The Garden Club of the Back Bay

Please come to the Boston Park Advocates meeting on Thursday, December 3 from 6-8 pm at BNAN to discuss how we should tap into the Mayors’ support, capitalize on proposals by newly elected city councilors, and meet the challenges of the state budget and staffing crisis affecting state parks in the city.  The meeting agenda is provided below.  Please RSVP to Lauri Webster, whose telephone number and email are below.  Thanks!

Boston Park Advocates

AGENDA for Strategy Meeting and Debate Follow-up

December 3, 2009, at 6-8 pm (pizza at 5:30m pm)

Boston Natural Areas Network

62 Summer Street (enter on Otis Street) in Downtown Crossing

2^nd floor conference room

I            Welcome and Introductions, Network Building

II            City Parks – Election Follow Up

A            Tapping the Mayor’s Support

B            Proposals from City Councilors

-            Transparent Permitting

-            Vacant Land Reuse

-            Funding

-            Trees – Maintenance and Replacement

-            Programming

-            Increasing the Capital Budget

III            State Budget Crisis and DCR Parks

A            Overview of Budget and Staffing Crisis

B            How Is It Impacting Your Park?

IV            Networking and Communication

A            Best Ways to Share Information

B            What Do You Need to Involve Your Network?

Lauri Webster, Boston Park Advocates: A city wide network of advocates connecting for better parks and open spaces     2010 Columbus Avenue     Roxbury, MA 02119
(617) 442-4141  office(617) 877-6256  cell or email lauri@bostonparks.org

On Tuesday, December 1, the Massachusetts Joint Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture will hold a hearing on House Bill 852, legislation addressing this issue.  Drafted by Representatives Marty Walz, Byron Rushing, and Michael Moran, this legislation is an important step forward, providing a framework for addressing this issue on a statewide level.  As with any legislation, it will undoubtedly go through many changes before it becomes law, but it is essential that we express support for this issue to remain “on the front burner” with the legislature.

Therefore, we encourage you to attend the hearing, if you can, to express your support for the need for statewide groundwater protection legislation.  If you cannot attend, please call, e-mail or write a letter to express you support of the concept for statewide groundwater legislation and ask that the legislature make preserving groundwater a priority issue.

A complete version of House Bill No. 852, “An Act to protect groundwater levels” can be viewed at: http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/house/186/ht00pdf/ht00852.pdf.

The hearing will be held in State House Room A on Tuesday, December 1 at 11AM.

Letters should be sent to: Massachusetts Joint Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee Co-Chairs Senator Anthony Petruccelli (address Room 413-B, State House, Boston, MA 02133, phone: 617-722-1634) and Representative William Strauss (address Room 473-F, State House, Boston, MA 02133, phone: 617-722-2210)

E-mails should be sent to: Anthony.Petruccelli@state.ma.us and Rep.WilliamStraus@Hou.State.MA.US
(if possible with copies to Rep.MartyWalz@Hou.State.MA.US and Rep.ByronRushing@hou.state.ma.us, as well as info@nabbonline.com)

There is still time to purchase a fabulous holiday wreath from The Garden Club of the Back Bay.  Our loyal customer base continues to support our fund raising efforts with generous orders, and we are happy to expand our reach to new customers (that’s you!) who will enjoy our meticulously crafted one of a kind creations.  Unless you are ordering a matched pair, you won’t see your wreath coming and going on doors throughout the neighborhood (the one below was designed for a Mexican Christmas celebration).  Our buyers are not just from Back Bay, Beacon Hill and the South End, either.  We make wreaths for homes in the Berkshires, in Maine, Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, the North and South Shore, and almost every suburb within the loop of 128.  Pick up is easy – just drive over to 299 Berkeley Street, on the corner of Marlborough and Berkeley Streets, pull up in front of the large gated garden of The First Lutheran Church of Boston, and the delivery crew on duty in the garden will load your wreath right into your car.  No need to park, and we’ll have your order ready on either Wednesday or Thursday, December 9 or 10, from 8 in the morning until 7 at night – just contact us and we’ll confirm when your wreath will be ready.  You can order on line by clicking here (pay through PayPal), or you may print the order form on the page and fax it to 617-249-1762, and pay by check or cash when you pick up your order.  We can also take telephone orders (617-859-8865) until Friday, December 4.  Don’t regret not owning one of our beautiful holiday wreaths – act now!

