Practical Matters For Physically Challenged Gardeners #5

defoecat,

That was a case of being at the right place at the right time.

Alaska, my brother in law took that Photo the Bear was playing by the sign wanting food from the bus as it came by and the driver stoped .... but looks like he fell on his butt dont it ...lol

Sarge

Oh, I thought that was a CARTOON! It's an actual photo?? Wow!!!

I believe we have the Accessible forum due, in large part, to Carrie’s….uh-h-h…determination. Lol. She stuck it out here through thick and thin to keep it going. She seemed....uh-h-h…adamant there were enough people with physical limitations interested in gardening that this forum would come together in time. (Jim)

When I first started with Daves Garden in 2006, I was pretty mobile. Now... *giggle not so much. I was playing around and found this group and am very glad I did.

some things I have found that help me

plastic chairs placed around the property so I can sit when I can't stand anymore

working on Railings for the stairs to make it easier to go down them without wondering if I'm going to go head first! *g

Built a ramp from the front door out when I was in a wheelchair and Mom uses it now.

More planters higher up

now if I just had the money to do everything I want (the money is to pay someone to do some building for me), I would have it all! *g

Nada, if that is your property in the picture, I can better see the slope that you were talking about.

Yes, if only we all had the money we need. I could have a beautiful garden year round, because I could hire people to pull the weeds and the heavy stuff. I can see me now walking around giving instructions to the legion of gardners, and complimenting them on the beautiful work, and for making me look good to all my friends and neighbors. Ha, that wouldn't be me, if I had money. I am more the hands on type, and I would be the dirtiest one of the whole bunch!!

here is a picture shown from my studio up the hill. On the other side of the studio it goes down more and on the other side of the house it goes up more. This was taken in 2004. Way before I even 1/2 finished the hardscape.

Nada,

How much of that stone did you have to dig up from your own property? LOL I love Texas Limestone.

Debra

where you see the rock mortored I bought it... Where you see it dry stacked, I got it from the land. You know they grow rocks around here!

We didn’t do much. Both Melinda (Kay’s DD#2) and Melinda’s own DD#2 had birthdays today. I learned that isn’t as odd a coincidence as it seems. When the obstetrician said he wanted to induce labor, she talked him into waiting a few days so the baby could be her birthday gift.
Debra, is that an agave in the photo showing your driveway?
Vickie, my tape collection is mostly old rock and folk music cassettes of my Dad’s I saved, but I have some Big Band stuff I got from my grandfather. A car is considered a “classic” if it is over 20 years old. Am I a classic now?
No rain today, but since we couldn’t mow for a few days the Bahia grass was sending up its victory signs. (That’s what PJ calls the V-shaped seed heads. I decided to wait until after I mowed and I put some flowers in the new planter before I photograph it. Some flower that will be a good companion to Brussels sprouts. I was thinking marigolds because I read they repel insects, but then I remembered my Dad saying NOT to plant marigolds in a veggie garden because they attracted ______ (something) Man! Gardening is not simple. I should have paid more attention. According to MK, some people believe the bright yellow ones attract Japanese beetles. Well, okay, but all the flats of them I see in stores ARE the bright yellow ones. ~sigh~ I think I hear Momma Kay’s “The Wonderful and Diverse World of Seeds” lecture coming. She would probably love to have some of those Texas rock seeds. :-)

Nada, I like the idea of having lots of sitting areas available in case someone gets out of breath from the humidity or dizzy from the heat. We have lots of those molded plastic chairs, but I need to come up with an idea for weighting down the legs to keep them from blowing over so easily
Carrie, how come you get to be “determined” and “adamant”? If I show those traits, he calls me “stubborn” and “bull headed.” Not fair! :-)
Sarge, the shot of the bear is worthy of a calendar. ROFL. ~Nadine~

Sansai87,

lol thanks, the bear did get the drivers donuts lol he could not pas it up even though he told folks not to feed him .

