The rain came and it came and the clouds were gray and the leaves were almost all on the ground, but it was warm inside Lyn Gates’ cheerful home as the Plantation Garden Club met Dec 14.
Most folks traipsed through her back door and through her cheerful yellow kitchen with the magnificent primary colored, oversized, modern artwork done by a family member whom I forgot as soon as she told me.
This was the day of our yearly baked goods auction where we unload our goodies and they go to the highest bidders. Lyn had her tree set up in her lovely sunroom ready to receive our goodies for the auction. The lights and warmth radiating from the sunny room made the rain seem to disappear.
The bidding can get pretty competitive with folks as they have tasted the fare for years from these ladies and know the names and special twist they spin on a favorite recipe to make mouths water.
Cindy Ellis was our Santa auctioneer and Jennifer Flautt was our elf. While both did an excellent job, it wasn’t the same without Martha Ann Clark, who has held this job for years and gets every last penny from bidders, but, alas, winds of change blow and loved ones move to be near loved ones and we make do with the Santa and elf we have because some folks just can’t be easily replaced. Cindy and Jennifer did their best and our treasurer was happy.
While not everyone is as adept in the kitchen as others, their talents are appreciated in numerous other ways, such as the two beautiful wreaths Harriet Catoe made just before the meeting inspired by the designs of Erica Hall, our November guest speaker. To top the wreaths off, Cindy Ellis provided lovely red plaid bows she made as taught from a recent Mississippi State class featuring bow design and holiday decor. After learning this, it was decided on the spot who was giving our November 2023 program.
As conversations centered around one of the Christmas cactuses for bid, it was discovered that Sylvia Murphy had owned the grandmother cactus she shared with Bob Bailey, which was given to me and has been shared with so many others at our annual plant swap. I sure miss having Bob as a neighbor. In the spring, we will have more garden news devoted to the love of his family and community.
Lyn served refreshments on a table set like you would expect from a State Blue Ribbon winner in this category. I will humbly try to describe it like an old adage. “She wore the dress, the dress didn’t wear her.” There was blue and white, there was silver, crystal and pink poinsettia taking center stage.
About the time the meeting ended and folks arrived home, the sky was alive with both sunshine and gray sky creating the most beautiful rainbow over Sumner we have seen in a very, very long time. Promises, y’all, promises.
Our president, Sherry Clark, teaches nursery school at the Sumner Presbyterian Church. She has been sharing with her little 3- and 4-year-olds the importance of wildlife and nature and sent us a photo of her class hanging a bird feeder on one sunny day.
