Camellia Club of Mobile
Newsletter
Volume VI - Issue 4
Our 70th
camellia show
–
January 16th & 17th, 2010
–
Colonial Bel Air mall
CAMELLIA SHOW PREP & INFO MEETING JANUARY 10th
Our January Meeting will be devoted to preparation for and information on our 70th
Camellia Show which will be held at Colonial Mall Bel Air in Mobile on January
l6th and l7th. If you have some nice blooms bring them to this meeting and our
accredited judges will show you how to exhibit them to their best advantage, how
to fill out the exhibit cards and lots of really helpful tips. These tips are
simple, but they WORK! Several
years ago I was fussing over a tray of three when Walter Creighton walked up and
showed me how to arrange them – and I won that category! I then passed on the
tips to Sharon Emmons at our Show a little while later – and she won for a
gorgeous tray of five! Remember, we
have a special category for Alabama Growers, plus three separate trophies for
novices who have never won an award, plus the Board voted to add 10 more awards
to celebrate our 70th Show.
Those of you who feel their blooms won’t match up to Jim, Elaine &
Walter’s, don’t worry! If your
blooms are grown outdoors & unprotected (white entry card) you won’t be up
against our “Big 3” – they only exhibit in the protected categories (green entry
card). Show Chairman Walter Creighton will detail the procedures of putting on
the Show, if you want to participate there will be plenty of areas where help is
needed. The amount of time you spend on the Show can vary from half-an-hour to
several hours, it’s up to you. (But
it is fun!).
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CHRISTMAS PARTY AND AUCTION was
thoroughly enjoyed by about 60 members.
The food was very good, with a wide selection of dishes provided by our
excellent member cooks. Our thanks
to our Catering Magician Carolyn Oyler and her band of helpers, Frances
Ashcraft, Laura Barnard, Kim Boutzale, Vaudine Driskell, Florence Nelson,
Marietta Smith, Martha Terry and Paula Wilson.
Thanks also to all who brought such yummy food.
Towards the end of the meal, long-time member Jim Oates put on his
auctioneer’s hat, and with his assistant Katina Conboy, did a sterling job of
getting members to part with their money for a number of items, including books,
candle-holders, camellia wood bowl, water color camellia paintings and ten large
camellia plants (half of which were donated by Jimmy Walker – thanks, Jimmy!)
Over $600 was raised for the Club. Our thanks to everyone
who participated. My
personal thanks to George Davis and Earl Comstock.
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CAMELLIA CHAT………………
Condolences have been sent by the Club to Walter Creighton on the passing of his
brother at the end of the year. Our sympathy goes out to Walter, Alice and
family in their sad loss.
Catching up on the status of members who’ve been “under the weather” lately:
Marguerite Miller called, she’s back home after a serious op and some
time in rehab. Her kids still won’t let her use her chainsaw, probably because
she’s still confined to her house with a walker, but she did sound great on the
phone. Melba Hamburg says that our Veep Floyd Hamburg is getting better slowly
with therapy and rehab several times a week. He’s very determined to get well
enough to travel up to Birmingham for the birth of their first granddaughter Ava
Elaine who is due to make her appearance on Valentine’s Day.
Robert Moore is also recovering from his heart surgery and will probably
be in rehab for a little while longer. We know that the “weather” you’ve all be
under probably was of hurricane force, but all in the Club are wishing you all a
rapid recovery and healthy 2010.
This has been a superb year for sasanquas, even really old tired bushes seem to
have perked up and burst into bloom.
The large pink and white bushes around Malbis Plantation in Baldwin
County have put on a glorious show this year.
The only one of mine that has not bloomed well (in fact not at all) is
“Yuletide”. Anyone know why? I’ve
also got a japonica “Elizabeth Ann” that has grown beautifully – 4 feet tall –
but not a single bud on it in 2 years! Near her are “Nuccio’s Gem”, Betty
Sheffield Supreme” & “Tomorrow Park Hill Blush” – all with plenty of buds.
Maybe she has an inferiority complex being next to these other gorgeous
girls???
Went to the Pensacola Club’s Show & to the 2nd Northshore Camellia
Club’s Show in Covington, LA.
Thoroughly enjoyed both Shows, beautiful blooms and several varieties that were
new to me, which is one of the best reasons for going to a Show - to see what
can be grown here. Won an award in each Show which enabled me to smugly tell my
best friend in England that we’d won camellia awards in four U.S. states! She,
not being familiar with camellia shows in the South, was frightfully impressed -
didn’t disillusion her…
December 2009 was a dreadful month
for rain. Even the highest part of
our property was squishy wet for almost the entire month, & now we’re threatened
with sub-freezing temps every night for a week! My in-ground grafts have really
wet frozen feet right now & I’m tired of wearing my “Bon Secour Reeboks” (white
shrimpers boots) every time I’m out in the garden (or yard, to you Southerners)…
Did anyone else see that lovely little white seedling bloom that Frances
Ashcraft brought to the last meeting?
It was just a miniature of “White Empress”, such a pretty flower, with
strong white petals.