November/December 2007

Patio Planters of the Vieux Carré
THE PUNCH
Nov-Dec, 2007 | Vol. 49, No. 6

From our President . . .

Well, fall finally fell or, more accurately, finally slipped across the finish line, bringing cooler weather and guilty consciences about what we should finally do about all that debris and overgrowth in our patios. This is the time of year when we wonder whether we should have just concreted over the whole mess and hose it down from time to time. Just kidding. Maybe.

Some of you may remember the curious saga of my neighbor's trees, especially the rain tree, which is in all its glory just now with impressive clusters of pink pods and all. The showy beauty is ready to unleash garbage bags of trash in my direction.

We've also had some extras involved in our membership meetings including the Amorphophallus Bulbifer. No, that's not a risqué word, just a very interesting plant offered by the dozens by member Ralph Ruder at our August meeting. Thank you, Ralph. That's the same interesting plant family that includes Big Stinky, the gargantuan specimen in London that recently bloomed with its rotten scent filling the conservatory.

Good friend Maureen Detweiler opened our eyes to the beauty and ease of old fashioned roses, especially those that bloom all season. In this time of rebuilding and recovery, think about introducing some old time favorites to your garden to give you a "remember when" moment.

I am pleased to report that the Finance Committee, consisting of your president, your treasurer, Adrienne Hartsock and your immediate past president, Sam Poché, did a thorough analysis of every expenditure and income-producing event associated with Patio Planters. Over the past several years, not entirely due to Hurricane Katrina, we have been spending beyond our income. Accordingly, our savings have been reduced to an unsatisfactory level. We approached this issue from the point of view of: what does it cost and what is the income? Are we willing to maintain the quality of the product or should we cut back on service to avoid a deficit? What are other similar organizations doing in this regard and is this a good fit for Patio Planters?

After much investigation and analysis the Board has decided to move with a double-pronged approach. First, every event of a social nature must pay for itself. Secondly, we have determine that we must charge $35 to handle of cost of membership services, including meetings, mailings, insurance, website, printing, etc. This is in line with most other organizations of this type in our area. We believe that is a bargain at less than three dollars a month for membership services.

Now the really good news! We have decided to mount an aggressive campaign to have some of our costs ameliorated by donations by organizations and individuals. In the past we have, perhaps, not fully taken advantage of our status as a non-profit to finesse cost savings through partnerships with other non-profits and businesses. For example, the French Quarter Business Association would like to work with us to enhance the holiday atmosphere in the French Quarter by covering some of the costs associated with Caroling by Candlelight in Jackson Square. Please be assured that the event will solely be branded as a Patio Planter event, but the FQBA would like to help obtain donations to make this event less costly to our membership. In exchange, the parties that donate would receive an advertisement in our song sheet for the caroling event. Of course, French Quarter businesses would benefit from the festive atmosphere generated by our partnership. Here's another tidbit that has not been finalized: the FQBA would like to have a post-caroling champagne party for our members and the winners of the Holiday Decorating Contest. Let's cross our fingers and hope this becomes a reality.

Patio Planters will continue to remain a totally independent non-profit organization and maintain complete control of our events, but we will continue to seek ways to have donations replace or reduce our expenditures.

On October 27th, a hearty band of volunteers lead by the indefatigable Sam Poché removed every piece of kitsch and junk, oh sorry, treasure, from the basement of the Beauregard-Keyes House and organized, priced and replaced them in storage within two hours. I've never seen a finer assortment of garage sale prizes and garage sale junkies in my life.

For all who would like to receive e-mail updates, go to our website, www.patioplanters.org, and join the list. The instructions are on the join the list webpage found at the lower left-hand tab on the website.

All-around applause is in order for Debbie Mallernee for her superb handling of the Secret Garden Tours. Believe it or not, she also assumed responsibility for the Holiday Home Tour and has all properties guaranteed at this time. Way to go Debbie! Please volunteer to help her show these properties on December 16th before Caroling by Candlelight. Also, a big thanks to our treasurer, Adrienne Hartsock, who is involved in every single one of our social and fundraising events.

