For the last two months I have been making everyone nuts with my 'Spring Fever'. I've looked out the windows longingly, every weekend, while I compose the post of the week. There have been mounds of snow, blizzards, freezing sunny days and icy rains - and yet nothing has dimmed my enthusiasm. The design planning, the wishlists, the researching - it's all gone really well. All those activities require mental exercise.... but
not physical exertion. There in lies the problem.....
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Let me sleep!!
(Clip Art from Microsoft) |
Now I'm not saying that I need to train for a marathon - though some of our garden blog friends do. Yesterday I had a BIG reality check after some light furniture moving & home sprucing for a friend. I'm not as young or as strong as I used to be! Not an easy thing to admit!
Now don't expect me to do "power stairs"....
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NO way ... that's not going to be me!
(Clip Art from Microsoft) |
I do need to get into better shape if I have any chance of getting my 'action item list' complete this season! Aching backs and sore muscles are not going to cut it! In the meantime, I have enjoyed the new growth on our interior plants.
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| The Hibiscus, Meyer Lemon and Oxalis are sending up new growth |
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The Fuchsia opened a second bloom.
What a treat in early March! |
Since I've had 'gardening on the brain' - I took a stroll through the yard today, to get an early glimpse of what might be coming up. The inclement weather took a break today, the snow flurries melted, the icy rain had dried up (mostly) and the sun was out.
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| Growing - 03/06/11 |
My biggest thrill was seeing the
PJM Rhododendron - not only growing (a miracle for me - this is my 3rd try), but with flower buds evident! As you see, it takes center stage on my collage. I just can't wait for the iridescent purple flower clusters to bloom!
Also up and breaking through last season's leaves and debris - from top right clockwise: Common Orange
Tiger Lilies, Black-eyed Susan (
Rudbeckia Hybrid - Pot of Gold),
Sedum (album chloroticum 'Baby Tears),
Asiatic Lily (Lilium Hybrid - 'Crimson Pixie'),
Paprika Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium), and Bugleweed 'Black Scallop" (
Ajuga reptans).
So I better get going - putting together my 30-day 'warm up for Spring' routine together. Otherwise I'll be crying the blues again, with
some garden injury that could have been avoided (maybe)!?! In the meantime, back to the books!! (I re-discovered this great book in my garden library this weekend -- "
Creating Beds and Borders" by
fine Gardening.)
Happy Gardening (and garden planning) this week!!!
Spring fever and spring warm-ups are unfounded where I live. I try to imagine and comprehend. Does hay fever follow spring fever? :)
ReplyDeleteI love your Fuchsia. Beautiful colors.
It is so nice to see those first shoots. So much hope and promise. We just had a big snow storm yesterday and today, so my garden is still under the white. You clip art always gives me a smile.
ReplyDeleteOne - love your comment about 'hay fever'! (and yes, it does!); the Fuchsia is a surprise & delight. It's been interesting to see it bloom close up - since it sits on our fireplace hearth.
ReplyDeleteGWGT - I know our snow isn't over yet, but I'm hopeful! (the Midwest hasn't been hammered nearly as badly as the NE -- hope your snow melt comes quickly & gently.) [I'm a guppy for cute & clever pictures from clip art!] ;D
Ever try yoga? That will get you in shape for all of your gardening chores :-) Easy does it :-) I know it's hard!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you had a nice day, and you got some great shots for your collage. I love it! The weather here has been cold and rainy most of the day. I'm afraid all my pretty daffodils are mush after several heavy rainfalls. I was able to get out and do some garden chores some days ago, and my muscles are still sore!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on that PJM and all the other signs of life in your garden! I know what you mean about getting in shape for gardening - I notice every winter the loss in strength. I look forward to seeing the ground again here in CT after allthe rain!
ReplyDeleteIt does take some muscle to garden. And it's amazing how sore you (I) can get if I haven't been exercising through the winter. And my family laughs at me when I say I count gardening as my exercise!
