Forest Hills Neighborhood General Meeting

Wednesday night was not only the Henderson Art Project's HeART auction, but also the very important Forest Hills General Meeting at Times Ten Cellar. Andie and I left the HeART function in time for the meeting.

Nice crowd. Our President Leon conducted a short and sweet meeting so we would have time to hear Steve Houser and Laura talk about trees, our trees.

Steve opened by saying he was delighted to be speaking to the neighborhood of FOREST Hills. Talk about preaching to the choir. Steve had a captive tree hugger audience. We realized we could keep them their all night and they're too nice for that. Our trees bring all of us together. One of my favorite sayings to scream to the developers who use to tear down homes and our beautiful trees was, "What do you not understand about the FOREST in Forest Hills?" I love being a member in good standing of this radical group.

Come to Forest Hills, Little Forest Hills and Casa Linda Estates - the 3 prettiest neighborhoods in n Dallas and attend the White Rock Lake Garden & Artisans' Tour, May 23 from 11:00 to 5:00. Maps and information in previous posts and on www.lottieminick.com.

White Rock Lake Garden and Artisans Tour at the HeART Party

Several White Rock Lake Garden and Artisans Tour artists were represented at the Henderson Art Project's HeArt benefit on Dragon Street last night. Cynthia Daniel contributed one of her beautiful wheel barrow tree flowers. These look spectacular in our big hundred year old trees. Come to the White Rock Lake Garden and Artisans' Tour where she will be displaying her spectacular pieces in the beautiful Moran garden - 8911 San Benito.

Mrs. Moran is a master gardener.

Sunday, May 23 from 11:00 to 5:00

$5.00 nominal fee for adults, children under 12 free

Go back a few posts in this blog and double click on the map for locations.

You can also check www.lottieminick.com for more info.

Daffodils

First daffodils/jonquils for my yard this year. I'm most fond of plants I've been givenperennials and plants I've been given than any other. Today was high 60's, but very cold weather is suppose to be on the way. I need to get a new cardboard box to cover the Japanese Maple Barb gave me. The rain kinda melted the box, but I'm pretty sure the maple is happy.

Monday Barb picked up me, Andie and Cynthia for the first Garden Tour committee at Bob K's. This coming Monday is the general meeting at my house. After hosting our Christmas party, Forest Hills Garden Club meeting, Manicure Lecture Series and Monday's Garden Tour meeting, I'll be done hostessing for a while. Can't believe January is over and we're about to be springtime busy.

To to www.lottieminick.com for updates.

Garden tour and wine

Started out the day at the State Fair taking pictures of sculptures close up. Way too many pictures so I have to try to sort out before putting on my website. Kind of a cloudy day so the pictures don't have sunlight to make them sparkle. Put info in my tube and out of town artists. Weather was muggy with sunlight when I left.

Home a quick bite to eat then then called to see if the Landscape Nazi wanted to go pick up my 5th load of pea gravel. Of course she did. Revved up Mad Cow and we're off. We decided on Sonic after - limeade for her, root beer float for me. Well I'd be unloading the gravel by myself and working it off.

Got most of gravel out of the truck and cleaned up for Forest Hills board meeting at Times Ten Cellars Lovely place, good meeting, short and to the point. We all love that. The guy that owns the great house by Times Ten was in his front yard so Barb, Andie and I went over introduced ourselves and told him how much we love the house. He could be on a garden tour.

We three all went to the Dallas County Master Gardeners and enjoyed it. Here's a couple of pictures you might enjoy. The readers of the blog, A Succulent Life would have loved some of the plants.

I'm meeting someone at the Fair at 12:30, will tell you about that later. Go to Examiner.com
for latest or old articles. And www.lottieminick.com

Dallas County Master Gardeners

Guess What Guess What???

Katrina, neighbor and garden club girlfriend, is on the Dallas County Master Gardeners tour and she asked if she could borrow my big dragonfly for the tour. The name of her garden is "Dragonfly Cove". Is this too cool for school???????

