Happy Autumn the First!!

It hasn't exactly turned you off the garden Pirl!! Or even slowed you down.

Just digging in the wrong position for many hours. Ended up with severe muscle cramps (couldn't straighten my leg and was taken out on a gurney on all fours - Quasimodo style) and severe sciatica. That was followed by nerve damage to my left arm from digging over 100 daylilies (huge clumps) and replanting them. It totaled 83 visits to my Physical Therapist. There are residual effects with both the leg and the arm. Any phone calls have to be limited to under two minutes because I can't hold the phone as I used to without pain but I still can dig.

The most valuable piece of information from my PT was to change positions frequently to avoid stressing any muscle.

We cross posted, Victor. If I stopped gardening I might as well be cremated.

Would that be Peter?? That is good advice. I have neck pain for four years now (tried therapy and injections) because I took my wife's and sister's advice and tried yoga to help my back. Did it with a dvd and ended up looking up and to the left at the tv for the good part of an hour. Been suffering with it ever since. It wakes me up if I move in my sleep. Been downhill since about 37!!

Yes, it's Peter the Magnificent.

Neck pain is one of the hardest to treat but generally they work on the spine. I'm sorry for your pain, Victor, it's not fun.

Since my sciatica bout almost 15 years ago, I have been VERY careful to remember to move ... or at least change positions often.
(Don't go there, Victor!!!)

sorry pirl, and Victor

he he Candyce

Agreed, Candyce and thanks, debilu.

(I wonder what Victor would have said.)

Hee hee! I'll let everyone guess.

We can only imagine, Victor.

Victor!!!

Well changing positions regularly seems like good advice . . . . whatever you are up to :-)

Or down to.

True!

Well, friends, I must report that I have climbed back down off the ceiling from my rage of yesterday......sort of scared myself with the extent of my frustration. "Serenity NOW!!!" I had a good day and am back to normal......whatever normal is!! LOL I can also report great improvement in the sciatica pain. I followed my chiropractor's advice and didn't lift anything over 15 pounds, did lots of stretching and just said "the devil with the weeds in the garden." We will take care of that next week. Thankfully, it never hurt to do my morning walking, and I think that helped a lot. So, I seem to be on the mend physically and mentally just in time for the next round of guests on Saturday. Looking forward to that!

Is everyone finding that the leaves just aren't very bright this year?? I see some pockets of good color around, but nothing like it usually is.

Good to hear you're calmer now. Still early for colors here.

Thanks, Victor! As to the leaves - a lot of them are already down off some of the trees in our yard, but they never were very bright. When do you generally get color where you are?

Our peak is usually the days just before and after Halloween.

Oh my goodness! We generally have no leaves on the trees at all by Halloween! I didn't realize that we were in such different time frames. When do you generally plant in the spring?

Jan 10th. Just kidding! Trees, shrubs - starting the last week of March unless the ground is frozen. Perennials by mid April for sure. Veggies and tropicals - around Mothers Day.

Hmmmm, we sometimes have had snow still covering the ground at the end of April. I often jump the gun and plant my veggies early in May, but I'm not so sure that it really brings the goods any earlier than if I waited a couple of weeks. Last spring I started my tomatoes and peppers from seed in Fla., then planted them later in May. My peppers are supposed to be yellow or red........they are now huge, but still very green. I also still have some big green tomatoes.......go figure! Soon I'll be planting all over again in Fla. That will be very cool!

You're lucky to be a North - South gardener.

I agree, Victor.....we are very grateful to have the option to escape the cold and keep on walking and planting and golfing. It does have its challenges and downsides, but on balance, it works for us now. Missing people up here is the biggest downside! I'll post my gardening exploits from down there if it won't tick everyone off!! LOL

Louise:
I, for one, expect you to still be part of our NEG family and that you'll be posting often. Florida is just another state of mind.

Yes - no defections to the FL Forum!

Okay Al what a display of pumpkins LOL Really made me chuckle - gosh wish my pumpkins looked so good LOL

Ouch Arlene and Victor. It is so difficult living with pain....I can relate....sorry for you both. I once tried lifting a bag of kitty litter and put out my back and I was only 27....eeks! That hurt.....still hurts to this day if I don't change positions. I work at a desk all day so I have to keep reminding myself to get up every 20 minutes or so and move around a bit.

I love fall - it really is so beautiful outside right now.

It's where old age is a blessing, Dawn: forgetting. As soon as I'm kneeling and weeding I find there's another tool or bucket I need so I'm up and down fairly often.

That's comforting to know, Candyce........the winter will fly by again and we'll back up here in a heartbeat! In the meantime, I just couldn't go a night without my NE fix!! LOL

Victor - If I'm anything, it's loyal!! :)

Donnie - it will brighten our long winter months if you show us what you are growing in Florida, so please do. An upside of having friends like us - you can take us with you where ever you go (just remember to take your computer!!)! Eleanor

Oh, don't worry, Eleanor, my laptop goes where I go!! And I will enjoy staying connected and being in the loop from afar, I can assure you! I will do what I can to grow pretty things and share them with you!! My DH is actually very close to you in the Adirondacks this weekend, camping and hiking and golfing. For 35 years he and his buddies have enjoyed a Men's Weekend there in the spring and fall. This is the first summer I haven't also enjoyed that beautiful area.

Here's a pretty fall scene from this neck of the woods.........

Very pretty Louise. Don't forget the Fall color thread!

I'm just heading there now, Victor......I just came back in from taking a few shots.

Donnie - nice autumn pic. Is that field corn in the background of the photo? It hasn't even started drying out by the looks of it!! Usually by this time the corn has been hit by a frost, dries out, and turns brown and is ready to be harvested. Another sign that summer is still with us!! Eleanor

Eleanor - this is the cornfield where we buy our corn for supper. It is the best around this area....and still going strong - much later than ever before! One woman does all the work in this field from planting to picking. I'd love to have corn like hers!!

Here's her corn stand in front of the other pic I posted......

Donnie - thanks for posting that pic. It reminds me of HOME, home. Beautiful trees in the back - I see they are starting to change color. this area is starting to change also. Eleanor