Do you have a funny gardening story?

Hi Debra:

A fisher cat is an obnoxious rodent, cousin of the wolverine. They are the size of a small dog (about 2-1/2 to 3 feet long, 30 pounds), looks a bit like a cat, cute face, actually, fluffy tail, but they are not cuddly. In fact, they are really quite vicious. They are also protected, so it's a challange sometimes, to cohabitate with them.

They have a piercing screech that makes the hairs on my neck stand up. They are carnvores and favor smaller rodents and game, but will go after small house pets and chickens too.

The one that lives by us was coming up into our compost pile and I was scared by how brazen he was, since they are usually very shy and elusive. I contacted Fish and Game and they suggested we not compost any kitchen waste and since we stopped, he has stayed out of the yard for the most part. I hear him screaming a lot, though, so he's still there. They have tried trapping them and moving them a hundred miles north, and they come right back.

I'm really proud of my gardens, especially since I am quite disabled and wheelchair bound. I manage to do a lot of the work myself (the biggest part) from a wheelchair, but it is quite the challenge.

I have a lot of difficulty uploading on this forum. WIsh I could upload dozens of pictures but will start with one and add a few more from time to time.

Thanks for your interest (in my gardens)!

Cathy

PS.... Hubby LOVES catfish. We had vacationed a lot in NC and he had the best catfish there a couple of years ago. I don't eat any fish or seafood at all (allergic) and beause of that, we almost never cook it in the house. So when we go out and especially when we travel, that's tops on his list for what to order.

This picture was taken very early this spring - before the beds filled in. I'll send an update in a day or so. They are all in bloom and looking gorgeous.

Oh my, Cathy. The pond is breathtaking. How do you manage to create such a natual appearance with all the different levels of stones, etc. while wheelchair bound? You must really like a challenge! Your formal garden is impressive. Looking forward to your photos of it in bloom.

That fisher cat sounds scary. I don't think I'd want to tangle with one. Your cat sounds a little too self confident for my tastes. Need to Google it and check out some images.

"We had vacationed a lot in NC and he had the best catfish there a couple of years ago." WHOA there! Don't claim he's eaten the BEST until he's come down a little further south. We take great pride in our fried foods down here!

Debra

Okay, it was the best catfish he's had SO FAR lol.

The garden was built in 2004, before I became so ill and disabled. I have always had MS and so have had some degree of disability, but it rarely stopped me - just slowed me down from time to time.

This latest episode began last fall and has been totally disabling. But I still manage to maintain the garden from a wheelchair, although it definitely is too much for even one able-bodied person. I have a husband who loves to share gardening chores, and acity-living friend who is happiest when her hands are in dirt. Between the three of us, it's a joy to work in, and an even better joy to sit and enjoy.

Next week is the annual pond and garden tour and our gardens will be on the tour. This is the first time for us, and I am excited beyond belief.

I designed the entire garden and pond myself. As for the rocks, we hired a landscaper to lay the walkways and set the stones. We bought the boulders for a penny or two a pound, which may not sound like much but is alot when the stone weighs a ton! They were trucked down from Maine on a flatbed truck that had to stop traffic to unload them. It was quite the production.

In terms of getting them in place, we rented heavy equipment (you can get a big enough backhoe/bulldozer for about $250 a day) and our landscaper and his crew moved them into place. He has a knack for reading stone and so do I. It's really a gift, and I got it from my grandfather via my mother. It's an inborn talent. Anyway, he and I placed them, and I do confess that I made him redo the waterfall twice. By the end of the third go at getting it right, I’m lucky he hadn’t strangled me. The backside of it looks like a naturally landscaped terraced hill and leads into a grove of flowering trees and shrubs. It’s quite lovely!

Anyway, I'll be taking lots of pictures the day of the pond show (when all the hoses and tools and stuff are put away lol!).

Thanks again,
Cathy

Can't wait to see garden tour photos. I envy those who will be experiencing it in person!