November Meeting

with Austin Cactus and Succulent Society Featuring Irwin Lightstone 

Enter the macrobotanical world of ABSURDITY and AWE. Irwin Lightstone’s “UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL” perspective reveals a world easily overlooked. Using cutting edge digital technology, Irwin may merge as many as 100 nearly identical images, each with a different point of focus, creating final prints with unsurpassed clarity of detail, depth, and texture. With his command of lighting, intimate knowledge of his subject, and prodigious technique, Irwin’s work reveals the mystery and wonder of a world not otherwise seen.

After 29 years practicing trial law, Irwin Lightstone closed his law firm to concentrate on his botanical and nature photography. Irwin is a past president of the North Texas Cactus and Succulent Society, past president of the Texas Association of Cactus and Succulent Societies, and a former vice president of the Fort Worth Cactus and Succulent Society. He led numerous photographic seminars throughout the state including Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth, Plano, Kerrville, McKinney, and Dallas and was a featured speaker at the Gulf States Photographic Conference. Additionally, he led programs sponsored by the Dallas Museum of Art, the Dallas Arboretum and the International Photography Hall of Fame. His photography has won numerous awards and is often featured in the Cactus and Succulent Journal. Presently, he is Director of Photography for the Wilson History and Research Center. His book, Succulent Abstracts and Absurdities in Black and White, was recently published.

Irwin lives in Dallas with his wife, Robin, his two children, three cats and several thousand plants.  

President’s Message

Although we still haven’t received any sizeable rainfall amounts to alleviate the drought, the temperatures have moderated some, making for some cool to chilly nights and more reasonable daytime highs. At least it seems a little like fall, which officially started September 23.

Thanks to Laura for providing all the delicious foods, drinks, and desserts at our regular October meeting on the 27th. A great time was had by all who attended and hopefully you were able to fill out the questionnaire about ideas for club meetings, subject matter, and general goals for our club into the future.

The nominating committee, headed by Norman Wagner, presented a slate of officers and board of directors’ members who are willing to serve for 2012. We will vote on these at the November 17, regular meeting. As you know, that is our joint meeting with the Cactus and Succulent Club. It is held a week earlier than normal because the next Thursday is the Thanksgiving Day holiday. I want to wish each of you a Happy Thanksgiving. Hopefully it will be a day of family gatherings, special foods, and a time for giving thanks for all of our blessings. Please bring extra goodies to the November 17 meeting since it will be for the two clubs. The Cactus and Succulent Club is providing the speaker as well as many plants for door prizes, so our club needs to be extra generous providing drinks, snacks and desserts.

Remember that our Board of Directors’ meeting will be on Monday, November 14 and our regular meeting, November 17, as stated above. The Lunch Bunch group will meet on Tuesday, November 22, at Luby’s Cafeteria. Remember also, that our Christmas banquet and awards program will be on Thursday, December 1, 2011. Since the newsletter will not be published until after the banquet, remember to put this date on your calendar. The club will be furnishing the meat dishes and everyone else should bring a favorite side dish or dessert. This makes for a very festive banquet and an enjoyable evening as we end another great year of gardening!

Sincerely,
Wilburn
 

Dues Information

It is that time of year again! Dues for 2012 should be paid by January 1. Adding national and local dues together gives us the following:

Individual- $25 ($18 national and $7 local). Additional members at the same address are $15 each ($5 national and $10 local)  

To become a National life member you pay a one-time charge of $200 and then pay local dues of $10 per year.  Spouses of national life members are $18 ($8 national and $10 local) 

To become a Local life member you pay a one-time charge of $100 (you must be a national life member to get local life membership)

Notice that for $300 you will not have to worry about national or local dues again. You will have lifetime membership in both the national and local organizations. The above dues are due now and should be paid to our treasurer.

