Ask the HWS Advice Committee: Dog doors and joy buzzers

14 Tuesday May 2013

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HWS member writes

An HWS member writes to the Advice Committee in the 1940s.

As you’ve all heard by now, the Hardy Women’s Society Advice Committee has regrouped after taking several decades off. We welcome them back once again with this latest installment! – Agnes

Dear Advice Committee,

I have a neighbor who is not a Hardy Women’s Society member. We have been very close friends for 15 years, sharing gardening woes and triumphs, having regular bridge nights, and having invented several excellent new cocktails together. We’ve always had an open door policy where either of us could knock on each other’s door for a quick chat or to borrow some flour.

I recently acquired a lovely mastiff for a pet. He’s a 295-pound sweetheart, but I had to have the dog door enlarged significantly. Ever since, my dear friend has found it much more convenient to pop over through the back yard and into the house through the doggie door. I’m very fond of my friend, but I’m getting a little put out with the inconvenience of finding her in my kitchen at odd hours or when I’ve just stepped out of the shower. How can I handle this without damaging my friendship or having to board up my doggie door?

-Put out with the Pup Door
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Lady Banks, the official band of the HWS

24 Wednesday Apr 2013

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As many of you already know, the Hardy Women’s Society has an official band. Lady Banks is named for a rose that is particularly popular among our membership. The band has a history that dates back nearly to the founding of the society in the late 1800s. The band has had many incarnations throughout the decades and within various chapters around the world.

Kerry with cello

Kerry works through “Arran Boat Song” on the cello.

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The castles of Albuquerque

09 Tuesday Apr 2013

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The Hardy Women’s Society Urban Exploration Committee has been busy lately. The Paris chapter has reported quite an adventure on the Metro, while the Cincinnati chapter is planning an expedition to some abandoned brewery tunnels. One of the Albuquerque chapter’s recent projects was to document the city’s castles.

Why should Europe have all the fun? We may not have the grand stone castles of Scotland or the scenic ruins of some of the great battlements of France, but there is a certain charm to the citadels of the Southwest. Here we document four such structures to be found within the city limits of Albuquerque.

The Children’s Castle

Biopark castle

A dragon guards the castle.

A grand castle rises up near the Rio Grande, at the Albuquerque Biopark Botanic Gardens. Inside is a wonderland of giant ants, pumpkins, and garden denizens grown into massive creatures. Outside, a vine-covered dragon stands watch.
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Inherited Gardens: Daylilies

15 Friday Mar 2013

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Ada's daylily

Ada’s daylily

Please join us for a freshly planted installment of HWS member Kerry Eilleen’s Inherited Gardens series:

February began with a mild, gentle first week. Inspired, I gathered together my seed packets and began to lay out the plan view for my new vegetable garden. Oh, fickle February! The third week of February brought snow and much colder temperatures. Losing that first bit of spring enthusiasm I delayed planting seeds. Instead, I withdrew indoors and sat down with my garden notebook and began reflecting on the garden designs of the three gardeners who have most influenced me.

I have written before about the gardens of Ada Gentry, Georgia, and Bunny, and I identify each of these women with a symbolic flower that characterizes their garden aesthetic. Ada Gentry’s Illinois garden was filled with an abundance of yellow and orange daylilies.
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HWS founders in New Mexico in 1899

05 Tuesday Feb 2013

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Ada Gentry's aunt and uncle

Reads “Aunt & Uncle, Paraiso Canyon” in Ada Gentry’s hand.

HWS Albuquerque Chapter members Kerry Eilleen and Amanda Kooser are still sorting through the Hardy Women’s Society archives that are on loan to them from Tremlett College. They recently unsealed a box full of journals, notes, photographs, and memorabilia from the founders’ trip to New Mexico in 1899.

This is the first time we’ve really been able to delve into details of Ada Gentry, Bunny, and Georgia’s first full year after founding the society in 1898. We knew they traveled to the mountains of New Mexico after that school year, but that was about the extent of our understanding. Now, we have a wonderful trove of information to engage with.
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Inherited Gardens: Winter Dreaming & Heirloom Roses

03 Thursday Jan 2013

Posted by in Gardening, Inherited Gardens

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madamrose

R. Madame Isaac Pereire

From HWS member Kerry Eilleen:

In the midst of the holiday season and on the arrival of the shortest day of the year, I received a rose catalog in the mail. I set aside all of my list making tasks — menus for celebrating the changing of the seasons, chores and preparations to be completed before family and friends arrive to help roll out pasta for our annual Italian dinner. I felt great pleasure in taking a few moments for winter dreaming and contemplating the beauty of old roses.

