SSGC February meeting features expert herbalist Sherie Clarkson

San Saba Garden Club (SSGC) held its monthly afternoon meeting on February 1st in the Mill Pond Clubhouse with 21 members and two guests attending. The club is delighted to welcome guest Marissa Killman as its newest member.

Hostesses Janice Bates and Barbara Bell chose a Valentine’s Day theme for decorations and refreshments. Conversation tables were covered with white linen and each was graced with a bud vase of fresh flowers resting on a heart-shaped doily. Valentinewrapped Hershey’s kisses were scattered like flower petals at the base of each arrangement.

Red and pink appointments created a lovely afternoon buffet that included a fruited chicken salad with gourmet crisp bread; a chocolate dipping plate overflowing with both fresh and dried fruits as well as sweets and savories; and mini-pots of cranberry mousse topped with whipped cream. In the center of the long table sat a sparkling crystal punch bowl stained deep ruby by the refreshing beverage it held. Members remarked on the festive mood the hostesses had created.

The program, “Cooking with Herbs We Know,” was presented by SSGC member Sherie Clarkson, an avid gardener, culinary herbalist, and former owner of “Ye Old Thyme Herb Gardens” in Mason. Sherie discussed how to grow and maintain more than a dozen herbs in our own gardens and also how to use them to add flavor and variety in cooking. An unexpected treat was the selection of live potted herbs for her audience to see, smell, and touch. Everyone present was given a “Cooking with Herbs” information sheet, and a lucky guest won Clarkson’s door prize, a copy of the Waco Herb Society’s cookbook, Herbs, Spice, and Everything Nice.

Guest speaker for the March 2nd meeting will be Beth Irwin, horticulturist and District V Assistant Director of Texas Garden Clubs. The topic will be “Responsible Weed Control.” Anyone interested in attending this lecture, meeting current SSGC members, and learning more about the mission and activities of the Garden Club is cordially invited to attend. Unless otherwise announced,

Unless otherwise announced, monthly meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month at 2:00 p.m. in the Clubhouse in Mill Pond Park on South Thomas Stewart Drive. For more information, please contact Beth Griess, Membership Committee Chair <bgriess53@gmail.com>.