Landscaping Au Naturel

The more I water, weed, prune, mow, and trim, the more I wish I lived in the mountains of New Mexico and Colorado. When visiting there, I am struck by the natural beauty of the landscape and the total lack of care homeowners seem to give to their landscape. It's as if the houses were carefully placed on the land without disturbing anything. If plants were added, they looked completely natural.

The soil surrounding these houses isn't suitable for growing a grass lawn, much less hedges and formal flower beds. The same lots in my area would have had half the trees removed, terraces built, soil added, and St. Augustine planted. And the result, while pretty and green, isn't nearly as attractive as that made by Mother Nature. The only exception, in my humble opinion, are houses built close to each other on flat grassland. Those seem pretty desolate.

When we lived in town, we lived in the land of immaculate lawns. Stepford lawns. We had a sprinkler system for our St. Augustine lawn, which I mowed and edged every Friday along with all my neighbors. Actually, I mowed and edged longer than all my neighbors because we were on the outside corner of a cul-de-sac. We had hedges which I clipped with my electric hedge clippers and then raked all the clippings. Oh yes, and all the lawn clippings were bagged and set out for trash pickup. I think there was one neighbor who didn't bag his clippings, and seldom edged the curb, and he was that neighbor. The malcontent bent on ruining our neighborhood. Secretly, I envied that neighbor.

He had a lot of oak and pine trees in his yard and it looked like a park to me. He had little clumps of flowers here and there, and tall grass along the edges. It looked like a yard to explore and then relax in one of the hammocks hung between trees. We didn't have any trees in our yard. There were two dying apple trees when we bought the house, but after they were removed, we had nothing but house to curb St. Augustine. We planted trees, but they were still small when we sold that house.

When we bought this house, I turned into that neighbor. I quit bagging the grass, I sold the electric hedge clippers in a yard sale, planted a lot of natives, then planted wild flowers in most of the backyard and quit mowing it until all the seed heads were dried. But I still spend a lot of time watering, weeding, pruning, mowing, and trimming.

The xeriscaping I've done is paying off in many ways though. I have blooms all over the yard today, in August, after a week of temps over 100, and after a month with very little rain. But I want more. I want the natural beauty of an untamed land. A wildscape.

But what makes those lots in New Mexico and Colorado look so great is that they look like New Mexico and Colorado. They wouldn't look quite so great on just my lot in Texas. I know what you're thinking - make my lot look like it did before it was cleared. So maybe you weren't thinking that, but I was. This evening I walked down the street to some land that has not been developed, mainly because it would take more than terracing to make it buildable. This land is so rough that it was never farmed either, although there is an old well surrounded by trees. If that part was ever cleared, nature has taken it back.

This is what our land looked like before development.

A little too wooded for me.

The white rocky area is a road. Trucks driving through there kept anything from growing back, and eventually rain washed out the thin layer of soil. We've got that same white rock under our yard too, some with just a few inches of topsoil over it, and some areas have a foot or more of clay soil. And no, I don't plan on digging out any of it.

So whatever I do, it won't look completely native to my area but it won't look like other xeriscaped yards in my area either. All the xeriscapes I have seen here have relied heavily on gravel or mass plantings of shrubs and wildflowers. The former has a barren look to me, and the latter is too chaotic for my OCD tendencies. I need to find a happy medium.

I began in July when we went to Missouri. Several years ago we were at a garden expo and there was a booth from Missouri Wildflowers Nursery and I noticed a lot of their plants were native Texas plants also, and very hard to find in Texas. So when we headed home after the 4th, we decided to take a detour so we could go there, and what a great nursery it is. The owner is so helpful and helped us find some of the plants on our wish list. We came home with about twenty plants. In July. I know, this is Texas where the slogan is "plant until June First and then try to keep it alive until October." What was I thinking? I was thinking get it now or maybe not ever! So I've been babying these plants and so far haven't lost one.

My next plan is to remove some flowers in my front flower bed that struggle with drought. They are native Texas plants, lanceleaf coreopsis, and fall obedient plant, but they just don't work in that dry location. I removed some salvia greggii and flame acanthus earlier this year, not because they struggled there, but because they got a lot bigger than I wanted. The plants that aren't struggling right now are dwarf Mexican petunia, mealy blue sage, Mexican poinsettia, and four nerve daisy.

It's a start.

A Few Things About Cardiac Catheterization I Learned This Week

My mother called last week to say that she had been having some odd back and elbow pains and decided to go to a cardiac doctor to have it checked out. They did a series of tests and the doctor said she had a blockage. He wanted to do a cardiac catheterization aka heart cath to clear it out, and said she would wear a nitro glycerin patch.

When she called to tell me about it, she said it wasn't going to be a big deal and wouldn't take more than a half hour. She didn't want me to drive up there just to drive her home from it, so she had arranged for my cousin to drive her there and back. I didn't really know what a heart cath was and asked some online nurse friends how serious it was and if I should go anyway - although I really didn't need to be away from home just then. They told me to go and I'm glad I did. What I realized after it was all over is that I also should have asked exactly what a heart cath is. Turns out, it wasn't just a procedure to clear the blockage.