Sarge

Nadine, it's a yellow Iris. Wanted a different texture at the base of the Rose of Sharon tree. Think I'm going to move it, though. Have a dozen Baptisias coming and that strip would work pretty well for them. Been told the tap root on the Baptisias can go to 12 feet, so moving would be challenging. That strip is dry and heavy clay and rocky (think a previous owner had a big gravel parking strip there). I could plant and never do much to it again... :-)

Debra

Been out this morning for an appointment, and back now, doing a load of laundry and trying to decide what to defrost for supper tonight.

It is a beautiful day today, temps cooler, less humidity, and the sun is shining. Even the dogs are liking this laying in the sun catching the sun rays.

Kay, I have wonderful news. I succeeded in getting a picture for you from the Frankfort cemetery. It is a gorgeous site, right on a high hill, overlooking the Kentucky River, with the state Capitol Building in the background. This cemetery is so pretty anyway, with lots of trees, well maintained, and I loved the quiet, as I sat on a small bench just taking in my surroundings. I will print them out and get them in the mail to you in the next day or two Now, R. Campbell can have a proper monument in your house and you can visualize when you honor the veterans. Hugs to you.

That's a BIG iris. It could be I just haven't seen those yet in a fully mature state. MK had a hard time deciding where the iris collection should be. She kept moving and dividing them before they had a chance to flower. Hopefully, they have found a permanent home in the Cando garden. I will finally get to see them full size and know what colors we have. A lady had us dig up her iris collection when she moved into an assisted living apartment complex. She had quite a collection and she wanted to be able to at least visit her "babies."
I have some idea now of what MK looked like as a kid on Christmas morning. MK was sitting on the kitchen floor opening her package of scented geraniums. She would snif one and offer it to Fenny to sniff. Fenny Dog shares Kay's passion for scented plants. We have to watch her or she will roll in the lavender. Fenny Dog, that is. We haven't caught Momma Kay rolling in the lavender YET. ~Nadine~

Nadine, thank you. Have had a distressing week and the picture you painted of Kay with the geraniums made it much better.

Debra

Jim, thank you very much for your kind homage. It's true, I did have a vision of a forum where all gardeners with all disabilities would feel welcome and could support each other through good times and bad, and I think we have created that here together. YAY US!

Sorry about your bad time, Debra.

Bonnie, thank you so much. One day I’m going to have to get up that way. Uncle Ron always spoke lovingly of where he grew up. I would like to actually see the places he spoke of.
Ron Campbell preferred to live in a simple, minimalist way. He didn’t leave many traces of himself behind, except in the hearts and minds of the people who knew him. I only have a few photos of him. The place you describe sounds like a place he would have liked.
Debra, my favorite was the Cinnamon scented. Although, it smells just like oranges to me, not cinnamon. The sense of smell can vary dramatically from person to person. Fenny is a connoisseur of scent. She preferred the lightly scented pineapple. In fact, she ate a leaf. Probably because that one smells like a wild plant the locals call Indian or sour grass. (A plant most Texans call sheep sorrel. Rumex acetosella.) I know sheep sorrel is actually good for dogs in moderation. My brother and I even liked to chew on it when we were kids. Similar smells usually mean a very similar chemical composition. Neither she nor the plant is any the worse for it anyway. But, I will hang that one out of her reach for the plant’s sake. Fenny has been known to love plants to death. If I ever have another dog, it is going to be something tiny like a Chihuahua Lol. Fenny is more like a Marmaduke. Hope things improve for you soon.
Nada, Boerne is in the foothills, right? Near San Antonio? Kay*

yep. just north of SA.

Nada, your ideas sound great! Eventually, I'm going to write an article about gardening with disabilities/aging/life and I'm going to glean ideas from everyone.

Nada, do you want to be on screen names/real names thread?

yea. (names/real names thread) you must have missed that last time.

So sorry, Nada, I just want to be totally sure that I don't stick anyone on there who doesn't want to be there. I'm glad you're "one of us!" Not that being on the thread makes you more "one of us" than otherwise; quite the contrary, I would think.

