Oh Annie, you have beautifully chronicaled a morning in the life of a Golden Aged gardener. Lovely writing and nostalgic in the way it describes what gardeners of every era have experienced. I always think about how Thoreau said every gardener needs a cast iron back with hinges. But somehow don't we love it anyway? These joints and lower back may hurt with every move, but they hurt less the more I move and when I'm doing something I love I don't think about it so much. Plus I like to rationalize how all that walking and work burned off a few extra calories. Plus I did get some work done even if it wasn't what I started out to do ... :-) Thank you for saying it so well.

Welcome to the Senior world!! Like you I do the same,as our backyard is terraced off into 3 levels.We have a shed for me on the upper level,one for dh on the 2nd level and the 3rd level we just schlep things up and down.

I have a walking stick on the patio that I have to use to go down to the other levels.

I remember the days when I didn't even think twice about thosethings,just ran up and down whenever I felt like it.
Sad to say those days are over,and done with.

I don't dwell on it though as i'm thankful for everyday that I can still wake up and get my feet on the floor.So I know exactly what you mean.

You're a good storie writer though and I enjoy your garden escapades.Hang in there my friend,we'll always find a way to do what we want,when the love for it is there.
Kathi

Welcome to the Senior world!! Like you I do the same,as our backyard is terraced off into 3 levels.We have a shed for me on the upper level,one for dh on the 2nd level and the 3rd level we just schlep things up and down.

I have a walking stick on the patio that I have to use to go down to the other levels.

I remember the days when I didn't even think twice about thosethings,just ran up and down whenever I felt like it.
Sad to say those days are over,and done with.

I don't dwell on it though as i'm thankful for everyday that I can still wake up and get my feet on the floor.So I know exactly what you mean.

You're a good storie writer though and I enjoy your garden escapades.Hang in there my friend,we'll always find a way to do what we want,when the love for it is there.
Kathi

Amen and amen! Can't do half what I used to in a trip...but make more trips. Annie, that was beautifully put, and so true to life. Couldn't add a thing to it.
kay

Hahahahaha!!!

I'm going to be 50 this year, and you ladies are scaring me! lol
I still have a teenage son at home, who does some of the grunt work. Poor child can't wait to leave. Thank goodness for son inlaws. I'm set for life, ha! I knew those daughter's would come in handy one day.
:) Laura
~wishful thinking for my golden years~.

This post was edited by auntyara on Tue, May 28, 13 at 21:57

I'm almost 50 (gulp) but my back is acting more like it's 90 these days. I can barely walk some days.
The other day to do some weeding I bought a set of trash pickers from Home Depot. In loose soil they do the trick really easily.
Poor hubby has had to do my grunt work: he's toted umpteen buckets of mulch, layed down paper and rock boarders and mulched for inches.
He's toted buckets of mulch around here and there so I can kick them over and spread them out with my feet or he's propped them up so I can toss mulch where I need it.
The poor guy has to position bags of potting soil, watering cans etc. just so. I can fill a watering can 1/4 full and carry it, no more. I can barely tote a hose.
To finish my vegetable garden a friend with a gardening company is coming Thursday AM so they can get it all in for me - finish up this years compost and take all the stuff I've been saving to dump in after they are done.
I've never felt old before, but right now I have to be so careful not to shuffle feet so I don't fall. I have to wear very sturdy shoes, watch every single step. Make sure I have something always near to hang on to or put my weight on. I can not bend over easily (or without feeling like I'm going to fall apart).
I'm hoping I am learning many lessons, and that my "age" will return again for another 25 good years of gardening - continuing to hire out what I can't physically do but be able to bend to plant, tote mulch, amend, prune and harvest.
Thankful for what I've been able to do this year but really ready to be back to my old but younger self again :) My poor Mom is worried because her grandsons won't do a thing in her garden, neither will her two sons in law. I'm the gardener, it's usually all my job to visit during the garden year and get the big stuff done for her. She's having a hard time this year doing it at 85 - feeling her age for the very first time, and she doesn't have me to lean on to do the garden, take the curtains up and down etc.
Yep. Getting old is sucking. Already.

Annie, you speak the truth!

Yes "growing older really SUCKS" but consider the alternative! I still love life at age 71 but many of my contemporaries are no longer here to enjoy gardening or anything else. However I should have, for my own comfort, long ago learned to limit my gardening sessions. Of course I haven't learned so sometimes after many hours of intensive gardening I take a couple of *days* off doing something else. On the weekend I planted 11 perennials and my order of 80 plants is waiting to go in. It arrived Monday and it has been too rainy to plant but it's sunny today so by this afternoon the soil may be dry enough.

One thing I do during active gardening season is to leave a shovel and claw rake at either end of the garden. Saves a lot of steps. Those are the tools I use the most. I also just dump weeds and clippings in obvious piles until I'm finished for the day, then go around with a wheelbarrow and pick it all up. I know I still walk more than I need to as am not always too well organized.

