Wednesday, March 25, 2020 – Caring for Yourself & Garden

I walk about a mile to the Addison Community Garden. It is a wonderful place bursting with the goodness of the earth. There are giant heads of cabbage, fragrant herbs like rosemary, pungent rhubarb, earthy asparagus, lush leafy greens like romaine and kale, tender artichokes and brightly colored snapdragons worthy of a prominent spot in the landscape. Nothing says spring like the verdant abundance of a well-tended garden.

I am no master gardener, but I do know those who are devoted to this passion. It requires lots of time and effort to produce a healthy plant. They plant, fertilize, water and protect their precious seedlings from insects/varmints. It is much like being a parent, shepherding your little one into the real world.

During this pandemic, we need to tend ourselves as well as we do our children and our plants. Always wash your hands. I saw Dr. Oz give a demonstration of how surgeons wash their hands and have been using it. In addition to washing the backs of hands and rubbing hands together, surgeons put backs of fingers to opposing palms with fingers interlaced, rub each thumb separately and rub each palm with fingers.

I also saw a video of a doctor unpacking groceries. He left grocery bags outside and brought them in one at a time. The virus can live on plastic for up to 3 days. He removed as much plastic packaging as possible or wiped it down with a Lysol-soaked paper towel. He removed all cardboard. The virus can live on cardboard for one day. Then, he washed all the fruits and vegetables in water.

No matter how severe our case of cabin fever, we MUST keep six feet away from everyone. If you don’t, you might find yourself six feet under everyone. Don’t be the fertilizer for a garden; your health is just as important as that of your children and your plants. There is no such thing as being too careful.