Volume 36, Issue 4

Bayou Foliage Armand Bayou Nature Center

Volunteer Newsletter

MAY

05 Prairie Friday 8:30 a.m.

Firefly Friday 7:45 p.m.

06 Stewardship Saturday 8 a.m.

07 First Sunday 12 p.m.

11 Volunteer Meeting 6:30 p.m.

12 Prairie Friday 8:30 a.m.

Firefly Friday 7:45 p.m.

13 2nd Saturday Bird Count 7 a.m.

Guided Canoe Trip 8 a.m.

Night Hike 7:30 p.m.

18 Bayou Foliage deadline 10 p.m.

19 Prairie Friday 8:30 a.m.

Bat Walk 7:30 p.m.

20 Stewardship Saturday 8 a.m.

21 Third Sunday 12 p.m.

26 Prairie Friday 8:30 a.m.

27 Guided Canoe Trip 8 a.m.

Guardians of the Gardens 8:30 a.m.

Upcoming Events:

Jun 3 National Trail Day

Sep 9, 16 New Volunteer Orientation

Oct 14 Prairie Pandemonium

Oct 28 Creepy Crawlers

Nov 11 & 12 Harvest Festival

Dec 3 Yuletide

Volunteer Meeting Thursday, May 11

ANNUAL PICNIC 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Remembering Lew, page 6

Photo Walks, page 8

POT LUCK BINGO NIGHT! Because we had so much fun last year, let’s do it again! Bring your favorite dish to share. There will be fun prizes for winning Bingo sets. Since spring weather is iffy, supper will be enjoyed in the auditorium, but we are betting the fireflies will be out there off the porch to view as dusk approaches.

Some of the folks who gathered for our First Annual Earth Day Weekend

Walk for the Wild Things 8 a.m. Sunday April 23

From our Chair Ed Craven

May 2017

Armand Bayou Nature Center

Volunteer Board 2017

Foliage proofreader: Vicki Atkins

Staff Roster

Chair Edward Craven 917-921-8290 edward.d.craven@gmail.com

Vice-Chair Joe Bryan 713-449-5550 grahmybear@yahoo.com

Secretary Tom Scarsella 832-221-3752 frozencat@earthlink.net

Treasurer Karen Sutera 281-474-5087 ksutera@galenaparkisd.com

Weekend DIGs * Zohre Amet 832-855-6100 zohreamet@gmail.com

Weekend Trails Leda Parker 713-560-1389 parkerleda@yahoo.com

Weekday Edu. Edith Erfling 281-470-6824 eaerfling@gmail.com

Outreach Cecilia Cidillo 832-867-7366 ccedillo2002@yahoo.com

Facilities James Frantz 281-470-0946 jefrantz@sbcglobal.net

Stewardship Edward Craven 917-921-8290 edward.d.craven@gmail.com

Gardens Edda Scott 281-332-4170 scotthaag59@comcast.net

Bayou Foliage Editor Polly Swerdlin 281-814-4606 pmswerdlin@gmail.com

Webmaster Shawn Gano 832-314-1608 webmaster@abncvols.org

* Demonstrators, Interpreters & Greeters

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Main numbers: 281-474-2551 or 713-274-2688 Dial directly to each desk:

713-274-2663 Susan Millsap 713-274-2664 Liz VanOrstrand 713-274-2666 Tom Kartrude 713-274-2667 Heather Millar 713-274-2668 Kathy Gardner 713-274-2672 Mark Kramer 713-274-2676 Kristen Hill 713-274-2683 Mike Maglitto

Emails are firstname @ abnc.org i.e.: tom@abnc.org

It's Spring and Spring is all around us. The beginning started slowly but we had good birds throughout the first of the month. The monthly bird count picked good birds consistently through the period. I am often asked what are my favorite birds. Certainly my FOS--or First of Spring, such as my first Painted Bunting. I was lucky this year to see one early. But I really was lucky to see my FOS Swallow-tailed Kite fly right over our group and across the Grimes Prairie welcoming Spring. There is nothing better than planting Texas cone flowers and sighting a an old friend coming home. One of our own has noticed possible breeding behavior in the area. Stay tuned and keep your eyes up!

