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From My Side of the Fence
“As is the garden such is the gardener. A man's nature
runs either to herbs or weeds.”..Francis Bacon
Master Gardener Volunteer Training has only three weeks
left. Final Evaluation and Graduation for 29 new trainees
happens on December 17th. Some of you may be short for
recording Continuing Education Hours and with three more
weeks of training, join some of the classes; there is plenty
of room.
The monthly Lunch ‘N’ Learn will be on Wednesday,
December 11th, at noon in the Azalea Room. The topic will be “Using Wildflowers in the Home
Landscape” and will be presented by Lisa Roberts, Executive Director of the Florida
Wildflower Foundation. As usual, hot dogs and a few snacks will be available.
Are there good projects that you are working on that would win awards at the Annual Master
Gardener Conference? Sure there are --- the Community Awareness Project (Plant Fair) that
builds camaraderie among Master Gardeners as well as introduce local citizens to the services
at the Cooperative Extension Service. How about the Mobile Plant Clinic that is an outreach
activity for “increasing the visibility of the Master Gardener Volunteer Program” around the
county? There are others. Contact the Chairperson of the MG Advisory Committee and let
them know you are ready to help draft an award winning proposal that will document activities,
success stories, and prepare the final award submittals that must be completed by July 2014
for the upcoming year presentations.
Think safety in your homes this holiday season. “Most important of all, during the holiday
season stay safe and make sure your family stays safe as well. Here are a few things to keep
in mind: (Source: Florida Sheriffs Association)
* Decorations can be fun, and beautiful during the holidays. Make sure you read all the
instructions on the box of holiday lights you are putting up, though. If you string too many
lights together, or use lights rated for indoor use outdoors, you could be risking a fire. Also
make sure you turn all your holiday lights off when leaving home, just in case.
* Many people like to light candles during the holidays. Make sure you only light candles when
someone is going to be in the room.
* When it gets colder, a space heater comes in handy. It can easily catch fire, however, if it is
knocked over or if it overheats or shorts out. Never leave a space heater unattended.
* Make sure you don’t have a big pile of holiday gifts easily visible through the windows of your
house, especially when you aren’t at home. Close the curtains or blinds to keep criminals from
“casing” your home for a burglary.
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