It's possible the doctor explained it thoroughly to mom and she only heard "not a problem" and "will clear the blockage" which shows why it is important to have someone with you at the doctor's office, or at least have a tape recorder. It's hard to remember a lot of information, complicated information, especially when the news causes some anxiety.

What I have learned since then is that a heart catheterization, a tube inserted into a blood vessel in the arm or leg and pushed through to the heart, is generally used to show the exact location and amount of plaque in the blockage and to determine the type treatment needed. Most of the time, the cath tube is used again immediately afterward to perform an a balloon angioplasty or stent. If the doctor mentioned that part to mom, she didn't hear it. What she does remember him saying is that if a stent was needed, they would do it in a month because he wasn't licensed to perform stents and his partner, who was licensed, was out of town at the moment, but the stent wasn't necessary because her doctor was going to treat her blockage with a patch.

So bright and early Monday morning, or actually dark and early Monday morning, we drove to her local hospital where they prepped her and left her for a couple of hours before the procedure. When they finally took her in around 7:45, I left the hospital to grab some breakfast. Since she wasn't able to eat breakfast, I skipped it too, although I had taken my morning pills which were now beginning to feel like they were burning a hole in my stomach. Twenty minutes later I was headed back to the hospital when they called and said the doctor wanted to talk to me. Turns out, he found two small blockages, and had given mom the choice of doing the cath over again in a month to put in stents, or send her to Amarillo in an ambulance and do it that day.

By then she just wanted it over, and didn't want to make me come back in a month, so she decided to go to Amarillo. The doctor said they would do it as soon as she got there. Turns out, that part wasn't quite right. They managed to work her in at 7:30 that evening. In the meantime, she had to lay flat on her back, without moving the leg with the catheter in it, and without food or water. By 7:30, her back hurt, she was thirsty, and she was hungry. Another cousin, who lives in Amarillo, came to wait with me. The doctor had said it would take about an hour but it took two hours because one artery was twisted.

After she was back in her room in the CCU, she drank all the water she wanted and my cousin left to get her some scrambled eggs and a cola. With the kind of stent she had, she had to stay flat on her back for only three hours instead of six and then she could sit up. Unfortunately, the food and drink on top of the local anesthesia made her queasy and they wouldn't let her raise her head to throw up. So to add to her misery, her back hurt, she was queasy, and she had vomit down her neck and on the sheets. However, after she was finally allowed to sit up at 12:30 a.m., the nurse changed her clothes, sheets, and gave her a sponge bath.  And then we both finally got to sleep, or doze between nurse visits and beeping machines.

So here are your tips before you or your loved one has a heart cath:
1) Take someone with you to the office visit and write down everything
2) Ask what he will do during the heart cath
3) Ask what he will do if he finds a blockage, and if he doesn't plan on doing something then, find another doctor
4) Ask how long after the heart cath he will do the next procedure so you know how long you have to wait flat on your back
5) Drink sparingly after the procedure, especially if it has been a long time since your last drink, and save the caffeinated beverages for later
6) Eat sparingly also, something mild like a few crackers

But mainly, eat healthy now and avoid this procedure. That said, you want to know what mom wanted to eat immediately after we got back home? A milkshake and hamburger. Ay yi yi.

Ten Reasons Why The Dog Must Go

Today I'd like to welcome a guest blogger, Buddy The Cat. After reading my last few posts, he would like equal time to express his point of view.

In the last few days, I have been much maligned by the writer of this blog, and I just want to say that my actions and attitude are in the best interest of my family. And the best interest of my family is NOT to have a dog, not even temporarily. Why, you ask?

Number one: dogs are noisy. They bark all the time for no reason at all, and this one can't even tell the difference between a predator and a dishwasher door. (Yes, she was barking at the dishwasher today.)

Number two: dogs stink. Even when they bathe themselves, they still stink. In fact, it is my professional opinion that dogs smell worse after bathing themselves than they did before. The other day, mom and dad gave this usurper a bath in the yard. Afterward, the little mutt did smell a little better, and what did she do? She immediately started rolling on the ground and licking herself. And now she stinks again. Falling into the pond may have something to do with her current smell, and I want to say again that I am innocent. It is hardly my fault if she followed me to the one wobbly rock on the edge of the pond where I demonstrated my uncanny ability to bend over to the water without falling in. I think she would have drowned if mom hadn't reached in and pulled her out. (Note to self: try that again when no one is around.)

Number three: dogs are destructive. This little pest has only been here six days and she has already broken my food dish, and destroyed some of mom's flowers. Sure, I like to crawl into the tall flowers and be the invisible mighty hunter, but I don't trample EVERY single flower in EVERY single flower bed. Dogs have no sense of restraint.

Number four: dogs are too compliant. Their willingness to do anything a human asks does nothing to keep humans on their toes. A cat's recalcitrant attitude is not only accepted, but expected by humans. So much so that the occasional obedience is praised as something extraordinary and rewarded handsomely. In the last few days, I've kept up a low growl and avoided both dog and mom and dad. But when I've stopped growling long enough to rub their legs, I've gotten more cuddles than I have had in weeks.

