Antigo Garden Club Master Gardeners and Local 4-H Clubs Create Two Gardens at REGI

( Photos: These are a progression of photos that document the flower garden and rock garden designed and completed by the Antigo Garden Club Master Gardeners and the “Strasburg Eveready” and “Lucky Rivers” 4-H Clubs. The Gardens were a project that began last fall and were completed June 27, 2009.)






For the past several months the Antigo Garden Club of Antigo and the “Strasburg Eveready” and “Lucky Rivers” 4-H Clubs have been transforming some areas on the REGI property into works of art in the form of flower gardens and a rock garden.
It all began a few years ago. Lillian Tower and Eva Nelson -Hohensee are both REGI volunteers. They are also Master Gardeners and volunteered in part to tend our plants. I was elated to have their help. Years ago I had beautiful flower beds and a vegetable garden. The REGI organization has grown tremendously over the past several years. The flower beds and vegetable gardens were victims of that growth and my new time constraints.
Late last fall Eva, Lil and Laura Schneider came to me with an idea of giving "design" to one of my well loved but poorly tended flower gardens. My flower gardens would no longer reflect my rather spontaneous plantings. Eva also suggested the 4-H Clubs could take on the project of building a rock garden at the driveway entrance. It was exciting! I knew that if these ladies were involved the end result would be very special indeed.
As winter approached Eva and Laura worked feverishly to begin the project. They dug up and transplanted some of my sentimental favorites into the new flower garden. My late parents had a beautiful purple Clematis in their yard for over forty years. Mom was SO proud of that plant. Every year photos were taken of it covered with blossoms. Believe it or not, there were framed photos of the clematis on the bookcase! After mom passed away, I dug up the old clematis and transplanted it into my yard. It was a constant reminder of my late parents and the beauty of life as they saw it.
Laura Schneider promised me she and Eva would handle the ancient clematis carefully when they moved it to the new garden. This spring both women showed up well before most plants had any sign of life just to make sure the clematis plant was alive and had made it through the winter. I was so touched with their kindness and understanding of the plants importance to me.
One evening a group of 4-H Club members with Eva in charge as well as Lil Tower and Laura Schneider representing the Master Gardeners of Antigo Garden Club arrived. There was mass digging and planting and somehow they even got my neighbor and all around great guy, Nick Salm to help move soil and rocks for the rock garden. When the dust settled there was the executed blueprint of everything just as they said it would be.
I cannot wait for it to be in its full blooming glory. It makes me smile every time I see it. Not only will the flower bed be beautiful in its own right, but knowing the care and thought that went into it by some very special friends makes it even more meaningful.
Saturday REGI was bulging with people from all three clubs. Rain came down and still the 4-H club members didn't waver in their commitment to finishing REGIs gardens. By noon everything was weeded, planted, tilled, post holes dug, rocks moved and the end products were waiting for inspection. The 4-H Clubs are doing this for a community service project and need community input on their project. We have some forms to fill out for the clubs and would love for you to stop in and give your opinion so they can add those statements to their fair folder.

Thanks so much to everyone that helped and especially to Eva, Lil and Laura for their vision and toil and the 4-H Clubs for their help as well.

I hope to get a list of all the names of the children and 4-H Club leaders than participated soon and will add those to this blog entry when I have them.

REGI is a more beautiful place because of your work everyone and we appreciate is so much!

A World of Thanks,

Marge Gibson 2009

Busy Saturday with New Patients, Barred Owl,Osprey, Phoebe and 4-H Club Community Project and Eagle Scout Project.

The day started off with a bang. It was raining. We love the rain but it can be a hazard to some of the fragile birds. We race from one enclosure to the next to make sure everyone is doing well and does not need extra care or supplemental heat.

( Photo: This adult Barred Owl was hit by a car during the night. She is very weak with internal injuries but has a good chance of survival and release.)

Then there is the normal feeding of babies, checking on critical care patients and returning phone calls that came in during the night that have not already been answered.

The "Strasburg Eveready” and “Lucky Rivers” 4-H Clubs and the Master Gardeners from the Antigo Garden Club were here early as well. They did such a great job on the gardens and worked even with some pretty heavy rain showers. I will do a separate blog entry on the 4-H Clubs and the Garden Club as I want to do it justice. Let me just say the gardens are stunning!

Everyone worked hard and with such enthusiasm even with the rain. Despite the warm temperatures the kids got cold when they were soaked to the skin. The rain was suppose to come tomorrow.::( So everyone dressed as if it was going to be a hot day.
The 4-H Club leaders and the kids were all just great. The work was hard as they weeded, carried huge rocks and hauling pails of mulch to finish up the gardens to perfection. Many thanks to each and every one that was here today.

Joe Lex and Boy Scout Troop, #644 arrived about noon to construct Joe's Eagle Scout Project. They arrived just as the other group left. The rain was still coming down as they got the heavy equipment into the field and began to plan the construction of the Turkey Vulture Nest Box. We have had this project on our "wish list" for eons and were just delighted when Joe and his dad came to inquire about it for Joe's Eagle Scout Project. It is a large project and took lots of help from many people to bring it together and get it up in the field. I will also so a separate blog on this fantastic project. Suffice it to say that it was worth the wait to have such a great final product. Thanks so much to everyone that participated and to Joe for having the inspiration and developing the project.



( Photo: This adult Osprey came in late afternoon from the Wausau area. She is starving and we are still investigating the reason.)

Late afternoon we received several birds. One was an adult Osprey from a nesting site in Wausau. Unfortunately there are young in the nest still. I am not sure what the loss of the parent will mean for the nest. The other concerning thing is this Osprey is starving and should not be as there are plenty of fish around to sustain her and the family. There is an underlying problem that we are investigating at this time. Things we are testing for will be lead poisoning, other toxin and parasites.

Off for tonight. Tomorrow comes early and I still have final feedings to do before I can sleep.

Marge Gibson 2009