The 33rd Annual Falmouth Holiday House Tour will take place Sunday, December 13, from 12 – 4 pm.  There will also be a holiday boutique. This benefit is held by the West Falmouth Library, and more information may be obtained by logging on to www.westfalmouthlibrary.org, You may also email WestFalLib@comcast.net.

There are events all day and night throughout the weekend, with something for everyone. The colonial white homes and buildings of Edgartown make the perfect backdrop to classic holiday decorations that brighten up Main Street. The beautiful historic inns are decked in greeting card perfect Victorian style. A holiday gift from the island, Christmas in Edgartown is a truly unique celebration of the season of lights.

Something for Everybody
This year, in addition to the celebration-defining events, you can participate in a gingerbread house workshop and a cookie tasting contest, visit some of the historic churches of Edgartown, enjoy Christmas music at a variety of venues and sample wine and goodies at a number of local shops and restaurants.

Edgartown Traditions
As quaint a holiday event as you’ll find anywhere, the Main Street Christmas parade this year will include a procession of dogs adopted from the MSPCA. The lighting of the tree in Village Green and the Edgartown lighthouse are perennial crowd pleasers. Other cherished annual events include Donaroma’s Evening of Enchantment, the Festive Inn Tour and the Chowder Contest.

Shopping and More
Shoppers looking for unique gifts can visit the Handmade from the Heart Sale, the Holiday Arts and Crafts Show and the Elves Fair featuring rummage sale items. The Minnesingers, once again, cast their magical spell at the Whaling Church, as they perform Holiday favorites.

For Kids
Activities for kids include a treasure hunt and appearances by Santa. Local shops and other businesses greet visitors with cider, hot chocolate and treats. There are raffles, decorating workshops, and open houses at galleries, banks and realtors, as well as the Main Street inns.

Edgartown extends a warm holiday welcome to Vineyard neighbors and the visitors who have helped make Christmas in Edgartown one of the all time favorite island events.  For the complete schedule of events, log on to www.mvol.com.

The Community Garden Club of Duxbury will hold a Holiday House Tour from 10:00 am – 3:30 pm on Thursday, December 10 throughout Duxbury.  For more information contact Mariette Wooden at 781-934-7860, or log on to www.communitygardenclubofduxbury.org.

Harvard biologist Andrew Knoll hasn’t actually been to Mars, but he has spent a lot of time examining its rocks, including four-billion-year-old salt deposits investigated by the rovers Spirit and Opportunity.

On Thursday, December 10, beginning at 6 pm, Knoll will reflect on six years of NASA Mars Rover exploration; what the evidence tells us about the history of water and its implication for life on the ancient surface of the Red Planet.

Location:
Harvard Museum of Natural History
26 Oxford Street
Cambridge , MA 02138

Cost: Free and open to the public
Phone: 617-495-3045
Email: hmnhpr@oeb.harvard.edu
http://www.hmnh.harvard.edu

When herbaceous plants have died back and look “disenchanted,” it is still possible to identify some of them by closely examining their dried leaves, stems, and persistent fruits and seeds.

Join Frances Clark on Saturday, December 5, beginning at 10 am, for a classroom exploration to investigate 25-30 weeds and native herbaceous species growing in disturbed habitats, fields, and woodland edges. Examine specimens close at hand to learn identification features and intriguing seed- dispersal mechanisms. (Naturalist photographer Nathan Cook took the image of arrow leaf plantain below)

Pre-registration is necessary, contact the registrar at 508-877-7630, ext. 3303.  The program will take place at Garden in the Woods, 180 Hemenway Road in Framingham, and is co-sponsored by the New England Wild Flower Society and by Massachusetts Audubon, Drumlin Farm.  The cost is $36 for members of NEWFS or Mass Audubon, and $42 for non members.  You may also email registrar@newenglandwild.org, or log on to www.newenglandwild.org/learn.

