Bonnie Hanks - Secretary - email: abhanks@madisonco.com - I am retired from a concrete block/redi-mix company since December, 2005. We built our 16 x 40 solar green house in 1998 because we wanted to extend the growing season of our vegetable garden. I laugh now because while we did grow lettuce, spinach and radishes, and started tomatoes, peppers and other vegetables from seeds, the larger part of the greenhouse was used entirely and unexpectedly for flowers and plants. All kinds of flowers and plants. We also added a propane furnace in 2000. My husband was the vegetable guy and I found a whole new world in the flowers and plants. What a joy to be working in the greenhouse while snow was falling outside. We put the lawn chairs inside and some mornings took our coffee and the paper and just enjoyed the sights and smells of the greenhouse. Geraniums were blooming at Thanksgiving and amaryllis in January. My husband passed away in 2003 and with him went my passion for the greenhouse although I kept it going. In December of 2006 we had an ice storm in our area and were without power for one week. Water pipes froze and burst in 2 places and only 2 plants survived. At that point I really didn't care and other than emptying the pots and cleaning the green house that spring, I did not go there.Two years went by with no activity. Now some of the fire has returned and I am again making plans to open the greenhouse this fall. The pipes have been repaired and tables arranged differently. I am having fun deciding what kinds of plants I want to grow and definitely plan on several species of ferns. Most of all I look forward to digging in the dirt in the winter when the snow is on the ground. Although most of them don't know it, both the voting and non-voting members of the board have helped me to regain my enthusiasm for growing things in the greenhouse by their positive attitudes and the excitement they share when a miracle occurs in their greenhouses. I thank you all.
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