Number five: dogs eat too much. Oh sure, I don't have to eat the dog food, but that is part of my plan to starve her out of here. I have eaten enough dog food in the last six days to feed a clowder of cats. The stuff tastes terrible too, but I'll suffer through for the good of my family.

Number six: dogs poop too much and they don't know how to use a litter box. Seriously, these beasts have no manners. They do their business wherever they happen to be the moment the urge strikes. It's slovenly behavior and causes more work for mom and dad. Plus, I have to watch where I step now. How uncouth.

Number seven: dogs are expensive. This puppy has only been here six days and already mom has spent over fifty dollars on food, toys, and vet bills. When I came here, it only cost.... ok, scratch that. She's not more expensive yet. But it could happen.

Number eight: dogs have no respect for personal space. That thing is always underfoot, always in front of the gate or door, and always in my face. I have done my best to try to teach her to keep her distance, both for my safety and for that of my family. And what do I get? Reprimands. It's frustrating to see how gullible my people have become. A cute little puppy licking their toes now is a full grown monster with paws on their shoulders and jaws around their necks in just a few months. I have to protect them. I alone have the razor sharp weapons and lightning fast speed to combat this evil.

Number nine: dogs can't purr. Everyone knows that purring is relaxing, both for the cat and the people - as long as they keep scratching my chin and ears. The best dogs can do is wag their tails. Yeah, like that's unique.

Last and most important, number ten: this is war. There may be a truce from time to time, but it is only for planning strategy. Every time I am crouched and ready to spring when she walks by, mom tells me to "be nice" and spoils my timing. There is no being nice in war. It's a fight to the finish and I refuse to give any more ground. That dog already has my food bowl (or had), my carrier (not that I want to be in it, I just don't want her in it), my favorite napping spots, my kitchen bed, and my people. I very carefully groomed these people; they're mine. There is only one acceptable outcome, so watch out dogface.

Sincerely, Buddy T. Cat

Puppy Needs a Name

I have to keep repeating that we are not keeping her, but she is really growing on me.

I took her to the vet's office and found that she doesn't have a microchip. I also called all the local animal shelters and SPCA and no one has her on their lost dog list. I put up flyers at several vet's offices and will take more Monday if we still have her. The vet's office gave me the name of a couple who have a dog rescue and training. I left my name but so far haven't heard back.

Buddy the cat did give Puppy her first lesson in personal space boundaries this morning. From the amount of blood accompanied by squealing and running off the deck, I thought Puppy must have quite a gash on her nose, but when it quit bleeding, I couldn't even see it. It wasn't anything that a scrambled egg didn't make better. Of course when I put the egg in the bowl, the cat ran over to eat it. He nibbled it, but not being a big fan of scrambled eggs, I think it was just to show dominance.

My neighbor had given me some dog food, but the Puppy wasn't really interested in it, so I bought a collar, a couple of toys, and some puppy food. But I completely forgot we were almost out of cat food. Poor cat.

I wanted the collar so I could take the puppy on a leash into the vet's office, but the puppy wanted no part of the leash. I ended up putting her in the carrier and just taking that into the office. When we got back home, all the puppy food I had poured in the bowl was gone. So I put more in and the cat rushed over to eat it. Aha. So that's what happened to the first bowl of food. The cat emptied the dog bowl three times today. At this rate, that is going to be a very fat cat.

After dinner, Hubby tossed a pizza crust on the deck. Both the cat and dog ran for it and each reached for an end. There was a standoff for a minute, until the cat decided it was something he didn't want, and the puppy ran off with it. I know, puppies shouldn't be eating pizza crust, but other than scrambled eggs, it's the only thing she has shown any real interest in eating.

I still can't figure out why anyone would dump this puppy.

Still No Calls for Puppy

She is getting used to us now and not as timid as she was yesterday. We were going to put her in the courtyard overnight to keep her safe from coyotes, but she started crying, then barking, and then howling, so we put her in a crate in the office. When I opened the crate gate to let her out, she backed up and wouldn't come out. I finally had to tilt the crate so she had no choice except to come out.

I couldn't leave Puppy out while I was gone (I was scribe to a judge at the quilt show), so I had to put her back in the crate. I hated to do it, but it was beginning to rain and we no longer have a dog house. I turned on the air conditioner and Hubby said she was fine when he got home. Very glad to get out of the crate though. He played with her awhile and then noticed Buddy watching intently from his window seat, so he decided it was about time to let them get acquainted. He thought the puppy would run over to the cat to play and immediately get a kitty slap. But apparently the puppy has been around cats before and she kept her distance. Buddy didn't attack the puppy either, which is kind of odd because he usually goes after dogs in our backyard. So maybe there is hope that we don't have to have one of them cooped up at all times. Of course Buddy pretended to ignore the dog and went over to eat her dog food and drink her water.

Don't get me wrong, we're not keeping this dog even if no one claims her. The breed is too high energy for us, plus she is either trying to herd me or trip me, I'm not sure which. But it's hard to walk across the backyard with her darting in front of me.

I am going to contact some catahoula rescue groups tomorrow. It would be nice if someone had a yard where she could be safe so she wouldn't have to spend time in a crate.