Some events are life changers and I’m not talking about my back surgery.
I’ve always tried to keep my modest home and yard looking nice and my back yard vegetable garden was my pride and joy for over 30 years but when my back went south on me two years ago this month all that changed. Severe pain in my back, legs and feet put all yard work on hold. I hired a neighborhood kid to mow my lawn and do a few odd jobs but everything else deteriorated. Severely. A broken fence went unrepaired, I couldn’t work on my sprinkler system so dry spots and dandelions in my lawn proliferated, many leaves went unraked in the fall and my large vegetable garden (which I did manage to plant in spring of 2018) went almost entirely to thick and tall weeds.
But perhaps the biggest problem was the debris from my huge and “dirty” elm tree. That tree “rains” hundreds of little sticks every time there’s the slightest breeze and they built up into a matt beneath the tree and elsewhere. And there wasn’t a thing I could do about any of it.
My only hope was the back surgery I had about nine weeks ago but after significant initial improvement in my original symptoms other symptoms appeared out of nowhere so I was becoming very discouraged. But several weeks ago a series of events began to change everything and at first I didn’t even realize how one thing would lead to another.
My neighbors and I decided to split the significant cost of having the elm tree on our property line removed so we got rid of the damned thing but much of the debris beneath it and all over my back yard and garden remained and I was still in significant pain and discouraged.
Then my neighbor Shane generously spent many hours cleaning up my perennial flower bed beneath just south of where the elm tree had been (the stump of the tree can be seen in the background). The bed hadn’t been cleaned up in two years and it was a titanic mess. Shane clipped my perennial grasses just in time to save them as can be seen by the greenery beginning to return. Before he cleaned it up very little green could be seen in the entire flower bed. There’s still some work to do but Shane’s efforts were a 95% improvement. He also mowed my front and side lawns and pruned some neglected bushes near our property line that can’t be seen in this photo.
Having the tree gone and the debris cleaned up on the east side of my house allowed me to begin seeing the light of day, both literally and figuratively. But there was still that monumental mess in my very large vegetable garden (1050 sq. ft.) that I knew I wouldn’t be able to tackle. But one day recently Shane’s mother Heidi (she used to be my neighbor when Shane was much younger) asked me if she could clean up my garden for me. Of course I was reluctant to have someone else do it for me but she was insistent and she did it! Believe me, it was a huge job and at that point there’s no way I could have done it myself. All the debris from beneath the tree and in my garden was hauled away in a dumpster. There was a lot of it!
Then I had some very fortunate timing. Several days ago, approximately 9 weeks after my surgery, I began to slowly realize that my newest back and leg symptoms had been improving significantly. I began to wonder if I might actually be able to till my garden (my tiller is a big one and very heavy) and plant it this spring – something I had no realistic hopes of doing prior to the efforts of Shane and Heidi. I can’t even imagine going without garden tomatoes and other vegetables for another year and that was one of my primary motivations, above and beyond the potential aesthetic improvement in my back yard.
So two days ago I tackled it and was able to till the entire garden. Then yesterday I cleaned up the edges with my “baby” Mantis tiller as best I could and tilled the entire garden a second time with my big tiller.
All that dark earth waiting to be planted stirs the juices of this Montana farm boy.
There’s still a lot of work to do but at this point I’m thinking I can do it.
Looking at all the dandelions in my lawn is driving me crazy, a fence post needs to be replaced and the fence repaired and this year I’m planning on installing a drip irrigation system. With that system I can plant everything in straight rows and get my big tiller between them which should minimize hand weeding and save lots of water. My good friend and ex-wife Diane Olson has always thought I was too linear-minded when planting my garden in previous years (she plants hers much more artistically). Wait till she sees this one – she’ll give me a bucket-load of crap! 🙂
After two days of tiller-wrestling I’m one sore puppy this morning! Almost every muscle hurts but it’s the “good hurt” resulting from not exercising muscles for two years and then using them suddenly and excessively, rather than the nerve pain I’m used to. I threw javelin when I was in high school and college so I recognize that pain from early spring track practice.
