The Garden of Eden (Handicapped Accessible)

Even though Don and I had been told by a Rheumatologist years ago what it would look like as my illness progressed it never really felt real to us. We were too busy making plans for the future, were too busy working hard to make our dreams come true. We also had, (and still have), complete faith in my bodies ability to heal and God's promises of healing. But, for now, the fact is that I have become less and less mobile and I spend most of my days in solitude trying to find things I can still do that give me a sense of feeling productive. Since my declining health forced me to close my art studio it is vitally important to my mental health that I accomplish something each day. Unfortunately there are many days when a flare up is so bad that it is just not possible to do anything at all. On those days all I can do is sit quietly in stillness and rest.  So when I find a way to modify something I once enjoyed in a way that allows me to continue doing it I am overjoyed. Such is the case with my "Garden of Eden".

This Spring my husband built me a handicapped accessible deck that is level with the interior floor of the house, so there is no step down. Even when I have to use a cane or walker, or someday a wheelchair,  I can get out on the deck. He also made it huge so that I would really feel the spaciousness of the outdoors, giving me the feeling that I was in my beloved woods.  Because of the slope of the land the deck is higher than normal and gives you the feeling of being in the tree tops. It has been such a joy for me to sit out here listening to and photographing the birds this Spring.

One morning I was sitting out on the deck feeling sad that I would not be able to have a vegetable garden for the second year in a row.  I had asked Don to move my house plants, which included; rosemary, lavender, sage, basil and a lemon tree out onto the deck. They looked so lovely out there that I thought, "Why don't I plant my garden on the deck? It has full sun and southern exposure, and if I plant in railing planters I can tend them standing" 

So that is how my little Garden of Eden came to be, and best of all it is handicapped accessible!

 On the railing; red & green Leaf lettuce, rainbow chard, spinach, kale, romaine

 Red & Green Leaf Lettuce

 Rainbow Chard, Spinach, Letuce

 Tomatoes and Lavender

  On the railing; red & green Leaf lettuce, rainbow chard, spinach, kale, romaine 

 Sage

 Lavender

 Rosemary

 Lemon Tree with lots of baby lemons!

 Basil

  On the railing; red & green Leaf lettuce, rainbow chard, spinach, kale, romaine

Parsley, basil, mint, rosemary, lavender and sage in pots. 

After I took the photos Don built a large box planter where we planted yellow squash and zucchini

Isn't it heavenly? An Eden for sure!