Friday, April 13, 2012

Navigating the Garden



I've been busy with the backyard. We have four raised bed boxes and xeric design landscaping. Last year, Michael hired landscapers to bring in dirt, create the physical raised beds and make a riverbed landscape feature to drain away water from the roofs.

For over a month, I've been going outside most days, working with the weeds, soil, rocks and plants. The most difficult aspect for me is the sunshine. It's hard to believe that I would complain about the sun. Just one ray of sunshine on my face, arms or hands is enough to redden my skin in an instant. My red skin dries, cracks and bleeds. I feel as if I am in constant pain as my eczema creeps along my hands, wrists, face and neck.

It is easy to navigate garden the garden sun, working in the shade of the morning and in the evening. It is easy to schedule my days in the garden, wearing a wide brimmed hat, long sleeves and gloves. Yet, I am frustrated. I am not certain that this rural Wisconsin woman belongs at 7400 feet above sea level. This is too close to the sun for me.

4 comments:

  1. I can understand your frustration; it seems so unfair to love working outside and have the thing you love cause so much pain. Wishing you some cloudy days.....

    ReplyDelete
  2. I read this as the sun and chirping birds beckon from outside but I fear the sun, even with a hat. I fear going biking or working out as I used to do (too much exertion) and I even fear sitting in front of the computer for too long (UV light?) though I have no choice in that matter as I'm now redesigning all the labels for the Apothecary. I definitely know how you feel.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hard not to be able to potter about and work in the garden just when one wants to. My Tilly hat is already out and on the library table, but in a few weeks I will only be able to work in the garden at dawn and around sunset, with or without hat. That is hard when summer is so brief this far north.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Cate; thank you for making a visit here. I keep a wide brimmed hat near the doorway to the garden. Even with the hat, I potter about in the morning and some evenings. I would like to see some rain here. Santa Fe is blasted dry!

      Delete