May 2017

VOLUNTEER MEETING MINUTES

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April 13, 2017 The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m. Liz VanOrstrand, ABNC Volunteer Coordinator, welcomed all, particularly our new volunteers, to the meeting. Liz said that this was the last meeting with a speaker before our summer break. Our May meeting will be our Volunteer Potluck Dinner. Kristen is offering an animal handling class on April 25 at 10 a.m. The 2017 Wish List would require an expenditure of volunteer funds toward ABNC of $2,751. Eleanor asked if everything on the list had been priced? Liz replied that it had but that we only had estimates for the pair of large maps. Liz read off the 2017 ABNC Wish List as published in Bayou Foliage. Karen gave the Treasurer’s Report. We have $4,408 on account and will have $1,657 in reserve after the Wish List expenditure. Liz asked for a motion to vote on the Wish List. A vote was taken and the Wish List was approved at 7:04 p.m. ABNC is adding a paddle trail as part of our participation in National Trails Day. We have spaces for 12 to 18 people to paddle canoes with Mark Kramer and Rich Fair on June 3 from 8 to 11 a.m. The signup sheets for the Party for the Planet Gala on Saturday, April 22 are available. Volunteers are encouraged to sign up for any unfilled slots. Help is needed to set up on the morning of the 22nd and clean up after the event. The Education Department will host a fundraising 5k fun run on the 23rd. There is a signup sheet for the 5k on the table. A City Nature Challenge, using the iNaturalist photo app, between Houston, Austin and Dallas/Ft. Worth will take place over the Easter weekend. Whichever city has the most nature photographs, taken that weekend and uploaded to the iNaturalist app, wins. Kristen is offering an animal handling class on April 25. Front desk training is scheduled for June 13. Our next meeting will be the Volunteer Potluck Dinner. Bring a dish to pass. There will be games and prizes. We adjourned at 7:07 p.m. Joe Bryan introduced our evening’s speaker, Lunar and Planetary Institute geologist and ABNC volunteer Dr. Allan Treiman who gave a talk on Rainbows, Haloes, and Glories.

May 2017

TRAINING DATES and EVENTS for your calendar Email the leader or sign up on clipboards in the Volunteer Office

Treasurer’s Report March 2017 Meeting Snacks & Drinks

The social portions of our meetings are enhanced with finger

food snacks and beverages; please sign up for one month,

either one.

SNACKS DRINKS

MAY (pot luck picnic)

AUGUST Eleanor Stanley __

SEPTEMBER __ __

OCTOBER Polly Swerdlin __

NOVEMBER Karen Sutera __

DECEMBER (pot luck supper)

JANUARY (appreciation dinner)

FEBRUARY __ __

MARCH __ Polly Swerdlin

APRIL __ __

Signup is on a clipboard in the Volunteer Office

Beginning Balance $4408.08

Expenditures:

None $0.00 $4408.08

Total Expenditures $0.00 $4408.08

Income:

None $0.00 $4408.08

Total Income $0.00 $4408.08

Current Balance $4408.08

Please bring in your excess metal scraps (aluminum, stainless steel, brass and bronze, bathroom and kitchen fixtures) for recycling to earn money for the maintenance crew.

They would also like some clean, clear, plastic wide mouth jars (like peanut butter jars) with the lids, for sorting nuts, screws, nails, etc. Thanks to those who have brought in useful materials.

Leave on the work bench just outside the maintenance barn.

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Saturday, May 6 Canoe 101 Time: 9 a.m. to noon Auditorium and the Bayou Leader: Mark Kramer Thursday, May 25 Animal Handling Time: 10 a.m. to noon Auditorium Leader: Kristen Hill Tuesday, June 13 Front Desk / Greeter Time: 10 a.m. to noon Kaneka Building Leader: Susan Milsap

Upcoming Volunteer Meetings: (June and July no regular meetings)

August Mark Kramer – Mystery Subject!

Education Needs from Kathy

I need the following for EcoCamp crafts: Some of these items are recyclables, others are just craft items that someone may have laying around the house or wish to purchase for us. Shoe Boxes Cereal Boxes (please flatten) Tissue paper (variety of colors) Plain white paper plates Egg cartons – cardboard Cotton tube socks Old Tennis balls Straws Feathers Markers Construction paper White glue like Elmer’s Small terra cotta pots

May 2017

Education Department Page Leaders and Helpers needed for these events

Contact Heather 713-274-2667

Are you on Facebook?

