FamilyInShape

It’s time to get back to the garden

Photo: Corn in its infancy by Spin Diva

Not long ago I told everyone about my plans to grow something in my garden, something we could enjoy eating.  Once I put it into writing for the world to see I realized that I am accountable to you, my readers and my family.  I have a feeling they're faith in my gardening skills has begun to fade and I can't say that I blame them.  I hope to change that this season. 

Today could not have been a better day for me to get back to the garden.  I strapped my little man (now 18 months, wow time goes by so fast **sigh**) into his car seat in the truck and off we went to pick up everything we need to get started.  Two hours into our shopping spree we emerged from the store where a 70 (ish) year old garden attendant told me not to worry and to bring my truck around, "Ah be rah back git that 'ole mulch 'n dirt in that ole truck-a-yars." Huh? Um, OK?  As I walked away I whispered to my little man "Did you understand what he said?" To which he replied "ook, more, acker, peeese, no, no, no." OK, that's what I though. 

I backed up to the mulch 'n dirt and there he was waiting to load up my truck.  I gave him the receipt and waited patiently by the driver side door.  He went to work load'n that ol' truck-o-mine.  The first bag went well, the second proved to be a bit of a challenge and I began to feel very guilty.  We moved on to some other, much bigger dirt bags..um, Garden Soil that is.  Needless to say, he was really having a hard time with this one.  So I offered to help.  He insisted he just needed to get a better grip and I said, "You're probably right, but if we work together we could get done much faster, this way you can get out of the sun and I can get my baby home for his nap **smile..big smile**"  You know, the way you talk to the kids when you want them to share with other kids whose parents are just standing there watching..it's like an extra nice way to say "play nice" while giving the hint of "you're kid needs an attitude adjustment!" Anyway, he agreed—thankfully!  After the last bag was loaded he said, "I am neva…eva..doin' this ageein; I'm supposed to be a greeter not dog gone loader…" he walked away grumbling "I wanna know who's bright idear it was to put me in gardnin'..you have a nice day mam!" I'm just glad I won't be on the receiving end of his argument, he was not a happy camper but he was very helpful.

Anyway, I digressed, now back to my garden.  This is when the fun begins for me.  The weeds are still pretty much gone since the last time I cleaned up and there were quite a few Tiger Lilies and other pretty flowers growing.  Hey don't expect me to know the names too, I just plant what looks nice then I watch them grow.  Hopefully they grow AND multiply. 

So the garden workout for today went something like this:

1. Carried the dirt bags garden soil from the truck to the back of the house.  Chased the little man back into the yard between loads (what is so attractive about the street…I just don't get it).  Upper body, biceps, triceps, chest and back; and of course, legs.
2. Used a hand garden aerator or garden claw.  This thing has 5 prongs at one end and a nice long handle shaped like a T at the other.  It works great to aerate and loosen up the soil as well as loosen up unwanted weeds.  (Yes, it is not mechanical, you must use your own power to work this tool.) The twisting motion gave my obliques a nice workout, my abs were contracted the entire time I was tilling (I made a conscious effort to do this).  My medial and anterior shoulders were parallel to the floor and there was quite a bit of pulling, twisting, and digging going on.  Overall a great upper body and abdominal workout.
3. Shoveled garden soil into the prepped areas and mixed it in with the garden claw.  Shoulders, back, legs, and arms.
4. Squatted down to dirt level to begin planting the seeds, (Corn, watermelon, beans, carrots, spinach, squash, and tomato plants—I'm not good with seedlings).  It's all in your lower body now: Glutes, hamstrings, and quads.
5. Watered my newly planted seeds, tomato plants, corn, grapes and the pretty flowers too!—Satisfaction, sense of accomplishment!
6. Watered the baby. He needed a bath!—Laughter and fun!

