MASTER GARDENER INTERN CLASS GOES TO THE VEGGIE PATCH

Welcome back to Garden Daddy! Thursday, 10/29/2009, our MG intern class had a 3-hour class period on "Vegetable Gardening". I was especially interested in this class and had been looking forward to it for a long time. We had a power-point show via laptop and an experienced Master Gardener who evidently has had quite a vegetable garden background. He was also one of the MG's who attended the UT "winter school" I mentioned in earlier post that agrees to go to the training in exchange agreement to teach classes on the subject for future groups. I am also interested in this a little, very little really. I am not much one for "up in front of groups" but would not mind doing a workshop on something like building compost bins, trellises, etc. The class was full of information regarding certain varieties of the different groups of vegetables for our area, what to plant in spring & fall gardens and some in depth discussion about starting your plants from seeds, transplanting and then "hardening off" to set out then into the garden itself.
I appreciate all the prep time this gentleman took and appreciated his enthusiasm in the whole process of the Master Gardener program. He is a 10-year veteran of the MG program and in that of course with his friendships and learning from others as well in the program has the background to conduct such a class. My hat is off to "Mr. G."!
On to other news here in the garden home. Time is not standing still where I am for the LANA Holiday Home Tour. I am marching on to the 7th & largest and most time consuming tree that is in the living room. After that tree is done I will "dress" the staircase then go ahead and dress the sideboard, buffet, etc. and do everything but set the table. I will wait till a little closer to time to prevent so much dust from accumulating. Oh yes and as soon as fresh trees are available I will get my frasier fir and cut up for the fresh greens for the mantle and front entryway and around the house, etc. When I get the living room finished, & the tree alone takes many-many days to complete, I will be moving to the last room in the half-story upstairs.
That room is currently holding all the boxes I have pulled from attic storage to rummage through all the Christmas goodies to put out and just now is a horrendous mess. But as soon as I can get the last tree up and done up there I can finish it all and then "dress" that bed and room and finish it off and then basically take it a little easier on the rush. Earlier this week I received my official "kick off invitation" for a lite brunch meeting to turn in my historical information, ask questions and the like. Little does the committee know but I have already completely written my entire home tour booklet information. It may not be what they want, but I looked over some from past years and went with my gut instinct. A little long but then some are so short and I wanted to pass on as much history as possible in the space I had.
The weekend of the tour will be quite busy and I am almost looking forward to the "peace that cometh" after the fact! On Friday night, there is the "Lighting of Campbell St Lake with Santa & music usually then followed by a 2-hour candlelight tour of homes. Then on Saturday morning there is a Holiday luncheon for all tour participants then at 1pm till 5pm another tour of homes. Then on Sunday from 1 to 5 pm the Tour of Homes again, followed at 6pm by a reception at Lambuth Memorial Church and then a Candlelight service at the same. I am very excited at it all but often overwhelmed just the same. I am not one for much "spotlight" really but I will not be the one shining...in this case this wonderful, old house I call HOME!
So I leave you this Halloween day with the following thoughts: ~ HALLOWEEN ~By Harry Behn "Tonight is the night When dead leaves fly Like witches on switches Across the sky,When elf and sprite Flit through the night On a moony sheen.Tonight is the night When leaves make a sound Like a gnome in his home Under the ground,When spooks and trolls Creep out of holes Mossy and green.Tonight is the night When pumpkins stare Through sheaves and leaves Everywhere,When ghouls and ghost And goblin host Dance round their queen.It's Halloween."