Ok, that was a lot of reading and there were no photos of birds so I imagine this post didn’t have much appeal for some, if you got through it at all. But this series of events was hugely fortuitous for me and I wanted to share.
Thank you, Shane and Heidi. Your kindness made a big positive difference for me.
Ron
Note: I’ve been reading about the “dandelion movement” – leaving them be for a variety of environmental reasons. But most of my neighbors wouldn’t appreciate my dandelion seeds blowing all over the neighborhood so I’m not yet sure what I’m going to do about them.
Good Morning, Ron.
This is my inspiration for the day! I, too live alone after losing my husband and workhorse 2 years ago. I understand backpain and aging and I know how you were/ are feeling about your property.
Wow, you must feel great that things are looking better and you are able to do that tilling and planting. Just don’t overdo it as your back is not fully healed. Remember, as our birthdays increase, our muscles decrease; what our mind demands, the body doesn’t always give.
Congratulations, Ron, spring has arrived! Now Imust get out and start raking my leaves.
There’s not much I can add to all of these wonderful comments, except to say how happy I am for you. As someone who’s done manual labor for nearly 30 years, I know that satisfying kind of pain and tiredness, and how different it is from all those “other” kinds. I have a feeling that your improvement will continue: if not exponentially, at least steadily.
As for those dandelions: in Iowa, we always made wine out of them.
Shoreacres, At this stage of the game I’d be perfectly happy with steadily over exponentially.
Your blog today really warmed my heart. What wonderful neighbors you have, Ron!
I surely do, Shelley.
1. Seriously inspiring and personal post. I join everyone who was touched.
2. Re: the dandelions. You’re screwed based on the third photo photo. Kill the lawn and impress the neighbors with your dandelion demonstration garden.
3. Plant lots of pumpkins in your vegetable garden. They will take up lots of space so you don’t have to tend to all kinds of other veggies (thus saving your back). You can pass them out to the neighbors at halloween and make a batch of pumpkin pies for thanksgiving as a thanks for their help.
4. Maybe just respond with a smile emoji. I feel guilty making you take more time on a response.
1. Thank you Lyle. I’m always hesitant about getting this personal but sometimes it just seems like the thing to do.
2. Dandelion monoculture. Now there’s a thought…
3. I usually use your suggestion using squash rather than pumpkins – spaghetti squash in particular. The problem with it is that the whole family of veggies that includes squash and pumpkins rules out my planned “linear” motif. But then I’m willing to do it anyway with one of my favorites, lemon cucumbers, so who knows what I’ll do.
4. Not a chance. I always appreciate your comments and want to respond appropriately.
Thank you so much, Ron. You’ve brought tears to my eyes while reading this and I am grateful to have an amazing neighbor such as yourself. A bit of yardwork is something I have found rewarding, helping others is a different level of enlightenment. Thank you for letting us put some work in the yard. Any chance for some personal growth is a success for me, when do we start planting that garden!
Shane, in this situation it’s me who should be grateful and I am. The efforts you and your mother made on my behalf made an enormous amount of difference for me. It put me over the hump of what I could do and couldn’t do and encouraged me to try to take it from there. And so far I’ve made some significant progress, at least in the garden. I have a positive outlook about my yard and garden for the first time in a very long time.
And please thank your dad (Clint) for his contribution to the project. It reminded me of the old days.
I’m hoping to plant some of the garden soon. Hope you guys like tomatoes…
You are fortunate to have such good neighbors. Sounds like you may have reached the stage in life when you need to do some things a bit differently. Hire some things out like weeding and fertilizing your yard,repairing your sprinkler system etc. It happens to all of us who live long enough 😁
Charlotte
I’m doing more of that already, Charlotte.
