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?
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.
Pending a real live nervous breakdown.
I have come to trust the regular posters here.
The issue is the neighbor with perhaps dementia, she is mean, a gossip, and someone you wouldn't want to cross. Talking, asking, has never worked in the past.
Last year, she sprayed a BANNED toxic chemical in her yard, (ant control); and onto my yard, I think only near her driveway, but the smell was bad, really bad for days, and it made us sick, sprayed near our intake at the air conditioner. She is someone who thwarts the laws, rules, etc. as it suits her, and would never warn us that she is spraying.
I avoided a confrontation because war with her would be painful.
Talking to her about any issues (trapping and relocating a baby possum) has resulted in condemnation from the entire neighborhood, because the incident was misconstrued, misreported, misrepresented by her. She trapped a baby possum, then allowed it to try and get out for many hours, waking me up at 4:30 a.m.to 11:30 a.m. when a neighbor came to discard it (or relocate it) against Dept. of Fish & Game laws. This all unfolded because of the creaky metal door waking me up, and then concerns reported to Animal Control about the baby hurting itself trying to escape. Their conclusion: That I had called the police on the neighbor who removed it. Here, animal control teaches, not arrests or fines people. But, I am the bad one?
So, the yellow sprayer is sitting out in her yard, her son has come over to help her.
dH is incapable to ask her not to spray using that toxic chemical.
If she sprays, we will get sick.
I am not even a green person, just vaguely aware of protecting the environment.
I learn, but I try not to get carried away or make it my singular focus of life. So what I am saying, is that even if I knew nothing about what that banned, toxic chemical will do to the environment, the rivers and oceans, the smell and the toxins will make me sick.
Can I just run away from home, or call the hazmat team? Do you have anything common sense, in between these two extremes? I am trying not to freak out here.
Stopping her may result in damage from this neighbor. As per a reported history about a fire started by her, that I don't know if it is true.
Can someone help me? Help me not get sick, help me not to have a breakdown, help me protect my dH who is even more environmentally sensitive than me.
Or, am I taking this too seriously?
Sharyn, I LOVE the smell of fresh apples, and especially the fragrance of a cider mill.
Years ago my parents took us to a cider mill; I'll never forget the image or the fragrance. I recall it was something like an open basement, stone walls, and there were dozens and dozens of baskets of fresh apples.
I can still picture it in my mind, whether it's a realistic recollection or a fantasy recollection. It was such a delight!
Was just thinking this yesterday, when it was chilly enough for longer sleeves in the morning, and I was cold in the a/c of In N Out last night. It still gets hot out in SoCal, so I am guessing it has to do with an internal clock, a seasonal awareness.
We cannot fight it anymore! I guess that is why the old tradition in fashion circles is to never wear white pants after Labor day. (But I do wear them, ha ha).
Oops, spoke too soon....there is an "atumnal equinox" about Sept. 21, dH says, and he is always right. in his opinion. This has been a loooong, lonely summer. My garden is calling.......
so are my neighbors, whose grass will soon be bringing a 14 day notice from management.
Wishing I could help them.
Vinca are blooming here. The rest of the garden looks dull, almost petrified in place except for the decorative apple tree (never any apples) is larger. Maybe I will tie some grab apples to it this year just so the neighbors will have something to t a l k. about. Lol.
I'm sure if I was out there taking better care of the garden it would be more vibrant, but I still have lots of zinnias, marigolds and cosmos and the alyssum, ivy and wave petunias in my planters are doing fine. Brown-eyed-susans are pretty much the only perennials that are still going strong.
I'm seeing bulbs in stores, and that reminds me of the excitement of spring. It's like jumping ahead, through fall and winter and thinking of the anticipation of spring and the first cheery little leaves to pop up through the snow as it quietly but surely melts, and as I check daily to see what has sprouted.
Fall is still trying to get a foothold in my area. A few trees are like advance scouts, testing the weather, sharing their beautiful and stunning reds, oranges, goldens and sometimes a blend of all those colors. Many are still holding court with their variety of greens, as if some stalwart resistance has grouped them into preserving their green status as long as possible.
Oh, sorry, CWillie....can we discuss Fall now or are your flowers still in bloom? I don't want to rush them! The hydrangeas in my area are turning color, the goldenrod is still dominating the scene, and other than vibrant mums, most of the other flowers are preparing for a long winter's rest.