Read more: http://www.examiner.com/x-15499-Dallas-Gardening-Humor-Examiner~y2009m9d23-Fall-art-and-garden-events

My Two Guys

I have a ton of Garden Tour pictures, after party pictures, after preview pictures, etc. I have have Studio Tour party pictures. I'm trying to remember how to put them in an album and put on my web page. I managed to put last year's State Fair of Texas pictures of all the sculptures, but that was last year. Can't remember this morning so how can I remember last year. Oh, wait, Bob and I went to my Boy Babe's (pictured here with me and Bob) garage sale this morning. So sad, he's moving to Austin. What will we do?

After Tour Meeting

After Garden Tour meeting was tonight at Sharon and Bob's. Lovely meeting. We talked about how to improve next year and all we did right. The most important part was I've earned a forever place at Donna and Jeff's CRAWFISH table! I'm going to get Bob to take me for crawfish this weekend. Getting too close to out of season for me.

Garden Tour

OK, I must admit, these are still preview pictures of the Garden Tour. Still can't find my camera. Tomorrow night is the follow up meeting. I think each committee will have good reports. The tour was a smashing success.

Monday, Karen (star reporter) and I visited some of the gardens that will be featured on the White Rock East Garden & Artisans Tour, May 17th from 11:00 to 5:00. Got lucky and some homeowner's were home. We knocked on doors and when no answer snuck into some gardens. Karen's idea, of course. I would never sneak in someone's yard unless Karen was pushing me.

Here's Donna and Jeff on their swing. Their yard is amazing just from the last time I was there. Jeff's built a great new back gate. I'll have a picture of him with his gate soon. They've put in a bamboo water feature everyone's going to want, I do. Don't miss this yard, very zen.

We stopped by another garden and Susan was home across the street. Her garden should be on the tour, I'll campaign for her next year. Oh, and the vase on the column - well you'll have attend the White Rock East Garden & Artisan's Tour, May 17 from 11:00 to 5:00 to find it in person, same with these beautiful poppies. The pictures don't do justice to the poppies.

White Rock East Garden & Artisans Tour, last year pictures

Today's pictures are a mishmash of last year's tour, this year's tour and my fabulous bowling ball that should be on every tour, but is not asked. An oversight I'm sure. Maybe if I weld a special stand for it? Welding brings out the best in everyone, even bowling balls.

Don't you love Mary's stacked pots that make a stand for her garden sculpture? I told myself I was stealing that idea and here it is a year later and I haven't made myself a stacked pot stand.

The fountain picture is a sneak preview of a wonderful garden on this year's tour. Yes, a teaser. You really really don't want to miss this year's tour as that fountain proves.

Saw Lola today. Told her she's doing the commentary on the garden tour preview night video. Her response? "I'll dress better!" Gotta love her. Once again a solid year has gone by and have we progressed with Lola starring in "The Barbaree Beat"? Nooooooooooo But this might be our year. Hey maybe if my bowling ball sneaks in this year's video and future videos, it could be our mascot and get us on Oprah!

SAVE THE DATE, White Rock East Garden & Artisans Tour

Barb's DH, John, made SAVE THE DATE for me and now I'll be expecting him to be my forever graphic artist. I wish I could supersize his art on this blog. I'm going to try to put it on the first page of my web page, a job for tougher computer people than me.

I think Barb's DH says it all in this newsflash! SAVE THE DATE, it's not only the best FREE tour in the metroplex, but the best party in Old East Dallas.

Dancing Lottie

Even with the rain, today was over 100 degrees, so I'm in a funk and can't post daily.  This is an old picture taken during the Garden Tour.  Don't we three look fabulous?  The sunglasses are hard to see, but they are guitars.  Sometimes I'm so chic I amaze myself.  We are in front of Mary's lovely home, the first on our preview tour and Barb is the first person Lola interviewed.  What I'm doing in the picture only heaven knows.  But I can assure you a good time was had.  As you can tell we three are ready for our closeup Mr. DeMille.

