Could you think of a better way to spend your years end luncheon than with a story told about what red birds mean to some of us, myself included. Our former President Carolyn Schwebel told the story of how her affection for red birds began in the sun porch of her home. At Christmas time she drapes a cord with small clothes pins across the many windows of that room and hangs her Christmas cards on them. She began noticing that many of the cards had red birds on them and after the passing of her dear Mother almost all of them did!
Carolyn also told of the many paragraphs and biblical sayings that were included on the cards, one particular one especially said that when you see a red bird in your yard it is the sign of someone that has passed away that is there with you, (I guess kind of like an angel). It's such a lovely thought and one I totally believe!
She has a forever tree that has all red bird ornaments on it, two precious ones she brought to show us and in her yard a bird bath, that during the winter months, she layers it with cut off branches of Christmas trees with a few red berries tucked in and a tall but narrow bird house standing in the center. What a great attraction for them and all the other birds too!
Carolyn's story or experiences that lead her to do such loving things for God's creatures makes me think of a quote by Mother Teresa, "It is not how much you do, but how much love you put into the doing that matters"!
Hope I didn't put the cart before the horse but her charming narrative of the red birds was just the perfect way to start our day!
That story mixed with the beautifully decorated Michabelle's we entered was like a fairy tale of Christmases past. The ambiance as we sat inside at the tables with their linens flowing to the floor and the table tops embellished with long stemmed red roses, the mantles and window sills gushing with Nutcrackers, ornaments and silver and gold ribbons and a Christmas tree that must have been 10' tall that hadn't a space on any branch that wasn't covered with ornaments of every kind; just a wonderful setting for our Christmas luncheon; a lovely buffet set just outside the dining room.
When the luncheon was over Mary Thornhill our President, asked for the winners of the Link Award that was given by Linda Ross, Restaurant 113 at 113 North Oak Street and Garden of the Month as told by Carolyn Schwebel and Marta Lichtl at the home of Ronnie and Darlene St. Pierre, 42434 General Ott Lane. These were the only two reports given or asked for at this meeting as it was supposed to be our fun get together at year's end.
Before the meeting closed Mary wanted to tell us about this observation she had comparing us to the theme on the cover of this years' yearbook which is "Make It Shine"! She observed that we are like the shiny ornaments on the Christmas tree, we are trying to make our community shine like those ornaments and with all that we help do in the city of Hammond it is shining brightly like the star that led the Wise Men to the birth of the Christ Child!
We hope that all of you have a Merry and Blessed Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year!
The Hammond Garden Club is a proud member of the District VI, Louisiana Garden Club Federation, Inc. and the Deep South Garden Clubs, Inc. doing our best to unify and beautify our homes, gardens, our city and our nation every day to the best of our ability. God bless the city of Hammond and God bless America!
by Linda Broussard
she is a member of the Hammond Garden Club
Carolyn also told of the many paragraphs and biblical sayings that were included on the cards, one particular one especially said that when you see a red bird in your yard it is the sign of someone that has passed away that is there with you, (I guess kind of like an angel). It's such a lovely thought and one I totally believe!
She has a forever tree that has all red bird ornaments on it, two precious ones she brought to show us and in her yard a bird bath, that during the winter months, she layers it with cut off branches of Christmas trees with a few red berries tucked in and a tall but narrow bird house standing in the center. What a great attraction for them and all the other birds too!
Carolyn's story or experiences that lead her to do such loving things for God's creatures makes me think of a quote by Mother Teresa, "It is not how much you do, but how much love you put into the doing that matters"!
Hope I didn't put the cart before the horse but her charming narrative of the red birds was just the perfect way to start our day!
That story mixed with the beautifully decorated Michabelle's we entered was like a fairy tale of Christmases past. The ambiance as we sat inside at the tables with their linens flowing to the floor and the table tops embellished with long stemmed red roses, the mantles and window sills gushing with Nutcrackers, ornaments and silver and gold ribbons and a Christmas tree that must have been 10' tall that hadn't a space on any branch that wasn't covered with ornaments of every kind; just a wonderful setting for our Christmas luncheon; a lovely buffet set just outside the dining room.
When the luncheon was over Mary Thornhill our President, asked for the winners of the Link Award that was given by Linda Ross, Restaurant 113 at 113 North Oak Street and Garden of the Month as told by Carolyn Schwebel and Marta Lichtl at the home of Ronnie and Darlene St. Pierre, 42434 General Ott Lane. These were the only two reports given or asked for at this meeting as it was supposed to be our fun get together at year's end.
Before the meeting closed Mary wanted to tell us about this observation she had comparing us to the theme on the cover of this years' yearbook which is "Make It Shine"! She observed that we are like the shiny ornaments on the Christmas tree, we are trying to make our community shine like those ornaments and with all that we help do in the city of Hammond it is shining brightly like the star that led the Wise Men to the birth of the Christ Child!
We hope that all of you have a Merry and Blessed Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year!
The Hammond Garden Club is a proud member of the District VI, Louisiana Garden Club Federation, Inc. and the Deep South Garden Clubs, Inc. doing our best to unify and beautify our homes, gardens, our city and our nation every day to the best of our ability. God bless the city of Hammond and God bless America!
by Linda Broussard
she is a member of the Hammond Garden Club