May/June 2007

From our President . . .

Dear Patio Planters,

We’ve certainly had a roller coaster ride with the weather this Spring, with temperatures soaring very early, only to be hit by the proverbial Easter snap that sent us scrambling to fetch those early potted herbs and other tender vegetation and haul them into the house or, at least, under the porticos or into the garages, for those who are parking blessed. At the point that you read my message, I am confident that warm weather will be here to stay, so crank up that gardening attitude.

Since our last Punch, we’ve had two very interesting and rewarding opportunities at our General Membership Meetings. At our meeting on March 7th, at which time we instituted our new meeting time of 6 PM, Ed Foulks, in his final meeting as Program Chair, introduced Father John Payne of St. Louis Cathedral, who presented an informative talk on the unlikely subject of carnivorous plants, especially those in our south Louisiana and coastal Mississippi environments. The resulting question and answer period revealed a lively and informed interest in these strange and beautiful plants. Thank you, Father John!

At this point I would like to thank Ed Foulks for his many years of service as the Program Chair, as we certainly appreciate his dedication. Subsequent to his resignation, I have appointed Lyn Gladney to serve as our new Program Chair and I am pleased to announce that she has assumed her duties with great gusto. For our April 4th meeting, Lyn introduced her first guest speaker, master gardener Joe E. Baucum, who was not only a fascinating speaker on his subject of Palms in Louisiana, but also proved to be an entertaining wit. For those who missed his presentation, he provided some very useful websites, including www.plantapalm.com—index.htm. For those who would like to communicate with Mr. Baucum, his address is theanchorage@att.net

Now for the really exceptional news: Our Program Chair, Lyn Gladney, has assembled a fun and educational program for the year ahead; prospective speakers are even competing to fill the last slots of this dynamic program.

Here’s a quick view of the early events:

• May - Steve Mallernee on the glory of the vine; what about terroir?
  
• July - Leslie Perrin on the mysteries of nature’s garden, Vietnam
  
• August - Paula & Cindy from Nature’s Impressions
  
• September - Ed Wallis from Crescent City Bird Club
  
• October - Maureen Detweiler, expert rosarian, on antique roses

As I am sure you are aware, our first big gig is just on the horizon, May 19th, the 61st Birthday Party! Please check in with Celia Collins who has the up-to-date information, right here in your Punch. We are pleased that Tom and Annie Lewis have graciously consented to host the party again this year in their spacious and grand Royal Street courtyard. Don’t forget: we need you to contribute a favorite party dish to make this event the signature fun party that it has become. And remember to be pretty, because we are taking names and pictures.

Special congratulations are in order for Patio Planters member Janice Foulks, who serves as President of the super successful French Quarter Festival. Many volunteers from Patio Planters served to make this a very rewarding event, including your board members, Sam Poché, Barbara Richmond, Adrienne Hartsock and others too many to include. Thanks to Lea Siegel for organizing the free Patio Planters Garden Tour in conjunction with the FQF.  I apologize to those I have not named. Thank you to all Patio Planters who made this a premier success for our neighborhood.

Also, thanks to Leslie Perrin who co-coordinated with KIPP McDonogh 15 the use of our tents for their French Quarter Festival activities. KIPP McDonogh 15 has been a great partner with Patio Planters in hosting our White Elephant Sale and Auction and we want to be a great partner of theirs, right back at them.

I would like to take this opportunity to let you know that we have received several thank you notes. Our beloved member, Lynette Stillwell, sent us a very gracious note, thanking us for the flowers we sent her. B.B. St. Roman was the author of two notes, thanking us for our contributions to COPS 8 and the NOPD Homeless Assistance Collaborative.

Our Membership Chair, Paula Chavis, has informed the Board that we have a certain number of members who have not renewed after repeated notices. The Board has voted to remove non-renewing members after one more final notice. Only current members in good standing will be eligible to attend membership events. We anxiously look forward to your renewal and fellowship. Don’t miss any of the fun!

Finally, we would like to thank Patio Planters member Msgr. Crosby Kern for his generous invitation to our members at a special showing to view the Vatican Mosaic Exhibit at the historic Old Ursuline Convent and for the notable hospitality he offered us at the reception that followed. Please let your friends, families and associates know about this once in a lifetime exhibit, which runs until June 1st.

On a new and up-to-date electronic note, our web master, John Murphy, is helping to develop our website to meet our changing needs. If you have any suggestions about the web site, www.patioplanters.org, please e-mail me at stephenswain@bellsouth.net

Stephen M. Swain

From our Membership Chair . . .

Keep those cards, letters, e-mails and membership renewals coming in! We still have a few members who have not renewed for 2007, but we need you now more than ever! We have not discontinued the * BRIGHT RED STAR * program on your address label, but we have sent out renewal notices. That means it's time NOW to take a minute to write that check. There is a membership renewal form in the Punch or just contact us! The Board has voted to remove members who have not renewed. We know you want your Punch, we know you want your parties, we know you'll miss the fun and friends: renew now!