As I turned the pages of the Antique Rose Emporium catalog, it brought back happy memories of the roses I loved when I was very young. There were many different roses scattered about on the three acres surrounding the old farm house my family lived in. I still continue to search for the climbing rose with the beautiful apricot to peach pink blossoms that grew near our front door. I loved how it had entwined itself into a large ancient tree for support as it searched for sunlight. I did not know the name of the woman who created this garden but at the age of seven I did know that I would always love roses especially, those that choose their own path scrambling willfully over rock walls, along old wooden fences, and exuberantly overtaking all manner of support.
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Profound & Profane Book Club update

11 Tuesday Dec 2012

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HWS book reader

An early member of the first HWS Book Club.

A special message from HWS co-president Penelope Pomegranate:

To the Albuquerque and Southwest Chapter Memberships,

You are cordially invited to become a member of the HWS Book Club’s monthly gatherings at Penelope’s home in New Mexico. We will be discussing both “Profound & Profane” fiction and non-fiction over a glass or, in some cases, glasses of wine.

While it is not a necessary requirement to have read the book before the meeting, it is a courtesy to take a moment to read the dust jacket upon your arrival so that you can contribute to the overall discussion.
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Inherited Gardens: Beauty of Autumn

19 Monday Nov 2012

Posted by in Around the House, Gardening

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A bee in the garden.

A New Mexico bee works in the garden.

From HWS member Kerry Eilleen:

After the exuberant colors of summer fade, I often forget to take a moment to appreciate the beauty of late autumn. The days have become colder and the sun is lower in the sky creating harsh light that searches out every detail and crevice on the rocks and plants in the garden. I even notice how etched my hands have become from working the soil without my gloves. Yet, in this severe light there is great beauty and clarity.

As I stroll through the garden with a cup of warm tea in my hand, I notice that the last blooms on the wild New Mexico Asters have intensified in color. This display of radiant purple is quite sassy in contrast to the more discreet plants that have already muted their colors and gone to seed.
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HWS founders class photo

26 Wednesday Sep 2012

Posted by in HWS History, The Novel

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HWS member Kerry Eilleen was kind enough to bring a copy of a rare photograph of the HWS founders with her to this month’s meeting. It shows Ada Gentry Adair, Bunny Sutton, and Georgia Campbell in 1899 at Tremlett College.

We know from Bunny’s letters that she wasn’t fond of these dress-alike days when official Tremlett photos were taken for the records. Bunny is standing to the far right. Ada Gentry is in the center of the back row and Georgia with the dark hair stands beside her.  Why do they all look so solemn? Most likely because they had to stand very still for the photograph. Remember, this predates the “1, 2, 3 Say Cheese!” style of picture taking.

The HWS founders with classmates

HWS founders in a class photo, 1899.

The records don’t indicate which class this is. It could be botany, English, or any of the other subjects that we know our founders took together. With news trickling down through the society about Kerry Eilleen and Amanda Kooser’s semi-fictionalized treatment of the founding of the society, I know we’re all excited to get more glimpses into our founders’ pasts!

Ask the HWS Advice Committee: Dog Days

17 Friday Aug 2012

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HWS advice writer

An HWS member composes a letter to the Advice Committee in 1910.

It’s been a challenge to wrangle our Advice Committee members away from their adventures, but we’ve regrouped for our second installment of the modern committee. There is certainly no shortage of questions! Here are two choice specimens from the mailbag.

Dear Advice Committee,

I’m considering getting a dog for companionship, but I’m absolutely stuck as to which breed. Here’s the problem. I’m picky. Maybe too picky! I want a dog that is smallish, but not too large, but big enough to scare off burglars, but small enough to pick up, but fluffy, but with an easy-to-care-for-coat, with a big personality, with high intelligence, but a sweet nature, active, but a good lap dog, high energy, but not too hyper, beige, brown, white, one blue eye, one brown eye, and well-behaved. Is there any dog that fits that description?

-Dog Dilemma
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