Blooms for the Blues

Post-vacation blues, the August heat, and a gimpy arm (yes, again!) have had me a little down in the dumps lately, so I thought a look back through some garden pictures might cheer me up a little.  Here are a few pictures before the repeated triple digits took their toll on the plants...and me.

Now that's a cheerful sight for sad eyes and a sore arm :-)  

The Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm' has taken center stage in my garden this summer.   Last year they suffered so with the drought, but this year they have done much better.

Other perennials near the front walk are Summer Phlox, 'Henry' and 'Augusta Duelberg' Salvia, 'King Humbert' Canna, and 'Karley Rose' Fountain Grass.

The Rudbeckia-Phlox-Canna combination is at work in the backyard, too,

And more Rudbeckia blooming on the other side of the backyard with Salvia guaranitica 'Black & Blue' and 'Bengal Tiger' Canna behind

In the front perennial bed, here is the Rudbeckia again, paired this time with 'May Night' Salvia and annual 'Profusion' Zinnias.

Now here are some blues to take away the blues.

New on the summer scene is Clematis 'Jackmanii'.   I am growing this vine on an obelisk surrounded by daylilies that were given to me by a friend.    The daylilies are all in varying peach and yellow tones, and they bloomed in May and June.  

This last one is called 'Parade of Peacocks.'

Some great replenishing rains have come to my summer-weary garden this week, so hopefully it will start perking up again.    

And hopefully I will, too.

Toni :-)

Lessons Learned by a Not-As-Gimpy Gardener

I'm two weeks post arm surgery now.  

The stitches have been removed! 

  

I am not 100% just yet, 

but complete recovery is within reach :-)  

And you know what that means...

diggin' in the dirt! 

I have been studying the book of Isaiah this year, and in Isaiah 38:16-17, Hezekiah writes:

"You restored me to health and let me live. 

Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish."

I thought I'd reflect back on some the benefits I have received and the lessons I've learned through my little gimpy gardening glitch.

*  *  * 

We take so much for granted.  

Ever complained about pulling weeds?   When even the slightest tug on a weed brings pain in your arm and you are forced to stop, suddenly you'd give anything just to be able to have the use of your arm again so you could pull those weeds.  The next time you can pull weeds (or do anything) with both arms, give thanks.  Count your many blessings.

When our life gets out of balance, God will correct that imbalance. 

  

In a 24-hour day we've got 8 hours for sleeping, 8 hours for working, and 8 hours for enjoyment.   When one area of our life gets out of balance, another area will suffer.  If we sleep too much, we won't get anything done.  If we play too much, we can't pay our bills.   If we work too much -- well, you know what they say about being all work and no play.    Sometimes we suffer emotionally with stress; sometimes we suffer the consequences physically.   Take some time and evaluate how you can bring balance back into your life.

The power of prayer is amazing!  

To know that others are lifting you up in prayer is so encouraging, and brings peace even in the midst of difficult circumstances.  And to pray for others reminds us that it's not all about us!

Trials can bring unexpected blessings.   

When I could no longer do physical work, I started my garden blog, and a whole new gardening world opened up to me on Blotanical.   I also met many new people at my church when I was forced to ask for help in the landscape ministry.    So many were willing to help; all I had to do was ask.  And I have found a wonderful crew to work with in doing the spring maintenance pruning for my clients -- and they have power tools!  

 My garden does not need me; I need it. 

I love perennials even more.  When I was not able to tend to my garden, it just kept on blooming and growing and bringing color and joy into my life. 

Oh, Lord, it's hard to be humble.   

I think the Number One thing I learned is that it is okay to ask for help.  I have never wanted to ask for help because I always thought I wasn't a "real gardener" if I didn't do it all by myself.   I took great pride in my accomplishments.   I didn't trust anyone else to do it right, and I didn't want to give up control.

One day when I was visiting some other blogs, 

I came across these wise words from Carol at May Dreams Gardens
in this post...

Achieving Happiness in Your Garden:  The Ninth Secret

Carol wrote:  "Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness and it doesn’t mean you give up control of your garden.  Asking for help is a sign that you understand that your garden shouldn’t be limited by your personal strength, your ability to do design, your knowledge of plants or your understanding of plant care."

