Monday, March 8, 2010

DO IT YOURSELF & WOMEN

Often I will look deeply into my client's eyes, and say, "YOU do this, don't let the crew do it."
Picking up acorns, pulling branches together after a storm to use in a wattle, planting a pot or a few perennials & etc.
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One client's husband refuses to let her garden in the frontyard. He thinks it looks, "low class."
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How could society create such a man? Gardening is luxury. For women wanting to garden.
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Manly help is hired, above, for things I cannot do.
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Why is gardening potent to gardeners? Oxytocin & endorphins.
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Yesterday I stained a pair of cedar adirondack chairs bought at the Smith/Hawken going-out-of-business sale last fall. Several hours on a sunny, warm winter's day.
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Ha, got my oxytocin & endorphins along with a pair of newly stained adirondacks.
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This is exactly why I tell my women clients, new to gardening, DO IT YOURSELF. Not an admonishment, A GIFT.
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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara
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Top pic, taken in January while hammering, with a spot of tea, the tile around my old tub. Theories about what was behind the tile wall & under the tub were discarded once I began hammering. Yes, called a man. Bottom pic, taken in December when my frontyard became a gravel terrace.

10 comments:

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Daddy always did his own gardening and the results were outstanding. One of his favourite stories to tell was about the time a lady stopped and asked him how much he charged... thinking, of course, that he was the hired gardener. He loved that! My mother? Not so much.

Living the life in The Little City said...

I do all my own gardening - even in the front yard. Of course, I save the very heavy lifting for the professionals, but that's only because I don't want to hurt my back.

La Petite Gallery said...

Tara, I have a woman next door she bought my old house, She will not even pick up a twig. Just a lazy ass can't think of anyother way to put it.She has a cleaning woman once a week for the 2 of them and they go out every night to dinner .
I might see her walking in the yard pointing to the gardner. She just lays on the lounge and reads.

the gardener's cottage said...

Funny story, above.

Yes, endorphins and anything that will keep my OUT of a gym.

Unknown said...

It is a privilege as you say...to have the time, and strength to enjoy one's land....smiles.

Terry said...

Mom worked inside, Dad worked outside crossing over from time to time and abiding each other's wishes. Dad had a major green thumb and worked his son into exhaustion again and again.

Barbara Wells Sarudy said...

"...pulling branches together after a storm to use in a wattle..."

Very nice.

Vera @ Cozy Little Cabin said...

Hmpf - agreed: anything to stay out of a gym!

I love gardening . . . fresh air & wonderful sunshine, which btw, is NOT poison!

Anyway - great post and I absolutely adore the top photo. Great, great job, Tara!

Unknown said...

I'm almost embarrased to say that at the moment, I'm familiar with each new leaf and bit of growth in my garden- I check obsessively each day for new signs of Spring. Just yesterday, I noted that all my clematis have started their new baby leaves- I can't wait to see what I'll discover today, maybe some columbine progess.....?

susan vieth said...

How else could I bliss out enough to drool when not asleep!