On Wednesday, June 14, a beaming Mimi O'Neill welcomed more than 65 members and guests to the 2017 Boothbay Region Garden Club annual meeting and luncheon held at Newagen Seaside Inn. Ms. O'Neill had reason to be happy, for this event represented the culmination of two very successful years as BRGC president. Accustomed as members have become to Mimi's style, it was no surprise that her annual report this year recounted club accomplishments in rhyme. Before moving onto other items of business, Mimi recognized the presence of BRGC past presidents, Penny Thumith, Judy Burgess, Kathleen Marty, Pat McMurray and Irene Gerny --- an esteemed group of which she is now a member.

Invited guest, Susanne Bushnell, 2015- 2017 GCFM (Garden Club Federation of Maine) president, was then given the floor to introduce two new NGC (National Garden Clubs, Inc.) projects. First, "The Saved Seed." This newly published early reader follows the journey of a Halloween pumpkin seed through a yearlong life cycle --- becoming a seedling, a vine and then a new pumpkin. Hard covered and beautifully illustrated, it can be purchased for $10 through NGC (http://www.shopgardenclub.org/shop/). She also talked about Plant America Community Project grants, a permanent fund established to help individual garden clubs finance projects in their respective communities. Clubs can apply for up to $1,000 in grant money.

Jane Lunt, Scholarship chair, then announced that this year's scholarship award went to BRHS senior Duncan Drapeau. Between Y Camperships, BRGC's contribution to the Boothbay Region Student Aid Fund and two college sophomores that will continue to receive funding from previously awarded scholarships, BRGC has given a total of $12,000 in scholarship money this year.

Up next were Pat McMurray and Irene Gerny who announced exciting news about the upcoming Home and Garden tour which will feature "homes with a history" on Southport, Barter's Island and Ocean Point. The Wilson Memorial Chapel, celebrating its 100-year anniversary in 2017, will also be on the tour.

BRGC Director Kathleen Marty took the next few minutes to present Mimi O'Neill a State Life (garden club) Membership, the purchase of which supports GCFM Scholarships. Past president Judy Burgess and incoming president Claire Tomlin were also given State Life Memberships which will entitle all three to attend a special reception in the Longfellow Garden on the campus of the Maine Historical Society during next week's GCFM convention.

The next order of business was the installation of new officers. In a uniquely designed ceremony, Linda Redman chose to link colors of the garden with the responsibilities of office. Roses of different hues, set in delicate bouquets of daisies, were handed out in turn to each new officer. Three past presidents, Irene Gerny, Judy Burgess and Mimi O'Neill, who will serve as directors, received red roses representing strength, experience and knowledge. Their job will be to support and advise the president. Sandra Abernathy, Treasurer, received a green tinted rose representing all things monetary. Yellow, representing the need to be alert, went to Susan Hochstein, recording secretary and corresponding secretary. Judy Burgess received a bright pink rose symbolic of the enthusiasm that would transmit warmth and cheer to recipients of cards and notes. White was reserved for Second Vice President Linda Bonin symbolic of the light she will bring to the continuing growth and education of members, and blue a symbol of loyalty was given to First Vice President Sandra Leonard. Purple, long the emblem of royalty and high rank, was presented to President Claire Tomlin, who will be looked to for her leadership and sound judgment as she guides the organization through the next two years.

The business portion of the meeting wrapped up with the "pinning" of Claire Tomlin as 2017- 2019 BRGC president by Mimi O'Neill who then received a "past president" pin. Membership adjourned to the dining room for lunch while the meeting room was readied for the featured speaker.

For fans of British author, Beatrix Potter, the remainder of the afternoon could not have been spent in a more delightful way. Author Marta McDowell brought to life, through photos, drawings and illustrations on a large screen, the history of Beatrix Potter who illustrated, in accurate detail, all of her own books. Potter spent much of her childhood and early adolescence drawing what she observed in the beautiful and lush gardens surrounding her and when she finally wrote "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" in 1902 at age 36 she had only to insert the whimsical characters of her imagination into the garden scenes she had been sketching all her life.

McDowell, an avid horticulturist, became enchanted with the life and work of Potter only after a tour of Scotland took her to Potter's Hilltop Farm in the Lake District of North West England. Her interest and research into Potter's life grew into "Beatrix Potter's Gardening Life," a beautifully illustrated biography tracing Potter's development as artist, author and gardener. McDowell, herself a writer and gardener said, "I am intrigued by gardeners who write and writers who garden." So captivating was McDowell's talk that many in the audience purchased signed copies of McDowell's book so as to savor, at leisure, this lovingly created work.

This year promises to be an exciting new chapter at BRGC. Join the group to see how this year's theme, " For The Love of Tomatoes, "plays out in activities and events throughout the next 12 months. Check the BRGC website at http://www.boothbayregiongardenclub.org/ for information. BRGC is affiliated with NGC (National Garden Clubs Inc.) and is a member of the GCFM (Garden Club Federation of Maine).