Proverbs 11:2

"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, 

but with humility comes wisdom."

I hope I'm at least a little more humble today...and a whole lot wiser.

You might also enjoy this post about lessons we can learn from our gardens.

Take heed and take care, gardeners...
Keep learning and growing

Toni :-)

P.S.  All of the pictures in this post are from the beautiful bouquets
I received after my surgery.

An Ode to The Gimpy Gardener

I thought I'd write a poem

to bring you up to date

Seems for my arm to heal

I will just have to wait

Just rest and relaxation

is what this will demand

No diggin' in the dirt for now

is more than I can stand

They say that my computing

is causing me some harm

Before I give that up just yet,

I'll type with my left arm!

I thought two months of therapy

would make my arm just fine

But now the doc says longer,

as much as six to nine!

So my garden is in limbo

with projects left undone

No working on the pathway

that I had just begun

Yet all is not lost
as faithful perennials still bloom
They bring cheer to my heart
and dispell all the gloom

As for this autumn season

I'll have to sit this out

and try to keep my chin up

instead of sulk and pout

I've many other blessings

that I am grateful for

I'll thank the Lord and wait to see

just what He has in store

In case you're just tuning in to my arm saga, you can get the scoop on my previous Gimpy Gardener post.

"I waited patiently for the Lord;
He turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
He set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the Lord.
Blessed is the man
who makes the Lord his trust."
Psalm 40:1-4

Until next time, take care of yourself while working in your garden so you, too, do not end up lamenting a gimpy limb.

Toni :-)

The Gimpy Gardener

This is my right arm.

This is my right arm on drugs --
              anti-inflammatories, that is.

My name is Toni, and I am addicted to diggin' in the dirt.   And now I have a new medical term to add to my vocabulary.  Radial tunnel syndrome.


I hold in my splint-adorned right hand the humble No.2 pencil.   This pencil represents the amount of weight that I am allowed to lift with my right arm for the next two months.  Ne'er a trowel, a shovel, or my favorite 3-pronged digger shall grace my fingertips for 60 days.

How can you get this lovely fashion statement with weight restrictions included, you ask?    Well, you can start by pruning half of Tarrant County, then you can install 600 feet of green metal edging, then apply multiple yards of compost and about 150 bags of mulch, remove half of the remaining grass in your backyard with a pickaxe, and then put down 2 cubic yards of decomposed granite.  Did I mention the pallet of flagstone?    Oh, and when you're not busy doing that, go lift some weights for fun.   I'm sure I left out a few things, but you get the picture.

I am in the process of undergoing therapy for the next two months, as well....er, occupational  therapy, that is.  My husband keeps saying, "Make sure you tell people you're going through occupational therapy, not just therapy, so they don't think you're, you know, crazy or something."   I don't know, after two months of not being able to dig in the dirt, I might just need a little of the other kind of therapy!

My therapist tells me that I need to learn to PACE myself...a concept that, to date, seems unfamiliar to me.  He also said that there can be no more "landscaping marathons."   It would be best if I can limit my work to 2 hours at a time.    2 hours?!!!   I'm just getting warmed up in 2 hours.   He also said I need to "throw my hand tools away."    Surely he can't mean my Felco #6 pruners or the aforementioned 3-pronged digger.   Are you kidding me??!!  He is not kidding.   He advises me that I need to learn to use different tools to accomplish my gardening tasks, tools that engage large muscle groups, instead of the little ol' supinator (forearm) muscle.   Who knew?!

I am about 2 weeks into my 8-week journey to splint freedom.  There is no dirt under my fingernails :-(

I guess God will slow us down when we won't do it for ourselves.  So I am taking this time to rest, to read, and to listen to wise counsel -- oh, and blogging, too!   Hopefully soon I will be back to diggin' in the dirt (albeit slower diggin', but diggin' just the same).

So take it from me, learn to stop and enjoy the fruits of your labors a little bit more than just laboring.  

Take care and happy gardening.   Get some dirt under your nails for me, will you?

Toni :-)