Volume 9, Issue 2, February 2000
The Black Swamp Herb Socity, with Gardens at the Wood County Historical Center
Exciting Times
Chicken Coops, Children’s Gardens, Spread Sheets, Rosemary’s Babies – What a Year! Way back in the year one when our founding mothers had a gleam in their eyes that lead to four traditional formal gardens in a square, an annual/wild flower garden, thyme gardens, a native garden, an ivy walkway, numerous old time roses, a butterfly garden, a white garden – all of which leads people to say – “The prettiest place on the grounds” – which everyone knows means us – there was The Chicken Coop.
Ugh! Curtains in the windows and white flowers and hen and chickens out front and various massive clean up efforts lead by Angela could not disguise the fact it is a pretty foul place. (Sorry!) We have been able to store tools, soil amendments and supplies guarded by tight plastic containers, but most exit coughing and sneezing and longing for a shower. Significant others tend to sneer and have unkind words like, “That place is disgusting!”
Well, all that is about to change! Our rusty electrical line running from the old Slaughter House is getting a full upgrade with buried lines, circuit breakers – all designed to pass any code inspection. The moldering lathe walls are about to be covered with dry wall, the cracked cement floor will be covered with treated wood flooring and the nonfunctional doors will be made operational so we can access future greenhouse and patio! The Facilities and Property Committee, the Finance Committee and the Full Board of the Historical Society has approved the estimated $9,600 cost of all this.
We as a group have to decide how to arrange and best use the cleaned up space shelves? bins? benches? work tables? wall hangings? This should be such fun. Think if you would like to serve on an interior design committee.
Our finances are in good shape. Sandy will have an updated report February 28. We might want to supplement the Museum funds as the plans and work progress and we see opportunities. We will talk.
Young helpers dug up a new bed for us last fall, which was heavily supplemented with organic matter. Could that be a future Children s Garden? Check last Sage Thyme issue for ideas.
Rosemary is the “herb of the year” Let us remember to collect recipes, cultivars and concoctions that feature this lovely scented herb.
A light exists in spring
Not present on the year
At any other period.
When March is scarcely here.
A color stands abroad
On solitary hills
That science cannot overtake,
But human nature feels.
It waits upon the lawn:
It shows the furthest tree
Upon the furthest slope we know;
It almost speaks to me.
– Emily Dickinson
(The bulk of this month’s newsletter consists of a spreadsheet with income and expenses for the 1999 Christmas sale. It has no relevance here.)
