December Gathering

The Monroeville Garden Club met on Thursday, December 14, 2017 for a Christmas brunch and gift exchange at the home of Ms. Vonceil Stringer.
The gathering was hosted by Vonceil Stringer, Evelyn Bond and Sara Bradley.

The home was beautifully decorated, and dining tables adorned with fresh-cut centerpieces and elegant tableware. The hostesses served a delicious spread of fruit salad, figs and dates, muffins and biscuits, tomato slices, cheese grits with sausage, and breakfast casseroles. Beverages included water, coffee, and hot tea. After the brunch, the ladies enjoyed a Christmas gift exchange. 

Following the gift exchange, the ladies traveled to The Barnett Home on Pineville Road in Monroeville. Owners Preston Barnett and his wife Becky welcomed the ladies in and guided a tour of the historic home. The house was built in the early 1900's by Preston's grandfather, Gus Baker Barnett, for his grandmother, Anna Lee Moore Barnett. It has been beautifully renovated and restored, all while keeping it's rich history and detail. You can learn more about the Barnett home at www.visitmonroevilleal.com. After the tour, Becky invited the ladies into the kitchen to enjoy the lovely confections and goodies she had prepared. Many thanks to club member Carolyn Hutcherson for arranging the tour, and to Preston and Becky Barnett for being so gracious.

Hostesses (L-R) Evelyn Bond, Vonceil Stringer, Sara Bradley

Ms. Vonceil's Christmas tree

Fresh-cut centerpiece

Barnett Home Christmas Tree

Barnett Home - Nativity in foyer

Barnett Home - Upstairs bedroom

Barnett Home - Upstairs bedroom

Barnett Home - Upstairs childrens' play area

Barnett Home - Dining room mantel

Barnett Home - Pantry made of old doors

Barnett Home goodies

MGC pictured at Barnett Home with Preston Barnett

          

The Monroeville Garden Club met on Thursday, October 12, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. at City Hall in Monroeville. Judi Burns and Margaret Groves were the hostesses for the meeting.

Guest speaker was Ms. Nadine Johnson, a published author and master herbalist. Not only has she written numerous herbal garden columns for newspapers across Alabama, she has personally grown and harvested her own herb and plant gardens. A pioneer in herbal research, Ms. Johnson recounted personal experiences in which herbs did and still do provide significant improvement in her overall health, when modern medicines did not. She is also known for her stories of human-interest, and recalled a few from her latest book titled “LifeRevisited (and recipes).” She encourages others to write down their stories as well, not for publication, but because she feels our stories are our legacy.

Following our program, members were served with Halloween-themed snacks including Reese’s cup brooms, a pumpkin cheeseball, brownies, stuffed eggs, open-faced pumpkin sandwiches, and witches’ brew punch.

    

Nadine Johnson

Margaret Groves and Judi Burns

Program on African Violets

    The Monroeville Garden Club met on April 13, 2017, at 1:00 p.m. at the home of Sharon Brewton in Monroeville, Al.  Jean Singleton served as co-hostess for the meeting.

     Mr. Jere Twigg,  a Baldwin County Master Gardener, presented a program on African Violets.  He said that African Violets make great houseplants because of their beauty and easy care.  He gave a handout and then explained the important points of raising them.  Mr. Twigg has been growing African Violets for over 40 years and now has a collection of several hundred.

     Following the program, members were served Chicken Salad Sandwiches, Tomato Sandwiches, Cheese Straws, a fruit tray, miniature cupcakes, Secrets, nuts, punch and coffee.

     Attending the meeting were Laura Bodiford, Sara Bradley, Sharon Brewton, Bev Colquett, Jean Singleton, Ree Smith, Gail Touchton, Patsy Wadlington, Nancy Ziebach, Robin Rawls, Brenda Gardner, Margaret Groves, Carolyn Hutcherson, Jeanne Sewell and Holly Tennimon.

Program on Shakespeare Garden

     The Monroeville Garden Club met on February 9, 2017, at 1:00 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church.  Dotsy Compton was the hostess for the meeting and co-hostesses were Jeanne Sewell and Pam Hindman.

     Guest speaker was Ms. Karen Weber, a Master Gardener from Montgomery, who supervises the care of the Shakespeare Garden in the Blount Cultural Park in Montgomery.  Ms. Weber talked about the history of the garden which was designed by Edwina von Cal and Co. of New York.  The garden features plants and flowers that are mentioned in the works of Shakespeare.  She brought samples of some of the plants that grow in the garden and told us how she schedules her planting.