Providence’s historic Federal Hill neighborhood invites you to participate in the 2009 Christmas Stroll, taking place Sunday, December 6, from 1:00 – 5:00 pm. Tree lighting will take place at 4:00 pm.  Enjoy holiday fun and cheer with a horse and buggy ride, free Christmas drinks and snacks, shopping, and much more.  Federal Hill is the “Heartbeat of Providence.”  For directions and more information, log on to www.providencefederalhill.com, or call 401-453-6161.  You may also email info@providencefederalhill.com.

Starting Friday, December 11, join Rabbi Chaim Prus at the Brewer Fountain at Boston Common, between Tremont and West Streets, from 2:30 pm – 7:00 pm for the lighting of the Hanukkah Menorah,  The Brewer Street Fountain is half a block down from Park Street Station.  For more information, call 617-424-1190.

Part of the mission statement of The Garden Club of the Back Bay is to educate the public on horticultural and environmental issues.  In furtherance of that mission, we organize an annual series of lectures and meetings with prominent speakers.  Guests are welcome and encouraged to attend almost all meetings, which are listed on the Calendar page of this website (scroll down past the calendar grid for complete descriptions).   We love a theme, and this year we are exploring the topic of “The Ethical Gardener.”  Should we garden organically?  Should we design our gardens with native plantings?  Should be buy food locally from the farmers markets or CSA’s?  Do our floral centerpieces need to be made with imported tropical blooms with a high carbon footprint?  What about saving the birds by drinking shade grown bird friendly coffee?  So many issues, and not all of them are clear cut.  Proceeds from our wreath sales help subsidize the contributions we make to the organizations (mostly not for profit) who provide the speakers for our programs.  Please do plan a trip into the Back Bay on one of our meeting days, and know that all are welcome to join our Club.  We have no geographic restrictions on membership!  To order a wreath or poinsettia, click here.

Kennebunkport, Maine, decks itself out during the first week in December with receptions, art shows, historic house tours, walking tours, fish chowder suppers, tree lighting ceremonies, “antiques road shows”, lobster bakes,  live nativities, crafts fairs, pancake suppers, caroling – many lovely holiday activities in a picture perfect setting.  For a complete list of events (and it’s long, believe me!), log on to www.christmasprelude.com.

Pastor Ingo R. Dutzmann and his parish will again host our Club for wreath making on the lower level of The First Lutheran Church of Boston, 299 Berkeley Street (on the corner of Berkeley and Marlborough Streets). We are very, very grateful.  The hours are as follows:

Monday, December 7 – 8:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (set up, training, + decoration)
Tuesday, December 8 – 8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. (decorating)
Wednesday, December 9- 8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. (decorating, delivery)
Thursday, December 10- 8:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. (decorating, delivery, clean    up)

Please come to the side door on Berkeley Street.  We’ll post a sign.   Dried materials and fresh greens can be delivered to the Church no earlier than Monday, December 7.  Please have all decorations “cleaned down” – branches cut down, dead leaves removed – so we can contain the mess we inevitably make.  Delicate materials can be laid flat in sweater boxes or gently stacked in cardboard containers.  We are going to need as many dried items, especially flowers, as we can collect.

Bring clippers and scissors if you have them, labeled with masking tape for ease of identification.  Aprons are also a good idea.  Dress comfortably!  We need everyone’s help, whether you decorate, deliver, organize, make telephone calls confirming delivery, or sweep.  Contact Francine Crawford at 617-859-8865 (francine.crawford@verizon.net) or Margaret Pokorny at 617-536-2920 (MPok384@verizon.net) if you have specific questions.  Otherwise, we’ll see you on Monday.  If you still plan to order wreaths, send the order forms along as soon as you can.   Please try to come for as many hours as possible, on as many days as you can spare – we need you, and you’ll have a great time!  Thank you.  If you can take a delivery shift, and have not already been contacted, email Elisabeth Lay at elisabethlay@comcast.net, or call her at 617-536-6633.

