Yesterday while David was at work I decided I needed to go outside for a little bit. While outside I kept looking at my Front Porch and Garden. I was so upset at how messy it was and how many leaves was all over my porch.
Without even thinking about it I started to move things off the porch and sweeping it. Before I knew what was happening, I had everything cleaned and was sitting down when David drove up. The more I looked at the porch I knew a couple things still needed to be changed.
David helped me get the porch the way I wanted it and this helped me with “Growing Peace After Chaos: Simple Gardening Wins for Tired Families”. Now I can run up to the Farmers Market this morning to pick up a couple Moss Plants and finish the Garden this morning.
Even though I live in a Town Home at Appian Way Apartments/ Townhomes I was able to create Accessible, Family‑Powered, Real‑Life Gardening while reusing things I had and staying on a budget and spend less than $20. But look like I spent a million dollars or to me it looks like it.
Remember gardening Friday isn’t about perfection. It isn’t about having the prettiest yard, the fanciest tools, or the biggest budget. It’s about breathing, resetting, and finding peace in the middle of real‑life chaos.
And after the week we’ve had — the Hobart trip, the engagement, the goodbye, the tiny truck, the Walmart run, the new phone disaster, the cleaning marathon, the rearranging, the donation run, the exhaustion — today’s Gardening Friday is not about doing more.
It’s about doing less, but doing it with intention.
It’s about grounding ourselves in something simple, something quiet, something alive.
It’s about remembering that even when life feels messy, things still grow.
For me gardening allows me to date myself/ date my husband and breath and take care of my home for my friends, family and pets.
No, tears feel which shows me I’m getting better even though #Gardening makes me miss Suzzane and Charlie because this is things we would do together.
⭐ 1. TODAY’S GARDENING GOAL: “One Small Thing”
Not a full yard. Not a full project. Not a full overhaul.
Just one small thing.
Because one small thing is:
- Achievable
- Encouraging
- Grounding
- Calming
- Enough
Ideas for today’s “one small thing”:
- Water the plants
- Pull five weeds
- Sweep the porch
- Check the pots
- Trim one bush
- Plant one seed
- Move one pot to a sunnier spot
- Pick up fallen branches
- Add fresh soil to one container
This is not about productivity. This is about peace.
Our one small thing led to our family cleaning and organizing the back porch which le to me working on the front porch spending one on one time with David and leading to a trip to the Farmers Market this morning to look at Flowers which gets me up and moving and allows me to get steps in which is a Godsend.
⭐ 2. GARDENING AS HEALING (ESPECIALLY AFTER A WEEK LIKE OURS)
Gardening is therapy you don’t have to schedule.
It’s:
- Quiet
- Slow
- Gentle
- Grounding
- Accessible
- Free
And after the emotional rollercoaster of the Hobart trip — watching C step into adulthood, watching him choose his future, learning he got engaged, watching him stay behind — we need grounding.
We need something that reminds us:
Life keeps growing. Love keeps growing. We keep growing.
Even when we’re tired. Even when we’re hurting. Even when we’re overwhelmed.
Gardening last night allowed me to play my favorite music and get out of my own head for a bit and use muscles I hadn’t used in a while, and I was able to get my 30 minutes of walking in without stressing.
⭐ 3. ACCESSIBLE GARDENING FOR EVERYONE IN THE HOUSE
Our family is unique — and our gardening has to be too.
✔ For David
He’s hurting today. He pushed too hard yesterday. He needs rest.
His gardening job today?
Sit outside and supervise. That counts.
I don’t know about your husband but for David supervising means he will do it and tell me to sit down.
That is okay though because it’s what he likes to do.
✔ For me
I’m sore. I’m tired. I’m emotionally drained.
My gardening job today?
Water the plants and breathe.
That wasn’t enough for me I moved furniture and swept, and it felt good.
✔ For Bradley
He’s young, strong, and helpful.
His gardening job today?
Move one heavy pot or bag of soil.
Is what Bradley would have done but he was home sick and will be here on Monday to help me.
✔ For Gerald
He helps in his own way.
His gardening job today?
Stay inside with the dogs and keep them company.
Venture outside once in a while to check on us but don’t let bear out.
✔ For Bear & Pheobie
They are the fastest, funniest, most chaotic gardeners we have.
Their gardening job today?
Supervise. Sniff. Patrol. Approve.
Remind Bear not to run off if she wants to site outside and supervise while Pheobie walks with me.
Everyone participates. Everyone contributes. Everyone belongs.
⭐ 4. WHAT TO PLANT TODAY (CHEAP & EASY)
If you want to plant something new today, here are options under $2–$5:
- Marigolds
- Basil
- Mint
- Green onions
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Zinnias
- Cherry tomatoes (clearance plants)
- Wildflower mix
I am looking for Moss Rose which my grandmother always had in her Garden because mine didn’t come back up this year and a small Mini Rose Bush for my wishing well I got from Niccole.
These grow fast. These grow easy. These grow even when life is chaotic.
The Rose Bush will come back year after year.
⭐ 5. GARDENING WITH LIMITED ENERGY
Today is not a “big project” day. Today is a “do what you can” day.
Tips for low‑energy gardening:
- Sit while you work
- Use a chair or scooter
- Keep tools in a basket
- Work in 5‑minute bursts
- Drink water
- Stop when you’re done — not when the job is done
Your body matters. Your energy matters. Your limits matter.
Remember it’s okay to take breaks or stop if you get to hurting because gardening is an ongoing year-round project.
⭐ 6. GARDENING AS A FAMILY TRADITION
One day, C and Mikayla will have their own home. Their own porch. Their own plants. Their own routines.
And they’ll remember:
- The porch days
- The garden days
- The “one small thing” days
- The days we grew things together
Gardening is legacy. Gardening is memory. Gardening is love.
For Charlie gardening is one of the things he remembers always doing with Granny Sherry just as I remember gardening as a child with my Granny Dorie and her Moss Rose and Sweet Peas, I wish I had.
⭐ 7. WHAT WE’RE DOING TODAY (OUR REAL PLAN)
Here’s our actual Gardening Saturday plan:
- Water the plants
- Sweep the porch
- Move one pot
- Check the soil
- Let the dogs run
- Sit outside for 10 minutes
- Breathe
That’s it. That’s enough. That’s today.
About:
Big-A-Burger is a family restaurant that has been around since 1954. We have loyal customers and we thank them for allowing us to thrive for 50+ years!
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