     Following the program members were served Wine Cake, Chocolate Covered Strawberries, Cranberry Coated Goat Cheese with Crackers, Brownie Bites, Heart-Shaped Shortbread Cookies, Chicken Salad Sandwiches, and Assorted Nuts.

     Attending the meeting were Dotsy Compton, Brenda Gardner, Sara Bradley, Pam Hindman, Sharon Brewton, Margaret Groves, Judi Burns, Jeanne Sewell, Carolyn Hutcherson, Nancy Ziebach, Laura Bodiford, Robin Rawls, Bev Colquett, Patsy Wadlington, Ree Smith, Jean Singleton, and Gail Touchton.

Ms. Karen Weber,  Supervisor of Shakespeare Garden

Reunite Wine Cake Recipe (Jeanne Sewell)

1 box Butter Pecan Cake Mix

1 box (small) instant vanilla pudding

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup Reunite White Wine (I use whatever I have available)

3/4 cup oil

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

4 eggs

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.  Beat 2-3 minutes.  Sprinkle bottom of greased tube pan with 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans.  Pour cake mixture over pecans. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour or till done.

Topping

1 stick margarine/butter

1 cup white sugar

2 TBs. water

1/4 cup wine

Boil 2-3 minutes.  Spoon 1/2 of mixture over hot cake while still in pan.  Allow to cool 15 minutes.  Spoon remaining sauce on top.

This cake is actually better after a few days in the refrigerator.  Freezes well also.  Topping is enough for 2 cakes.  I usually bake 2 cakes with one batch of the topping and freeze one for later.

Club Plans April Fundraiser

     The Monroeville Garden Club met on Thursday, January 12, 2016, at 1:00 p.m. at the Monroeville Presbyterian Church.  Hostesses for the meeting were Patsy Wadlington and Carolyn Hutcherson.

     Details regarding the April Luncheon Fundraiser were discussed.  The luncheon will be on Thursday, April 6, at the Vanity Fair Golf and Tennis Club.  Members will decorate the tables in a general Spring theme.  The speaker for the luncheon will be Katie Lamar Jackson.  Ms. Jackson is a freelance writer, editor and photographer.  She is the author or co-author of three national gardening books and writes the monthly gardening column for Alabama Living Magazine.  Tickets for the luncheon will be $20.00

For the benefit of new members, there was a review of other projects sponsored by the garden club:  The Katherine Lee Rose Garden, shrub roses in the front and back of the new courthouse, containers around the square and in front of city hall, and hanging baskets.  Recently the garden club also agreed to help with the landscaping around the library.  It had been planned to remove the Asiatic Jasmine and replace with gardenia shrubs but it was instead decided to leave the jasmine and try to do a better job of grooming it each Spring with the club planting the box under the library sign and the containers on the porch.  A sign up sheet was passed around for members to choose a project that they would like to help with.

Following the business session, members were treated to a "lunch pail" filled with  a Chicken Salad Croissant   a Pimento Cheese Sandwich Pocket,  a Fruit Salad Cup, Chips, a Brownie and water.  Members in attendance were Laura Bodiford, Judi Burns, Bev Colquett, Brenda Gardner, Pam Hindman, Carolyn Hutcherson, Dana Shinholster, Ree Smith, Patsy Wadlington, Nancy Ziebach, Jean Singleton, Sharon Brewton, Jeanne Sewell, Robin Rawls, and one guest, Holly Tennimon.

Christmas Breakfast and Gift Exchange

The Monroeville Garden Club had a Christmas Breakfast at the home of Laura Bodiford on December 8, 2016 at 9:00 a.m.  Dana Shinholster was hostess and Brenda Gardner was the co-hostess.  Members were served Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole, Grits, Sausage, Fresh Fruit, Banana Nut Streusel Mini Muffins, Orange Juice and Coffee.

     After breakfast, members exchanged gifts by playing the "Right, Left Game".  The game started with each member holding a gift and as a Christmas story was read, when "right" or "left" was mentioned the gift was passed accordingly.  At the conclusion of the story, members kept the gift they were holding.

   Following the gift exchange, members traveled to Franklin where they toured the "Thompson-Rutherford-Johnson "house.  Members attending were Laura Bodiford, Judi Burns, Bev Colquett, Brenda Gardner, Margaret Groves, Carolyn Hutcherson, Dana Shinholster, Patsy Wadlington, Nancy Ziebach, Robin Rawls, Jean Singleton, Sharon Brewton, and Jeanie Sewell.