Upcoming Iowa Lily Judging School Notice and Invitation

The Iowa Regional Lily Society will be sponsoring a judges training school. We are inviting anyone interested in lilies. Whether you intend to take the examination and go on to qualify as a lily judge, refresh your present judging skills or just come to learn more about lilies, you all are welcome. Parts 1 & 2 of the training school will be held on April 14, 2007 beginning at 9:00 A.M. at the Waukee, Iowa, public library. Part 3, the actual practical judging of stems, will be held on June 23, 2007 in conjunction with the Iowa Regional Lily Show. Mr. Calvin Helsley from Missouri will be the instructor. Calvin has been growing, showing, winning and judging lilies for many years.

Anyone taking the class will need a copy of 'Showing Lilies: A Handbook for Judges and Exhibitors'. Studying the handbook prior to taking the class is recommended, as all one needs to know about lily judging and content for the test is in this small book. Anyone interested should contact Ron Reed, President of Iowa Regional Lily Society at iowaron@hotmail.com, or Jayne Venard, chairman of the training school at srjeven@msn.com. Copies of the judging handbook, as mentioned above, are available at $10.00 each. There is no fee to attend the class.

I'm coming! I'm tired of being ignorant and I can be taught.

The (Minnesota) North Star Lily Society is on track to train new judges also. Dates were set at the March 10 meeting where we signed up, but I am not sure if it is set in stone yet. I am going to participate, and just as Iowaron said, you don't have to become a judge if you don't want to.

I wouldn't mind being a judge. I can be bribed with chocolate....

Not nearly as easily as I can be bribed with chocolate!

I'm hoping to be there, but I have complications with work. Might have to go in extra early so I can be in Waukee on time!

I always have a bag of Nestles semi-sweet chocolate chips ready at the mark by my computer here. Munching on them right now. As much as I love dark chocolate, I think the only one that would sway me would be the Nestles Dark Chocolate candy bars (with or without hazelnuts) that I would get from the simple train station vending machines in Europe. Much better than Godiva, etc., even Dove Dark. I brought home about 10 pounds of those bars. Got pretty expensive, but oh-so-well worth it.

Oooo, now you and llilyfan fan really have something to talk about. Dark, dark chocolate. She likes it so dark that if it came any darker it would be black.

I prefer dark chocolate also.

I vote for dark chocolate, too. Must be a Minnesota thing, lilyfan is really a Minnesotan. She was born here, & got hijacked to Iowa.
Bernie

Hey!!! I like dark chocolate! One of my co-workers gets his chocolate from Belgium-- has it shipped of course. Then he brings it in and shares at the coffee pot. Nice guy!

Yick! Another reason why I find so many American chocolates terrible: they have a coffee aftertaste. (Can ya tell I don't like coffee?)

LOL Lefty, you really need to come to the RU so we can meet you.

Oh my...I think I have chocolate competion! Having never been out of the states I don't know any better than our domestic chocolates, but I AM willing to learn!

Bernie, did I mislead you.....born in Iowa, raised in Minnesota, brother was born a year after me in New Ulm. BUT, am a Minnesotan in my true heart.

Probably to many facts at one time, they got stirred up a little.
If we talk it up enough, there will be lots of chocolate goodies to "test".
Bernie

I had a German boyfriend one year. He used to bring me Belgian chocolates filled with rum. Chocolate high & tipsy ?-- made for some interesting memories.

Wanda, your memories would probably been memorable enough without the rum!!!!!!!!!!!

Bernie, I'm all for lots of taste testing chocolate, now if work related issues will just work out.

Sue, you can do it! We need you as a judge!!!!

I agree......Sue will make an outstanding judge!
Ron

Sue, I think some of my "tales of a traveling saleslady" could curl your hair! LOL

Well, get them ready cause my perm is just about spent and I need another one to look beautiful!

Looks like I will be at the judging school, may be a very long day for me but, I've had those before!

Sue-- It will be great to see you! Have you studied yet? I've got to get on it this week.

I've read the book cover to cover a couple of times and my power of retention just isn't what it was when I was in school. It's not hard to know, I just hope we don't have to memorize lists.

Hey, my memory is so bad lately that I have to make lists for what i have to do in the next 5 minutes. How about "crib sheets" on our arms like high school??? LOL

Moby & I are coming in Friday night so we can "bright eyed & bushy tailed" on Saturday morning. Oh, & to get some laughs...

The first 2 sections of judging school were tough--I'm frankly surprised i passed them. There is Soo much I don't know and need to learn!

Well, are we all ready to bring lilies to be judged & learn how to judge at the lily Show on June 23rd? I bet this section will be tough too. (Nose back in judge's handbook)