Gardens

All the gardens have been selected for the tour. I'll be posting them soon. They are fabulous, you'll be amazed and want to go home and get started on your yard. Or you could take lots of pictures and sit in the comfort of your living room and enjoy. Probably what I'll do.

Clay Cat and homeowner stone

Just posted this picture of the Great Clay Cat and stone presented to a 2008 homeowner on the garden tour on the White Rock East Garden Tour & Artisans facebook. NO ONE has noticed the facebook page. I'm depressed.

Garden Tour sneak peaks

Stay tuned right here for daily sneak peaks of the gardens.

White Rock Lake Garden & Artisans' Tour, SUNDAY, May 23, from 11:00 to 5:00

For a big map go to www.lottieminick.com

The Tour is ON

The White Rock East Garden & Artisans Tour is on today, Sunday, May 17 from 11:00 to 5:00. It's going to be a beautiful sunshine and coolish day. Perfect for touring gardens and buying art. Look for me in the garden with the big dinosaur.

Let's start the thanks now. All the media places I sent blurbs and pictures to (and there's a bunch) responded. I've tried to list all of you and I apologized if I forgot someone. I have a big spreadsheet on all of you, so I warn you now - I'll be back next year asking you to be as kind to us again. Personally, I'm delighted some of you have become friends.

Now all the VOLUNTEER committee members who have worked so hard to put this together. Bob Klug said it best, "Everyone's so professional." Lots of people did lots of work. This isn't one of those groups who all say they will do something and then 4 or 5 people do everything. Those who hosted our meetings provided wonderful treats. After the tour, I'm going to "try" your kale recipe, Barb. Only Barb can make kale taste good.

This tour is THE party to attend in East Dallas, the small town inside the big city. Go to my website, www.lottieminick.com and write down one address. There will be brochures at each location with addresses, maps, garden and artists descriptions, plant sale, sponsors, coupons and neighborhood histories. If you look hard enough, the brochure probably has something in it to make your dreams come true. WAIT - your dream is to attend a wonderful garden party and here we are for you.

White Rock East Garden & Artisans Tour

Confession time. This VooDoo Lily is not on the tour. I took this picture last Friday at Mary's right after our Forest Hills Garden Club meeting. She told all of us her VooDoo Lily blooms once a year, smells bad, but is positively stunning. Here it is and she's right. Mary isn't on the tour this year, but she was last year, so this gives you an idea of the quality of this tour.

8th Annual White Rock East Garden & Artisans Tour, this coming Sunday, May 17 from 11:00 to 5:00 pm. Remember, we have local artists (neighbors) in the gardens. You're bound to find something you can live without; art, jewelry, etc. Even I can't kill the plants I've bought at previous plant sales. The raffle prizes are better than ever. Animal adoptions at the plant sale may have someone your family will love. Of course we will accept donations since the three neighborhoods split the proceeds and use the funds for beautification in each neighborhood. Personally, I'll tell you it's a wonderful party. And good weather is predicted. Go to my web site: www.lottieminick.com for addresses and a map of the garden.

For some reason Miss Computer Stupid can't make my website open to the Garden Tour page even though it shows it's the first page. So just click on Garden Tour info in the upper left hand corner and the click will take you to the page with all the information. See you there.

White Rock East Garden & Artisans Tour - Preview Pics

More pictures to whet your appetite for the big event. I know the map I posted earlier is small. Go to my website and get the SAVE THE DATE which lists all the gardens and information on the front page along with a big map. We had a meeting tonight and all's on schedule for the FREE 8th Annual White Rock East Garden & Artisans Tour, May 17, Sunday, from 11:00 to 5:00 pm. Fabulous gardens, incredible artists, luscious plants for sale and wonderful neighbors volunteering during the tour so your experience is the best ever. What a perfect Sunday afternoon for you and your friends.

Hey, why don't you email your friends and send them to my web site: www.lottieminick.com for their own map and information. If you email a few people and they email a few people, the cool people, like you, will attend. What an idea!

Meetings, Meetings, Meetings

Meetings this week. First the Forest Hills Board meeting, (the last picture), next the White Rock East Garden and Artisan's Tour (the one with the lamp) and this morning Forest Hills Garden Club, with the fabulous Tomato Lady. She wowed the crowd.

The two meetings not at my house blew away my little cooking adventure. Donna had home made dips, pigs in a blanket, rollups, home made brownies, a lemon square dessert and all kinds of other foods. I think everyone attends the tour meetings for her food. When I have the meetings at my house, turn out is LOW say the least. A date was decided on - May 17, so mark you calendars now. Andie's yard is one of our gardens this year and she came with me to the meeting. She walked in and knew nearly everyone there. I'll be at her house as close to her big dinosaur as I can. Wait, maybe not, her dinosaur will make my metal pieces look insignificant.

Hard to get up this morning in time for the Forest Hills Garden Club meeting. I stayed up half the night with my new James Lee Burke novel. The setting for this one is not New Iberia, but I don't care, still has our hero and his wife and friend. You must realize for someone like me from a very small town in Louisiana, I was amazed when I opened his first novel. Our Hero is sitting in the New Iberia Parrish Courthouse parking lot waiting for the pouring rain to stop so he can take his prisoner inside to the jail. If Our Hero would turn his head to the left he would be looking at my Aunt Rita's house where I spent half my childhood. How can I put down a Burke book? Worth staying up all night to read them.

Jumped out of bed, brushed teeth, threw on clothes and to the Forest Hills Garden Club with our featured celebrity speaker, The Tomato Lady. She was terrific. We love our "gentle giant" oak trees, but they do make growing any plant who needs sun a challenge. Great hat. She says she also has an herb hat and other plant hats. What's not to enjoy about this lady? Barbara, our hostess, had a wonderful spread of food all gluten free. Delicious and her home is wonderful. A good time was had by all.

Shame Shame on Birdhouse Thief

Look at this face.  How could someone steal from this wonderful man?  

I went to Lynn's Estate Sale this morning and Vince was there.  Vince told me since the White Rock East Garden and Artisans Tour someone has been stealing the darling birdhouses he has nailed to the top of his back yard fence.  SHAME SHAME on you, birdhouse thief.  What is wrong with you and why don't you leave the country?  How dare you this to Vince?  I wish a group of us neighbors had been hiding when you did this shameful act and you'd have been the recipient of our wrath.  Shame shame on you.

Now in the back of my mind I'll be worried when I open my back yard for the White Rock Lake Artist's Studio Tour in October.  Thank you for ruining my day.