It's become clear to me through posts and PMs that there are some gardeners here just waiting for the chance to discuss gardening!
So, I was thinking... how do you use gardening, or how does it affect you if you need a break, need some respite, need to relax, need inspiration....how do you use it as a therapy tool in caregiving?
What are your activities: Do you go out and pull weeds, read a magazine, design new beds? Look through garden catalogues? Go to garden stores?
And what interests have you added to your gardening? Visit estate or garden displays? Do you go to garden shows?
Does anyone design and plant Knot Gardens? Raised bed planters? Assistive gardens? Pollinator gardens (and have you thought of ways to help the bees and butterflies?)
Are your gardens primarily for pleasure or food, or a mix of both? Do you grow plants for medicinal purposes? Which ones, how do you harvest and process them? Any suggestions?
Do you grow plants that can be used in crafts, such as grapevines for wreaths and lavender for lavender wands? Do you make herbal products such as creams, lotions, chapstick?
What else can you share about gardening and the means in which it nurtures your soul?
What have become invasive are the Vinca Minors, but they're checked by the Virginia Creepers, which are also checked by a plant I can't identify. The stalk and leaves are something like Lunaria, but the flowers are white and different shaped. They spread prolifically, as do those absolutely miserable attacking plants of Black Locusts.
Those rapidly spreading monsters are like something from a science fiction movie. The thorns are sharp, close together and it's hard to handle them to cut them down and get rid of them. Of course, they come from the yard of someone who gets angry b/c my grapevines grow up on the fence on the common property line. But he won't cut down an invasive species tree.
Chinese lanterns over the years migrated up to the house, so they're far away from the garden, and hopefully stay that way.
However, over the years I've discovered that something which I can't identify is nibbling on the herbs and feeds regularly on the applemint and lemon balm.
CWillie, I think the beetles are the reason gardeners stopped planting Chinese Lanterns, although it might just be that they fell "out of favor". I think some of the "Proven Winners" are marketed so heavily that more people are buying them. Wave petunias also seem to be popular.
Other than dedicated gardeners, I don't see much about people planting the old garden favorites either - plants such as hollyhocks, which we had as children in our gardens.
CM - carefully speaking Physalis - you're a riot!
I grew some of the annual type for fruit a couple of years back, and pretty successfully - they germinate like billy-o, but what nobody warns you about is how enormous the plants get.
And my neighbours tell me that the landlords fought a running battle with one of the perennial monsters and got rid of it. Umm, not quite they didn't - it's back, like Arnie, in a corner against a south-facing wall.
Are all the chinese lantern plants "invasive"?
I have seen something similar, looking at online photos, what a perfect plant for fall!
Also discovered some lovely red color in the garden this afternoon, but unfortunately it's not from a desired plant. I think it's a Virginia Creeper. I might pick the leaves for wreaths.
Everything I have planted here at our new home, was planted as barefoots for the fall planting. When we moved here the end of June, nurseries were already on clearance sales! Oh my, so different from my zone 9a in the Central Valley of California! I ordered plants online for fall planting.
Or just before spring. I can do both, I think. This rose bush was left behind for me from a neighbor years ago.
My husband just snuck over a rusted old tool box, ready for the junk yard, given to him by a neighbor who just moved. We cannot have this outdoors, not allowed. He spent two hours cleaning it up. Somebody please help me! He is a hoarder! We need his time and efforts to go to maintaining what we have, and I am about to break!
Maybe, we can make room on the back porch by removing a few defunct computers, but he says No!
Something good: He found Zink, the skink in the neighbor's driveway. He is okay, but another lizard came out, Zink jumped, and went back into the bushes in our yard.
At least he is safe, still living with us. We have not seen him at all for a long time.
Waiting, waiting, Something is going to get better soon. imo.
Is it now time to cut back the rose bush? I used to ask the neighborhood gardener-he taught me a little-then said that my hubs and I could do our gardening, we didn't need to hire him, just before he was retiring. He passed a few years ago, after teaching me a clean, quiet way to blow the grass cuttings.
So, is this the month? Not sure which number zone I am in, but there are currently no blooms on the plant. Last seen, was a week ago.
Asked my dH about this, because we have purchased electrical at biglots and dollar stores with returns necessary. He thinks Costco sells a better quality, paying a bit more.
But won't that just make the total cost more?
He uses rechargeable batteries, that is his thing, and it must be saving us some money, somewhere.
Our neighbors throw away or give us their dead solar lights when he stops changing their batteries for free, and even then, it is mostly dark all the time if you are using solar.
They are high maintenance products, so we have motion detector lights now, the kind that are not too powerful. They are not too powerful when the batteries wear down, so I am happy he changes the batteries, but he waits until there is no light available left to unlock the front door. We also use a variety of high powered flashlights that can be used as a weapon, but you need to carry them. He has several headband headlights too.
