Working it Out in the Garden 

Now that it's January, did you make any New Year's resolutions? Yes? How's that working out for you?

No? Good job. The older I get, the more I learn that making resolutions only sets me up for failure. Oh, I try and manage to have a few goals with the turning of the calendar, but I also give myself a bit of slack, having learned from the past 42 years of failed resolutions not lasting much past February. Gym membership? Been there, done that. All the various gyms thank me for donating money to them every month, without ever stepping in the place by the time spring rolls around.

Walk more? Ditto. How about bringing the gym home? Well, after purchasing three or four pieces of exercise equipment, only to have them turn into a clothes rack by the middle of summer, I have finally accepted the fact that I'm not going to use them, whether in a gym, or in my living room. You may have more motivation and follow-through than I do, and I applaud you for that. Really.

Get out into the garden more? That one I seem to be able to manage, though not as often as I'd like, due to getting slower and a bit more tippy as I age.

But here's a good compromise if your goal is to get into a little better shape. Why pay all that money to a gym when you can get a total body workout working in the yard or garden? To borrow from a meme I've seen over and over again, you, too, can get a workout by using the following tools.

Biceps? Get those loppers out and do some pruning on your trees, shrubs and roses. It's winter and dormant time, after all. This is when it's time to get pruning, if you haven't already started.

Forearms? No problem. Get your trowel or hand tiller and go after those pesky weeds. Need a workout for your back? A leaf rake or a pickaxe will tone up those muscles. How about the pecs? Nothing tones those babies up like an ax or a pair of hedge clippers. And if you want rippling forearms, just make sure you prune lots and lots of trees and roses with your pruners/secateurs or, my personal favorite, a good sharp pruning saw.

For your legs, of course, there's the old standby of a spade or digging fork. Remember, though, not to disturb the soil until we've had a few days of dry weather, which we haven't had a lot of lately. All in good time. Besides, you have all that pruning you need to do, which can be done right after it's rained. Just don't apply any dormant spray until there's at least one day of no rain or wind.

Then there's mental/emotional health. Perhaps you're a bit aggravated by life and feel stabby much of the time. I don't recommend harming other living creatures, so let's talk about a garden tool that will suffice as an antidote to the things that annoy you. I highly recommend a hori hori. I received one from my brother-in-law for the holidays. He knows me well. You've probably seen a hori hori in your local garden centers. It's a multi-use gardening tool originally fashioned in Japan that has become popular in many other countries. It typically has a serrated side, a sharp side, measurement markings for planting and a pointy end. You can use it to weed, plant, cut and dig. Be sure to wear gloves in case your hand slips off the handle. We don't want anyone showing up at the ER because you tried a new garden tool.

And finally, what better to chase away the doldrums than to get outside. Sure, it's been raining a lot lately, but we often get a day or two of sunshine in between the gully washers. Even if it's a bit chilly, getting outside and turning your face to the sun will do wonders for your mood and vitamin D levels. And so what if it's raining? We're Humboldtians. A little rain never bothers us. Just wear warm clothing and good raingear. Either way, getting off the couch and moving around a little is a good way to break out of any lethargy you may be experiencing.

Who knows, I may even go for a short walk after putting this column to bed.

Julia Graham-Whitt (she/her) is owner and operator of the landscaping business Two Green Thumbs.