New Executive Director Starts

Our new Executive Director, Kelli Cameron, started today and can be seen with Gary, our two-time interim Executive Director, above. Gary has been helping Kelli get situated and brought her over to the Grumpy break this morning at the Horticulture Center. She was an immediate hit because she not only wanted to meet everyone but also brought over some baked goods that were very well received. Kelli was able to meet many of our Grumpies and the entire grounds crew with the exception of Jenny. Kelli and I were able to meet later today and discuss some upcoming events and interviews. Kelli, a Milton, WI native, came to us most recently from MOSES (Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service). The mission of MOSES is "to help agriculture make the transition to a sustainable, organic system of farming that is ecologically viable and socially just, through information, education, research and integrating the broader coummunity into this effort." We certainly welcome Kelli to the RBG family and look forward to her involvement in furthering our development and mission.

We had a nice turnout of volunteers with Larry heading out with Marv and Terry to continue to remove various small trees and haul debris. Urban was out pruning more crabapples and the trio of Big John, Pat and Dick W. continued cutting back ornamental grasses out in the gardens. The guys found a dead deer just outside the gardens today that had probably been hit by a car and later died. Palmer Drive, though posted at 25 mph, occasionally has the 40+ mph driver and would be a very profitable speed trap....The carpenters, Dave, Vern, Bob and Jim, continued making our new cedar benches and went out to remove some fence sections near the Japanese garden waterfall so it will be easier to access the site. Dick H. worked on some projects and went to the dump with Dr. Gredler. Janice was in for some plant sale preparations and an afternoon meeting (Horticulture Therapy Committee) and Marianne juggled a half dozen tasks this morning as well. We also saw Maury, Darcie, Joan, Bill and Little Jerry came in to work on some pruning near the Horticulture Center and tool sharpening inside. Above and to the right are Big John and Jackie (his "better half") with a dog they had been watching. They saw a previous post with Little Jerry and his dog and thought they deserved equal billing. The blooms below are from the winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) that while not in bloom yet, should poke up later this month and bloom before April. Lisa, one of our volunteers, emailed me that a friend of hers has some of these "in bud" and poised to bloom (probably in a warm spot). Soon enough! Off to the Chicago Flower Show on Thursday and to MI on Friday and Saturday.