Tilling my little garden all by myself

Sunday, April 21

John and I are so blessed!  We took a one mile walk this morning and John also worked out at Anytime Fitness.  He ate really well.  But all day he was plagued with his painful abdomen, despite wearing his "band".  He was able to help me get the tiller ready but I had to get it started and actually do the tilling because he has no core strength whatsoever.  We are praying that will improve over time.

This week he had one day when his blood pressure was very elevated and it was over a stressful church situation.  He wants to start getting involved but when he does, this is the result.  Both last Sabbath and this, he went to two churches.  Between the two of us, we decided that wasn't going to happen again for a while.  It is simply TOO much....dah!

Using our great big TroyBuilt tiller!

He has a ton of questions for Dr. Kels.  She is the plastic surgeon who did his "flap" surgery...the surgery that if it hadn't worked, it would have been a "flop"!  We hope to have an appointment with her the morning we head over to Chattanooga, May 1.  His scars are healed nicely but the internal healing, we are told, takes lots longer.  And so far that is his experience.

Last fall, I planted some winter rye for a cover crop.  It grew beautifully but I realized that I would have to till it up to really get that nitrogen into the soil.  Ordinarily, I do not till, just turn the nice loose soil over with a shovel and rake it out.  It WAS a big job!  In this picture, you can see that I am using the  furrow attachment to start the raised beds.  I decided on a new design this year and just made one large raised bed instead of the two I had last year.  I think I will actually have more garden room because I will only have a small path around the box and then a couple at the corners for walk-through. 

For years I have worn these worn out capris for gardening.  This year the patches tore out of the knee and usually my foot goes into the knee hole, tearing more each time.  Deciding to cut them off at the knee seemed like the right thing to do until I tore out the rear end this evening!  Every time I would stoop down--rippppp!  And it would open wider!  Thought you would appreciate the view!

Time to retire my faithful gardening capris!

It was such a lovely day.  It was amazing how much I got done on the garden!  Even John was surprised.  It isn't ready to plant yet, but it is sure getting close.  I was able to add 5 buckets of compost from my pile.  That always feels like great accomplishment.  It was filled with worms and I was none too happy to see those robins out there stealing them!  Don't like to share my worms....

We have these wonderful neighbors, Randy and Susan, who have been weed-eating and mowing our lawn, every time they do their own.  That is so kind and we are so grateful.  I made some delicious mashed potatoes and brought them a dish of them, just as a little thank-you.

Sitting on our lounge chairs on the back porch was a welcome break and I made us delicious sparkling drinks of white grape juice and limes.  John took his shirt off and I took some pictures.    He is actually starting to feel better about himself since he has been gaining weight.  As I was trying to take his picture, I asked him to lift up his head and open his eyes because he look so -- dead.  "The deader the better!" was his immediate retort.  We laughed and laughed till his belly just ached!  That was great therapy for us!

Our ministerial director visited us last Sabbath and gave permission for John to start very slowly back to work in mid-May.  He's so wanting to work, yet he knows how fragile he really is.  This weekend, our conference president, Dean Coridan, is coming and we look forward to discussing all this with him, too. 

Yesterday morning, I read a story on facebook about a man with lots of challenges.  His theme was "Let not your heart be troubled."  That was just what we needed.  It's so easy to slip out of trust and slide into dismay and the subsequent anxiety about our future.  So thankful that God knows our path and is guiding us!