Accessible Gardening: #20 Practical Matters for Physically Challenged Gardeners, 4 by Agavegirl1

Agavegirl1 wrote:
Hi gang, :D

Madame (Zoe) had to go to the vet yesterday. I don't know what she did. She was fine one minute and then suddenly limping very severely and favoring her left front leg. I could tell she was in a lot of pain and her limp was severe and pronounced with every step. Groan...smack forehead. A Greyhound with a bad leg! Not good.

She wasn't panting or hyperventilating or whimpering when I touched her or felt the leg. I didn't see anything that looked like she got cut or wounded. I checked her foot and didn't find anything in it or see anything that look like she got bit. She was in discomfort though and I could see her kind of wince when she had to walk and she struggled a little to get up after lying down.

All I could think was that she twisted it playing, bouncing around, or maybe smacked it on the metal frame on the bottom of the patio sliding glass door. It got worse as the day went on and of course Dave was at work. (He's back on 3-11p.m.). My neighbor took Zoe and I to the vet. Since she was due for her rabies shot and nail trim anyway I figured now would be an excellent time to take her in.

Vet was puzzled also. He had no explanation. To make a long story painful I got a whopping bill for the exam, the nail trim, and the rabies shot, just to be told, "I dunno. Bring her in if it persists more than a week and we'll do some blood tests and an X-Ray." I also paid for her meds which cost $60.00! Cherry on the Sundae we owe the Animal Control people $35.00 for her new dog tags showing current rabies vaccine date.
You know...you would have thought they would have given the nail trim complimentary. Grrrrrrr! But of course had I not taken her in something would have been hideously wrong.

Today, Madam is up and bouncing around and wanting to go for a walk and wants to spin around and play, looking at me like I'm stupid. The limp is pretty much gone and only pops up every few steps. She's putting her full weight on her foot also. Still getting up a little slow though. She has some mild cataracts. Doctor said she won't be reading any fine print but it isn't bad. She will be 11 next year. I'm thinking my guess was right. Clumsy, nearsighted cow probably careened into something or just put her leg down the wrong way and strained a muscle or something.

Still love my clumsy, nearsighted cow and am grateful she is just fine; or appears she will be in another day or two. I was very, very worried. She is my constant companion for 5 years now and I hers. She's going to be 11. I remind myself more and more to appreciate her and too actually thank her out loud. I want her to know. Her life isn't as long as mine. :D I'm pretty tired though. I didn't sleep well because last night I had no idea how she was going to be today when she got up.

Mmmmm pie! I love pie! I haven't baked one in awhile. I know how to make a really, really good home made double crust apple. Yep use that big 'ol block of lard to make those crusts. Truly does make the best crusts though. Gross but it works. Ever wonder who actually thought of putting these ingredients together to create "crusts". I mean why lard or shortening? Who thought that would mix well with apples and spices and bake up yummy? Ever wonder where recipes originate or how they get started? I always have.

I guess in a way because I very rarely bake I don't have to worry too much about gaining weight from eating "goodies". Usually if we want stuff like that we go out for it. I get in trouble when the stuff is in the house!

My only suggestion Jim is invite as many people over at one time and give everyone pie and coffee. That usually takes care of it! If it isn't sitting around you can't eat it.

As for our planting we pretty go almost all year. We start after there is no more chance for frost which is usually very late February to mid March. We keep going all the way through October. I personally take October through February off since the plants aren't doing a whole lot. What is in bloom is finishing up and what isn't is growing vigorously and storing water. Once the temps drop they pretty much go dormant and require very little to no water. If it doesn't rain that month I'll water them only 1 time.

So "Winter" is project and planning time here for a lot of people or they plant stuff in pots and patio grow, do their cuttings and seed propagations, build things, etc. It is "Winter" but in relative comparison still nice enough to be outside. It is mild here of course.

If you would like, I can ask my neighbor that owns monster cactus if they would allow me to take a pad or two. I don't know them but they seem like plant nuts. If they say yes, I'll send it to you. :D I haven't looked at it awhile so I'm not sure if there is still fruit or fruit on the ground. If they don't say yes, my neighbor that took me to the vet has a Prickly about 1/2 the size of monster. It is a monster its self but not as big as a minivan! Its fruit is a yellowish-orange-ish peachy kind of color. I know she'll let me give you a pad and some fruit. And yes...monster cactus was nice enough to leave annoying glochids in my hand for a few days! I can also send you a little piece of crab cactus too. :D It grows fast.

The variegated one is also a Century Plant believe it or not! It will get big around and grow the tall stalk BUT is about half the size of that monster you see me looking at in the other pictures. The one plant is Agave Americana which gets 10-12 feet in diameter and 30-40 foot stalk. The variegated one is Agave Americana Medio Picta Alba. It is "petite" at about 5-7 feet around and a 7-12 foot stalk. I can send you a pup from that next Spring. It grew it's first one and it needs to get a little bigger before being separated. Don't worry they reproduce like rabbits so there will be no shortages of pups! Our Agaves are just freaks. The ginormous! My husband likes them but thinks it is disturbing that these plants are bigger than human beings and automobiles! I just think they're cool!

Your plants and flowers in bloom sound so pretty. Rather than just getting rid of them have you thought about maybe donating them to a church, park, school, etc. and letting them plant them?

Oh...happy day. While Bets was frolicking in the sun I was playing in the rain yesterday. IT POURED all day! Even had a great lightening show! Whooo hooo! Sat on the patio and watched it after I got home from the vets.

Hi Carrie! :D

I'm tired gang. I'm going to crash on the couch next to Zoe.
Peace. Out.
TTC

Pics 1-3: My neighbor's (Shirley) monster p.pear. Not as big as the one behind me but definitely no slouch. It was growing new pads about 2 months ago. these are the buds and new pads.
Pic 4: Some kind of plant (Shirley's) that is similar to my crab cactus but more like an Eve's Needle. I think my crab cactus, Eve's Needle and whatever this is are all in the same family.