Wanda is back...

[Wanda]

Hi Hallson Family!
My elder care years ended about 2.5 years ago, and it has taken me this long to recuperate and recover! It was a long, very hard 6 years - but very rewarding (once the trauma of the experience wore off - hehe). If you know anyone caring for an elder - help them any way you can, please. It is a hard, heartwrenching job...because there is no good outcome possible, except for a (hopefully) peaceful passing.
My poor hostas and gardens had to be literally abandoned when we had to move to the bigger house at the other end of the property when we took on the care of my 93 yr. old grandfather along with my MIL with Alzheimers. Its about a 1/4 mile, and with two elders I could rarely even get outside, let alone go care for the gardens. I do still have a few EXTREMELY tough hosta left - maybe 100 out of 650 or so...but I am truly amazed that ANY survived a complete and total lack of care! And amazingly, my unique sport of Krossa Regal, that I call Regal Flame, is one of them! I have managed to move a few down here so far, but still have to move most.
Have made a major change in gardening direction - have moved into food production in a big way. I think I had just gotten chickens before I started the elder care. Really don't like the way the world is heading, so we re trying very hard to become as self-sufficient as possible. Now we also have Nubian dairy goats! And extensive large food gardens...large enough that I have been selling high-end specialty produce and baked good at a local farmers market.
Haven't had time to catch up with the posts and find out who is still here that I might know. Who of the "old gang" is still here...and what are you up to these days?
wanda

[pauhaus]

Helloooooo Wanda, and welcome back! I just came on here to check things out and saw your post. It's so good to hear from you and often wondered how you were doing. Don't get on here too much, but I check in from time to time. Great to hear from you.

[Chris_W]

It is nice to hear from you Wanda. Taking care of two elderly patients like that was an amazing thing for you to do, and glad you survived it yourself. Selling at the farmer's market sounds like a great thing for you to do Not sure I would want to take on chickens AND goats. We are down to two chickens and it still seems like a lot of extra work, but then we are busy from early to late, working more hours in the day than ever before, so maybe that's why I wouldn't want more animals.

This forum is rather quiet with most people moving over to Facebook. I'm not there myself so pop in here every day but don't seem to have the time to post much.

Hopefully your hosta passion will continue but food production sounds like it could be even more fun for you. Enjoy the dirt either way

Chris

[Wanda]

Paul: Good to hear from you! Was wondering if anyone I knew was still around. Got to make time and try to catch up with everyone!
wanda

[Wanda]

Chris: Glad to know you are still there! Was hoping you hadn't sold out and retired!
I don't participate on Facebook or anything like that. Too Orwellion for me - or actually worse - since folks are eagerly willing and pay for the priviledge. Scary stuff!
I really enjoy having livestock and enjoy the safe food they provide...but what I really appreciate is their manure for the gardens and orchards! Priceless stuff! And after caring for MIL with Alzheimers with rage issues and Gramps, caring for the critters is easy (hehe). They rarely bite or hit or throw things or curse at me (hehe).
In today's world, there is not much we can do to insulate ourselves from life's little whoopsies...but we can grow our own food. Every dollar we don't have to spend on food can be used for something else we can't provide for ourselves. And with all the food recalls - far, far safer to grow it yourself. We have somewhere around 40 fruit trees and make cider each fall with a big amish crusher/press I got at an auction. One year we made 100 gallons! Figured out that if we had to buy organic apples to make our cider, it would cost us $50 a gallon...couldn't afford to buy it! When you grow it yourself, you can "afford" far higher quality produce.
The Farmers Market is fun. After being literally trapped in the house for 6 years, its sort of nice to get out and about sometimes. I go over to Tawas, right on the bay, for their market. Lively, lots of customers and beautiful. I don't grow much specifically for market I(except for specialty lettuces/greens and specialty cherry tomatoes), just take my extras...since if you want to end up with enough for yourself, you have to plant extra.
Have spent the past two years getting the food gardens built. Last year planted a perennial at the south end of each garden bed to bring in pollinators. This has serendipitously turned into me adding plants and cut flowers to my market offerings - just can't get away from growing flowers!
wanda

[LucyGoose]

Hello Wanda!!!

It's me your old Pal! LOL...I pop in here not as much as I should. I am one of the Facebook lovers..."hanging head"...but I keep it fun and mostly dog stuff. It's so easy with the phones now to post your pictures .....my yard is a mess with voles. I have kept up so far but we have been so dry, and that's great for the weeds not to grow much....I really have gotten into dog training with my youngest Papillon....I have 3 dogs and show the youngest in Nosework, and I will get into agility again the fall....the calendar is full with classes and shows/trails....I still call OED from time to time...Patruska/Pat and I talk here and there, too....Glad to see you!! Have a safe 4th!!