Annie Hackebeil
652 S Monroe Street
LaGrange, TX 78945-1515

Please indicate any changes in address, telephone numbers, etc. Also, if you have an e-mail address, she would like to have that. If you have any questions, please give Annie a call at 512- 300 5941 (if no one is home, leave a message and your call will be returned) or e-mail her at  awhackebeil (at) aol.com  

Mark Your Calendars

The following events are of direct interest to the membership of The Garden Club of Austin. All events are at the Austin Area Garden Center in Zilker Botanical Garden at 2220 Barton Springs Road unless otherwise noted. Additional gardening calendar information may be found every Saturday in the Life and Arts Section of the Austin American Statesman.

Nov 14 -Monday:

TGCoA Board of Directors meeting 7 PM

Nov 17 - Thursday:

Monthly meeting of TGCoA. Joint meeting with Austin Cactus and Succulent Club. Speaker will be noted Dallas photographer, Irwin Lightstone.

Nov 22-Tuesday:

Third Tuesday Lunch Bunch. About 11:15 AM at Luby’s Cafeteria located at the southwest corner of Mopac and Steck Avenue. All members are invited to attend.

Dec 1 -Thursday:

Monthly meeting of TGCoA. Christmas party dinner 7 PM

Great Fern Team News!

We received word from the Austin Parks Foundation that they have approved our grant!!!! We have been awarded the full amount of $10,820. I can furnish a copy of the grant to anyone who requests one.

AAGC also was awarded a grant of $20,375. for repairs to the Lotus Pond and Patio Pond in the Taniguchi Japanese Garden.

If you want to receive the APF e-newsletter, visit their website, www.austinparks.org and subscribe.

Congratulation TGCoA-Fern Team in helping to make Zilker the treasure it is!!

Christie

November Climate for Austin

The average daily maximum temperature varies from 75 at the beginning of the month to 66 at the end. The minimum varies from 53 at the beginning to 44 at the end of the month. Extremes are 91 observed in 1951 and 20 in l976. We average about one day with a minimum of 32 or below. The average first freeze date is November 28.

Precipitation averages 2.37 inches but has ranged from a wet 7.91 in 1946 to only a trace in 1970. A maximum 24-hour amount of 5.09 occurred in 1974. Snow is rare, however 2 inches fell in a 24-hour period in 1980. On average, precipitation is observed on 7 days during the month.

We usually receive about 55% of the possible sunshine, and between sunrise and sunset have 11 clear days, 7 partly cloudy days and 12 days with overcast conditions. Dense fog with visibility of 1/4 mile or less is observed on 3 days. The time between sunrise and sunset decreases from about 10 hours 59 minutes at the beginning of the month to 10 hours 21 minutes at the end of the month.  

Gardening Checklist for November - December

With the holiday season approaching, you probably don’t have a lot of time to work in your garden. However, there are a few chores that should be tended to. Besides, it gives you a good excuse to get out into the nice cool fall air, which is especially enjoyable after our hot summer.

• Finish planting all of your spring flowering bulbs in November (except tulips). Tulips should be chilling in the refrigerator for planting in December.
• Continue to practice good garden sanitation. Keep your leaves raked up and place them on your compost pile (or use as mulch).
• Annual rye grass will make a good ground cover for a new lawn to hold topsoil in place and prevent tracking soil into the house. Sow seed at a rate of 8 to 10 pounds per 1000 square feet.
• Large, almost mature tomatoes can be picked just ahead of the first frost. Store them in a cool dark area until ripe. (I usually individually wrap mine in a piece of newspaper and put them in a brown paper grocery sack. I’ve had “fresh” tomatoes in January and February.)
• Use dormant oil spray to control scale and other hard to control over-wintering insect pests. Follow instructions on the label to avoid damage to plants.
• Use the cool, rainy days of late fall and winter to get all of your tools in shape. Sharpen hoes, spades, and mower blades. It’s amazing how much better they work when they are sharp. Put a light coating of oil on all of your tools in order to minimize rust.
• If you need a new sparkplug for your mower or tiller, now is a good time to get one and install it so you’ll be ready to go next spring.
• Idle away some time deciding what changes you would like to make in your landscape. If you are thinking about a new tree or shrub, now is a great time to get it in the ground. That way the roots can develop over the winter and be in better shape for survival next summer.