The newly reopened Pilgrim Hall Museum is sponsoring a Holiday House Tour of some of Plymouth’s most beautiful homes, decorated for the holidays.  The preview party will be held Friday, December 4, from 6 – 8 pm,  and the Tour will take place Saturday and Sunday, December 5 and 6.

Your visit may range from graceful private residences at The Pinehills to the historic homes of Leyden Street, all dressed up for the holidays.  Feel the warmth of the holiday spirit while you help preserve the museum’s superb collection of extraordinary 17th century artifacts and support its educational programs.  Your ticket includes a light lunch at Plymouth Country Club. Exact locations of houses on the tour are kept confidential until the day of the tour.  You MUST pick up the booklet and map that will serve as your ticket (and which reveal the locations of the houses) AT PILGRIM HALL MUSEUM (75 Court Street, Plymouth, MA) between 9:30 and 4:30 on either Saturday, December 5 or Sunday, December 6.  (The houses themselves will NOT open before 10:00 am).  Tickets will NOT be sold at the houses or at Plymouth Country Club.  Lunch at Plymouth Country Club is included with the ticket.  Lunch will be served between 11:00 and 2:00 each day (ticket holders are entitled to ONE lunch).

Space is limited, so purchase your tickets early!  A discount is also available with advance purchases.     The ticket price for the Preview Party and the Tour will be $40.  Tickets are nonrefundable.

Pilgrim Hall Museum, America’s oldest museum,  located at 75 Court Street in Plymouth, has recently completed a major expansion & renovation project, adding air-conditioning and a new entry.   The “new” museum also features an imaginative reinstallation of the  permanent exhibitions of 17th century Pilgrim artifacts.

Celebrate the Pilgrims’ legacy in the restored grandeur of the Main Hall and then encounter the actual artifacts used and owned by the 17th century Plymouth Colonists, in a new and dramatic installation. Pilgrim Hall Museum is open daily from 9:30-4:30  through December 30, 2009. For further details on the House Tour and the Museum, log on to www.pilgrimhall.org, or email pegbaker@pilgrimhall.org. You may also telephone 508-746-1620.

The Garden Club of the Back Bay awarded Old South Church the Magnolia Award in June, 2009.  They return the favor to  the neighborhood with the Annual Holiday Arts & Crafts Fair, taking place in the Gordon Chapel, 645 Boylston Street, on Saturday, December 5, from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm.  This year the juried show features New England artisans in glass, pottery, jewelry, photography, textiles, woodwork, watercolors, gingerbread art and more. See website, www.oldsouth.org,  for complete list of vendors. Also: Caroling, Historic Church Tours, Cookie Walk.

The 18th Annual New Bedford Preservation Society Annual Holiday House Tour will take place on Saturday, December 5, from 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm (Candlelight Tour) and on Sunday, December 6, from 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm (Afternoon Tour).

Come visit beautifully restored historic 19th Century homes, all decked out for the holidays. Read About Last Year’s Tour!

Start at the Wamsutta Club, 427 County Street, New Bedford.
Pre-tour brunch ($15) on Sunday from 11:30am-1pm(reservations recommended, call 508.997.7431)
Holiday Raffle will be held at the club during tour hours. Advance tickets: $19; $17 Society Members
At the door, ALL tickets: $23

Tickets go on sale mid-November at the following locations: Elaine’s at the Black Whale, New York Shoe Repair, The Surrey Shoppe, Periwinkles, Baker Books, Davoll’s General Store, The Ultimate Touch, The Woodhouse Shop, Roseland Nursery and the Marion General Store.

