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It is time to plan ahead. While we are engaged in turkey, pumpkin pie, yule logs and champagne, harbingers of spring are preparing to announce the end of winter. These little guys are sending out roots, soaking up nutrients and hiding from marauding squirrels. We call them "Crocuses." These plants are grouped with other spring bulb plants, such as daffodils for classification purposes, even though, technically, their underground tubers are considered "corms." Crocus flower colors are yellow, gold, purple, white and lavender, although bi-colored and tri-colored types also exist. Blooms pucker up at night, when cold and/or cloudy. Plants are relatively small, reaching just 3-6 inches in height. Leaves are grass- like, generally with a light stripe running up the middle. Many spring-flowering crocuses are among the earliest bloomers. Crocuses are native to the Old World and grow in plating zones 3-8, needing a winter chill to birth. Once out of the ground full or partial sun is required. Crocus flowers get enough sun in spring under deciduous trees to grow and acquire nutrients. Plant 2 inches deep and provide 2-3 inches of spacing. The pointy part should face up. ~ Leonard Tavernetti Beaumont Blooms Spring is on the way as Crocuses emerge A spray of spring color as Crocuses bloom CLUBS & GROUPS | FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | OCTOBER 2014 37 The book chosen for our meeting on Oct. 14 at 9:30 am is Boy, Snow, Bird written by Helen Oyeyemi. The fly leaf of the book gives us a preview: 'In the winter of 1953, Boy Novak arrives by chance in a small town in Massachusetts, looking for beauty — the opposite of the life she left behind in New York. She marries a local widower and becomes stepmother to his daughter, Snow Whitman. She then gives birth to her own baby daughter, Bird, who is dark-skinned, which exposes the Whitman family as light-skinned African Americans passing for white. In seeking an understanding that is separate from the image each presents to the world, Boy, Snow, and Bird confront the tyranny of the mirror and ask how much power surfaces really hold. "Dazzlingly inventive and powerfully moving, Boy, Snow, Bird is an astonishing and enchanting novel. With breathtaking feats of imagination Helen Oyeyemi confirms her place as one of the most original and dynamic literary voices of our time." If you love books and are interested in good discussions of them, we welcome you to join us. The meetings are on the second Tuesday of the month at 9:30 am. For more information please call our president, Doreen Sanders, at (951) 769-1913. ~ Linda Lambeth Book Club Labor Day marked the end of summer and back to the normal routine. We hope your summer was great, full of fun, love, and happiness with family and friends. The Christmas Dinner Dance preparations are in full swing. We opened up for ticket reservations on Sep. 2. Tickets are $50 per person. Parties of eight can reserve your own table. Front row tables are assigned on first come bases. We are getting great response. All tables are filling up fast. The last day to get tickets is Nov. 13. Once we sell 125 tickets we will reach our limit. The way tickets are selling we will reach out limit before the deadline. Don't get left out. We will have live music, a five-star dinner, dancing, great prizes, 50/50 raffle, and absolutely great time. Join us Saturday, Dec. 13. We want all of our Four Seasons Beaumont residents to enjoy this exquisite holiday event. Contact Roxie Elliott (951) 769-2517 for tickets. The Multi-Cultural Evening of Christian & Gospel Music is also coming together. If you have a talent — singing, playing the piano, praise dancing, etc. — be a part of this event It's still time to sign up. The date is Sunday, Feb.8, 2015. It is a free event. All of the community is welcome. It will renew your spirit and warm your soul. If you are interested in performing please contact Cookie Bonner, (951) 769- 7679. ~ Roxie Elliott African American Culture Club