San Saba Garden Club (SSGC) convened in the Mill Pond Clubhouse on March 1st for its monthly meeting. The 20 attendees included three guests, who joined the club at the conclusion of the afternoon’s activities. SSGC is delighted to add Betty Jo Fisher, Mandy McCoury, and Rhonda Waidmann to the club roster and extends a warm welcome to each of them.
Hostesses Jan Beaver, Terri Dickey, Mona McMahan, and Susan Kisoro helped the club celebrate Texas Independence Day (March 2nd) with red, white, and blue decorations and refreshments showcasing a variety of cultural influences that have made Texas cuisine famous: barbecued sausages; Tex-Mex tortilla rollups and guacamole; an assortment of fresh berries that grow in our state; and, of course, praline pecans and a delicious pecan Bundt cake. The refreshment table was accented by beautifully decorated sugar cookie cutouts in the shapes of the State of Texas and the legendary “Yellow Rose.”
Guest speaker for March was District V Assistant Director of Texas Garden Clubs, Beth Erwin, who presented an enthusiastically received slide show on Texas weeds that commonly invade our gardens. A horticulturist and instructor in environmental gardening and landscape design, Ms. Erwin explained in some depth how to keep these weeds under control. She advised members when to spray, how to spray, what types of sprayers to use, and how to choose products that are both effective and environmentally friendly.
The District V Director of Texas Garden Clubs, Janice King, was also in attendance. She presented SSGC president Debbie Shahan a letter of commendation from the state organization’s President, Gwen DeWitt, to the San Saba Garden Club for its 85 years of existence and community service. Projects specifically mentioned in the letter include creating and maintaining the Keyhole Garden at San Saba Rehabilitation and Nursing Home, hosting the Kids’ Nature Kamp each summer, and awarding scholarships to deserving San Saba High School seniors. The Club has also been actively involved in sponsoring the Blue Star Memorial Highway marker honoring all military veterans; annually supporting Mission San Saba that completely restructures, refurbishes, and redecorates a local home for a deserving family; providing emergency funds to local citizens in need; contributing auction items for the Catkins Ball; participating in highway clean-up; and providing a wide variety of services to local nursing homes. SSGC’s current activities include resuming weekly manicures for nursing home residents, an encouraging indicator that Covid restrictions are easing.
The horticulture tip for the month was given by Sarah Lott, who discussed appropriate use of spring soil additives such as corn gluten and copper sulfate.
A tour of several members’ homes and gardens in the Red Bluff area is planned for April and is open to members only.