Martha/Habitat Board Meeting/Garden Tour

Today was full of emotion. I left work early to pay my respects to the family of a friend from high school. Martha graduated a year after me. She came from a very large family. She had a sister and brother in my class. Her brother, Chip, passed away about the time of our 20 year reunion. Martha was a very good athlete. When she was a junior, I was the girls basketball team manager. She also played basketball at CMU. She was very devoted to her four children who also attend Lansing Eastern. She and her husband, Joe, a teacher at Lansing Eastern were devoted supporters of the school and its students. Martha served on the Alumni Association with me. I did get to speak to Joe today and it just broke my heart. He is so in love with her and was so devoted to her throughout her short fight with cancer. It is so unfair for someone so young and giving to loose her life.

A Rose for Martha.

A rose in Janet's garden, she lives to the north of me.

The sad emotion for the day was balanced with happiness when I was able to represent the Habitat Lansing Board of Directors at the house closing for one of our latest families. I got to sign lots of forms on behalf of the Board and the new homeowner and her daughter did the same. They were both so excited about their new home. I have been fortunate enough to represent our Board on many occasions when the house closing takes place. I often end up in tears because it really is heartwarming. It is the ultimate joy one can experience when you work with Habitat for Humanity. All the volunteer and staff hours, the fundraisers, and the prayers result in a home for someone who would otherwise have little or no opportunity to own their own home. Although Habitat focuses on individual families, it really does help the whole community.

We also had our monthly Board of Directors meeting tonight. We had lots to discuss and decide and we always do our best to lead our affiliate. As the Board Secretary, I will have numerous pages of notes to transcribe into the minutes.

I worked on finishing my door prize wall hanging tonight. I still have some hand stitching to do on the binding. I will post a picture when it is complete.
Here are some more garden pictures for your enjoyment:

My Disappointment Garden. It is getting full of quack grass and really needs to be weeded besides all the perennial clean up too.

Another view with more of the back garden. This is looking to the east. The tree on the left is a North Star Sour Cherry. The one next to it is a Red Bud.
The cleaned up garden behind the garage.
The small patio garden looking from the north side of my property near the back of the garage.
This photo was taken from the same spot as the previous photo and it shows what I call my Disappointment Garden.
The same spot again but looking to the south east corner of my property.
Same spot looking directly south.

The two trees in the lawn are Japanese maples. I purchased them both at Garden Day at MSU several years ago. I planted the spruce tree many years ago when it was a mere seedling. It is really growing tall. I put wire cages around the trunks of my small trees to protect them from the squirrels and rabbits who like to chew on the bark.
This is my Star Magnolia. I prune it well every year and it keeps getting huge.
Korean Lilac "Miss Kim". I bought this as a very small plant at KMart for $4 and it is now huge.

From the south side looking directly north. You can see Janet's yard and gardens too. My Disappointment Garden is in front of her gardens which are at a higher elevation.