GREEN MOUNT GARDEN & MORE MINUTES

I hope you don't mind me adding a picture of the garden area we fixed out back yesterday. We planted early peas and beets for now. The soil here is beautifully rich, a dark brown, and contains a high content of sand. It grows the best sweet potatoes around! I have only had a garden once before, which was last summer and I hope that I am not setting my hopes too high, but cannot help but be anxious about the food this garden may provide. I love beets, squash, tomatoes, snaps, corn, and sweet potatoes!


When Fred Fleet returned from Appomattox at the end of the Civil War, he and one of the former slaves put in a small garden. This being compared to a 3000 acre farm that just a year or so before required the work of 50 slaves and all the boys in the family. It would have been late April 1865. The Fleet family & the two formerly slave familes they stayed, survived off the garden and whatever else they could get. It was a lean year. I couldn't help but think of all the people who have worked the land here at Green Mount when my son and I were working on this small plot. I am really thankful to have this opportunity. Please wish us luck! I hope some of you are gardening too. I had no idea how much pleasure I would get from such a simple task.

And now, here are more minutes...

Sept. 22, 1880

I had to make the humiliating confession that my record of the last meeting was unfinished & as a punishment for such unpardonable negligence we voted that I should write again. We were very glad to welcome to our Society Miss Lulie Starke who played for us the Spanish Dance, _______(she didn't complete)_____ . Lou read with much feeling "The Death of the Flowers." It reminded me of the sad & sudden deaths of our friends Howsie Toombs & Nellie Rice, cut down like the flowers by the early frosts. I trust we may find them again in that Beautiful Land where the flowers never fade, & partings cannot come.

Lucy played Recreation No. 24 & Mattie read "Try Try Again" (by T.H. Palmer). Nannie read Tennyson's beautiful lines beginning "Break, Break, Break".

Mattie Kate played for the enjoyment of us all Gimbel's Var. on "Old Black Joe."

Sallie read a piece called "The Mountains of the Moon" which was followed by an animated discussion of what is really there; & by the expressed hope that we may have an opportunity to see it for ourselves "one of these days."

Sister then played "Music of the Sea," & then we adjourned to hunt ?ors (can anyone figure out what this 4 letter word would be?) in the Mount woods. We were very successful in finding them & had such a funny happy time, that we will not soon forget it.

Although not signed the minutes were written by M.L. Fleet ~ Lou

If you click the page image below you can read her writing and see what you think it is...please comment below if you have an idea. Thanks! Tere

Green Mount

September 29, 1880

After the usual opening exercises all the members of our society assembled in the music room. Nannie played "Reiter Galop" a piece which she learned by ear. I hope she will soon be able to play some tunes by note. Mattie read a piece beginning "A million little diamonds," & was followed by Lulie, who read "Our Ships at Sea." Then Lou played "Remember Me," a very pretty tune which we all enjoyed. Lucy read ____she did not complete__________ & Mattie Kate a funny piece in colored English called "Keep Gittin." Sallie played "Song of the Robin" very well, so of course we listed to it with pleasure. Sister read something about Ole Bull, the most famous violinist in the world. Then she played "Last Hope". Then the undersigned played "Whispering Winds," which closed a very pleasant meeting.

Florence Fleet

Green Mount

Oct. 5, 1880

Oh me! What a cross it is to be the oldest girl in school; for they are responsible for almost everything that's happening, and worse than all, they have to be the first ones to write the Wednesday evening record; and have all the others taking notes from them (ironically speaking)----

We all joined in reading the 30th Psalm, and then adjourned to the music room, where after the unusual exercises of reading the record, taking up the collection & etc. Lucy played "Giloam" which was followed by a sweet little verse from Mattie. Then Loulie played a very pretty Amusement which we thought she played very well, but she didn't seem to think so. Then Sallie read much to our interest an account of the introduction of the beautiful little girl known as "Smilax." Mattie Kate then gave us "The Crown of Roses." Her rendition of it was enjoyed by us very much. Lou then read one of Mrs. Proctor's beautiful poems called "Words". I echo one of her sentiments viz: That words have their spirits. Yes this is a subject worthy of deeper meditation than we give. Then how careful we should be to give only kind ones. Nannie read a comical extract. Then Cousins Lou & Florence played "The Light Calvary." It is needless to say that we enjoyed it hugely. Cousin Lou as usual had on hand a vase of beautiful flowers & these together with the interesting exercises of the evening kept our eyes, ears & noses wide open. This closed our happy Evergreen Society.

L.F.