More pictures, please, Annie! I'm heading towards 72 and still make sure I at least get something done in the yard every day, but get so irritated that the strength just isn't there anymore, and the heat just wears me out so quickly. Oh, well, like luckygal says, consider the alternative!

It's already ahead of me weedwise, but notice that in spite of my neglect, the plants seem to grow just fine without me...

Pretty funny - and accurate! ha. I do the same thing, start out with clippers and end up doing three or four other things along the way and forget why I have the clippers. You have way more to take care of than me. And the walking back and forth is getting to be a PITA. Why is everything back in the barn?

Roses and I just don't get along, I get mad at them and then just ignore them. My Abraham Darby has black spot already and it's only May 29th. I noticed it when I went to the paper box for the paper. Pretty soon I'm walking around the garden with the paper under my arm! Forget it, I'm going back in and finish starting my day. : )

Younger gardeners don't despair. Although the saying is "Old age isn't for sissies" there's lots to be thankful for in reaching the 70s and beyond (I'm 77) such as a greater peace of mind and acceptance of what is, and of what you can and cannot do. I'm enjoying life now more than I ever have. Do what you can to stay in good health and in a positive mindset, and do something creative every day. We're just having fun with our comments here.

Annie love, boy can I ever relate to you, your post is like reading a page out of my diary.
Roselee, I so agree with you I'll be 76 in a few months, the last few years have been a struggle at times but I stay positive. There are times when I don't get much done because of health problems, (I suffer from Lupus, had it for many years) then there are times when things are great like this spring. I shovelled 2 yards of driveway chip into the wheelbarrow, DH wheeled and dumped where it was needed. We stacked 4 cords of wood for the next heating season, I've dug weeds, sod and that d*mn buttercup, cleaned out part of a very messy shed so I actually now have a place to keep my gardening tools out of the weather and I also put in a small flagstone path, can you tell I've regained some strength in my legs.

I look forward to each new day and what it brings, hopefully it's a good one if not, well, I count on there'll be better days ahead, stay positive. No matter how bad it gets my glass will always half full :).

Annette

Everyone has said it very well. The one thing I try to do even when I don't feel like it is take a walk-about around my beds. Sometimes I get nothing much done and sometimes I really get into it.

Well kids, speaking of "growing pains". I took a header and fell yesterday. I had just planted flower seeds and was covering them with soil when for some reason my foot caught and I fell forward into the picket fence, turned my ankle, and landed on my rear end. This flower bed is just a strip along the fence but is at the bottom of an incline. An awkward space that I always have to be careful when working in because one tends to fall forward if you lean too far over. It's a good thing I didn't impale myself on the pickets when I fell on the fence or the rusty iron fence post. yeesh.

The ankle only hurt for a short while, and I walked it out and finished the bed. This morning I was expecting it to be sore but only my back is. No work today - at least I'm going to try and not do anything. Too hot anyways.

Don't I know it. Only 52, but I really worry my back may make my gardening years shorter than I would like.

Annie, I do relate to your story. The getting snagged by roses? Sounds cliche but someone reallly did ask the other day if 'that' (pointing to my arms) was done by a cat! A cat named Abraham Darby. That rose is intense.

My garden is overwhelming me now. I told my husband I am thankful we don't have a bigger lot. As size is the only thing that keeps me somewhat in bounds.

I keep thinking this STUPID thought that "if I can JUST get my garden to a certain point...thoroughly planted with low maintenance perennials, bermuda OUT of the beds, etc. then it will be less work! but who am I fooling (as I eye beds that I realize I need to pull the roses out of as they don't get enough sun to perform well, and plant the beds out with partial sun perennials...it never ends!!

And my back hurts even in the morning before I get out of bed!! And the skin on my arms, due to getting older, has thinner skin, and snags THAT much easier, and the heat induces migraines. GEEZ! What gives??

BUT! nothing offers the solace of the garden. and gardening, for that matter. we will just have to hire more help. and realize we can't control it all. yes, the 'help' will break a few limbs on precious roses, but, in truth, so do I!!!

I realize I am going to hire a fall clean up crew to rake/blow leaves after the main leaf fall. That is a biggie for me.

Good luck all!

well I'm 50. All of a sudden I'm gaining more weight than ever. So back to dieting again. I couldn't fit into my old clothes. My hands have began to feel achy. Right now after a couple of hours on my fours, removing clovers from my husband's beloved lawn, I pulled a muscle.. caught me by surprise.

61 here. Went to the nursery first thing this morning. By the time I unloaded the car, the heat had done me in! It is harder to lift bags of soil conditioner these days, so I drag them around the yard. I can usually lift a bag of mulch, but sometimes drag them, too. Forget bending over for too long or kneeling. I sit on my butt and scooch (maybe not a real word, but it describes what I do) along when weeding!

