Planted my Garden today!

[Jill Marie]

I know that planting a garden isn't an AN issue but then again it is.  Since February my Husband and I have been redoing the inside of our home, this year's Winter project.  New paint, carpet & furniture, we did all the work ourselves and bought most of the furniture from Craigs list, nice gently used items.  We couldn't wait for Spring but between the long Winter and the never ending project the garden didn't get planted tell now.  Oh, how I enjoyed it!  I love the fresh picked corn and the baby carrots, so I was anxious to get the garden going.  Then this Fall I will carve Jack-O-Lanterns out of our pumpkins with my youngest, we haven't done that since he joined the Army 7 years ago.  It was a nice 80 degrees as I was planning, digging and planting so my nose was running, my eye that doesn't water had ointment all over my eye and face so I was constantly using kleenex but I didn't care I was doing what I love!  I know that we sometimes get caught up in the things we can't do or can't do like we use to because of the AN, I just wanted to remind myself and everyone on this board that there are so many things we can do, some that we think we can't but will do because we really want to!  Jill

[Debbi]

Since my surgery was last spring, I really didn't plant much of anything last year, but this year, I made up for it!  I laughed when I read about your nose running and your gooey eye - you could have been describing me when I was in the throes of planting a few weeks ago.  Willie (my hubby) said I even had dirt in my teeth!  However, I have already harvested a bit of lettuce and can tell you that nothing tastes better!
Good luck with the garden, enjoy every minute of it!

Debbi

[Kathy M]

Thanks for sharing your story!  I can't wait to plant my flower garden this weekend.  My neurotologist said that gardening is the best vestibular rehab out there, and I really need some balance improvement.  Through all that is involved with the AN merry-go-round, we can't' lose sight of the things that give us joy in life.

Take care!

Kathy

[Jim Scott]

Thanks, Jill for that poignant reminder about the joys of life, even post-AN surgery, and for sharing your pleasure with us.  Much appreciated - even if I do have a 'black thumb'! 

Jim

[Jill Marie]

Debbi, I can still vividly remember the year I had  my surgery (92) and was so sad that I couldn't plant a garden for the first time.  I broke my leg in May, had my surgery in June so there wasn't even a glimmer of hope for a garden.  I would sit by the window and long for the ability to just go out and touch the beautiful green grass.  So, planting a garden means a lot to me, the gooey eye with the box of kleenex will slow me down but it won't stop me! 

Kathy, did you get your flowers planted?  Do you have a few favorites?  My husband does the flowers while I do the veggies.  The peonies bloomed this weekend for Memorial Day so my husband picked one and put it in a special vase for my Mom, she loved them.  The Peony plant is from my parents flower garden. 

Jim, I'm sure your black thumb is a result of being good at something else, we are all good at something while terrible at others.  I for one find growing veggies is a breeze but flowers wilt when I look at them.  My oldest can make anything work despite it being declared dead.

I was so surprised today when I saw that the corn & cucumbers had already sprouted, it usually takes a couple of weeks for them to germinate.  Of course, I usually plant my garden when the weather is a lot cooler, I'm sure that made a difference.   Will have to wait and see how things go, perhaps I won't plant some things so early anymore.

Best go now, the Memorial Weekend is over so it's time to go to bed then back to work.  Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.  Jill

[stoneaxe]

Nothing quite like planting the garden to make it feel like spring is finally here and summer on its way. We planted ours this weekend as well. I love getting down and sticking my hands in the dirt. I think we overdid the tomatoes...as usual...18 plants, 3 varieties, lots of salsa and sauce this winter.

Please thank your son for his service for us.

[Jill Marie]

I told my son you said thanks for serving,  he always says he doesn't need to be thanked but I can tell by the look in his eyes that he really appreciates hearing it.  He did 2 tours of Iraq and 1 of Afghanistan so we are very happy and LUCKY to have him home.  He may come stay with you this fall as he loves Salsa, in fact I just bought him to large containers of it because he eats a bowl of it a day with tostitos chips.  Gotta go, make that get to go do a bit of weeding and thinning in the garden. Jill