Friends, Periodontics and Colonoscopophies

This morning while  cleaning up this birdbath I grouted yesterday, the phone rang.  I've left this phone handset outside in the rain so often it's lost it's display so I have no idea who calls.  I heard Jamie's voice and before she could speak I said, "2:00, Houstons today for lunch, I'll be there."  She said no had to cancel.  Her Periodontist (sp?) just called and can fit her in.  She started telling me about her gum trouble.  I told her to look on the bright side.  Gum surgery drugs are the best.  A moment after she hung up, Martha Dawn called.  I told her Jamie just called to cancel lunch and why.  Her reply, "I'll probably call and cancel our next lunch because of a colonoscophy (sp?) or something."  Honestly!  I gave her a hard time.  She told me to get over it, we're old and this is what happens now.  She just had a birthday, she's many months younger than me.  However, after her colonoscophy remark (how do you spell that word?) I'm switching our age and I'm going to be the younger by many months.  

Barbaree Babes met tonight to celebrate Cynthia becoming a Babe and her birthday.  Lauire had all of us over for lasagna and we all brought side dishes.  All there but Glo.  A good time was had.  I told Laurie we had garden tour after meeting.  We made her the Artist Czar.  I'm going to be her assistant with a fancy title, too -  Czarette.  

Babette, Czarette, I think I'm finding my ette ness.  

Another Garden Tour

The birdhouse is at the entrance to this adorable back yard garden on the Far East Dallas Garden Tour.  Look inside the big water pot and there are little goldfish inside.  This lady is on the White Rock Artists Tour.  Made we want to go home and repaint my studio a wild color for the tour this year.  Sorry I didn't think of that this spring when it was cooler.

The next garden Barb wanted me to see starts with the picture candle tree on the fence.  How do you suppose they made the branches?  I saw it in person and should have asked.  The homeowners were delightful and would have shared.  The table and chair are on a little platform jutting out over Ash Creek.  Picture a meal there early morning or evening.  Got to get a source on old oxygen tanks so I can make a bell like in the last picture. 

Enjoyed all the yards that I could see through the sweat dripping in my eyes.  Saturday was steaming.

Tuesday Tip Day

I was talking to Bob about what to keep writing and he suggested a tip day.  So now Tuesday is Tip Day.  

JoAnn gave me this one.  She found this guy who gives tips on saving money.  He's Clark Howard and these tips are pretty cool.  At Cosco, marked down items end in 97.  At Sams, clearance items end in a penny amount like .73 or .47.  If the bar code number has the letter C after it, it's a clearance item.  I had no idea.  Picture me at my next Sam's visit with numbers shooting out of the top of my head as I try to remember this.  Not my best look.

East Dallas Art Gardens should have some garden tips, so here's some overlooked and underplanted perennials for our area.  These are from the Far East Dallas Garden Tour.  

Basket of Gold

Butterfly Weed

Heartleaf Bergenia

Golden Wave

Blanket Flower

Gayfeather

Beard Tongue

Gloriosa Daisy

Yellow Fall Crocus

Rain Lily

As a PS, my rock rose is blooming and is the only plant in my yard that will continue through the nasty nasty 100 degree weather we will endure during what will seem like 13 months of summer.  

Another great tip is log onto the Arboretum's website.  They change the pictures of the gardens often and you can just keep entertaining yourself with their beautiful pictures.

Now that Bob gave me Tuesday Tip Day idea I'll be looking for bizarre tips in the future.  Stay tuned.

Lakewood People and The Garden Tour

A friend dropped by this morning with several extra Lakewood People newspapers.  I was looking through Sarah's article and pictures again and thought I'd put some more garden tour pictures on.  Don't worry there are still more parade pictures to come.  That's our son, Randall, in the incredible tree house in this garden.  I could live there, thought I might have to install screen and air conditioning.  How hot is it outside today anyway?  How's a person suppose to weld in this weather?   I should have gotten up at 5:00 am, but it's a holiday.  Enjoy the garden tour pictures and look for more parade pictures.  Happy Memorial Day.

more photos

JoAnn, John and Judi in the garden right before the tour started.  JoAnn was so good to come over and volunteer.  Time is such a premium for everyone.   I tend to mis-speak a bit and I guess I  said something to someone I shouldn't.  JoAnn, eating a sandwich, calmly said to everyone, "You have to understand my role as Lottie's friend the last 15 years has been to say to people - What Lottie meant to say - when she blurts out something like she just did."  Whoops!  Well, she's right, she has done that for me for the last 15 years.  I never tell her thank you, so Thank you, JoAnn.