Schoolhouse, glad you are okay. I have taken a couple of falls, but was also very lucky-lots of uneven ground hidden by returning vinca way down in the back and if I hit a hole unexpectedly, down I go!

I am feeling the pressure now and really want to get everything in somewhat decent shape before I am too hold to do the heavy, intensive tasks. Not easy with our two galloping gardeners who have wrecked the backyard, but I will get it done at some point.

Aspirin is my best friend. ;)

I turn 55 this year, need to have both knees replaced, spend the day "pinging" with to many projects, forget where I put things but what gives me hope is that the women in this forum who are over 70 still keep going strong! I hope to grow up to be like them!!!!

63 here and yes I'm slowing down too. Thinking of taking out some (not all) of the roses and planting some of the many dayliles in other parts of the yard that need splitting. Much easier to care for. I am just looking forward to retirement (couple years off yet) when I will be able to garden in the morning and daily, instead of evenings and weekends. Seems harder every year to get it all done with the limited time and body that is slowing down. Also DH had hip replacement surgery this spring and will have knee replacement surgery this fall, so not much help with the heavy stuff this year. My mantra is "do what I can and the rest will just have to wait".

Yesterday morning I turned my compost pile and planted some perennials, lilies, and other bulbs. Not sure how many I planted yesterday but in the last week I've planted 22 plants and 75 bulbs. I've also moved some perennials. Still have a few bulbs and 2 big flats of annuals left to put in as well as some seeds to throw around. It started raining so that was enough excuse to stop for the day. I try to limit my time in the garden to 3 hours or less. I used to be out there all day but not doing that anymore.

I find gardening is easier since I lost weight. I lost 50 pounds over 4 years and now can't even *lift* 50 pounds but packed it around on my body for years. I also take vitamins and eat very carefully as plan to live for a very long time and much prefer health to disease. Since I really dislike “formal exercising” I garden as one of my main ways to keep active and reasonably fit. So far it's working altho on days when I overdo and all my muscles are screaming at me I think I might be satisfied with a half dozen pots on my deck! I'd have to find something else to do then, probably take my dog for long walks, find an exercise program I like, or volunteer more.

What I've learned thru experience is that as I age I cannot work for the long hours I used to, at least not without hurting a lot. I used to garden morning and evening as well as working long hours at my job, tending house, and kids. Now 2-3 hours at a time each day is enough. I also hire help when necessary for the heavy work. Occasionally I even hire someone to vacuum my house! Lazy old me! LOL

Dear Annie, thank you for the vivid description of what's like to grow old in the garden! I have been sitting here and quietly chuckling and nodding my head in sympathy and full understanding at all the replies. 51 here and slowing down too, apparently just like the rest, but still determined to have a garden of sorts. Feel like giving you all a hug! :-)

Forgot to say that I am 75 and dh is 76.one of my bff's is gonna be 81 this year and she still gardens as well.She has to do most of it from a wheel chair now,but she doesn't let that stop her.She's one of those post polio people,and also fell and broke her hip over 10 years ago.She just contimues to get up,dust herself off and get on with life!!

She has great upper body strength,as she goes to a pool and exercise class 3x a week,and that helps her.

It helps me as well,as I see what she can do so I keep pushing forward.Every day on this side of the dirt is a good day.

Hang in there ladies we can do this,slower maybe,just keep plugging along.
Kathi

Me, too!

Come on you guys, I'm, 82 and this will be the first year I haven't mowed my grass. I have been blessed with good health, but am slowing down some. I still plan to plant a vege garden, when the soil dries out enough.

I swore I would not buy any new plants this year, so far I only have 2 new dahlias and 1 clematis.

Has Annie gone to the great garden in the sky? anyone know?

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/dailyspark-videos-detail.asp?video=68

Last i heard SweetAnnie was on facebook,anyone know for sure?? I miss her post as well.I'm glad to see some of us oldies from GW still come here.I'm not doing much gardening this year,as i fell in Dec last year and split the fingers of my right hand wide open.Recovered from that and did pt for 3 months,but still couldn't bend the ring and middle finger,so last friday i had surgery again to release the scar tissue from the tendons,so am back in therapy again.My therapist said the dr will probably remove the stitches when i go in on tuesday to see him,sure hope so.

Another drawback this time is that they had to cut into my palm in order to get into the fingers to release the tendons.No matter how i come through pt this time,this is the last time i will have surgery on this hand.I'll just learn to live with however it turns out.I hate being out of commission,and here we are 5 months into the new year,and i have accomplished absolutely NOTHING.Can't do my needlework or sewing either as i'm right handed.

OK,my pity party is over!!!! LOL,LOL

Kathi

All I can say is thank goodness for Preen! It doesn't keep ALL the weeds from coming up but is sure helps. When I pick weeds I have to use the kneeling bench because of my bad back and it's a pain to keep moving it every few inches but it's the only way. Not only to keep from stooping and bending but it has supports on both sides to help me get up and down.