[Wanda]

LucyGoose - great to hear from you! We have a herd of semi-feral cats here that keep the vole, mole, mouse and rabbit population down. I am not a cat person, but at least they pull their weight. And they are partly Manx, so interesting with varying tail lengths, from none to full and those jack-rabbit looking back legs.
Sounds like those cute little dogs keep you busy! I take my goats for walks - hehe!
It has been really dry up here, too. Very unusual, as we pretty much live in a swamp, with a big pond in the front yard and a couple streams. Got 1/2" of rain on Thursday, which was most welcome.
So who else is still around? How about our dear Pia?

[ladyblue]

Hi Wanda!! So good to hear from you. I too was a caregiver for 12&1/2 years, but 2 years ago she went in a assisted living home, but I'm still P.o.a and being 98 she's not able to do much for herself.I'm still into Hostas and everytime I pass my' Party Favor' I think of you and wonder how you are.
I hope you are healthy and happy!
Bonnie

[Wanda]

Hi Bonnie! WOW - 12.5 years as a caregiver - I am seriously impressed!!! We barely survived 6 years (hehe)...and that was only because hubby is 6'6", I am 5'10" and MIL was barely 5'. MIL had serious rage issues, along with the Alzheimers, which was a real challenge. Had to move every knife, screwdriver, knitting needle, anything sharp or pointed, etc. out to the barn loft...as I kept finding her hiding them in her shoes, pillowcases, etc. When we had to move to the bigger house at the other end of the property to add Gramps to our caregiving, it was so stressful I lost 45 lbs. the first 6 months. I applaud you for lasting so long! It is so very hard...
I am pretty near darn ecstatic nowdays...just being able to go and garden any time I like is such a treasure! I still smile every time I walk out the door...then I feel guilty, but I can deal with that (hehe).
Oh, I am so glad that Party Favor is still going strong. Sadly, when we moved, had to literally abandon all my gardens. Simply amazed that any of the hosta survived. Hoping to start building shade gardens this fall so I can move the few remaining (maybe 100 out of 650) down here.
wanda

[thy]

Hej Wanda
Good to see you again

6 years, if I had a hat, I would take it off for you .....

So good you are out in the garden and fruits and vegetables are best when they are fresh, think you grow them organic ... so weird, here we call the things grown on fields with in the last 100 years for traditional... Hey we have been growing organic for thousands of years.
Planted an apple tree and 2 cherries a few years back and enjoy the marmalade from my blackberries, but nothing like years ago
flowers sure you neeeed to have flowers - and a market without flowers is not worth attending

I was thinking of you when we had a medieval market this July, there were the most beautiful hand carved wooden shoes I have ever seen for sale... all wood, no leather... comfort- LOL No idea at all

Pia

[Wanda]

Oh, Pia, so glad to hear from you! Elder care is a bit of a challenge (hehe). But, the trauma is starting to fade and I am glad we did it for our elders...but real glad we are out of "old people" because I doubt we would ever attempt it again! Have never done anything harder in my life.
I definitely grow everything naturally...no chemicals of any sort, no GMO crops. Just good safe food...and flowers. Just love going out and picking a meal - can't beat that level of freshness! Heck, I am still planting...planted a 4'x25' bed of lettuces/spinach last week and am planting another bed today.
Cider making season starts this weekend - can hardly wait! And need to make a lot more applesauce this year. I canned 3 dozen quarts last year, and have been rationing since June. So this year I will make 6 dozen quarts. Can't seem to stop planting fruit trees, berries and grapes...just love that stuff. The fall yellow raspberries are ripening now - those are especially good!
How is the economy looking in your part of the world? Things are just going from grim to grimmer here...that is why I am practicing growing so much food. Not much one can do about the big picture...but at least I can grow enough food to feed my extended family. Growing food is like printing money - every bite you can grow is a bite you don't have to purchase...freeing up scarce cash to buy something you can't produce yourself.
The wooden shoes sound neat. I am sure the comfort level depends of the skill of the carver...everyone's feet are so different! We have a town in the southwest part of the state called Holland. Was settled by Dutch folk, and they kept hold of their heritage. Its a big tourist destination, they have the big windmills and billions of tulips and lots of wooden shoes - but I think those are more for decoration rather than wearing (hehe).
wanda