Please welcome the following 2007 members:

• Bonnibel & Bill Byars
• Debby & Terry Habig
• Frank & Judi Newman
• Alvin C. Smith
• Ernesto Caldeira

Also, you will find a volunteer form in the Punch and on our website, www.patioplanters.org, listing our calendar for 2007. Please review it and if you feel you want to pitch in this year to help with some of our exciting events, mail it back in, or contact me. Addresses, phone number corrections and e-mail addresses, above all, are needed before the next Membership Directory is printed. Don’t be left out.

Please e-mail me at PatioMembers@.aol.com or call (504) 598-2374.

Paula Chavis

From our Program Chair . . .

Planning programs is easy enough but as we all know, fitting anything into busy schedules can be a challenge, and that was certainly the case as I began the search for the April 4th program.  I spoke to many interesting and delightful people but no one was available for the meeting on the 4th until I contacted Joe Baucum, who graciously agreed to speak with less than a week’s notice.  Joe shared some of his extensive, if not passionate, knowledge of palms and elicited a spirited question and answer period.  As a result of multiple calls before reaching Joe, I was able to schedule a number of upcoming programs which I hope you will enjoy:

May 2     

Dr. Steve Mallernee is a local physician who, with his wife Debbie, shares a long-term passion for wine and food.  Over the years he has developed relationships with all aspects of the wine trade and in 1999 co-founded THE WINE FIRM INC., which is a local brokerage firm dealing with fine wine and spirits.  Steve will define and discuss terroir as well as offering a wine tasting to reflect the influence of terroir on the final product.

July 11

Leslie Perrin, along with our immediate past president, Sam Poché, recently toured Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam and will present a program on the green spaces and gardens of Southeast Asia.

August 1

Paula and Cindy of Nature’s Impressions will present a program on adding color to shaded, hot patio areas.

September 1

Ed Wallace from the Crescent City Bird Club will speak.

October 3

Maureen Detweiler, the celebrated rosarian, will speak to us about antique roses.

For future meetings check in with our Punch or our website, www.patioplanters.org as we will be updating that information on a continual basis. Thank you and I hope you are excited as I am by our schedule of program speakers.

Lyn Gladney

Our Upcoming Events . . .

Our Birthday Party

Save May 19th for Patio Planters’ 61st Birthday Party!   This is our first party of the year and one of the few times we are able to get together with so many of our neighbors to catch up.   The turnout for our parties has historically been wonderful, so wonderful in fact that it is always a challenge to find a courtyard large enough to accommodate us.  Once again, Tommy and Annie Lewis have been gracious enough to offer us their courtyard at 819 Royal Street.  We are extremely grateful to have the use of it again. 

The club will be providing some food for your enjoyment but, as always, we very much depend on members to bring their favorite dishes for us all to enjoy.  So please bring a salad, a casserole, hors d’oeuvres!  If you use a plate or dish you wish to keep, don’t forget to tape your name on the bottom so we can return it to you if you don’t take it home that night.  We will be serving Betty Kern’s fantastic punch (now a tradition!) along with wine, beer and soft drinks.  Pay at the door - $5.00 each for members and guests. 

Look for your invitation in the yellow envelope coming soon in your mail.  Please call me at 524-8432 with any questions or if you would like to volunteer to help with setting up, cleaning up or anything in between.   Thank you!

Celia Collins

Our White Elephant Sale and Auction

Save the date!! Saturday November 10, 2007 is the date. We are looking to confirm as many returning booth Chairpersons and Assistants as possible. We'd love to see you resume your roles and we're looking for new volunteers too.

It's never too early to clean out your closets so if you have something to donate please contact either of us at sam@fqr.com or leslieaperrin@aol.com.

A phone call is OK too, the number is 504-319-6226 or 504-722-5820.

Leslie Perrin
Sam Poché

Household Tips – Bananas 

from the Internet

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose. Combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel better.

PMS: Forget the pills -- eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect way to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness

Mosquito Bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Smoking: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6 and B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack. The potassium also can aid in making the mind more alert.

Strokes: According to research in "The New England Journal of Medicine," eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death from strokes by as much as 40%!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

Footnote : If your roses are covered with Aphids, drape banana skins over the branches, It's amazing, but in a day or less, they are GONE!

Household Tips: Vodka

by Sam Poché

To be taken with a grain of salt, and maybe a squeeze of lemon!

1. To remove a bandage painlessly, saturate the bandage with vodka. The solvent dissolves adhesive.

2. To clean the caulking around bathtubs and showers, fill a trigger spray bottle with vodka, spray caulking, let it sit for five minutes, wash clean.  The alcohol kills mold and mildew.

