Garaen Glut)
By Clare Winslow
Photo by Donna Belanger
The February meeting of the Garden Club was cancelled because of the dan
gerous road conditions caused by the second ice storm of the winter. Schools
were closed; town hall was closed; and our agricultural extension speaker was
snowbound in Raleigh.
Unfortunately, many of our plants suffered greatly from the exceptionally
frigid and icy winter here. My geraniums, which usually make it through three
or four winters, are all dead. My three large spider plants, which have survived
eight winters, succumbed to the frigid night temperatures this year. Linda
Pearson noticed that oleanders throughout town have likely all been killed by
our icy storms. Gini Stambaughs eight sago palms, which usually thrive in our
coastal climate, are all brown and frozen. Lana Hathaways pansies, surrounded
by ice in their pots, seem wilted from the cold but, since they are hardy here,
she has high hopes for them to perk back up. Martha Edwards reports that
the ornamental cabbages that she planted in the town gardens have held up
well throughout the storms, and that the pansies she planted on January 27 are
perking up and look healthy, even after the second ice storm.
A happier note was the noisy arrival of the Robins and Cedar Waxwings from
their southern winter homes. I have watched squirrels, egrets, ibises and Can
ada geese, but never could I have imagined the effect of two or three thousand
Robins on Wednesday, February 5, winging across Bogue Sound, propelled by
a strong northwest wind. Gini Stambaugh saw them at Hall Haven for a whole
week, ihey came
in droves of two or
three hundred at a
time from 10 a.m.
until dusk. Since
my house is high,
I could see them
light on the tree
branches near my
window, especially
on my 50-foot holly
tree with its bright
red berries. All the
pyracantha berries
in my yard disappeared that day. Usually Cedar Waxwings fly north with the
Robins, but I did not spy a single one in my yard. That flight of birds must have
headed for Donna Belangers house because she snapped this photo of several
Robins and Cedar Waxwings drinking together at her bird bath. Mary Nichols
was amazed, not only by the massive inundation of the flying birds, but also by
the very loud noise these flights created.
Between ice storms. Pine Knoll Shores welcomed a special visitor from
Binghamton, New York—Judy Poit, a past president of our club. Judy and her
husband. Bill, lived here for many years on Beechwood Drive, and return often
to visit relatives Ted and Marilyn Lindblad.
On a sadder note, the Garden Club notes the death of one of its great sup
porters—Eleanor Bisbee of Smyrna and McGinnis Point. She and her husband,
Fred, for many years ran the Nature Corner in Smyrna, which later became the
Down East Library. It had an attached plant nursery, which was visited by our
Garden Club, especially for purchasing Fred’s large carnivorous plants. He also
generously supplied his water and bog plants for the club to sell at one of our
plant sales. Eleanor was a very active member of our town and will be remem
bered fondly by Garden Club members.
Our next meeting on March 12 will be a trip to Fairy Gardens at Carolina
Home and Garden. Guests and visitors are invited to attend our meetings,
which are held at town hall every second Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. for refresh
ments, followed at 10:00 a.m. by the program of the day. All are welcome!
Photo courtesy of Jan Corsello
From left, Jan Corsello and Lois Jean O'Keefe enjoy a visit with former Pine Knoll Shores
resident and former Garden Club president Judy Poit.
SfutiJtnfhNi^
EntneeA. 1.00
FRIDAY NIGHT IS SATURDAY NIGHT IS
Itallari Gonihbmn
CuiAim CuiAim
WEDNESDAY NIGHT IS
Oim Entnm
G^onAFw^
TUNA, MAHI OR PORK CHOP
'25.00
(no substitutions}
1ST AND 3RD THURSDAY OF THE MONTH
Food&WimTaAtlm
(Four wines paired with four plates) $20 per person. Please call for reservations.
CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE FOR OUR ON AND OFFSITE CATERING.
Keep up with us on Facebook for Daily Specials and Upcoming Events!'
Cofm Join Ua. 7 Days a Week for Lunch: 11am-2:30pm • Dinner: Wed-Sat: 2:30pm-9pm
•TO The Shorellrt^ 20T4 2-