Speaking of time, I'm sure even John doesn't want to figure out how much time he puts in his garden to create such a spectacular place.  And Judi?  She's one of my garden club buddies.   Later I'll have a nice posting on the Garden Club Girls and you'll realize how special they are.  Judi is also a Lakewood Nitwit and someday I intend to visit.  They will have the patience to teach me to knit.

JoAnn, John and Judi with their tour outfits and sign just scream, "Great Garden Tour Here"  don't you think?  

Then Debra came for the afternoon shift to so JoAnn could go on tour.  She had a big time.  She's buying a book on plants so she can disperse correct information next year.  Who cares?  They love her personality and who would guess she doesn't know one plant from another?  Until I see pictures of Debra and me together, I truly believe we look like sisters and I'm as tall as she is.  I hate the reality of pictures.

Preview Night

Our son, Randall and his two college roommates, Logan and Mitch, came to film preview night for us.  We'd been talking about a  Barbaree Babe show of some kind forever and decided tonight was the night to make Babe Lola a star along with the gardens.  Bob took still pictures while Mitch filmed and Randall and Logan set the scenes.  

First picture is Lola's first interview, always gracious Barb.  She whispered to me Randall would really like her dear husband because of his tattoos.  I agreed and told her that's why we will keep John and Randall apart.  Randall doesn't need John's encouragement.  

Second picture is Donna telling Lola about the beginnings of the tour since Donna.  Amazing how everyone just stepped right up to Lola and they all chatted like old friends for the camera even though Lola was meeting everyone for the first time.

Third picture - I wore my guitar glasses in John/Elvis' honor.  His and Mary's garden was an amazing transformation since I saw it weeks ago during a garden club meeting.  I'm hugging BlackJack's godmother, Lynn, another from the beginning tour organizer along with Bob and Sam checking Mary's hard work.

Fourth - Logan in the mosaic arbor at the peaceful Glenn Garden.  

Fifth picture - the terra cotta cat I've admired for years in the Canter Garden when driving by or walking Eustis.   You won't believe you're in Dallas when you walk through this amazing back yard.  If there is reincarnation, may I please come back as one of her kitties.

Sixth picture.   Like the Advocate photo, even Bob can't take a picture that shows the wonders of this garden.  The boys had to stop filming at Vince's garden because the camera battery died on them.  We went back after the tour because this garden had to be filmed.  I hope Mitch captured some of it's magic.

That's all for now.  I have metal to paint, earrings to pack, teacups to wrap for the tour tomorrow.  Come by and see me in the 8407 San Pedro garden.  Cynthia and I will be there surrounded by art.  Plus, the plant sale is right across the street from us.

I'll get pictures of the rest of the beautiful gardens we visited tonight posted in a day or so along with actual tour pictures.  

Barbaree Beat - First Filming

The Hearts of the Garden Tour

Here they are the "Hearts of the Garden Tour", Donna and Jeff Mason.

I asked Donna to give me a little background on how the tour started and here's what she sent.

Jeff and I had attended a small garden tour in Oak Cliff that was very simply presented and I thought we could do something like that here in Lt. Forest Hils at the time. I had met Jim Witter, Casa Linda, and threw the idea out to him with LFH and CLE doing a tour together. He thought it a good idea and presented it to the CLE neighborhood group. I did the same in LFH. Everyone thought it was a good idea but no one would step up to have their garden on the tour in LFH, so the first year CLE did it alone. LFH stepped back into the picture the following year with Jim supervising CLE and I doing LFH. We teamed up with Art in the Park for several years and when that went by the wayside we continued on our own again. Jim has stepped in and out several times over the years, health issues and such. Dione Lineberry help co-ordinate for a few years, but it seemed that I was the most constant member of the planning group. It's the eighth year of the tour and I have been co-ordinating for 7 of those years. Jeff did not get involved too much the first few years but he has been a great help and support for the last several.
As you know, the tour has grown and morphed into something very special because of the great ideas and dedication of all the members of the planning committee.

Look for this story in this Saturday's Neighbors To Go