Moving Naturally - Together!

One of our principles in our Choose Health Family Initiative is to, "Move Naturally."  Our goal is to create an environment which constantly nudges us into moving.  We knocked it out of the park today!

I came in from my workout as Michael was going outside to start the day's work. He suggested a shower, at this point, would be a waste of time and water.

The kids had Japanese - Michael and I got a couple of hours head start on the work.

While Michael put the new mower together, I gathered eggs and dandelions. Our first two crops at Wibbly Wobbly Acres.  (Dandelion post to follow - sometime).

Michael was still in the garage - so I watered the plants in the greenhouse and raised beds. We have some lettuce coming up.  The greenhouse continues to be my happiest place on earth. 90* today....

I have a dream for this plot of land, nice rows of FOOD, a wooden fence, an arched entryway, a bench in the garden... I asked Michael if it is crazy to think we could make a cultured garden out of this jungle. Everything we did last year has to be done again this year. The vegetation seems to be winning. He said, "It's a work in progress." I will remember these words. 

Don't all good gardening seasons begin with a lawnmower?

Our garden spot was a horse pasture. Last year this area was BARE. Everything I planted here died. It was still too hot.  THIS year it has a lush grass covering . Michael suggested we try planting corn here. It appears to be rich soil.  It gets more sun and better drainage than the other end of the pasture er....garden. It became apparent we needed to mow before tilling. I had put cardboard and shavings and such down last year....and we removed that first.

Michael  insists his back is feeling better. I believe it is. He is OUT of bed. He's working - carefully - but he's UP.

Alex cut down the grass under the fence so it will conduct electricity. 

He also tilled a couple of rows. We have much more to go - but we got a thunderstorm at about 5:30 and called it a day.

I didn't get a photo of Stacia, she took the hedge trimmer to these big bushes near the garden fence. We are trying to cut back the moose food - take away her reasons to explore close to the garden. She has an acre or so of forest back there...nothing to see here. LOL

Papa's shadow is always a big help. 

He runs to find Papa and grabs MY water bottle. 

Granna is making a gardening partner

 I used the weed-eater to take down the grass by the greenhouse,  around the fire pit, by the compost bin - places where the riding lawn mower doesn't go and which may have too many rocks to attempt use of the push mower.  I took over the push mower and did the detail work in this area. Stacia had the weed eater and took care of the space under the laundry poles....

Photo by Michael

I am so proud of Arielle. She went on a MOPS hike this morning. It takes courage to walk into a group where you don't know anyone and ask to participate. She and Benny had fun and came back with a recommendation for our In Step Walking Group at church.  Benny offered great moral encouragement as I mowed. Each time I turned towards him he waved big - then ran. 

This area wasn't covered with the riding mower. It looks civilized for the evening. 

The grass had been up to the first square on the greenhouse.  

Tomorrow - we'll do more. It's o.k. we didn't get done what we'd hoped to get done.

We moved!

I moved unnaturally on the elliptical and bike this morning. I moved naturally all afternoon and I ended up with over 5 hours of my heart rate in the "zone," over 16K steps, burned 3352 calories and the four of us did it together!

I love being outside with this tribe.  It reinforced another one of our principles on our Choose Health journey (adopted from The Blue Zone Solution) - Family first. It was a great day of pulling together.