Experience the Chelsea Flower Show

Freddye did a great job photographing this 11 acre event.

Master gardener Freddye Kelly went to London in May for the annual (five day) Chelsea Flower Show and competition. This year's theme is World War I since it has been 100 years this year. These are not just pretty flowers--they have a purpose. There was a ten foot tall mural of Nelson Mandela made of flowers. Flower dresses worn by models. Arrangements to make you see the world in a different way. A pottery shed abandoned by a soldier as he went to war. These are showcases for artists/designers worldwide.

There are three major parts of the show: show gardens, artisan gardens, and fresh gardens. A history of the show is attached. Freddye's favorites are the iris and the peony. There are so many varieties from all over the world that even Freddye did not recognize half of the flowers.

Visit the Chelsea Flower Show website for more information: https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-chelsea-flower-show​


Also check out The History of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show by the Royal Horticultural Society.

Bead-a-Bandana

A fun, hands-on time was had by all today at LIFE, where Patsy Brautigam showed us how to make our own beaded bandanas. These stylish accessories are easily made with a bandana, some beads and Patsy's step-by-step directions. There are so many different colors and styles of bandanas and beads--this is a great way to put your craft skills to work and express your own style!

Materials:

• Bandana
• Beads
• Tape Measure or Ruler
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Stitch Witch (or other fusible bonding tape)
• Craft Glue

Beaded Bandanas by Patsy Brautigam from LSC-CyFair Library, LIFE Workshops

A Tour of Texas State Parks

Photo of Seminole Canyon State Park from http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/seminole-canyon

Our original speaker wasn't able to make it to LIFE today, so the wonderful Cheryl LeJune stepped up to introduce us to all the amazing things our State Parks have to offer. Cheryl is the chairperson for the Academy for Lifelong Learning here at CyFair, and she frequently volunteers with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.

There are over 90 State Parks across Texas that offer a wide variety of activities and programs. If you plan on visiting any parks a few times a year, Cheryl recommends getting a Texas State Parks Pass, which grants unlimited free entry to any of the State Parks for you and your guests and only costs $70 for a year. The parks offer so many activities throughout the year, including birding, camping, hiking, and geocaching, to name a few. Cheryl has had the opportunity to visit many of our State Parks, and recounted recent trips to Big Bend, Seminole Canyon, and Bastrop. Bastrop State Park is still recovering from a wildfire in 2011 and while many of the Lost Pines have been destroyed, the park is open and welcoming visitors, and it's fascinating to see how nature is rebuilding itself.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife web site is a fantastic resource to discover more about the parks and make reservations, check it out here: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us  Many thanks to Cheryl for stepping in on such short notice and inspiring us to get out there and discover what all our State Parks have to offer!

Stronger, Healthier, Better

Jim Guillory, engineer and muscle activation specialist, amazed and astounded our LIFErs this morning. Muscle Activation Technique gets to the root of the problem whether it's pain, mobility, or strength. Every joint in the body is moved using muscle. Trauma or bad posture can cause some muscles to fail. Jim can examine the entire body and pinpoint weak or failed muscles and with gentle palpation he can reactivate those muscles. Generally he sees most patients fewer than four times depending on how long the ailment has been going on. Ideally, he would rather see healthy patients to prevent pain problems in the future, but most patients wait until they are debilitated.

Jim has been in the business for 14 years and you can visit his website: jimguillory.com

His colleague, Travis Westfall, can be contacted by email at travis@jimguillory.com

Dance Salad

On Wednesday, June 25, LIFErs watched a video of Dance Salad 2013 with dancers from the Polish National Ballet (which hasn't visited the country since 1980), Italy's Spellbound Contemporary Ballet, and Barcelona's La Veronal. Every Easter weekend, Artistic Director Nancy Henderek and the Houston International Dance Coalition bring to Houston a rich mix of styles and imagination from all over the world. 

The video included choreographers Krzysztof Pastor, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Mats Ek, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Mauro Astolfi, Marcos Marou, Fernando Magadan and Uri Sands.

Jackie Alfred, publicist for Dance Salad, gave running commentary on the eclectic and avant garde pieces.