I feel like I already know you... you just don't know me!

I have been a lurker on this site for quite a while now... have posted here and there, but never really introduced myself. I feel very familiar with many DG regs, and have benefited enormously from your knowledge, encouragement and generosity. My name is Chamelle, (I am usually called Cham, but with the rampant mispronunciation of my name, I answer to just about anything)

I've been a piddling gardener for most of my adult life-- you know the kind... plants are purchased based solely on how they look, with no thought to sun/shade/zone/soil requirements. I killed more plants by far than I grew successfully, either from no care or improper care. In the last few years I've spent more time planning, and learning about what works for me as far as maintenance, and what works for my zone and climate. Gardening has become a therapy, creative outlet, and great source of pride.

Last November I had an accident at work and got pretty banged up, including a good whack to the head. I'm still struggling with a brain injury, which has been a life changer. I'm improving daily though, and have high hopes for my recovery. One upside is that out of necessity I have become more organized than I've ever been in my life, as I'm unable to function without pretty rigid structure. The other upside (actually, there have been many) is that I'm completely recovered from my physical injuries, but am still not able to return to work. This leaves me more time to garden than I've ever had. I tried WS this year with fabulous success so far, can't wait! I'm growing more veggies and more varieties of ornamental than I'd ever thought I could manage. So far I haven't killed ANYTHING! lol.

I love where I live, both locally, and big picture. Eugene/Springfield is a wonderful area, the Willamette valley is gorgeous and green and generous to us gardeners. Even with time lived in other states, Oregon is and always has been 'home' for me.

Unlike just about every other aspect of my life, I garden alone. My dh is great about mowing or lifting heavy stuff, but has no real interest. My kids (three of 'em, g16,g14,b9) all wander out at some point or another when I'm gardening and visit with me, or pick a weed or two, but essentially, gardening is something solitary for me. Even though I haven't been an active poster, I have reveled in the companionship and passion that you all unknowingly have shared with me.

Thank you.

The photo is of me getting busted working without my gloves on... you can see them, I actually HAVE them, but am horrible about wearing them. What I'm really good at is complaining later about the state of my hands. :P What you can't see is that I'm wearing my house slippers because I was just going to 'look' in my garden, not throw myself down in the dirt to weed. (I brought the gloves 'just in case' hehe)

My hubby and BF built me that pea trellis last year, it is glorious covered with peas. I put sweet peas on either end, just for pretties. This year I germinated far too many peas, and since I couldn't get rid of the germinated seed, I have another row right behind me next to the fence.

You can also see my radishes with an enormous hole right in the middle of the rows. Naughty kitty!

Thanks again for letting me share.

Cham

Welcome to the garden Chamelle. You look as sweet as you sound in your post and I'm so glad you introduced yourself!
My daughter had a severe brain injury when she was just 11, a compressed skull fracture with bone that penetrated her brain. Her stamina suffered a lot and it took a couple of years for her to regain her strength (she got most of it back) now that she is 31 no one would know she had the injury unless she told them. The 'math' part of her brain was most affected but she took a job as a bookkeeper for a small company one summer just to prove to herself that she could!

i'm looking forward to seeing you post more now that you got your slippered feet wet, so to speak!

Angele

Welcome Chamelle. You've been thru the wringer, but it sounds like you made lemonade! I started out gardening like you and am just now paying more attention. Especially after talking to everyone here. You've already ''fit'' right in. Bad kitty! (Smile.) House slippers! ROTFL! Yes, you fit right in!

welcome to the garden from upstate new york. you can get all the gardening help you need right here. like the picture.

Welcome Chamelle, glad you introduced yourself, and very nice photo. Sorry you suffered the accident but sure sounds and looks like you are recovering nicely.

I have lived in this area all my long life, will be 80 on my birthday this year and tho I have had both hip joints or parts thereof, replaced twice, I am still trying to do the not heavy part of gardening. I have a fellow working for me, has worked for me more than 15 years when he has time and I have the money, who does the building and heavy stuff.

I have always liked the Willamette valley, and if I were going to live somewhere else I would probably choose there.

My husband and I had apple orchard, and lived in same location all of our married life, he died just before our 50th weddding anniversary.

And I do wear my gloves all the time out in the garden!!!!!!!!

