I Haven't Got Time for the Pain

I wonder how many gardeners are seen in the chiropractor's office every spring.  In the great north woods, I would imagine it is a lot.  After all, we've spent a good six months away from our shovels, rakes and hoes.  Not to mention wheelbarrows.  I'm no couch potato, but winter is not my season.  I hate being cold, and with the exception of sledding with the kiddos, I don't get out much in the winter.  Sure, I get in my cardio time at the gym, but that's just not the same thing.

One of the most physically challenging parts of gardening, in my opinion, is preparing new planting grounds.  I started removing river rock from a bed around my house yesterday.  If someone has any special trick for removing river rock, I'd love to hear it!  My method consists of raking it into a pile and shoveling with a spade into our old, HEAVY, wheelbarrow.  Oh sure, I could move smaller loads... but I feel invincible when I'm moving that heavy load by myself... like a gardening superhero!  Until the next day.

Now the bed is half emptied of rock, but my back is all done.  And now is prime time to divide and move perennials, which was my plan for filling the bed.  Maybe next weekend... when I plan to do it all over again!