Somehow I think that those of us who just blather along saying whatever comes into our heads probably suffer less than those who just lurk, because I know they're out there. What do you think?? Do the silent, unknown members of this forum (they are there, and they are just as much members as the rest of us) lose or gain from their anonymity?

Also, I was thinking, other forums - the Iris, Coleus, Dahlia, Daylily Forums, or TX, CA, other geographical ones I can't think of - they all have their own individual banner, the screen that shows at the top of the forum page when you first limp over. That might be a place for Nadine's cartoon ideas, although all the other banners I've seen have things, not people, ie they don't focus so much on he GARDENER him/herself as ours would. There's not really a plant unique to all disabled gardeners, is there?

I don't know that a poor disabled plant could live very long. Most of us have to adapt quickly to what cercomstances happen... plants take years to adapt.

Now you've done it, Ladies. Nadine is drawing flowers with disabilities. lol. A sunflower on crutches. She was inspired by you and the way Kay stakes up the Russian Mammoths. The flower heads are so heavy on those they have a tendency to fall over.
I found some black metal wire baskets with coconut fiber liners on sale today. The stairs to the porch are black metal with wooden treads and there are quite a few wrought iron accents in the beds and borders nearby. I think they will be an addition that will fit in smoothly with what is already there. I don't know any reason the new scented geraniums couldn't go in them. Does anyone know something I don't.? (Nadine, Sweetie, don't even think about writing the asinine comment that I'm sure just popped into your head. Remember, you still need me for transportation. )
Carrie, maybe we blather on so much the lurkers don't think they could get a word in edgewise. lol. Or, maybe they think some of us are really as scary as we sound? lol. (Jim)

I’m the stereotlypical blond meaning easily confused. (Well, dark strawberry blond, if you like things precise so I’m the subject of redhead jokes too. Let’s go here to get the Practical Matters thread woven back together right. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1121489/ This thread is getting long anyway for someone on dialup. Maybe Cando1 is over there waiting for us. Either that, or she’s out camping. ~Nadine~
P.S.--I’ll put the planter pic there.

Sarge, you are SO busted. That photo you assert that your Brother In Law took in Alaska, is NOT an original. You pilfered it, and I just saw it last night.

I don't like to be lied to, and sir you have just insulted intelligent people.

What a sad state that people have to lie about such innoculous things.

Either you apologize for trying to snooker this group, or I will report you to administration.

Either you leave this forum, or I do.

My Post Was to you As Per Quote:
" defoecat,

That was a case of being at the right place at the right time.

Alaska, my brother in law took that Photo the Bear was playing by the sign wanting food from the bus as it came by and the driver stoped ... but looks like he fell on his butt dont it ...lol

Sarge"

I Posted Exactly what My Brother-In-Law Had Told Me ! Thank You Very Much It Was A picture I recived from Him in an attachment with his other photos from his trip in alaska.

and he told me i could use them or post any of them if i wished too he assured me they were his very own photos.

now if there is a link that has this photo that you would like to provid then I will address the issuewith Him And apologize to the Group but NOT for the Deseption I Have done BUT for NOT KNOWING IT WAS NOT HIS PHOTO TO GIVE !

However You Have no right to insist that I Am the one that has decived any one Much less Lied to any one on this Thread or Group or any other as far as that goes ! I have done My best to post and be truthful in All my postings or Correct them in a timely manner.

SARGE I AM WATEING

Okay, I will provide the picture. It was sent to me in an email, and no one purported that it was an actual photo.

Think we have locked horns before, and SIR, I think you are trying to be a flim flam artist, but it won't work on me.

Oh, and BTW (that's by the way if you don't know abbreviations, I DON"T have to prove anything to you.

I have already reported it to Administration, and IT IS NOT YOUR FIRST RUN IN WITH THEM!! You have been warned before not to post photos that you didn't have rights to. So, I do know a thing or three.

Sorry folks, I will be back when SARG is gone.

Actually, that photo is not new, and probably not your brother's: http://www.google.com/images?q=watch%20for%20ice%20bear&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=1041&bih=779

Here is what our Terms of Use states:



Please let this be a very clear warning to everyone who has re-posted (or is tempted to re-post) any cute or funny photo or story you get via email, another website, or from another post here at DG. These rules are very clear: don't do it unless you own it or you have received all the necessary permission from the photographer or writer.

