You know it is important to keep in shape. If your doctor is like mine, you are probably reminded each year about good eating habits and that your cholesterol needs to come down a few points. With that in mind, there is an elliptical trainer in our garage. It’s been used . . . some, mostly by Kim. I never have been able to get on board with the whole running thing. I should probably do it more.

But when I went to our garage the other day, I did find someone using it, in a pretty unique way (see above). At first, I wanted to reprimand, “Be careful, you’ll hurt yourself; that’s for Mom and Dad.” But then as I looked closer, I realized she wasn’t in any danger. She’d found the perfect way to sit, read a book, and keep her legs moving at the same time. When I asked her what she was doing, she said she was exercising her mind and her body at the same time.

I did not have a great retort. I mean, how do you argue with that? All I could say is, “Continue, little one. Never stop exercising your mind and your body.” And, at least for that moment, she gave me an excuse for why I wasn’t using the elliptical trainer.

Of course, she’s right. Being in good physical shape is important and keeping our minds sharp is, too. And I don’t mean arithmetic drills or complicated logic puzzles. Keeping our minds focused, grounded, and relaxed is important. Finding positive ways to deal with the stress of the world is super important. And that’s where your garden comes in. Everything about being in the garden is helpful in some way to your body or mind. It burns calories and gets your heart rate up, keeping that ever-pumping muscle in shape so that it can keep on beating. It gets your hands in the dirt, connects you with something real, instead of some filtered post on social media. It relaxes your soul as you watch the fruits of your labor bloom away season after season.

With fall right around the corner, we are looking forward to a new season of gardening. The fall schedule of upcoming workshops has been posted online, and it will kick off on September 21, 2019 with Fall Veggies. Before you know it, the weather will cool and you’ve got the perfect way to exercise your mind and body, no exercise equipment needed.