Meeting Notes Sept 27, 2022

Pictures by Dianne Machesney

On a beautiful Tuesday evening, Colleen welcomed garden club members, and guests.  Blooming in member gardens:  Zinnia, Ageratum, Dahlias, Verbena Bonariensis, Jerusalem Artichokes, Japanese Anemone, Asters and more.

A recording secretary is still needed for the next term.  Duties are to record the meeting minutes and highlights from our speaker or tour.  The notes then get sent to the Vice President who then forwards it on to our blogger.  If the recording secretary is unable to make the meeting, they just need to notify the President who will make arrangements for another member to take notes for that meeting.  This is a great way to be involved in the club.  If interested, please reach out to our current president, Colleen.

 Spotted Lantern Fly has been seen at McCandless Crossing by Peggy.  Also seen a lot in Bellevue and the City of Pittsburgh.  It’s slowly making its way towards us.  If you see it in any form, kill it.  This is the egg laying season, so kill egg masses if you see them.  (See Penn State Extension website.)

 Dues of $15 are being collected today.  If you forget or didn’t make the meeting, please send a check to Denny and Linda Brown.

 Andrea volunteered to do the directory, which will be streamlined.  If you have any updates to your contact info for next year’s directory, please send an email  to Andrea at amaire@email.com.

‘Our October meeting will be a craft led by Victoria Ziegler.

 Sign up sheet for the monthly meeting dessert/arrangement was distributed.  If you were unable to attend, please reach out to Jane MacCredie.

 Many thanks to Mary Anne Kurtz for organizing the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden Tour which was very enjoyable. She also brought in divisions from her Annabelle Hydrangea, which blooms on old wood so don’t cut it back. Thanks to Bev Steiger for the desserts and to Claudia Hickley for the beautiful arrangement from her garden

 Dianne provided a treasurer’s report.  After speaker fee expenses of $300, and Field Trip to Botanic Garden disbursement of $126, our ending checking balance was $5,497.15.  Along with petty cash, total cash available is $5,544.21. Club voted and approved donations in the amount of $250 each to Western PA Conservancy, Northern Area Environmental Council, Tree Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Botanic Gardens. The rental fee for 2023 for use of the church will remain at $360.

 Our Holiday Outing will be a tour of Johnny Angel’s Ginchy Stuff followed by a luncheon at Monte Cellos on November 12.  Denny will send a sign-up email to membership.  Responses needed by October 17 as to whether you will attend one or both activities.  Motion was made and carried to have the club pay the expense of the tour and luncheon per person.

 Program: April Claus gave a very informative and entertaining presentation and brought some live examples. 

“Leap Into Herpetology, Creatures that Hop, Creep and Slither in our Gardens.”

She highly recommended these books:“Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier and More Creative” and “The Nature Fix.”

 Herpetology comes from the Greek “herpeton” meaning “creeping animal”

These animals are toads, frogs, salamanders, snakes, turtles, lizards and skunks.  

 Amphibians breath through their skin and are known predators of mosquito larvae. There are 18 kinds of frogs and toads in PA, and they all make different sounds. The Spring Peeper is the first sign that spring has arrived, when you start hearing them. Frogs have the ability to change their color and they lay eggs in clumps or clusters. Toads lay eggs in long strings and use their eyeballs to swallow their food. If you put a depression in the ground, partially covered by a pot or something else, you have created a toad abode. There are 23 varieties of salamanders which can be found in PA.  (I personally never knew these could be found in our gardens, as I’ve never seen one.) Beward of the red spotted newt, a salamander, as it is very poisonous and can kill you.

There are 13 variets of turtles which can be found in PA.  They make horrible pets, as all they do is eat and poop.  The outdoor temperature at the time an egg is laid determines the sex of the turtle.

 There are 22 different varieties of snakes found in PA.  All snakes can swim.  If a snake has a triangle shaped head, it is poisonous, as the venom sacs are found to the sides of the eyes.  Also, their eyes are slits like a cats eye.  The black rat snake is the longest snake to be found in PA.  A ringneck snake has a ring around it’s neck that is the same color as it’s belly.  Snakes can also change color to blend in with their environment.

 How can you help these animals:

Help make habitat

Inform/Educate others

Participate in Citizen Science Project

Get your kids and grandkids outside