DonnaS

Donna, so sorry for your tragic loss. I'm glad you have someone to help you so you can continue to enjoy gardening. (Good for you on the gloves.)

Welcome from the Carolinas! So you were just going out to "look at" your garden-you'll fit right in here at Dave's. I do that to and end up out there past dinner time!

Thanks for the welcomes!

Angele, it's so encouraging to hear that your daughter has had a full recovery from such a severe brain injury. Mine was a closed head injury that could have been a LOT worse. After what feels like a small forever of cognitive rehab I'm feeling almost like 'me' again! Will most likely have some permanent issues, but am learning ways around them. Yay for your daughter for sticking her tongue out and working in accounting! Good Girl!!

LOL, Billy... thats me, the lemonade maker. Of course some days I'm just as likely to swear loudly and with much color, chuck the lemons in the compost pile, and make a glass of kool-Aide instead. :P

Thank you HERBIE. You're right, the information on this site has been SO helpful. I can't wait till I have enough experience/knowledge to be helpful to others.

Donna! You sound like MY grandma! She's partly 'bionic' now, too and is convinced that she will only get 'old' when she stops moving. She'll be 93 this year, and still gardening. I have a fellow working for me too, and has been for 20 years now. He always did such a good job that I married him! I hope that we have at LEAST 50 years together. (we started so young that we've got a headstart on most marriages) I'm so sad to hear that your husband died. What a terrible loss, especially after having his companionship for all those years.

I'm glad to hear SOMEONE wears their gloves like they should. :)

RoseyKay, Thanks for the welcome from the Carolina's. This is the first thing I've ever had from the Carolinas!! how exciting! hehe.

I'm always getting distracted by 'just one weed'. Anyone else get 'lost' on the trip from the car to the house?

Hi welcome.. Glad your nearly all back to before.. glad to have you here to..

Welcome from Georgia! You will love it here. There are so many seasoned gardeners here and they rub off on you before you know it! I have learned so much and here I was thinking I knew it all LOL!! My mom and her older sis were flower addicts and I guess I am continuing the tradition. Hopefully they are looking down on me and smiling.
You are a very strong person and I can tell that you don't let things get you down. Gardening is great therapy and a stress reliever. I do the same thing, pull the gloves off, it feels better! I go through gloves like crazy. Even bought some for my little helper who sends me outside to 'plant those things'. After 5 min. he's ready for a break. He told me last week "whew, this is some hard work, pulling weeds".
Don't be a stranger! We love to see pics of anything, your flowers, cat, family... I love your trellis, I might have to build one of those! Take care!

Susan

hi Cham, saw where you officially introduced yourself, so stopped in to read abou tyou and say hi! i love getting lost in the garden too. i usually wear an orange hat or orange shirt so my kids can find me!

gloves, hmmmm.... if i relaly needed them, i guess i would remember them LOL

i have a brain stem injury from a childhood accident. maybe you could teach me some cognitive therapy. i had decided i would always just be a hopeless case LOL. great jog on finding a great hubby, but who is the BF who built the trellis, and does the DH know??? ;-)

tf

Hi Cham! I'm new to the forum as well (been lurking for a good while myself), but thought I'd point out that we're practically neighbors! I live in Springfield right now, but we're moving into a house we bought in Eugene in about 12 days. We have very similar gardening styles and I'm just now learning to pay attention to what grows where after an absolute disaster the last time I gardened. I believe we ended up with about 50 pots of onions, peppers, snap peas, and black raspberries on our tiny apartment patio when we lived in Portland. Who knew they were so prolific up here? Most everything else I've grown has died and apparently I over compensated.

Anyway, I look forward to seeing you around the boards and hopefully bouncing ideas off of you and the other locals in our area. I'm learning so much from everyone around the country already!

Hey, you wouldn't happen to have a fig tree, would you? I'm desperate to grow one in our yard and already have a foot tall tree. My luck with figs in the PNW is not good at all :(

Heather

Hi Cham :)

I'm new to gardening too...just bought my first house and have become addicted to landscaping...and tomatoes... :) I also learned the hard way to stick with plants that fit my zone (6a) and soil type (clay). ("Well-drained soil" means "Won't grow here!") I laughed when I read your post because I don't know how many times I've stepped outside in my slippers "just to take a quick look at the garden" and DH finds me two hours later covered in mud and happily digging away.

Welcome!
pam