3. To clean your eyeglasses, simply wipe the lenses with a soft, clean cloth dampened with vodka. The alcohol cleans glass and kills germs.

4. Prolong the life of razors by filling a cup with vodka and letting your safety razor blade soak in the alcohol after shaving. The vodka disinfects the blade and prevents rusting.

5. Using a cotton ball, apply vodka to your face as an astringent to cleanse the skin and tighten pores.

6. To cure foot odor, wash your feet with vodka.

7. Vodka will disinfect and alleviate a jellyfish sting, and will relieve the painful itching of poison ivy.

Wish I'd known about this before now --- I've only been drinking the stuff!
  

Recipe to Share

Sweet Corn/Avocado Relish

by Celia Collins

1 can sweet corn, drained*
3/4 cup red onion, cut into 1/8” dice
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, cored, seeded and minced
3 tbsp fresh lime juice -- more to taste
1 tsp white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
1 avocado *pit removed
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil

• In a medium bowl, combine the onion, jalapeno, lime juice, vinegar and a generous pinch of salt.
• Dice the avocado.  Use a paring knife to carefully make 1/4-inch thick slices through the flesh without piercing the skin.  Rotate the avocado 90 degrees and slice again, to create 1/4-inch squares.  With the avocado in the palm of your hand, slide a large metal spoon between the skin and flesh and gently scoop out the squares.
• Add the avocado pieces, corn kernels, and cilantro to the onion mixture. 
• Add the olive oil and another pinch of salt and stir gently.  Season to taste, adding more salt and lime juice as needed.
• Serve with tortilla chips or use as a side dish.

*Best is Green Giant Niblets with “crisp” somewhere on the label

My Favorite Plant

by Steve Swain

Every late winter I begin to prepare for the planting of my favorite herb, basil. This fragrant herb is a natural complement for so many of our Mediterranean inspired New Orleans dishes with its mixture of spicy and sweet flavor. The sight of fresh basil growing in a pot or garden bed is the promise of many delicious spring and summer meals to follow. I often buy the seeds of three or four varieties, which could include the standard Genovese, dark Opal, purple Cinnamon or the Lemon variety, and sow them in terra cotta pots indoors, waiting for the warmth of spring. Once they sprout, a warm and sunny window will provide hospitable lodging until the move to the protected patio is advisable.

That being said, this year I trotted down to Harold’s Plants on Press Street in the Marigny and scooped up a dozen seedlings of the Genovese variety (the large dark green leafed type) along with some sage, oregano and thyme. I had decided to create large pots of basil only, as well as a few jardini?res of mixed herbs with the basil included. The pots were placed in sunny spots in the patio in early spring, only to be retrieved when cold weather re-appeared unexpectedly. Now I'm spending early mornings removing snails, inchworms and various other “critters” that love my basil as much as I do.

I found the following amusing account of basil on this website: www.earthlyherbs.com—basil.htm

“To the ancient Greeks and Romans, the herb was a symbol of hostility and insanity. They painted poverty as a ragged woman with Basil at her side. They believed that to grow truly fragrant basil, one had to shout and swear angrily while sowing its seeds. In French “sowing basil” (semer le basilic) means “ranting”. Other folk traditions have associated the herb with love. During recent centuries, when an Italian woman placed a potted basil plant on her balcony, it signaled that she was ready to receive her lover. The French were introduced to it by Catherine de Medici in 1533 when she married King Henry II and brought with her Italian chefs and a taste for food well seasoned with basil.”

So rant a bit and sow that basil!

Patio Patter

• Curious Minds want to know who went where, and who is doing what!
• Please keep us abreast at patiopatter@gmail.com

Patio Planters President, Stephen Swain, is to receive the Order of St. Louis IX Medallion. The medallion will be presented to Stephen in special ceremonies in the St. Louis Cathedral Basilica on Sunday afternoon, May 6, 2007, at 3 p.m, in recognition of his service to the Archdiocese of New Orleans. The Order of St. Louis IX is one of the highest honors bestowed by the local Church on a member of the laity.

Stewart Gahn, who has been living in California for the past few years, is returning to New Orleans -- we hope in time for the Birthday Party!   Many of us have missed him so much and look forward to having him back where he belongs! 

Donation to Fire Department turns into a wide-screen TV

At our Holiday Party in December a basket was set out to collect donations for Engine 29, which is housed at the Decatur Street fire station. Thanks to the generosity of many Patio Planters members, the firefighters at the station were able to purchase a large wide-screen TV, as well as a number of other smaller items. Decatur St. fire officials invited a Patio Planters team to come to the station. Sam Poché, Marlene Kauppinen and B.B. St. Roman were treated to dinner and got to watch the firefighters enjoying their new treasure, a wide-screen TV.