Ouch! My knees hurt, my shoulders ache, and my back feels like someone smacked it with a bat! Some folks might say that gardening isn’t the smartest activity for a person with fibromyalgia!
I’m wondering how others handle health issues and gardening. Cut back? Quit altogether? If you are someone who loves gardens but have health issues or you know of someone…I’d love to hear from you!
I’m actually glad it’s damp and drizzly today. Otherwise, I’d feel like I should be out there in the yard, digging up and moving around another 300 pounds of soil, and planting the 50 daffodil and tulip bulbs I didn’t get into the ground yesterday!
And I have to admit my heart sank a little when Larry handed me a package he found in the basement—30 narcissus that still need to be planted. Erk!!
It’s days like today that I question my decision a month ago to plant a variety of bulbs in the front yard. Why did I decide that? Well, last spring and summer, as I was walking around town, I found myself enjoying immensely, the flowers in people’s front yards. I realized their flowers—just the beauty of them—were a blessing to me, and a reminder of God’s love for the people and for planet earth. That led me to another thought…
Was my front yard a blessing to others? I had to admit that although we have some healthy (though scraggly) shrubs and wonderful huge maples, there’s not much color to lighten people’s hearts as they pass by.
We have a lot of flowers in our backyard, especially our flower friends that faithfully return every year…the bleeding hearts, periwinkle, rhododendrons, mountain laurel, azaleas…and the annual friends that are nearly indestructible and shade-loving, like impatiens. But the front yard that others can see and perhaps be blessed by? Not much.
The thought (very idealistic, I admit) came to me that by planting bulbs that won’t require annual back-breaking work, I can respect my health and at the same time provide for passersby some beauty, joy, and a reminder of God’s love for people and the planet.
Well, I certainly hope it works. The last time I planted daffodils, several years ago, the squirrels must have been watching, because they feasted on nearly every one of them.
Annie (who is 80 years old and walks 5 miles a day) came by when I was planting, and suggested that a screen fastened down tight over the bulb flower beds might help with squirrels. And I think that’s what I will do.
Or better yet…maybe Larry will do it for me!
Carol
Feel free to email me your environmental tips and questions!