Now for the biggie of them all: the White Elephant Sale and Auction on November 10th at McDonogh 15, otherwise known as the Little Red School House on St. Philip at Royal.This event really goes a long way to help fund our signature event, Caroling by Candlelight in Jackson Square. Sam and Leslie need your help, but they also make a few hours of fun out of it! Please buy raffle tickets for baskets of cheer, volunteer to work, attend the event and/or spread the word. Please read their column in this Punch.

You'll soon be receiving invitations for our annual Holiday Party; so be watching for that in the mail. Don't miss the most fun seasonal party in the French Quarter.

Our next meeting will be November 7th at Le Petit Theatre at 6:00. Hope to see you at our last meeting of the year.

Stephen M. Swain

From our Membership Chair . . .

Any address, phone number or e-mail corrections please e-mail me at patiomembers@aol.com or call 598-2374.

Any questions, please give me a call.

Paula Chavis

From our Program Chair . . .

If you attended the October meeting you saw a fabulous program on antique roses presented by celebrated rosarian Maureen Detweiler. Now, as I drive through uptown I am always on the lookout for those beautiful old bushes which add another layer of interest to our city. Thank you, Maureen!

Thanks also to Ralph Ruder for those wonderful plants, amorphophallus bulbifer, that he shared with us at our August meeting. I left mine in the original pot for about a month then finally dug a hole, dropped it in, and totally ignored it. It has doubled in size and is lush and green. Let Ralph know how yours is doing.

The weather is definitely cooler this week but not freezing. Does this add a degree of validity to theories of global warming? Could global warming possibly be considered a positive influence? Rod Gates from the Royal Sonesta Hotel has some ideas and will present a program entitled "Embracing Global Warming: Taking chances with new tropical plants in New Orleans." Join us on November 7 for an interesting program by this local horticultural expert.

Get ready for comedy with photography in January to be presented by French Quarter resident Marcia Wall.

Lyn Gladney

Our Upcoming Events . . .

Our White Elephant Sale and Auction

Come one, come all. Bring your friends and a big basket to take home some treasures. The White Elephant Sale & Auction are here. The Sale begins on Saturday November 10 at 10 am, the Auction begins at 12 noon. Once again the McDonogh 15 school yard at the corner of Royal and St. Philip has been offered to us through the generosity of Heidi Campbell, Principal. We are looking forward to selling a huge collection from our generous donors. If you still have donations or want to buy tickets for the Basket of Cheer raffle, please don't hesitate to call. Last minute donations are happily accepted. Many thanks go out in advance to all the volunteers who will assist in this fabulous fundraiser. Thanks again to all who aided in pre-pricing at the Beauregard-Keyes House. Remember all funds benefit the Caroling in Jackson Square, to be held this year on December 16. This should be special, as we are celebrating our 61th year. Hope to see you there.

Leslie Perrin and Sam Poché

Our Holiday Brunch

The Holiday Season is upon us! Now is the time to mark your calendar for one of your favorite events. Patio Planters' Holiday Brunch will again be at Muriel's at Jackson Square on Sunday December 9th, 12:00pm to 3:00pm. The food is fabulous, the bar open (very important), and the music jazzy with "Hot Stuff" (you may remember them from last year). Look for your invitations in the mail the next couple of weeks. Or, if you already know you're coming, you can RSVP with Adrienne Hartsock (366-5807) or Barbara Richmond (586-8070). The price to play this year is $65.00 for members and $85.00 for guests. Many of you might remember, every year we pick a cause to support. This year we will have our basket out for Fire Station Engine #9, located on Esplanade Avenue.

We get so excited about this Party, it's like waiting for ..well, Christmas!!! See you soon!

Adrienne Hartsock

Household Tips

Water or Coke

from the Internet via B.B. St. Roman

Eye Opening Information!

WATER:

1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.

2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.

3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.

4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.

5. Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

6. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.

7. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

8. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

9. If you have chronic headaches or migraines, drink a 20oz bottle of water at the onset!!! It helps to lessen the pain.

COKE:

1. In many states (in the USA) the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the truck to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.

