Gardening this Summer: Yes? No?

I usually am not seriously thinking about gardening yet at this time of year, however, it has been on my mind a lot lately.

My brother Ernie and his wife Dori called about a week ago and since they will be coming through Saskatoon on their way to and from a grandson's graduation in June, Ernie suggested that he prepare some raised garden beds for me and set them up when they come by to see me.

Wow! What a lovely gift idea! Except almost immediately I was thinking of some pros and cons. Raised bed can come in different heights. The last two summers I went out after supper for an hour of pulling weeds, then watering the garden, Monday thru Fridays.

But I had come upon this idea of sitting on a wooden tool Dad made years ago for when he was mixing cement with a trowel and spreading it somewhere for repairs. If I turned that on its side, it became a handy stool for me to straddle, from which I could pull weeds from both sides into a bucket that I kept just ahead of me. When it was full I'd go dump it into the compost bin.

With my back being so weak the last few weeks that although the general injury pain is gone, standing about in the kitchen for even 15 minutes can wear me out; I start urgently looking for a place to sit down a while! So, I've begun to wonder whether I need to give up gardening this summer. That is a hard point to work through.

But would raised beds actually help me? Depending on height I might need to stand or stoop beside those beds. If I were to still be limited to 15 minutes or less, they would not help!

I've also allowed myself to weigh the pros and cons of selling this place - which I own free and clear, and move into a place with services for seniors... but then my mind goes into cramps of cringing!

If you knew how HUGE my last two moves were you might catch a glimpse of why I cringe like an animal caught in a trap at the very idea!

In 1983 I packed all I wanted to keep in London, Ontario, into 64 big cartons. I sent them back to Hague, by CN train, and I made the 48 hour trip by Greyhound bus. I wept most of the way until I was thoroughly DRY!

In 2007 I had to clean up Dad's house, sell it and empty it. At the same time I was cleaning up this "druggie house" in a poor neighbourhood (scraping up a lot of mouse manure in the cabinets!) and didn't dare sleep here until I'd cleaned for 10 days at least. I've made some major improvements here, but I also brought a lot of stuff that I couldn't dispose of in Hague, along, and so another move would mean purging about two-thirds of what is in this wee 610 sq. foot house.

I do NOT have the stamina yet for that huge chore!

On one hand - it is too early to make a final decision just yet, but weighing the options, so that at least I can tell Ernie whether to go ahead with the containers or not, is an exhausting challenge.

At present I'm finding it too hard to vacuum the floors, or to do real house-cleaning, but I keep hoping this is just a temporary state for me.

As I do with most decisions, I spend time daily in prayer, just talking over the pros and cons with the LORD, and reminding myself, that in the end I will really LIKE His option and be grateful. So I try to guard myself against fretting and worrying - all for nothing!

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