Beautiful yard — so glad your wonderful neighbors pitched in! 🙂 That soil looks “to die” for. We have clay here and even having mixed in lots of mulch, potting soil, manure, blood, sweat, tears, etc. over the years, at the end of the day, it’s still clay. 😉 You’ll have to post a pic of your first BLT with your garden tomatoes.
We had our own trees at both places thinned and trimmed on Saturday, so we’re ready to go (my neighbor’s city tree lost a huge branch at the end of last week — must have been jealous of mine). There isn’t much grass left, so the dandelions and filaree provide our green “lawn.” They’re usually mowed before they go to seed.
Get some rest and come out plantin’! 😉
Thanks, Marty. I remember that clay soil well when we lived in Poway when I was a kid.
I totally appreciate this post!! I can imagine how you felt not having your “home-growns” for a summer. I had a situation for a few years where I lived in a small apartment and had only some balcony herbs – twernt any fun at all! Congrats to you and I hope you show some pics of your beautiful produce when you harvest.
Thanks, Joanne. Harvest is far from a given at this point so we’ll have to see.
This is a WONDERFUL post to read.
Good neighbours AND sufficient improvement (significant improvement) so that you can get back into the garden. Woo Hoo and happy dances. That good pain is such a different beast to its sucky cousin.
Good neighbors don’t just happen by chance…you have to be one to have one…Glad your back is beginning to feel better…
However they happen I’m sure glad to have them, Patty. Thanks.
What a big accomplishment 😁 Got to love our neighbors. My last surgery I had dinners delivered any night for 2 weeks.
Sounds like you’re getting stronger everyday. But don’t over do it 😜
Diana, different neighbors of mine delivered a huge pot of chicken soup on the day I got home from the hospital. I slurped that wonderful stuff up for four days in a row!
Ron, you must have done some nice things for your neighbors, as they clearly are now returning the favor… or maybe you owe them, BIGTIME! Regardless, this is all good news. Keep working on that garden, if you can. But be reasonable with your back. Hope to see pics as your garden grows, although birds do need to be primary!
There’s no question that I owe them, Nancy. Not sure you’ll be seeing any more garden photos – the future as far as my garden and back are concerned is still up in the air.
I totally get your post and am happy for you
having caring neighbors! We may be similarly
the same age do your surgery was interesting.
I had severe stenosis and walking was painful!
Six years ago I had a 9-hr surgery by 2 Neurosurgeons🤪 and spent several days in
Hostpital. I still go out and photograph wild horses
and birds. I still use a little Bio-Freeze. I have an ankle that threatens to be a pain. At the end of
the day I’m so much better off, however I’m bothered by the fact I just don’t seem to mind if
there’s a few weeds or settling cement. I only
want to shoot and edit. Feel better and be happy
with your “new” life.
Sounds like your surgery was more extensive than mine, Linda. I believe I was only under the knife for a little more than an hour. I’m glad yours apparently worked well.
Ron, what an uplifting story. I’m sure you are deserving for the help from your neighbors. If the tables were turned, you’d do for them what they did for you. So glad you are seeing “signs” of improvement. I hope things continue to improve.
Don’t feel guilty about the help you received as helping others helps yourself.
Good point in your last sentence, Alice. Thank you.
Can’t say I grew up on a farm, but worked a few summers on a farm! Have had a garden all my life, since I was a kid. It all started with the family Victory Garden era during the 40’s. Always liked getting my hands in the soil. Just so you know where I’m coming from my gardens were as small as 600 sq. feet to as large as 1.5 acres. So, I complement you on your garden and the looks of the soil! Yes, I am a linear planter as well, had a troy belt for many years! Gardens are ones Pride and Joy! Now look what you’ve done, your back is better, pride and anticipation is returning. I just hope you will show some images of each step: planted rows, seeds sprouting, plants maturing and the harvest!! BTW – our peas have sprouted here in VT!
Dick, then I’ll bet you were like me and watched “Victory Garden” on WGBH and PBS. I always watched it and even bought some of their books.