ReplyDeleteyeah for the Rhoddies... mine suffer a great deal after two summers of dought like conditions. The bloom buds are there but I lost whole sections of the shrub. Those brown bits make me sad. I will give them one more summer and if they cannot rally, I suppose I will have to try something else.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, I can relate to a bit of a backache! Dragging all the potted plants out of my makeshift green house last weekend. My husband asked if I used the dolly...of course, not...too impatient to go get it...idiot that I am sometimes! Lovely and wonderful to hear your enthusiasm about the pops of life in your garden!
ReplyDeleteGardening is definitely exercise! Anybody that says different - doesn't garden ('nuff said)!! I'm sorry - but I love that I have kindred garden spirits out there that are a bit sore from doing what they love.
ReplyDeleteBTW - there are a "crop" of dandelions lovin' life in my gardens right now! Time to put the clod-hoppers on and pull weeds while they are still small & the ground's soft. (Not the 'glamorous' gardening I was looking for?!!)
Spring chores come on with little time for warming up the muscles. Just do some deep knee bends and weed pulling stretches and you will be ready. Excuse me while I go get some Advil.
ReplyDeleteOnly the lady of the manor, who says, put that plant there - can say gardening is not exercise. The four legged grey water system here works hard! And there is a seriously frightening amount of didn't-make-it-thru-the-summer pruning to do.
ReplyDeleteTufa Girl - 'deep knee bends & weed pulling stretches', got it; share that Advil please!
ReplyDeleteEE - pruning is not for the faint of heart! You and the Ungardener have a lot to contend with. I was looking at your post on your pond progress - I nearly fainted dead away. (I'm am not going to complain about 'a lot of work in my garden ever again!)
I look out onto the back yard and think "it doesn't look too muddy. The whole yard isn't under water." Pat brings me back to reality and reminds me i do this every march. I need to wait. jim
ReplyDeleteFinding buds and sprouts is so exciting this time of year. I've finally stopped digging up 'dead' plants to see if there is life underneath.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog.
I hurt my back last year so I definitely know what you are talking about. Take it slow to begin with and stop BEFORE it Hurts!
ReplyDeleteHi Shyrlene, so wonderful to see new shoots coming up in your garden. Your "30 day prep" plan sounds a little scary, but I'm sure you will feel the benefit - by not feeling those aches! Little and often is my approach, the little gradually becomes more and more as the days go by, though whether I will be ready for true Spring is anybody's guess. The list is looooong...
ReplyDeleteShyrlene, I restarted my strength training regimen last week -- maybe in preparation for hauling around tons of manure and compost as I dig my new flower bed this summer. I think there's an untapped market here; some fitness guru type could do a workout video on getting in shape for gardening (or a Wii Fit routine that involves gentle gardening tasks and then gradually moves you up to more strenuous activity)! :-) -Jean
ReplyDeleteJim - I think anticipation gets worse, the longer you garden?! Especially when the Winter felt like 9 months long!!!!
ReplyDeleteNellJean - so glad you stopped by! I love your comment about checking on 'dead' plants - I was panicky when I started my walk-about. Then had a moment of reason - long way to go to the last freeze of the season.
Rosey - pain is the fastest reality check ever; so much for the superhero title I thought I had in the bag. o_O
Plantaliscious - I'm almost a week into the '30 day plan' ... and not ONE yoga stretch or bicep curl! (denial or deluded? not sure!)
Jean - I think you have something there "Wii Fit for Gardeners"! Would the music be Zen or Zumba? ;D
Hi Shyrlene, we still have snow and ice, but I took Ted around the yard and suggested a spot where we need a bit of fence and he agreed and will be getting the materials. So, in a way that's gardening :) I just posted an Award for you on my blog -
ReplyDeleteHiya Shyrlene, don't forget to do some push-ups for me too (aren't you glad I'm back? :D )!
ReplyDeleteSpringtime for me means falling over backwards after tugging on a length of couch grass that turns out to be a 30 metre runner. Not quite sure how to tone up for that one!