Nature does remind us that for everything there is a season. Today's Affirmation; I am grateful for every experience in my life.
Family gathering always make me smile. The photo below is of my step mom, my father, two of my younger sisters and my only son, who is my care giver. These smiling faces put depression on the run.
as well as the winter months. Yes, it makes me smile. And brings comfort to my chronic pain. It is my alternative medicine for many illnesses.
Visit Today's Flowers Community and view nature at its best, while opening up a whole new world of friends. There are two hobbies that the chronically ill seem to venture toward. They are photography and flower gardning. This community combines both. So you are very likely to find people, with whom, you have something in common.
This is our first offering to the Today's Flowers community. I love this beautiful plant because it was given to me by an elderly neighbor. It is the bloom of a Hosta plant. I have an ever increasing variety of the texture-rich leafy green Hosta plants. But, I had never seen one with blooms this big. When I saw her's, I just had to have one. 
It is the first week of August! With the publication of my Spring video, I had stated that with the onset of each season, I would share my yard. Suffering with a chronic illness, the heat can be just as dangerous to venture out in, as the cold. This week you don't have to. You can enjoy the beauty of the outside right from the (sort of) comfort of your computer chair.
Oddly enough, gardening is one of the few outlets that those of us in chronic pain still enjoy. Gardening does not require world shaping decisions, life threatening concentration, or even great coordination. If you plant something in one area and it does not grow well, move it. If you forget where you put your gardening tools, use a kitchen knife or screwdriver instead. When weeding or watering, If your coordination is less than desirable, keep your cane with you and use it to lean on.
Now, I cannot say that I have dug one (1) hole in my yard. I am fortunate enough to have help. But I do, when my health allows, keep the weeds pulled out and the plants watered. It is my version of exercise. It is definately my way to relieve stress.
While viewing the video and you notice the weeds, look over them and assume my health did not allow it. Constantly escalating prices have created a desire to have my own vegetable garden next year. I found just the help for all of us. They are called Bag Gardens and Key Hole Gardens. Both gardens require full sun. Never the less, they require very little space, very little strength to build, and their up keep is minimal.
Key Hole Gardens 
, so named because when you look down at it from the top, it resembles a key hole, were originally created by HIV patients in Africa. These gardens allowed the patient to grow their own nutritional food. Thus, staying healthier and living longer.
The opening allows the person working the garden to reach it from all sides. As a result of the high rate of HIV deaths most of the gardens in Africa are built and taken care of by children or the elderly. The Key hole garden can be as tall or as short as you desire.
CLICK to view the video instructing the construction of the Key Hole garden.
The Bag Garden can even be purchased and constructed at your own speed. These bags are now sold as starter kits for school children. However, in Africa and cost conscious families around the world, the bags is much larger.
Some cost conscious gardeners are creating multiple bag gardens containing a variety of fruit and vegetables.
CLICK to view instructional video.
If each gardener would make one of these gardens, we could not only feed our family, we could help those less fortunate who do not have a place to put a garden.
Just out of curiosity, I called our local Food Bank. I asked if they took fresh fruit and vegetables from local gardeners. She said "Yes! We do it all the time. The need is so great that the fresh vegetables and fruit go quickly". She also stated that they gave receipts for the gardener to receive tax credit from the IRS.
So, here is my challenge to my fellow gardeners or soon to be gardeners;
Be proactive about your own nutrition. At this moment, we have no idea where our fresh food is from
Plant enough seeds or seedlings to support your family
Share any excess harvest with your local Food Bank.
Pass this information on to someone you know can benefit from it
Ask help from someone who does not have a place for a garden. Ask if they would like to share with building, caring for and harvesting the new garden
Posts
All Comments
