Wednesday, March 14, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Of a certain
AGE
Sue Stafford
Columnist
Let nature restore
your soul
Last weekend’s warmer
temperatures, blue skies, and
sunshine provided hope that
spring is, indeed, close at
hand. The remaining snow on
my north-facing deck, how-
ever, does provide the nec-
essary reminder that Mother
Nature is a fickle weather
provider.
The velvety pansies at
Bi-Mart last week, fresh from
the Willamette Valley green-
houses, did succeed in seduc-
ing me into a flower-hungry
purchase for the protected
pots on my front porch. A
visit to Eugene several weeks
ago, where jaunty yellow daf-
fodils were already welcom-
ing the valley spring, primed
my gardener’s pump.
This past Sunday my
writing kept me indoors. I
watched through the window
as sassy jays, fat thrushes, a
handsome flicker, and black-
hatted juncos were joined
by the quick brown squirrel
and his larger gray cousin,
in greedily devouring the
fresh birdseed I put out the
day before. Soon, nests will
be built, tender shoots will
emerge, and spring runoff will
cascade out of the mountains.
For me, there is noth-
ing more reassuring than the
arrival of a new spring with
all its promise of rebirth,
new life, and rejuvenation.
My step quickens, my senses
heighten, and as the hours
of daylight lengthen, I am
reinvigorated after winter’s
slumber.
These days, my plans for
gardening are greatly dimin-
ished from former 10-12
hour days of raking, digging,
dividing, transplanting, and
designing new flowerbeds.
My mind may experience
occasional flights of fancy
regarding long hours in the
yard, but my body quickly
reminds me to practice what
I used to teach – how to mod-
ify my gardening practices to
match my physical capabili-
ties and energy level.
Gardening at any age and
ability is possible. It just calls
for some adaptations. To help
hands bent or swollen with
arthritis, the handles of tools
can be enlarged and cush-
ioned with foam pipe insula-
tion available at any hardware
store.
Use a rolling tool stor-
age cart to move tools from
storage and around the yard.
Garden carts of many variet-
ies make transporting bags of
soil and fertilizer as well as
plants and pots much easier,
avoiding sore shoulders and
backs. When lifting, remem-
ber to use your legs and don’t
lift in a bent-over position
relying on your back.
Large pots can be moved
around patios and decks by
setting them on rolling cad-
dies with casters. The new
hoses made from lightweight
materials that extend and con-
tract eliminate the need for
dragging heavy hoses.
Incorporate raised
beds to reduce the
need for squat-
ting, kneeling,
and bend-
i n g o v e r.
Adaptations,
such as ver-
tical garden
walls, can
be made
to allow a
wheelchair or
walker to gain
close access to
plants. Hanging
pots on a pulley system pro-
vide ready access for plant-
ing, watering, deadheading,
and trimming.
Numerous studies have
proven the beneficial effects
of interacting with nature on
wellbeing, recuperation, and
rehabilitation. Ask anyone
who gardens and they will
expound on the joys of nur-
turing growth while ground-
ing themselves in the good
earth.
Remember to pace your-
self. Don’t let your ini-
tial exuberance cause you
to overdo, leading to stiff
muscles and possible injury.
Prior to engaging in physi-
cal gardening activity, an
over-the-counter anti-inflam-
matory can help head off
day-after discomfort. Warm
those muscles up with a few
19
simple stretches before you
begin.
Even if you are no longer
able to physically engage in
outdoor gardening activi-
ties, caring for small indoor
plants, enjoying a colorful or
fragrant bouquet, and watch-
ing nature through a window
or from a park bench helps
keep spirits up. A bird feeder
outside a window can provide
hours of entertainment much
more enriching than the lat-
est catastrophe being blasted
from the TV.
Getting outside, away
from devices and social
media, can do a world of good
to clear the mind, slow the
pace, and reconnect with the
natural world. The recupera-
tive powers of nature provide
an easy, inexpensive path to
wellbeing.
Taking time to
“smell the roses”
isn’t just a glib
clichéM It is a simple
reminder to unplug, breathe
deeply, and reconnect with
the true sourceM
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