BTW, my favorite is a rope light at the pathway powered on an all night timer.
Let there be light! Or a better light solution.
I'm so sorry to hear about your neighbor. Please take care. Glad you are OK now but what a terrible neighbor.
Her dog did die several years ago of a neurological problem.
We should move, since the property managers are notorious for being unconcerned.
We all have so much to be vigilant for.
Do you have a HOA?
I remember years ago, a neighbor used a similar banned substance and ended up poisoning his own dog
I would try to find any city codes for banned substances as well and write an anonymous letter
I can't tell whether you had a reaction to it or not; I checked the symptoms and it's possible you did. But if this woman is irresponsible enough to possibly continue using it, I would consider any bodily sensation out of the ordinary and worth getting checked out.
Thinking of Sharyn's comment, a larger hospital complex, especially a teaching hospital, might be more appropriate than a community or just a regular hospital. There are more resources at these teaching hospitals.
Seriously. DO NOT take any chances.
The CDC said it was good I had left the house just then, when the symptoms occured.
Fortunately, a look back on the forum is telltale as to the date of shaking. I think the cure for that was ice cream was suggested, and it worked! (Milk can help somehow, although the CDC guy reading from his little script would not agree)
Guessing I should just accept: Nothing happened, you are seeing things, that is not a sprayer, it is a dust pan, dH says, I am just crazy.
And, just like in the movie, "Gaslight", the lights just dimmed, but it was all in my mind.
Please come and visit me when they lock me away, Lol. ha ha ha, mwah ha.
I dislike the drama in real life.
I am calling the poison control center.
Update: They know where I live.
Inspite of reading that symptoms can last for months....they said I am ok. lol.
But they meant, it is not an emergency now. They do not know if there is a blood test to detct the poison.
Thank you everyone! Such good ideas! I feel very supported!
I think it is too late. Researching back...they must have already sprayed.
I remember telling someone I was shaking. The next morning, I had trouble breathing, coughed almost vomiting, as we were leaving to take hubs to work. Later symptoms were excessive pain in every body part, even in my heels, and sweating. Taking a nap, pain symptoms were worse lying there, and my arms hurt. Had trouble getting up. Just thought it was the physical therapy, over-exertion, and a worse then ever bout of fibromyalgia. I guess that could explain why I thought I was having a nervous breakdown, and why I am now jumpy if dH walks into the room. Wonder if there is a test for that.
Here are some suggestions, and please don't ask that your post be deleted. It's a legitimate post, and this is a good thread for it since it addresses outdoor issues.
And your concerns and stress are just as legitimate as anyone else's.
As to the poor little opossum, or any other animal: block your number by with *67, then call the ASPCA, and any city, county or state animal cruelty organization and report her. Disguise your voice if you can, and to be extra cautious, call from a side of the house where she can't see a light on in your room. (Spook type secrecy is called for here!)
Use the same James Bond caution and call the County Health Department and the State environmental agency, or Dept. of Natural Resources or equivalent agency. Again, do it anonymously.
Make sure to let them know she's used a banned chemical. Or again, create a phantom e-mail address with something other than your standard e-mail provider and use that.
You might also call the EPA and ask them how to neutralize the banned spray. I doubt if it will act quickly, but it might, and there might be a neutralizing agent it can recommend.
If you really want action, anonymously alert the local news agency, but don't answer the door and speak to anyone about it if a news crew shows up. Or as you mentioned, raise the hazmat issue. I'm not sure who to call about that, if it would be the fire department or health department, but it wouldn't hurt to drop the "hazmat" term in the conversation.
I'm assuming CA has a hazmat department; maybe it needs to be involved.
As to her being a firebug, that's really scary. Do you have fire alarms? Any pets outside? I'm wondering if she really did this, it should have been a criminal offense. Maybe you could also call the local police and fire department and ask them if they have any suggestions? Again, do it anonymously.
Do you have commercial level respirators you could use if you have to? I hope you don't get sick, but if you do, by all means go to the ER and make it clear that you have some kind of insecticide, pesticide or whatever kind of poisoning.
They're mandated reporters and would more than likely contact the police or other authorities. In fact, I think maybe this is the best suggestion of all, because they can also administer an antidote.
Or if you get sick, call EMS; an ambulance would certainly make a statement and help document your illness.
Frankly, I think this woman is unstable, and perhaps dangerous. Not that I would wish anyone to get chemical poisoning, but perhaps she already has it from her random use of this banned chemical.
Try to relax by thinking of what would happen if the ER personnel report her and a haz mat team comes out. If I could reach out, I'd give you a big hug (and some chocolate chip cookies), but I'll have to be content by hoping that this lunatic doesn't go through with any of the potential actions that concern you.
Hang in there, and be strong; you're better than she is and don't forget that!
If there does end up to be spray, I can use something to neutralize it, just like the hazmat team does. I will look that up.