If so, join other current and past

volunteers and staff to share comments

and news about happenings at ABNC.

First and Third Sundays Raquel Lewis in Education is the POC for these projects

(Sponsored by Dow Chemical of Deer Park)

May – Turtles

June – Nature Photography

July – Slithering Snakes

August – Awesome Alligators

September – Buzzing Bees

October – Monarchs and Milkweed

November – Scat, Tracks & Skulls

December – Wetlands

https://www.kroger.com/communityrewards

http://www.randalls.com/ShopStores/Good-Neighbor.page

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Armand-Bayou-Nature-Center-Official-Page/301870883076?ref=ts

https://twitter.com/armandbayou

Easy and continuous ways to help ABNC are to go shopping, friend us, and tweet. Help us get the word out.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ABNCvols/

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Field Trip Classes May 1 10:00 -12:00 Pollinators: Bees and Butterflies Glora Dei preschool 23 children May 2 9:30 - 11:30 Reptiles and Trails Our Lady of Fatima Kindergarten - 3rd grade 50 children May 4 9:30 - 11:30 Insects Clear Lake Church of Christ Mothers Day Out and preschool 3-4 year olds 16 children and 12 parents May 5 10:00 - 12:00 Reptiles and Trails Covenant School 3rd grade 8-9 year olds 15 children May 8 10:00 - 11:30 Snakes St. Laurence Moms and Tots 18 month - 4 yrs 10 children May 9 10:00 - 1:00 Adaptations School at St. George Place 1st grade 6-7 year olds 125 children May 11 10:00 12:30 Reptiles and Trails Landholdt Elem. 1st grade 6-7 year olds 125 children May 15 10:00 - 1:00 Reptiles and Trails E. Chambers Elem. 3rd grade 8-9 year olds 120 children May 16 10:00 - 12:00 Insects, Pond and Hands on History Kruse Elem. 3rd grade 8-9 year olds 65 children May 18 10:00 - 12:00 Insects, Pond and Hands on History Kruse Elem. 3rd grade 8-9 year olds 65 children May 22 10:00 - 1:00 Hands on History Laura Ingalls 4th grade 9-10 year olds 145 children May 23 10:00 - 1:00 Hands on History McWhirter 4th grade 9-10 year olds 116 children

May 2017 6

Remembering Lewis E. Hornung

TEACHER

FRIEND

1928 - 2017

I first met Lew in 2009 when I started volunteering for the facility group. Lew gave me a warm welcome into the group. Lew always had fresh coffee made for our morning meetings. Prior to giving work assignments we solved most of the world problems. We never figured how to implement our solutions. Lew would often talk about his family. He had pictures of his grandchildren on the wall above his desk. The crew would work on the assigned task until about 11:30. Lew worked all day. Lew would always tell me "thanks for your help" when l started to leave. I'm sure he is looking down at us now and I want to tell him "Lew, thanks for your help.”

Dave Kovach

Lew was a great mentor and a good friend. He truly cared for the farm and all the outlaying buildings, especially the Hanson House. He worked hard to see it was maintained and cared for. I’ll miss him.

Jane Bingel

I’ll always remember how much he taught us, and sharing his stories of times gone by. Then one time, as Volunteer Chair, I happened upon records of awards given out and, no surprise, found he had been Volunteer of the Year three times.

Polly Swerdlin

Gary Dinsmore said he always enjoyed working with Lew in keeping the spirit of the Jimmy Martyn Farm alive.

He made the best banana pudding, and at Christmas we all got a small fruit cake. One day he chased down, at high speed in his white truck, a young boy who was bothering the bison. If you learned to mow the prairie, Lew preferred you learn on the blue Ford tractor. Lew insisted on cleaning the fan blades in CR2 during EcoCamp while the children were making "dookie cookies" on the table just below him. Lew got the reputation for being a curmudgeon but he was always kind and polite to me.