2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of Coke and it will be gone in two days.

3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let the "real thing" sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from porcelain and china.

4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.

5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion. (I witnessed a police officer do this in front of my eyes on Chartres Street not long ago! - B.B.)

6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.

7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for sumptuous brown gravy.

8. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of Coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains.

9. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.

For Your Info:

1. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. Its pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in about 4 days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase in osteoporosis.

2. To carry Coca-Cola syrup (the concentrate) the commercial truck must use the Hazardous material place cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.

3. The distributors of Coke have been using it to clean the engines of their trucks for about 20 years!

Now the question is...

Would you like a Coke or a glass of water?

Recipe to Share

by Wanda McGinn

Wanda's Cheese Cake

Buy a prepared Graham cracker crumb pie shell & pan or make your own.
Ingredients for pie crust:
1 1/2 cups of Graham cracker crumbs
1 stick melted butter
2 tablespoons sugar

Ingredients for cake:

2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
12 oz Philadelphia cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla

Ingredients for topping:

8 oz sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons sugar

For pie crust, mix the ingredients well and press them into side and bottom of pie pan.

Beat 2 eggs with 1/2 cup sugar. Add 12 oz cream cheese and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Continue beating all items until mixed well. Pour beaten ingredients into Graham cracker pie shell. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

While cake is in oven, mix 8 oz sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 teaspoons sugar. Immediately pour over cake after removing from oven. Raise temperature to 450 degrees. Bake cake for an additional 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

Recipe to Share

Southern pralines

2 cups of sugar
3/4 teaspoon of baking soda (a&h)
1 cup of can cream
2 cups of pecan halves
11/2 tablespoons of butter

Combine two cups of sugar and 3/4 teaspoon of soda in a deep & heavy six quart saucepan and mix with wooden spoon. Add one cup of can cream. Stir carefully to keep sugar crystals in lower part of the pan.

Bring to a boil over medium heat (a flame tamer is a good idea), stirring constantly to prevent scorching. When mixture starts to boil; be careful. It will bubble high in the saucepan. Continue stirring to keep the mixture from boiling over. Using a candy thermometer, cook until it reaches 234 degrees. Lower than 234 degrees and the pralines will not firm up.

Remove pan from the heat and immediately add 11/2 tablespoons of butter. Measure accurately because too much butter may keep the pralines from firming up. Now add 2 cups of pecans halves and beat the mixture with a large metal spoon. The mixture will thicken in about 2 to 3 minutes.

Drop candy on waxed paper, buttered aluminum foil or a marble slab. This will make about two dozen 11/2" pralines.

Enjoy.

Household Tips

from the Internet

Nighttime Cough Remendy

It works 100% of the time, although the scientists at the Canada Research Council (who discovered it) aren't sure why.

To stop nighttime coughing in a child (or adult), put Vicks Vapor Rub generously on the bottom of the feet at bedtime and then cover the feet with socks.

Even persistent, heavy, deep coughing will stop in about 5 minutes and stay stopped for many, many hours of relief. It works 100% of the time and is more effective in children than even very strong prescription cough medicines. In addition it is extremely soothing and comforting and they will sleep soundly.

The head of the Canada Research Council described these findings when their scientists were investigating the effectiveness and usage of prescription cough medicines in children as compared to alternative therapies like accupressure.

So, if you have grandchildren, pass it on. If you end up sick, try it yourself and you will be absolutely amazed by the effect.

Patio Patter

Curious Minds want to know who went where, and who is doing what!

Please keep us abreast at patiopatter@gmail.com

Tom and Linda Maher were in NOLA visiting family, friends and attending the Easter On the Avenue party at the House of Broel. While here, they purchased several Patio Planters cookbooks for friends in Baja, California-Mexico.

Laura Talbot, who lives in the 900 block of St. Louis Street, is going with a few Crowley, LA garden club members to the Philadelphia Flower Show next March. They plan to travel there on March 1st and return on March 5th. If you might like to join them, contact Laura at lauralou1958@aol.com for more information.