During our time outdoors, my little man played in the dirt or should I say he bathed in it!  He also sat in the swing and sang Itsy Bitsy Spider.  He climbed his Little Tykes fort and slide toy where I couldn't resist but mist him with the hose.  We had a blast; we got a good workout, drank lots of water and used sun protection.  He took a nap and I enjoyed some much needed quiet time alone before the older kids got home from school. 

Now I will have to remember to water my garden, watch out for critters, pick out the weeds and hopefully in the next 50-68 days I will be enjoying the fruits (and veggies) of my labor.

Live Life! Stay Well!

Spin Diva

Gardening: one with nature

Today I was in my element; I was one with nature right in my backyard.  I know that for many living in colder climates, gardening is probably the last thing they are thinking about.  But for those whose weather patterns are beginning to look and feel more like spring, this is the perfect opportunity to get outside, play in the dirt, rake some left over leaves, and get your little patch of heaven ready for flowers, fruits, vegetables or whatever you want to see growing this Summer.

Our current home has a large garden area set up for growing things.  It even has an arbor with a grapevine wrapped around it.  This is a little tricky because, so far, we have only enjoyed the grapes if we get to them before the birds.  It has been suggested by knowledgeable people that we build some sort of cage bigger than the arbor to protect the fruits.  I have also heard that wrapping the individual bunches with small paper bags until they mature is a good idea.  Hmmmm…we’ll see if this is a better alternative for me.  Maybe we can share the vine, I’ll protect a few bunches and they can have the rest.

Admittedly, I do not have a green thumb.  I’d like to think my thumb is a little on the green side, so each year I try growing different things and each year I get a little bit in return.  This year I would like to see a bigger return on my invested hard work. In addition to the perennials, we plan to grow sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers, green beans, herbs and of course, bird food, I mean, grapes, all of which I will be in charge of weeding, watering and nurturing.  Wish me luck!

One of the reasons my gardening plans fail is because I can’t seem to dedicate the time and energy to weed, water and maintain on a daily basis.  My children and Mr. Toolman really love the fresh food and flowers, after all, it’s free of charge and there was no work involved on their part.  They are not inclined to weed or water the garden, at least not without some form of encouragement on my part.  So it’s up to me to see that we or I grow something this year. 

I know how to get around in the garden, but when I feel I've lost my way, I call my mother-in-law.  She has the greenest thumb on earth.   She grows plants I’ve never seen or heard of before; she even knows the common and scientific names to all of them.  Her knowledge of plants comes in really handy when I need to know if I’m nurturing a weed or a fruitful plant.  Imagine how embarrassing it is to think you’ve done so well with this beautiful, tall, very green plant only find out it’s a weed and it’s killing everything around it.  Oh what my plants would say if they could speak.   But seriously, I am getting better and I have goals this year, which I plan to reach, somehow.

My journey to a better, more productive garden has begun and the plan is to look at gardening in a different light.  This could be a chore, a job, or an enriching experience.  I will choose the latter:

#1:  Gardening = physical fitness:  Hauling dirt, mowing, clipping, pulling weeds, and digging works every major muscle in my body and increases my heart rate at different intervals, so it’s like an aerobic interval workout, except it’s free and close to home.

#2:  Gardening = less stress or “Me” time:  While working in the garden I am free of the noise and distraction  generally audible in every room in my house.  The computer, TV, video games and phone can get in the way of me ever completing a thought.  Out here I have time to think, organize my week, and workout any challenges I may have clogging up my mind.  It is time well spent with all that nature has to offer.

#3:  Gardening = fun for the kids:  The younger kids, ages 5.8 and 16 months, really enjoy being outdoors, playing with dirt, pulling weeds and other things that wiggle out of the ground. 

Just check out this little story: 

Daughter: “Hey mom, look what I found, it’s a worm!”

Mom:YIKES!  “That’s great honey, can we put him back in the garden so he can be with his family?” 

Daughter: “Oh it’s not a boy, it’s a girl and her name is Wormy.”   *Yeah, she connects easily with nature; I don’t even want to know how she came to that conclusion.  “Isn’t she cute, so little an so wiggly?”

