Boots are essential in our work. For proof, compare the heel on
Janet's old right boot to the new one (right). That chewed up heel
is what took the hit as shovel met sole a thousand times or more.
The boot has nicks on the sides, too, from each time the leather
came between her foot and a bad cut from a wayward spade edge.
New boots are another matter. Literally, they can be a pain.
Although we know we must make the transition, we never enjoy it.
Right now, Janet's starting each day in her new boots but switching
to the old at lunchtime. There's just no room in our schedule for
blisters and cramps.
Below: Hard to believe the old boot ever looked like this
new one. But it's the same model Red Wing boot Janet's been wearing
for 30 years.
Body like a boot
Likewise, you need to stay well so you can enjoy the whole
gardening season. So give your winter self a gradual breaking in.
Before you resume gardening this spring, visualize what you'll be
doing and find some comparable, milder activities you can do
indoors as warm up.
Then, once you go out, don't overdo. Switch feet, handhold,
position every fifteen minutes. We've been doing it for 30 years
but it still takes a conscious effort.
Above, left to right: Wear gardening kneepads and crawl
while cleaning the floor or sorting the contents of low shelves.
That can help prepare your body for that circulation-imperiling
speed-weeding posture, demonstrated here by Gordon Findlay. Shelley
Welch enjoys the challenge of hose wrestling but perhaps some
windmills for the arms and yoga for balance is in order as warm up.
Deb Tosch shows great form in the precision wheelbarrowing event.
Pushing furniture around can be good prep for this.
Below, left: Karen Thompson and Phil Gigliotti team up in
the wheelbarrow lift. This is the first spring in a while we don't
think we need deliberate warm up for this action, because spent so
much of the winter lifting snow to the top of high
banks.
Below, right: Marilyn Alimpich and Jenny VanDusen practice the
sod toss, easily emulated indoors with wet laundry pitched toward a
basket or open dryer.
Thanks to our fellow Detroit Zoo Adopt-a-Garden volunteers for
modeling these essential garden postures.
