Monroe County Master Gardener Association

Jennie sent me the photo, story and calendar to post for Foto Friday. Click on the sentence “Kinsey garden calendar 2015” to open a PDF file for the calendar.

African bromeliad

It is summer in Tanzania where my brother Erwin Kinsey has a large,
beautiful garden (and goats) that supply great food for his family and
guests as well as employment for a handful of helpers whose wages are
paid from the produce, yogurt and cheese sold in the city of Arusha.
Also lovely flowers they share at church. I want to share this Christmas
gift calendar he sent me of his own photos in that garden. After working
30 years in TZ building the Heifer Project program there, where he
raised three sons, he now works for another charitable org. called Echo
and is expecting his first grandchild any day.

Kinsey garden calendar 2015 (1)

Here is a great YouTube video to show you how to plant an Amaryllis. Then I’ve selected a few less seen varieties from the internet. These are quite a bit more in cost, ranging from $20-$30, verses the more common one you see in the stores at around $6-$10 a bulb. Typically you will need to purchase these from a grower on-line or nursery. The more common colors you can find in your neighborhood department store this time of year. I choose to post the YouTube video because it has such a great explanation for potting….Enjoy:

Exotic Star

‘Gervase’

Jennie sent me this great photo along with information about this tin family origin. What a novel idea

The Tim Family

I have another photo for Friday from my sister. Can’t recall if I shared
one earlier of her life sized “tin couple” made from stovepipes and
ductwork with faces of galvanized sap bucket covers. She poses them
around her yard doing seasonal activities in appropriate attire. They
sat on tree stumps in an area where wild turkeys came to glean from
under her bird feeders, for example. In the latest photo I was surprised
to see they now have twins! (Emily was a twin and had twins.)
Imagination like this helps us gardeners get through winters. Get out
and enjoy the snow for now, MG friends!

Happy Holidays from Hidden Lake Gardens
Informative newsletter from Hidden Lake Gardens with photos of the tropical dome renovation and an invitation to it’s opening reception next Monday. Jennie plans to drive up to that, leaving her house at 1:30 pm and has room in her car for passengers.

Don’t miss out on upcoming events at Hidden Lake Gardens.

Click here to view the 2014 winter newsletter:

Click to access winter14.pdf

Happy Holidays
from Hidden Lake Gardens

A Gardener’s Night Before Christmas
Twas the night before Christmas and all through the yard,

Not a plant was left standing, the ground it was hard.
The tools were all hung in the garage with care
A well deserved rest now that the garden was bare.

The bulbs were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of springtime danced in their heads,
I in my Snuggie, my husband with our cat
Had just settled in for a long winter’s chat.

When out in the hydrangeas there arose such a clatter,
I dropped my seed catalogs to see what was the matter.
Away to the front door I quickly dashed,
Half expecting to find my yard had been trashed.

When I opened the door, it was suddenly clear.
Here was a sleigh and eight tiny reindeer
With a little old gardener so lively and quick
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick!

More quickly than crabgrass his coursers they came
And he whistled and shouted and called them by name.

“Now Holly! Now Ivy! Now Daisy and Rue!
On Rose, On Petunia, Fern and Lily too!
To the top of the trellis! To the top of the wall!
Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!”

So up to the housetop the reindeer they flew
With a sleighful of gifts and St. Nicholas too.

I closed the front door and was turning around
When he slid down the chimney, hitting the ground.
He was dressed all in red, with Wellies on his feet,
And a poinsettia on his cap made him look really neat.

He stood up quite quickly and went straight to his work
With a composter for Cathy, a Dutch weeder for Dirk.

There were asters for Ann, a pine tree for Paul
And a garden design book for use by us all.
Next came a rain barrel. This was for Rob.
And finally, for me, a ginkgo key fob.

Then laying a trowel aside of his nose
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.
He ran to his sleigh and gave a quick whistle
And away they all flew like the seeds of globe thistle.

But I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight,
“Merry Christmas to all gardeners and to all a good night.”

(With apologies to Clement Clark Moore)

(Credit: http://www.hortiholic.com/2011/12/gardeners-night-before-christmas.html)

I predict a shortage of butternut squash in Monroe County:
The hit of our Harvest Brunch is here!

Susan Anderson’s recipe
Butternut Squash Apple Cranberry Casserole

Ingredients
1 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 large tart cooking apples
½ cup fresh or frozen cranberries
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup chopped pecans
¼ cup (4 tablespoons) butter
1-tablespoon flour
1-teaspoon salt
1-teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg

Preparation
Butter a 2 to 2 ½ – quart-baking dish. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
I washed the squash, put in microwave for 3 minutes for each pound. Then cut off ends, peeled and cubed. Core apples, peel, and cut into thin slices. Toss squash and apples together. Transfer squash and apple slices to the prepared baking dish. Put cranberries on top.

Combine brown sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Sprinkle on top of squash, apples and cranberries. Sprinkle chopped pecans over all and dot with butter. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until squash is tender.

Such artistic shots from one of our Master Gardeners. Sorry, Foto Friday is a day late…but Enjoy

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This was posted on Facebook page of Michigan Master Gardeners Association. I thought I’d pass it on.

http://michiganradio.org/post/scientists-are-looking-survivor-trees-michigan-and-they-want-your-help#.VErGTHHpCzE.facebook

I received this from one of our Master Gardeners to post:

While color abounded at Lake Erie Metropark over the last few weeks, I was quite annoyed at myself for not being able to find anything interesting there last Friday to photograph for Foto Friday. And, after making my way out of the last nature trail with a still-blank card in my camera, I stopped by to see Luc.

Over the last five years, Luc and I have had many one-sided conversations; and, on this particular day, after spending several frustrating hours searching for fall-themed subjects to shoot, I was describing to Luc my wasted afternoon on the park’s trails. He must have understood, because he turned his back to me and started doing these over-the shoulder poses. He even had this look in his eye that said, “I’ve been right here all along, you moron.”

So, just to divert a bit from autumnal photos, here is a headshot of Luc. Thanks for saving the day, buddy.

Luc, a 10-year male bald eagle who came to the park in 2009 after being found injured in the Saginaw Bay area, resides in a permanent display next to the Marshlands Museum and Nature Center at Lake Erie Metropark.

MMGA posted  this link on their Facebook page.  It’s important info to be aware of.

Emerald Ash Borer May Have Spread to Different Tree