I’m so happy to hear that your back is mending and your spirits have been lifted. Sometimes acts of kindness from others can make such a huge difference–especially in raising one’s spirits. And I certainly understand that feeling when a task is so huge that tackling it seems overwhelming. Funny how just getting a bit of a start can make those tasks seem so much less daunting. Enjoy your garden!
“I certainly understand that feeling when a task is so huge that tackling it seems overwhelming”
That’s exactly where I was, Sharon. It’s so nice to have that feeling go away to some degree.
It’s amazing how the kindness of 1-2 people can change the trajectory of our lives and almost magically lift our spirits. Living in a community of people who care about each other is priceless. I know you’ll those vine-ripened tomatoes later this summer. Part of what attracts me to your blog is the humanity you express within – your love of wildlife and sharing bits and pieces of what you unique and special.
Thank you for the thoughtful comment, Linda. You hit several nails squarely on the head.
What a good community you live in. 🙂
I certainly do.
So glad you have such thoughtful neighbors and glad to hear you will have a garden again this year, but don’t overdo it, Ron!
I’m trying very hard not to, Justine. But one of my doctors did tell me I could now push myself a little… 🙂
Wonderful news Ron! I am so glad you are feeling better.
Me too. Thanks, Len.
Every garden needs a bucketful of crap. Several. Around here, the best garden crap comes from a company named Double Doody. Their motto is Dont Take Crap From Anyone Else. Having just finished prepping my 900 square feet of soil, I know you will enjoy the 2019 garden, because the tomatoes will be grown with sun, soil, crap, arthritis, pain, and lots of community. Shane, his mother, and your ex will all benefit and that’s the way things are supposed to be.
Martha, this old farm boy actually used to enjoy the smell of manure spread over gardens and fields (as long as it didn’t have that awful ammonia smell). In my first few years of gardening I actually used manure instead of hauling mulch. It’s harder to find than it used to be here in the city so I haven’t used it for quite a while.
Glad to hear things are looking up for you! You have terrific neighbors!
I surely do. Thanks, Gail.
I love seeing photos of birds in their habitat, and also enjoy a peek into the photographer’s habitat as well. A word about dandelions… a rehabber friend of mine says they are “Nature’s perfect food” and encourages us to leave them for the wildlife to use as food. Might attract some photo subjects to your yard and save you a lot of work, besides. Good friends and neighbors, good birds, good light … who could ask for anything more?
Yes, I’ve been reading about the “dandelion movement”, Nancy. And I’ve been thinking about what to do about mine. One consideration – I doubt many of my neighbors appreciate my dandelion seeds blowing all over so there’s that to think about. At this point I prefer to not make my neighbors unhappy with me… 🙂
What a thoughtful post, Ron. Good neighbors are priceless! Glad to hear your strength and stamina are improving, too!
“Good neighbors are priceless!”
That’s right, Diane. And I’m lucky enough to have a bunch of them.
Good news, Ron. I lurk on your page every day and glory in your fantastic photographs. You are very talented in many ways. I also have spinal fusion surgery. Took long time to feel better. If you will let me, may I advise that you don’t overdo. My surgeon happened to be a family friend and he warned me over and over and still does that my back isn’t normal again. There is huge stress on the joints above and below the fusion. I see your work with the tiller and I know I could never do that anymore. Best wishes!
Thank you for the advice, Tom. However our situations aren’t quite the same. Thankfully I didn’t have to have a fusion. My surgery was a double laminectomy and a laminotomy. I’ll be seeing my orthopedist tomorrow and my surgeon a few days after that so I’m sure they’ll fine-tune their advice for me down the road.
Ron, follow up comment after reading Dave’s. I should have mentioned that soil too. That soil is to die for. If I dug up that area of ground here in Prescott I would literally have a couple hundred good size rocks and a thousand smaller rocks to remove. Our mountain soil here at 5400 feet is primarily rock. Very envious.