It may seem harmless to "copy" someone else's work without permission, but it is theft. Don't place yourself or us in the awkward position of receiving a take-down demand from the copyright holder.

Further, don't compound the problem by insisting the photo is yours (or whoever passed it to you, unless you are absolutely, positively, beyond-a-shadow-of-a-doub) certain they are the originator of it AND you have their express, written authority to republish it). We may need that authorization and if you don't actually have it, you just embarrass us and yourself.

Thank you Terry for reiterating this part of DG's terms of use.

I always ask the owner of a picture if I may share it before doing so. That is just plain courtesy in addition to the legal ramifications. Trying to take credit for someone elses work seems like a childish sneaky thing to do also.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Best wishes to everybody. I know I have not written much lately.

~Sheri

Thank you Terry,

I Will Address the issue with my B-I-L And Sorry that it was issued to the group as an photo . There are photos of my sis &The Family with the same Fram Lines around the photos as well and after reciving them I did ask to use them and did revive permission to use the photos from their "Alaska trip" I did not attempt to discredit or steal the photo . again sorry . and i will address the issue .

Sarge

23 of the last 25 days at or above 100 degrees. Record-tying highs on Sunday (105) and yesterday (107). My poor plants are shriveled and brown and really really pitiful looking. Was feeling unhappy because lots of new plants aren't going to make it. But, then today it occurred to me. No mosquitoes! Too hot to be outside, but if I could--no bites!!! LOL And it is a little exciting to think about October and November, seeing what did survive when it pops back up. Have 15 Route 66 and 15 Sienna Sunset Coreopsis, 10 new Gauras, and about 20 different Baptisias coming early-mid September, so there will be lots of fresh 'stuff' to replace what dried to straw. :-)

Debra

Debra, I'm semi sorta jealous of your flowers. I may have to get a few. I don't know why, I'm still going camping. I've cut it back to just Okla and Clovis NM. And they don't have any live flowers in yet for fall. I did find some red and yellow silk dahlas at Wally world for $2,00
ya know I have'nt seen any mosquitoes either.
Have a great day tomorrow.
Vickie

Wow, that's hot! Good evening, ladies.

I feel an urge for a campfire coming on, and we're under a noburn warning. Maybe i'll light a couple of candles. Have you ever roasted marshmellows over a candle? LOL
Went to the dollar tree today after seeing the eye doctor. Their Halloween things are in.
Guess i'll have to get my fall follage out. Maybe it'll give me more incentive to clean house.

Halloween is my favorite holiday. I just love dressing up my yard.

I love decorating for Halloween but Christmas is my favorite. I decorate every room in the house. I would do outside but no one ever goes by,so i put it for me to injoy.
I carved a pumpkin one year but it only lasted a couple of days, so now i use ceramic ones,and window clings.

I've started carving dried bushel gourds as my jack-o-lanterns for that reason. You can even save them from year to year, if you like. They also make perfect heads for scarecrows. I get a kick out of making unusual scarecrows. Kay*

Any chance we could switch so we only have ONE practical matters thread? This is making my head hurt! We're those crabby people who unscrew our light bulbs so people leave us alone on Hallowe'en!

I'll try it again, Carrie, but I'm just a youngun' and a sort of newbie. No one ever listens to me. Maybe, Momma Kay or Miss Vickie should do it with the weight of authority that comes with their years. lol.
For what it is worth.....Click the http below to find the newest Practical Matters thread. ~Nadine~
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1121489/

Please do not post on this thread.

kb

Did she just call me OLD!!! I say we go get her. The Granny Goons need to teach her respect for her elders. I will make a scarecrow that looks like her and post the photo. :-)
Vickie, just make sure the candle you roast your marshmallow over isn't a scented one. Not that I would know that from personal experience, of course. Nope. Not me. I wouldn't do anything that silly. Kay*