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Having lived and tried to garden in the PNW for over 3 years now I have decided to give myself the title Slug Slayer........ For obviouse reasons! Though I have to admit snails vrs slugs snails will eat way more per individuel but the slugs out number the snails so do more damage in the garden.
I moved to this area the Summer of 2000 when I got married. Bellingham, Washington. The not as soggy (as compared to the Olimpic peninsula) part of the Pacific North West. I am 42 my husband is 47. I am from the East/dry side of the Cascade Mountians origanely :-) Now I live on the West/Wet side of the mountians.

I was going to deleat the fallowing paragraphs because they arent very cheerfull but they are true so Im leaving them just prefixing them with this. Gardening whether outside in a garden in containers on my deck or house plants indoors keeps me sane and able to remain possative no matter how much life gets me down sometimes. :-)

The fallowing paragraphes arent a self pitty poor me story... They are to help remind me and explain to others why I dont get trades out fast (Ive got almost all my "old trades" off finely so may start trading once or twice every couple of months...).

I now know why it has taken me so long to try to recover from my back injury. Post Polio Sequelia (spelling?) Yah I know Im to young to have had Polio by commen knowledge but I had it anyway when I was 15 months old. Wierd, but I never read what Polio realy was, I always just knew it had paralized me from the waist down for 2 weeks. Now that Ive read what Polio realy is and what it did to me its realy scary. The Drs said Id never walk but I fooled them. Aside from a smaller much weaker left leg and a slight limp youd never have guessed I ever had Polio. Now the limp is slowey becomeing more pronounced and from all Ive been reading if I dont figure out how much exercise will keep me in shape with out destroying more motor neurons I could end up paralized again.

I guess all those ferns I dug and mailed to people, while it made me feel good, if tired and sore at the time, only built temporary muscles but was actualy doing me harm in the long run by over working and burning out my already depleated (from the initial Polio) muscle motor neurons. Im trying to adjust to "rationing" my energy for each day. Its a lot more complicated but the low down is my garden is suffering for it, I dont even want to look at the mess my house is in. Thats why probaly only one plant trade gathering each spring and each fall and then only if they are close enough to me. At this time I have barely enough energy to take care of my basic neads and try to keep my small garden watered and somewhat weeded. :-p If I get the pacing myself thing down I should (I hope) be able to take care of myself and the garden.

One of the things stressed to help me deal with the whole Post Polio thing is to avoid stress.. ya right. After I finely get bills caught up, figure out how to get/pay for the physicle therapy I need if I dont want to be in a wheal chair with in the next couple of years THEN maybe I can be, if not stress free at least, down to a "normal" amount of dayly stress. :-P Take care every one and if you have good health dont take it for granted rejoyce in it!!!

My favorite forum 1 is Hybridizing.

My favorite forum 2 is Pacific Northwest Garden Exchange.

First registered on July 22,2001.