dirt under my fingernails

Although I spent over 31 years doing primarily office-based work, I’m proud that I don’t have “office” hands. Probably because I spent my school and college summer holidays doing manual labouring jobs and then many hours in later years spent gardening.

I bought my first home “off plan” which meant it had no gardens when I moved in.  So, there was plenty of digging, bricklaying, patio building and cement mixing to do.  And because when I moved house I bought another new home, I did it all again.

And then we decided to totally re-model our current garden several years ago, so I did it all over again.  Again.

I really miss being able to do that now.  Though my builder’s hands did come in, erm, handy last summer when I re-laid our patio over several weeks.

Fast forward 12 months and we’ve just finished planting up our pots for this summer.  I really love our tiny gardens.  They bring me so much joy either just looking at them or spending time out there when the weather permits.  But the bit I love the most is getting my hands dirty mixing compost and planting things. I’ve never been a lazy person, so the garden provides me an excuse to wield my trowel and use my now wasting muscles one more time.

My wife shouts at me to slow down, especially when she can see the pain I’m often in.  I don’t though.  That’s giving in you see.  Giving in to cancer.  And that’s not for me.

No, I’ll continue to get grubby hands until I can no longer move.  And I can enjoy the fruits of my labours.  As long as they all grow that is!
from front...

to back :-)

Comments

  1. Lovely garden! We do the lanai in pots too. So much easier to maintain. :)

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