Oscar died the day after I posted that he finally ate something. We took him back to vet because he didnâÂÂt seem to be doing well, the vet said he was fine and he died that night. I raised Tilapia at a farm out here running irrigation water thru raceways before discharging it out to irrigation ditches for cotton fields. Herons are a protected bird and they know it. I use to fire a shot gun to scare them and all they did was jump and move over 10âÂÂ. One day I threw a rock at one meaning to scare it and hit him, He wobble then fell down and IâÂÂm thinking IâÂÂm going to jail, then he got up and screamed at me. After that day he gave me a wide berth but didnâÂÂt leave. One morning I found 57 tilapia just lying in the dirt with a nickel size hole in their back. A heron was just stabbing them and throwing them on the bank for fun. I had 70,000 fish and there was one albino in the bunch. I always use to look for him and one day he was gone, the heron or some other critter got him. Raising tilapia was going to be my ultimate hippy job. Kick back, sit in the shade, grill some burgers, pop a cold beer and throw food in the water, nothing to it. Wrong again, it was 7 days a week for months. I still list to the left from carrying 50# feed bags over my shoulder. Every timed it stormed I had to get out of bed and make sure the pumps were still running and the ditches werenâÂÂt clogged with tumbleweeds. You can not believe how many eyes are staring at you in the headlight beams at night at a fish farm in the desert. I ainâÂÂt ever gonna do that again. And now I better get going, itâÂÂs almost 6am and IâÂÂm late feeding my 4 legged critters.

The spring fling is in the morning, I'm excited. I know I'm new to the forum and to starting my own gardens but I'm still excited about the gathering and getting to meet so many new people. I haven't really introduced myself, so I'll give a small bio. My name is Rachel,I'm 23 years old and I live NE OK, near Tulsa. I'm originally from CA but my father was in the army when I was younger, and well...this is where we ended up. I've been with the same wonderful man for the last five years and we plan to get married. We bought a house, a fixer upper, this past fall and the front and back yards are in desperate need of plants, lol. I grew up with a wonderful mother, who loves plants and gardening, so Im really excited about fixing up my yards. Also, I work at a Lowes, in the outside lawn and garden, so I spend just about everyday taking care of plants and helping people select the right plants. I was going to bring a painting and a stuffed owl for door prizes, but my friend really wanted the painting so I'll try to find something else. Also, I found the seeds that I collected from my mothers garden, from this past fall. I'll bring them incase someone wants some. That way I'll have something to trade, and won't feel like such a mooch if someone gives me something. : ) I hope everyone sleeps good tonight and I can't wait to meet all of you. -Rachel

Thank you for the concern and advice. Unfortunately in his case, a wheelchair is deemed by Medicare to be a "luxury". They have rules. Medicare only covers a wheelchair if it is absolutely necessary for mobility in the home, not for mobility outside the home. So if he can "get around" the house, even in pain, and falls down all the time, he does not qualify for a wheel chair. With his physical problems he needs a wheeled walker to be able to get around the house and has one. He also has severe Alzheimers, so he never recognizes it, and forgets how to use it or to use the brakes. Every day is a repeat lesson on it's use. Due to his Alzheimers he cannot be left alone - ever, so one has to either pack him up and bring him along, or get a sitter to stay with him. It would be so much easier to plop him in a wheelchair to take him along and to use it to take him for his doctor visits. Right now it takes a half an hour to get him out of the house and coax him to shuffle down the broken sidewalk to the garage. It would be sooooo much easier to just rumble him down the sidewalk in a wheelchair. He has fallen down in the past and with a wheelchair he would be safer. I've already done research, phones calls and talked to an advocate at the senior center in town to see what can be done, and no help is forthcoming. It's just easier to find a wheelchair on CL and have the problem solved. No paperwork to deal with either. Maybe tomorrow will be my lucky Craiglist find day...... Craigslist rocks!

plants & peeps continued Blooms of alien, Ceropegia (Hoovb also showed a pic of this) Cool! Last of this batch/installment of plant pix (more when I'm able) Jeff & Mark Bill Bella & Joe Jordi, Bob, Regina, Chris Now, we got pix of Hoovb with hands in front of her face, plant box in front of face, with hubby, laughing, with & without glasses...but she will remain a mystery! LOL :D Was great to MEET everyone & see old friends as well!