Presidents Message
Maplewood Garden Club’s President Monthly Message
February 2025
FEBRUARY IS UPON US. It’s the shortest month of the year. A month where we see hearts and flags, as we cele-
brate love and presidents. It is also a month to start looking for flowers!!! One might see Star of Bethlehem, (I know,
invasive), crocuses, hellebores, daffodils, and snowdrops. Do paper whites grow outside? I have only grown them
inside. The days are getting longer. We are getting closer to spring!
BUT DON’T PUT AWAY YOUR SNOW SHOVELS YET. February is known for big snow storms. Statistically it is the snowy month of the winter. The snow storm in 1996 started in January but I am pretty sure that there was still snow on the ground in February. The winter of 1995-1996 gave us the most snowfall in a century. My granddaughter was born in October of 1995. Luckily I had lots of snow days to stay home with her that winter. The blizzard of 1978 gave us two feet of snow. My daughter was two and enjoyed rolling around in the snow with her snowsuit or being pulled on her sled. The image of the younger brother, from the movie ‘A Christmas Story’, falling down backwards into the snow and not being able to get back up, always gives me a chuckle. Snowsuits can make moving difficult!


IN HUDSON COUNTY we had hills for sledding, too. Many people went to Hudson County Park to enjoy the snow. One winter, 2005 or 2006 I joined my granddaughters as they sledded down the hill behind our apartment. Union City is situated at the end of the Palisades on a small plateau. The land behind the apartment building was lower. I have not researched this but I think that I am the oldest person to have sledded down that hill. All the kids were surprised to see me go. It was exhilarating! I was 49 years old! Not doing that anymore! Now I am content to walk in the snow and see it sparkle in the sun. Nature provides us with so many beautiful things to see regardless of the season.
I REMEMBER STOPPING TO HELP PEOPLE DIG OUT THEIR CARS. A lot of people helped dig out cars where I lived. I have fond memories of assisting people getting in or out of parking spaces. Here we have to dig out our driveway entrances from the plows and shovel our driveways. I am lucky to have a great neighbor who uses his snow blower to clean our front walkways and driveways. Our first winter here we used our muscles and shoveled a lot! Once, as I was dreading to have to attack the heavy, frozen snow that piles up across the driveway, I heard the scratching of a shovel and saw my neighbor from across the street cleaning it for me! He made my day! People can be so nice!!!!
STAY WARM AND ENJOY THE WINTER.
~ Virginia Nordberg
president@maplewoodgardenclub.org