Mom: “Sure she is.  But she and her other siblings have work to do.  They keep the soil aerated."

Daughter: "What's aerated?"

Mom: "It's when...." Ok this is going somewhere- you get the idea. "Now put Wormy back, she probably misses her mom.” 

That did it! Wormy is now out of her hands and back in the dirt, where she belongs.  Meanwhile the baby scoops dirt out of one container and into another and if he feels the need to stick his fingers in his mouth, well, he just does it, dirt and all.  EEEWWWW!   

My older kids, 17 and 13 on the other hand, run the other way when I mention the word “garden”.  They are not the first to jump at the opportunity to work outdoors. They are, however, in the mowing, raking, and digging age range and therefore, they do get involved, against their will of course.  In the end, they get a good workout and hopefully someday when they have their own home, they will remember what they learned in our backyard.

#4: Gardening = Fun: When the kids finally give in to he idea of getting dirty and sweaty, I try to make up for all this work by filling up over 80 water balloons. I throw the first bomb onto the unsuspecting children and…well, need I say more!  Let the fun times begin!

#5:  Gardening = satisfaction:  There is no greater satisfaction than going out to the garden and picking out something to spice up my meals, such as, parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme (hey that’s a song by Simon and Garfunkle)—I work with music in my heart!  It is also very satisfying to eat a tomato that is pesticide free and did not cost me $3.00.

If nothing else, at the end of the day, I like to sit back with some iced tea and enjoy the fruits of my labor, while watching the butterflies dance with the flowers and the birds feast on my grapes.  So if you are considering beginning an exercise routine, try the outdoors. 

Gardening—it’s free, it’s peaceful, and it’s all yours.

Stay well,
Spin Diva

A body ball workout for all

I recently remembered what it was like to have a teething, tumbling, owl-wanna-be, toddler in the house.  My youngest, before the baby, is now six years old and as most moms do, I put those days way in the back burner. Imagine what would happen if we kept it all fresh-- birth rates might drop quite a bit.

Our precious baby boy seems to think that teething entitles him to sleep only a few hours at night. He definitely has the “owl” syndrome. He fails to see why I disagree with this new routine. Still, on days when I feel energized by the forces of my coffee and my yerba-mate tea, I take him to the gym so he can play and I can 'de-stress'.  The 90 minutes of play time tires him out and he is usually asleep before I leave the parking lot.  Ever tried bringing a toddler into the house along with the car seat--not smart!

Anyway, I decided that for those days when I could not make it to the gym and he still needed his play time I would invest in, yet another, piece of exercise equipment.  I ordered the Valeo® Body Ball from Amazon.com, spent about $15 and got it in about 4 days--not bad.  I had TC fill it up, TA put the exercise poster on the wall (that's included) and soon after there were 5 people working, playing, exercising and using the ball as their new computer chair.  What just happened...I thought I bought it so I could exercise?  I think my family is really enjoying this new toy.  Every day, so far, all the kids and sometimes dad go in my one empty room and spend a good 30 minutes with the ball.  It’s not at all what I had in mind but I’m glad they can benefit even if only by playing around with it.

As for me and my workout, I get to play with the body ball during the day, after the baby's breakfast and before his morning nap.  He tries to kick it, tries to pick it up (kind of big for him), chases the ball across the room and down the hall...he's so cute.  Once he's down for a nap I get to work and spend about 20 minutes following the routine on the poster or I throw in a few of my own.  I guess I haven't been working my abs hard enough lately because I was pretty sore the next day. 

Bottom line, this was a really great investment for everyone in our family.  I use the body ball in many of the classes I teach and now I can really focus on my abdominal muscles, lower back, flexibility and balance without leaving my home.  Whether I use it as a toy, a chair or to exercise while watching a favorite show, the body ball is a fitness tool that won’t get dusty in my house.

Stay well!
Spin Diva