Dec - Sudden Valley

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Women’s Club holiday gala next
Su d d e n Va l l ey Vi e ws
December 2007
How to select poinsettias
The SVWC made its annual shopping trip to Seattle in November.
Carolyn Leeper
SVWC
The Sudden Valley Women’s
Club Holiday Gala Luncheon
will be an old-fashioned
elegant Christmas celebration
with music, carols and gift exchanges.
Members are encouraged
to invite friends to join
in on the fun! The event will
be held at the Bellingham Golf
& Country Club, at noon, on
Dec. 12. Cost for the luncheon
is $19 plus a gift for exchange
($10 limit). Reservations are required.
A box will be available
for Toys for Tots donations.
The November special
Alderwood Mall Nordstrom’s
trip was a smash hit, with a full
motorcoach of Sudden Valley
women attending.
Nordstrom’s personal
shoppers gave fashion tips,
showing a wide variety of
items from coats and suits to
belts, shoes and jewelry. A
lounge was available throughout
the day with coffee and
cookies and storage for coats
and bags.
The Women’s Club does
not meet in January.
Coming Events: February,
“Champagne & Chocolates
Brunch & Valley Art”; March,
Fashion Show; April, Performance
Luncheon. There will
be a day trip in May. Other special
events are announced from
time-to-time.
Membership in the Women’s
Club is $15 for the year
and new members are always
welcome. Besides the monthly
Women’s Club luncheons,
there are sub-groups such as
the book club, bridge, arts, gardening,
lunch bunch, etc.
For more information
about the Women’s Club, call
Sara St. James at 647-4523.
To make your reservation
for any event, call Linda E.
Miller at 756-6941.
Happy
Holidays
from all of us at
Sudden Valley Views!
Mary Ann Crawford
Master gardener
The time of year has arrived
when we see poinsettias
(Euphorbia pulcherrima) for
sale in even the most unusual
places. Propagation of 109 varieties
has become so evolved
that unusual colors and variegation
are available to suit even
our home design. The Aztecs
called poinsettias “Cuetlaxochitl.”
During the 14th through
16th centuries the sap was used
to control fevers and the bracts
(modified leaves) were used to
make a reddish dye. The poinsettia
was first introduced to
the United Sates in 1825 by Joel
Robert Poinsett, first U.S. ambassador
to Mexico. It is well
suited to sub-tropical climates
and today it can be found cultivated
in gardens as an ornamental
that requires minimal
care.
When selecting a poinsettia,
look for plants with dense
foliage all the way to the soil
line – this represents a healthy
plant. The plant should be two
times taller than the diameter
of the container with the bracts
showing no signs of wilting,
breaking or drooping. Poinsettia
health is diminished when
placed in crowded displays
with reduced air circulation,
or, sleeved in paper, plastic or
mesh. This is how the majority
of plants are sold, so examine
and select your plant carefully
and choose those with small
tightly clustered center buds.
Examine the plant’s soil: it’s
best to avoid waterlogged soil,
particularly if the plant appears
wilted. Such a condition
could signify irreversible root
rot. Avoid wind and cold exposure
when transporting.
Once home, place your
plant in indirect sunlight for
at least six hours per day away
from warm or cold drafts
from radiators, air registers
or open doors and windows.
Ideal room temperatures are
between 68-70 degrees in the
day and 55 degrees at night, so
consider moving the plants to
a cold room at night to maximize
bloom length. Check the
soil daily and water the plant
when the soil feels dry to the
touch. Remove from a decorative
container before watering.
If you leave the plant in the
sleeve, punch holes so water
can drain into a saucer. Allow
water to drain into the saucer
and discard excess water. Don’t
fertilize your plant when it is in
bloom. The plants can be difficult
to induce reflowering after
the initial display, and requires
a period of uninterrupted long,
dark nights for around two
months in autumn in order to
develop flowers. Check www.
urbanext.uiuc.edu/poinsettia
for excellent detailed instructions.
The poinsettia has long
been rumored to be toxic; in
fact, it is the most widely tested
consumer plant on the market
today. This common misconception
occurs because most
plants of the spurge genus are
toxic and because the name
of the plant seems to refer to
the word poison. As with any
non-food product, however,
the poinsettia is not meant to
be eaten. Doing so may sometimes
cause diarrhea and vomiting
in animals and humans,
so it is best to keep away from
toddlers and curious pets. If
stems are broken, a milky sap
is exuded may cause mild skin
irritation for those with sensitive
skin, so wash thoroughly if
this occurs.
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