Wow, life gets so busy sometimes that you forget to stop and smell the roses, as the preverbal saying goes.
However, Sumter Federation of Garden Club members stopped to smell the roses at the Garden Club of Georgia Standard Flower Show at the Georgia National Fair in Perry, walking off with top awards and a song in their heart this week.
They are Faye Frazier, Janice Cliett, Elaine Henderson, Shirley Litwhiler, Rebecca McNeil, Willie Maxwell and Phyllis Tucker.
Congratulations. I have difficulty creating an arrangement for the altar at Calvary Episcopal when it’s my turn much less a juried flower show. I did win a blue ribbon at a flower show in Athens sponsored by the University of Georgia landscape design club; however, my good fortune is due to the fact that I snagged a friend with a Ph.D. and artistic eye as my partner. I did the leg work. She created the design.
The recent show was titled, “With a Song in My Heart,” and was divided into nine classes with 36 areas of design. A different song was the theme of each class.
Phyllis Tucker of the Leslie Town and Country Garden Club placed second in class 2, “It’s a Small World,” with her artistic miniature arrangement, no longer than five inches in any direction, in a tiny porcelain shoe once belonging to her mother.
Willie Maxwell of the Dogwood Garden Club placed first in class 4, “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay;” Shirley Litwhiler of the Azalea Garden Club was awarded first place for her arrangement of burgundy colored roses, gerbera daisies and other blooms, in class 5, “Georgia Peaches;” Rebecca McNeil, placed fourth for her class 6 entry, “Everything is Beautiful in Its Own Way; Elaine Henderson of Dogwood Garden Club won third place for her entry in class 8, “The Long and Winding Road;” Faye Frazier  of Dogwood Garden Club won first place for her creative hanging design in class 9, “Dancing Queen.” And Janice Cliett of Dogwood Garden Club not only won a first place for her creative design of dried plant materials but her arrangement was judged the best in three classes.
The beach was on the minds of some folks last weekend, while others followed their favorite college football teams.
Traveling to Auburn for the Auburn vs Mississippi game were Rene and Angela Smith, their granddaughter Cameran Cruz, and her friend Amber Cook from Leesburg, Rhett and Jessi Simmons and daughter Milly, Cade Futch, Dawn Shattles and her son, Brody, Kathleen Kinslow, Burton Shealy and Donnie and Sylvia Roland. Angela and Rene joined former resident Kathy Ray to help celebrate her birthday at the Circle of Trust tailgate that included a special cheer led by Kathy’s sister, Ginny Johnson, of St. Simons, who grew up here, too.
Then Dr. Lou and Candy Riccardi and Don and Sybil Smith drove to Nashville for the UGA vs the Vanderbilt Commodores game and were joined by the Smith’s son, Franklin Smith. This weekend the Riccardis will have a family reunion in Athens when the UGA Bulldogs meet the Missouri Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium Saturday night. Others include Dr. Alex Riccardi, Wes Turner, Kara and Donnie McMickle and children, Olivia, Madison, Miles and Lewis McMickle, all of Macon, Ashley Riccardi and Dr. Lee Skandalakis of Atlanta, Haley and David Fowler of Denver. Joining the group from Americus are David’s brother, John and Lydia Ann Fowler and children, Tillman and Thomas Fowler.
Having fun in the sun were longtime friends Dee Hardin, Jane Myers, Marilyn Jacobs, Kay McCall Hipp, Lucy Morgan Harris and Beth Williams at the Williams’ beach house at Santa Rosa, Florida, while Lori Shivers and Leila Jones joined Ginger Perkins in Panama City.
This coming week is an “on-to-the-next-event” kind of week. Please stop by Calvary Episcopal Church parish hall for the third annual art show and sale featuring the work of local and area artists and other related activities ranging from a fall lunch to chalk art, a children’s art show, painting wine glasses and as well as a small canvas. The event opens at 6 p.m. Thursday and continues throughout the weekend. Write it down. And come please and enjoy the events. There is no admission charge.

Leila Sisson Case lives in Americus