Tower Hill Botanic Garden will kick off its 2009 Holly Days “Celebrations Around the World” with a gala cocktail party on Friday, December 4, from 6 – 9 pm, in the Orangerie at 11 French Drive in Boylston. Enjoy hearty, ethnically inspired appetizers by Peppers Fine Foods Catering, and a huge selections of desserts from multiple cultures around the world.  Cash bar. Joe Blanchard will perform on the Steinway Grand Piano as you stroll through the display of trees, and additional entertainment will be provided by the Stämbandet Scandinavian Vocal Ensemble.

Founded in 1978, Stämbandet is thirteen singers from Scandinavia with a reputation for excellence both as an a cappella ensemble and a World Music vocal group. Presenting songs rarely heard outside of Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, this captivating vocal band often breaks into six- and seven- part harmonies sung in six languages. Led by Allen LeVines, musical director since 1985, Stämbandet performs a wide range of a cappella folk traditions unique to Scandinavia, including “trall” – singers imitating fiddlers playing dance music – a practice that has been compared to scat singing.

Stämbandet’s cultural contributions have rarely been placed in perspective, for even within Scandinavia there are few vocal ensembles solely dedicated to the preservation and performance of traditional Nordic song. American-influenced “pop” styles have taken over and continue to dominate not just Scandinavia, but virtually the world. So it is especially significant that in the United States Stämbandet exists at all, where it is the only group of its kind — not only striving for performances of high artistic merit, but carefully researching the music’s origin and history, thereby introducing to the public many other facets of Scandinavian culture.

The long term commitment of the singers has helped ensure Stämbandet’s cohesiveness of sound and cultural identity. Almost all of the vocalists were born in Scandinavia.

$40 per person, or by a sponsor or patron at $75 or $125 if you’re feeling like Santa.  To purchase tickets, log on to www.towerhillbg.org, or call 508-869-6111, x. 136.

Strawbery Banke in nearby Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is a beautiful place to be in the winter. Stroll through life in a simpler time as the history of American holiday traditions unfolds around you. Bring the whole family for a wholesome stroll through the sights, sounds, & smells of New England’s favorite holiday season.  These candlelight strolls will take place each Saturday and Sunday during the first three weekends in December. Tickets are $20 for adults. Kids 5-17: $10. Kids 4 & under: FREE. Family rate: $40.  For more information log on to www.strawberybanke.org.

The Green Movement has entered the mainstream and is rapidly becoming an integral part of the environment.  A Green Home (environmentally friendly) house can be more energy efficient than a traditional house.  It can be less expensive to operate, last longer, be more comfortable and be healthier than an existing home.  While many Green Homes are new construction, or require a major retro fit to an existing home, there are some relatively easy and inexpensive techniques that can be employed so you may live in a greener home environment.  This one session course will look at basic green design, green materials and will cover some incentives that can make the process of creating a Green Home environment more palatable.  You will find where to locate green materials, familiarize yourself with basic green terms, and learn the process of making your home green.

The course is taught by David Kelman at the Boston Center for Adult Education, and costs $51 (BCAE member price $43).  You may register on line at www.bcae.org.  The class will be held Monday, December 14, from 5:30 – 8:30, but if the holiday season precludes your attendance at this time, consider signing up for the second date of Monday, February 22, 2010.

This winter wonderland attracts thousands of visitors each year who get into the holiday spirit by strolling along tree-lined paths lit by thousands of twinkling lights. Upon entering the Zoo, guests will visit Yukon Creek, which not only features dazzling holiday lights but is also home to bald eagles, porcupines, lynx, a gray fox and reindeer. Children will want to make sure they visit with Santa, who awaits their arrival in Santa’s Castle. Jolly Old St. Nick will be available for photos through Dec. 23. After visiting with Santa, enter a magical holiday world filled with fairy tale characters and dancing plush animals.  For more information call Brooke Wardrop at 781-438-5100, or log on to www.stonezoo.org.  (Closed December 25)