Everett Sanborn
Yes, it’s good soil, Everett. For the first dozen years or so I was gardening I hauled 2-3 pickup loads of mulch (using my wheelbarrow to get it into the back yard – whew!) and tilled it in every year. I also till in all of my grass clippings.
But to be honest my soil isn’t really quite that dark. It was damp on top when these photos were taken.
Thankfully I don’t have any rocks – none at all. But it’s frustrating to not be able to find even one rock when I want to put rocks at the bottom of small clay pots.
I have a “collection” of small, flat rocks for clay pots acquired in many places over time – still nothing like clay pots in my opinion…;)
Wow, Ron – I feel your pain. When we 1st moved into our house 30+ years ago, the previous, original owners were a retired Air Force General & his wife & had no variety or color in their plantings. Well we went to work & changed all that. Now move forward to today – even though I LOVE gardening (much more than inside house work)have back problems, a knee replacement & need another, arthritis in all major joints,one hand that’s had 3 surgeries (hard to pull weeds with no strength) & I am now in my mid 70’s – grrrr!! So I (& I bet some of your other followers) feel for you & Totally understand. It amazes me that you accomplish what you do. Reading your post today was not boring – rather made me strongly empathize with you.
Jo Ann, when my folks lived with me for the last 5 years of their lives my dad always used to say “Getting old is tough but it beats the hell out of the alternative”. It isn’t original to him but it always makes me remember him fondly.
Pretty hard to have a demanding passion such as yours and still be a diligent gardener, landscaper, farmer, arborist, fence repair man, dandelion killer, etc, and still get out there and take thousands of nature and bird photos, and then process them for your fans to view. Toss in a bad back and it gets even harder. So nice to have younger wanting to help neighbors. Kudos and high-fives for Shane and Heidi, and also for you for ignoring the pain while out there tilling that garden. If I lived there I would come assist you because I love gardening.
Everett Sanborn, Prescott AZ
Ha, it made me tired just to read your first sentence, Everett! Thank you.
Yards sure are a lot of work, but man, that soil of yours looks like a gold mine! Congratulations on being able to get at it. I can almost taste the tomatoes now.
Great friends and neighbors, you’re a lucky man.
Happy gardening but don’t forget the birds!
Don’t worry, Dave. The improvement in my back symptoms has positive implications for my bird photography too. I just hope it’s a lasting improvement – there are no guarantees.
Are Shane and Heidi readers of this blog ? They SHOULD see it—I think it would make them happy ( beyond that satisfaction of making such a gift to you ) to know how concretely
grateful you are for their generosity–because how many times can you say “thank you ” ? I’ll bet in years past they enjoyed lots of your garden gifts–probably part of their
motivation, aside from sheer kindness ! I’ll bet that you’re now reaping what you’ve sowed in many past summers–sorry for the obvious analogy !
Kris, they’re aware of my blog but I don’t think they read it regularly. I’ll try to send Heidi a link.
I suspect their primary motivation was kindness but since the two yards are right next to each other I’m sure they appreciate having my yard look better too.
Sometimes we want to do it all ourselves and not give another person the opportunity to help. We tend to forget that those times makes others feel good. You are blest with great neighbors. That is one big garden…I know what you mean about garden tomatoes; nothing compares! Will look forward to seeing the garden progression pictures throughout the season.
That’s right, Kathy. I’m very grateful to Shane and Heidi (Shane’s father Clint helped some too) but I still feel a little guilty for having someone else do all that work for me.
Garden tomatoes are a huge motivator!
NICE! What wonderful friends/neighbors to give you a hand with this monumental chore…. 🙂 Wish my soil looked like that! 😉 GREAT you’re starting to do the the pain that comes with hard physical labor rather than pain that’s “just there”….:) That kind of pain is satisfying in a perverse way – can see results from it’s cause… 🙂 VERY happy for you….. 🙂
“That kind of pain is satisfying in a perverse way”
Very well said, Judy. That’s it exactly.