Heather Millar

May 2017 7

Remembering Lewis E. Hornung

FIX ANYTHING

STORY TELLER

GOOD GUY

Lew talked me into becoming a volunteer when he was touring through the woodshop in the spring of 1990. Lew had spent time on his grandfather's farm as a boy and had quite a bit of first-hand familiarity with many of the tools and implements at the ABNC. We chatted about tools and toolmakers for quite some time outside the woodshop on what was my first of many days at the ABNC. While there, I asked Lew "Who's that?" about an attractive brunette walking past the farmhouse. Lew replied "That's Hilary."

Hilary and I were married behind that farmhouse in 1998. Tom Scarsella

I have many fond memories of Lew Hornung. Because our names are similar, we joked about “old Lew” and “new Lou.” When I became a volunteer back in ‘88, the farm had livestock. We had a cow, a horse, 2 mules, sheep, goats, and chickens. Lew had a farming background and knew a lot about farming as it was practiced at the turn of the century. Lew would hook up the mules and pull logs, plow fields, etc. Back then we had “Wool Days” at the farm. Lew would shear the sheep and goats with hand shears; other volunteers would prepare the wool and make yarn. The machinery and building always needed some maintenance and that also kept Lew busy. Lew loved what we used to call “Fall Festival.” He spent weeks preparing all the machinery, corrals, etc. for Fall Festival. Back then Lew used the mules to run the sugarcane press as well as to do hay bailing. Those were the good ‘ole days.

Lou Wheatcraft

Ray Parker spoke of enjoying the stories they shared of farm life.

May 2017 8

For Your Information

Walk For The Wild Things

May 2017

If you have to cancel, please do your best to find your own replacement. If you

cannot, please notify your coordinator AND the Front Desk. If you can cover

for any open slots, please call the coordinator for that event. When you arrive

at ABNC for your duty, please check in at the Front Desk.

Except where noted, activities are 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

ABNC Volunteer Duty Roster – May Weekends

DATE

10:00 Trails

Leda Parker

713-560-1389

2:00 Trails

Leda Parker

713-560-1389

Greeters

(Sundays 12-4)

Zohre Amet

832-855-6100

Natural History

Demos

Zohre Amet

832-855-6100

Farm House

Interpreters

Zohre Amet

832-855-6100

Farm Life

Demos

Zohre Amet

832-855-6100

05-06 Greg Nenninger Mark Carter Julia Knutson

Patty Trimingham

TBD Jane Bingel

Susan Hesley

Yarn Dolls

First

Sunday

05-07 Madeleine

Barnes Ken Russell

Education

Turtles Polly Swerdlin

BAWS on site

Julia Knutson

Fabric

05-13 Leda Parker Edith Erfling Polly Swerdlin

HABA on site

Jane Bingel

Stereoscope

George

Lucas

1944

05-14 Polly Swerdlin

Madeleine Barnes

Margaret Frick

Armadillo Eleanor Stanley

Tom Scarsella

Wood Shop

Julia Knutson

Fabric

05-20 Charles Buren Karen Sutera Zohre Amet

Charlotte Gogola

Bats Jane Bingel

Tom Scarsella

Woodshop

Third

Sunday

05-21 Liz

VanOrstrand Joe Bryan

Education

Turtles Edith Erfling Sam Dinsmore

05-27 Greg Nenninger Zohre Amet

Jane Bingel

Birds Jill Macomber Julia Knutson

Rudy

Giuliani

1944

05-28 Joe Bryan Edith Erfling

Margaret Frick

Snakes Eleanor Stanley

Lana Sims

Herbs

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Bayou Foliage deadline: 3rd Thursday of each month.

May 2017

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 58828

Houston, TX 77258

Location:

8500 Bay Area Boulevard

Pasadena, TX 77507

Phone: 281-474-2551

Web: www.abnc.org

Volunteer Web Page:

www.abncvols.org

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Middle Bayou School

Hand-Me-Down Shirts with ABNC logo:

1 man’s short sleeve (XL) Behind the door of the Volunteer Office - if it fits, it’s yours. If you wish to pass one down, this is where to leave it.

If you buy a khaki shirt of your own to have the ABNC logo added:

Leave it, your name, phone # and $8 at the front desk. One of the volunteer board members will take it in, and give you a call when it returns.

Or you can take it yourself – Third Coast Graphics has our design in stock. 301 W Edgewood Dr. #16 Friendswood 281-992-6600

Armadillo!