the group.
At this point Aveline suggested we each share a garden wish..be it practical or fantasy! Manure, garden sheds, time and the big one was strong, fit younger men who are easy on the eye to help out with the heavy tasks! One, two or three as many as it takes! Lots of laughter over that..I guess we're not dead yet😂
In the end a good time was had by all and we look forward to next year.
Thank-you Aveline..a gracious hostess as
I include a few photos from last summer of the ladies who couldn't be with us this year.
Over the years...
Thanks to Betty in grey below for taking the group photos, printing them and giving us each one.
2018
2019
2021
2022 and you'll see Pat on the bottom left on the couch...we miss her!
2022 luncheon
Lovina and Kaye
Pat D. Christine and Trudy
2023 luncheon
Aveline's lovely roses!
Look at those beautiful planters!
Aveline, Margaret, Lovina and Brenda
Now that's a luncheon!
That's Marie in the stripes...she hates having her picture taken!
Marg, Lovina. Brenda, Aveline, Marie with her napkin held up, Kay, Kathy, Christine and Betty...Trudy taking the picture.
Yummy huckleberry compote😋
Aveline's roses.
Paperbark Maple with huge mop head
Hydrangeas.
Aveline's raised beds need repair but her son Brian will help out. She was digging parsley plants for some of the ladies.
So a good time was had by all and next month...my house.
