By Becky Hackman
For The Tribune
It was a rainy, chilly May Day when All Seasons Garden Club met at Kathy Rush’s home near Spraytown with Shirley Lewis as co-host.
After everyone arrived, Lewis led the group in the common table prayer, and a light meal of croissant chicken salad sandwiches, a baked dip and chips, a delicious spinach salad and a selection of desserts with drinks was served to 13 members.
The table was decorated with an arrangement of fresh dogwood branches and bluebird houses. Table favors of bluebird cookies adorned the table, as well.
During dessert, Rush gave a talk on May Day, which originated in Europe and was historically associated with rural pagan festivals. The May Day festival was thought to divide the year in half and welcoming in a change of season, spring in the northern hemisphere.
Another popular tradition of May Day involved the maypole, decorated with colorful streamers and ribbons, which villagers would dance around. It is believed that the first maypole dance was a fertility ritual, where the pole symbolizes the male fertility and baskets and wreaths symbolized the female fertility. The original meaning of the day eventually was replaced by the modern association with the labor movement.
The members reminisced of making May baskets at school to secretly hang on their neighbors’ doors. The hostesses then distributed information about the spotted lantern fly, which has invaded the country. It is believed to have originated in China, and it destroys plants and vegetation. The fly is related to the stink bug family.
Members also discussed their experiences with oriole bird feeders and hummingbird feeders. President Linda Kamman told the group of where you can receive bluebird houses. At this time, the door prizes of bluebird houses went to Kamman and Kathy Cunningham.
Kamman then conducted a short business meeting with Becky Hackman reading the April minutes, which were approved, and the treasurer’s report was given. Happy birthday to Peggy Broshears also was noted by the members. Nita Bridges reminded the members of the June meeting to be held near Waymansville at The Little Lavender Place farm. Members are to meet at First Baptist Church at 5:30 p.m. to carpool.
Next on the agenda was a fun white elephant auction with Lewis as auctioneer selling the items up for bid, which was a variety of baked and homemade goods as well as garden-themed items and household goods. During the auction, there were some items that had phone-in reserved bids on them. The group decided the auction was so much fun and brought lots of laughter that it was discussed to possibly have another auction later in the year.
At this time, the meeting was adjourned.