The SMDS summer picnic was held at a wonderful site! Pat Salk's Metamora Gardens is absolutely beautiful-- a good four acres (maybe more) of island beds, shade beds, fairy beds, butterfly beds -- all neat as a pin!! I am sure Bill Kapustka had a hand in that as well as providing a mouth-watering aroma which was carried on the gentle breeze so that the smell of barbecued ribs was everywhere! Bill was exhibiting his masterful skill at the grill with the ribs and was using Pat's special sauce. So our jolly crew roamed and wandered and chatted. Deer control was certainly a majour topic broached and harkened to by many. It seems the herds are developing a hunger for daylily buds... they are nutritious. Though we all agreed we'd rather see the buds on the scapes.
But we brave souls meeted and greeted -- all 50 some of us (some from 60 - 80 miles away) -- renewed old acquaintances, swapped tales (and lies), admired the vast array of superbly grown daylilies... all the while waiting for the dinner bell and a chance at getting at those ribs!!! Some of us brought in photos to show of this season's beauties. Greg Schindler showed off a lovely purple. Pat didn't need photos -- her wonderful large yellow double evoked tons of comment all on its own! What a fine seedling! Very showy! In fact lots of kind comments were exchanged... and with good reason -- we have some very good backyard hybridizers!
When the dinner bell rang I was surprised to find a whole range of potluck dishes, and they were superb in taste! The ribs stood out, but also there was a summer squash dish (made with squash picked that very morning) which received several raves, and the baked beans (WOW!) Donald Crabtree was seen often returning for more helpings of those beans -- they were extra special. Made by a lady from Bancroft, which is in the Saginaw Valley and a lot of beans are grown in the Saginaw Valley! I had one taste of the beans and suddenly it was 1952 in my Aunt Luella's kitchen! Like I said, Great Beans! Oh, but the ribs... with all the ribs Bill cooked you would have thought he had ribs for a week -- not so! In an hour they were all gone! But the smiles on all the faces were beatifical. Our own globe-trotting LaVere Webster enjoyed a great meal -- they don't have food like that in Costa Rica.
With everyone replete and completely sated, it was time to make the sitting easier by thinning out the wallets -- auction time! John Juroszek served as auctioneer and he had a fine lot of daylilies to auction (donations from club members) -- lots of rather pricey cultivars were offered up! The bidding was lively! Armand DeLisle read aloud the descriptions from his personal "bible"-- the 2008 Eureka! John, with his lively patter, secured a goodly amount of money for the club coffers. Well done, John! Many folks were very happy with new additions for their gardens. I wish I could tell you what I won, but sadly I was outbid on everything!! Just as well, Bette said, we have enough daylilies, besides where would you plant them?
Always the problem -- garden space never matches the size of my eyes.
~ Lee Alden
Many Thanks to Our Hosts Pat Salk & Bill Kapustka
Pat and Bills Famous Ribs were a great hit as were all the dishes brought by club members