Modern Hill Woman

I am not a fancy woman. If I’m at home, I usually look like a hobo. If I have to venture to town, I’ll put on decent clothes, and as soon as I come home the old ones go back on. I’ve only had my nails done professionally a few times in my life. If it’s canning or gardening season my nails are usually adorned with berry stains or dirt.

I may not be the best gardener, but I am enthusiastic. However, I’ve killed a lot of plants. Sometimes I get overly excited in the spring and buy way too many, then torture them, leaving them to nearly die on my back porch. If you’re a plant and can withstand my neglect, I will love you all the more. I’ve learned to purchase only what I intend to plant within a couple of days.

When the weather warms up, I can be found every morning, wandering around the yard with my cup of coffee. What new things have sprouted, how are the plants I planted yesterday, do we have any produce yet, is the pool still blue? One of my favorite activities is watching hummingbird fights. I am easily entertained.

Gardening is my therapy and my exercise. Being in nature is known to block stress, by evoking positive feelings and reducing negative emotions. It’s hard to be depressed when you’re digging in the dirt.

Exposure to the sun produces vitamin D, and may lower blood pressure levels. It may also support better sleep and reset circadian rhythms by regulating levels of serotonin and melatonin. Using sunscreen while outdoors is always wise.

Most things were dormant through the winter, including my body. The walking, bending, stretching, pulling, pushing, and lifting of gardening chores is a cardio workout that matches any routine at the gym, only in a more quiet and peaceful setting.

As my friend Jan says, “Gardening is hard on an old gal.” But the tired I feel after a day in the sun and the dirt, well, there’s no better feeling in the world.