Matched pairs – we’ve said it before, not our favorite task. So many things can go wrong. Bows could be slightly uneven, sufficient materials might be in short supply, instructions can be missing (bows on top? mirror image?), the underlying wreaths themselves not the same thickness. Two members, Stephanie Fletcher and her mother Gudi Seward, have been our “go to” pair themselves for this thankless job. I can’t be sure if the pair of wreaths below was done by them this season, but I know, even without having been there, that they took on their fair share of the work. Stephanie, in addition, took many of the beautiful photos pictured in the Wreath of the Day posts, and runs our Instagram page. What a good eye!
This isn’t your typical Wreath of the Day post, but The Friends of the Boston Park Rangers Mounted Unit has announced that on November 10 the Boston Park Rangers bid farewell to a legendary member of their Mounted Patrol Unit.
Winston, a 17 year veteran of the unit was put to rest after suffering a brief illness. Well known as the “anchor horse’ of the operation prior to his retirement in 2020, Winston’s storied history included countless public encounters that drew attention wherever he patrolled. He never failed to leave an impression with children of all ages. His steadfast performance over his many years of service to The City of Boston and its parks will always remain a part of his legacy.
Making the public feel safer, more secure and happier when visiting our parks, was part of his role. Winston’s quiet, yet bold demeanor was characteristic of why he excelled at it. Beyond his daily patrols, participating in ceremonial functions and being the center of attention during “Horse Of Course Programs” were a natural fit from the time he joined the team. For those of us who were privileged to be partnered with him, we knew he enjoyed it as well.
Despite the immeasurable loss of Winston, we are grateful for having had the opportunity to work together with him and experience his remarkable service and unique talents. Winston’s loss will be felt by all who knew, admired and loved him.
Chief Gene Survillo gives thanks to The Friends of The Boston Park Rangers Mounted Unit and to all of those who have reached out with their thoughtful support and response. Special thanks go to Doctors Nostrant and Shen and the staff at The Northbridge Equine Associates, along with Doctors Kirckerhead and Lehmann and the staff at The Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. We are forever grateful for their high-quality, compassionate, personalized care.
We always ask if a wreath is going to hung inside or outside. The wreath below, one of a matched pair, was supposed to go outside on front doors sheltered by a porch – the ideal, since they are sheltered from bad weather but cooled in fresh air. For the first time in years, the recipient decided they were far too beautiful to be left outdoors where she rarely saw them, but put them inside so she could enjoy them daily. Luckily the materials should not dry out too badly, and since she is a member of Cambridge Plant & Garden Club, she knows how to remedy a bare spot should something shrivel. Below are two pictures, from the workshop, then in the home.
The Garden Club of the Back Bay and Boston Flora wish you a very Merry Christmas. Your support in 2022 has meant the world to us, and we look forward to a happy and healthy New Year.
This Christmas week, a long time Back Bay neighbor wrote to The Garden Club of the Back Bay asking if we knew anyone strong and reliable to move two large orange trees from her bay window. The weather report predicted an Arctic blast, which could damage the trees, and her usual help was out of commission due to a medical emergency. The request was forwarded to a small but reliable team from the Club, looking for suggestions. The response was quick. A number of them knew the trees in question, often admiring them from the street. The solution came from Garden Club member and Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay and Friends of the Public Garden director Patti Quinn, who personally brought over a young man named Brian to assist the very next day. He moved the trees out of harm’s way and refused compensation, saying he was just being “a good neighbor.” Hurray for our Club, and for the neighborhood! A small, and lightweight, Christmas tree was put in the window, making Christmas just a little brighter for everyone.
We love to link wreaths, decorators, and doors together, and we are able to right here. Star decorator and gardener Susan Juretschke, a long time member of our Tree Committee and Horticulturist, created a substantial front door wreath for a member living on Beacon Hill. The color of the red door is quite sophisticated and a plain red bow would have been jarring, but this wide ribbon with gold and green cut the red just enough to blend beautifully. All natural decorations with the exception of some red glass balls for accents completed the design.
Often we don’t see the wreaths we make hanging up on peoples’ doors, but this year a new client purchased a matched pair of wreaths for his South End building, and we were treated to pictures of the wreaths after being hung. We aren’t going to say we would have aligned the bows better when mounted, but assure you they were matched when they left the church courtyard. We know the difficulties of hanging on tall doors which are accessed by steep steps with little flat landing space for a ladder. They look beautiful!
Every year we end up with a batch of bows and ribbons that are just unusable for our purposes. With bows, we have some that are returned for recycling by members, which cannot be properly rescued by disassembling and ironing. Some, first attempts by bow makers in training, are a bit too small, or too floppy, or lopsided. We have ribbon designs that prove unpopular – the color or pattern looked good on the roll but didn’t pan our when made into bows. In our quest to reduce storage, we offered the extra bows and ribbon rolls with too little yardage to use for another complete bow to the parishioners at the Church, and most everything went home with them for decorating and package wrapping. Bringing smiles to faces is what we live for.
For over twenty years, a lovely woman in the Berkshires has allowed members of our Club to forage for materials on her property. Most of our milk week pods, rose hips, and white pine come from her fields. Recently, her brother moved to Boston as the Editorial Page Editor at The Boston Globe. We made him a wreath, choosing materials that came from his sister’s property, including the Jimson Weed sprayed gold. Welcome to the Back Bay, Jim Dao.
The First Lutheran Church of Boston welcomed a new Pastor in 2019, just after our last Wreath Week before Covid. The Reverend James P. Hopkins was called to New England directly upon the completion of his resident MDiv studies at Concordia Theological Seminary — Fort Wayne, IN. During his time at seminary Rev. Hopkins played on the basketball team, wrote for the Jerome Exegetical Seminar, and tutored in Greek.
Rev. Hopkins holds a B.A. in Sociology and Spanish from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL (2008), and performed postgraduate studies in International Relations at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Before being called into the Office of the Holy Ministry, Rev. Hopkins worked in the Department of Defense and served in the Marine Corps, both on active duty and in the reserves. In addition to deployments to Afghanistan and the Middle East, his fluency in Spanish and Portuguese caused him to be posted in Colombia, Brazil, Uruguay, Panama, and Nicaragua. He now continues his military service in the reserves as a Navy Chaplain. He was very gracious to our Club during Wreath Week, even joining our volunteers for a meal, and we look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with our new host. We have been active maintaining the north facing Church garden on Marlborough Street, which we are sure has been enjoyed by the Congregation as well as by neighbors.
