The Green Silk Dress
When I give tours of the Heritage Collection storage area, I show examples of everything from Ball jars to artwork to furniture to clothing. More often than not, the piece of clothing that gets the most oohs and aahs, sometimes even from the men, is an evening gown and matching coat from the Jackie Kennedy era. Both pieces are made of heavy silk dyed a bright spring green. They are heavily beaded and sequined. The ensemble was tailored by George Chen & Co., Ltd. of Peninsula Court Kowloon, Hong Kong.
10 Cool Ways to Warm-up This Spring at Minnetrista
The weather is warmer and the days are longer. Are you are looking for ways to appease your spring fever? Look no further! Below are my top 10 picks for enjoying spring at Minnetrista.
Healthy Soil, Healthy Garden
I just got back from the annual MOSES Organic Farming Conference. Although I learned many exciting things, one theme emerged consistently—soil, soil, soil. Without healthy soil, we cannot have healthy plants. Here are a few tips for nurturing rich, resilient soil in your garden.
Memories of Ball Stores
Help, please. I’ve written about Ball Stores before, but I’m writing again to ask for your help. Please share your stories of Ball Stores for both a book and an exhibit. Did you or a family member work there? Was visiting Santa a yearly tradition? Do you have a particularly vivid memory of a shopping experience? Here are two memories that Hope Barnes shared in her December 12, 1989 article in the Muncie Star:
Phil and Esther Ball
When Phil Ball, of the “original” Ball family, passed away on February 4, 2016, Minnetrista lost another good friend. He and his wife Esther, who died in January 2015, donated money to the Annual Campaign and Endowment Fund, and artifacts to the Minnetrista Heritage Collection. More than that, though, they gave of themselves.
Use the Disease Triangle to Help Your Plants
I have written several articles about different plant diseases and pests that the horticulture team has dealt with at Minnetrista. I like sharing what choices we make to combat various plant issues for those of you that might be dealing with the same issue in your own garden—or at least give you a heads up on what might be coming your way.
A Fresh Take on Canning at Minnetrista
As we are looking to the future for our food preservation programming at Minnetrista, there are many questions that we have about what you, our visitors, would be interested in. With this blog I’m asking for your feedback. Tell me what you think about our current programs (if you are familiar with them), and what you’d like to see in future programming.
Remembering Bill Mann
Minnetrista lost a dear friend when Bill Mann passed away on New Year’s Day. Bill was a Minnetrista fixture from the time he became property manager to the most recent Farmers Market days. He greeted everyone with a wide smile, a firm handshake, and often, a big bear hug.
What’s that on My Pine Trees?
Earlier in the fall some of my favorite pine trees on Minnetrista’s campus started catching my eye, and not in a good way. The low growing sprawling pine is Hillside Creeper Scotch Pine. It is featured in our Bird and Butterfly Garden and they were covered in white all along many of their needles.
Winter Food Preservation
HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope this year started well and continues that way for all. The new year is a time when many are looking to improve. Perhaps one of the items on some people’s list of changes for this coming year is to eat more fresh and local foods. In the winter, this can be a bit difficult and daunting since there are not many items that can be grown in the winter months around here.
Christmas cards from Ed and Virginia Ball
Ed and Virginia Ball sent beautiful, uniquely designed Christmas cards to family, friends and acquaintances. Some featured their family while others documented places they traveled, events in their lives, and the people they knew. This card, probably from 1954, depicts Ed and Virginia and four of their five children. Only Nancy, who was born in 1955, is missing. The card features the front door of their home; when the “door” is opened, the family is visible.
Christmas Windows at McKinley Junior High School
For many in Muncie, a wonderful tradition was viewing the Christmas windows at McKinley Junior High School. The school, located next to the Muncie Fieldhouse on North Walnut Street, was built in the late 1930s. It had a large arched window in the façade that faced North Walnut. Starting in 1939, that window was decorated by the students each Christmas.
Volunteers Bring Holiday Cheer to Minnetrista
It’s beginning to look a lot like . . . winter! Yes, the holiday season is upon us. Throughout Minnetrista, volunteers and staff are hanging ornaments, lighting trees, and generally decking the halls. Horticulture would be in a pickle without the talented people who have donated their time to help decorate during these past two weeks. This article is devoted to their tips for creating holiday ambiance.
The Ball Women Attend a Basketball Game
When the calendar page turns to November, a true Hoosier’s thoughts turn to basketball. And in Muncie, during the first quarter of the 20th century, basketball definitely meant the Muncie High School Bearcats. It wasn’t even necessary to have been born in Indiana or to have attended Muncie High School to be a fan. Bearcat fever evidently infected Frances and Sarah Ball and their sister-in-law Frances Ball Mauck, at least for one night.
The Life and Times of Robert Patterson
I’ve mentioned former curator of business and industry, Dick Cole, on several occasions in this blog. While at Minnetrista, he worked extensively with the Ball company and family collections, but he often ventured into other subjects. He wrote the following story about Robert Patterson, a little remembered but obviously accomplished Muncie citizen.
Seeds of Innovation
Exciting things are happening at Southside Middle School. Roza Selvey, a sixth grade teacher of Science, Technology, Mathematics, and Engineering (STEM) is using horticulture as a foundation on which to build her students’ skill sets.
Cranberry Sauce-WOOT!
It seems for some people that cranberry sauce is the fruit cake of Thanksgiving. By that I mean, it is the thing that people buy but rarely eat. However, a good cranberry sauce (like good fruitcake, I’m told) can be a delicious addition to any turkey dinner.Ball has a great and easy recipe for making cranberry sauce. It has a good texture, bursts with flavor, and boasts a beautiful color.
The Ball Line
I love old company newsletters, not only for the major stories, but for the everyday chitchat. It’s so easy to get lost in the little stories. Every now and then, I pull out a copy of The Ball Line just to see what was going on with the company and employees. The Ball Line was started by John W. Fisher in the early 1940s, and, of course, those issues from the World War II years were full of news of both the home front and the people in service.
Hall of Famer Ralph Teetor
Automotive Hall of Fame, that is. Several years ago, after visiting The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan, my husband and I stopped by the Automotive Hall of Fame. Imagine my surprise when I rounded a corner and saw an entire display on Ralph Teetor. Wow, a display on a man from Hagerstown, Indiana. But, of course, it made sense. Teetor was a big deal in the automotive industry.