Where There's a Will....

the only thing that bothered me about the timing of my hip replacement surgery, was that i wouldn't be able to work on my flower beds. the main post surgery rule:  no 90 degree or greater bending of the hip. that meant no bending over and pulling weeds. 
i was sitting on my patio one day contemplating this. there had to be a way. i joked with my husband about the scene from the movie "honey, i shrunk the kids" where the dad rigged up a sling for himself, on a long arm that suspended him over the yard so he could look for his children with risking stepping on them. i asked gary if he could rig up such a contraption for me to weed. we laughed. 
but that got me to thinking. could i lay on something and weed? and i spied this little darlin'. 

it's nothing fancy and sorely needs a coat of paint, but this has become my most valuable gardening tool.  it is very solid and strong, and the perfect size and height to support my torso with my legs straight out behind me resting on the ground. i can lay comfortably and dig with my hand shovel and pull weeds to my heart's content. okay, you can stop laughing now. i'm serious. i'll probably weed like this for the rest of my life. it's much easier than bending over, it doesn't hurt the back. it's better than kneeling, no knee pain. i can weed for a longer period of time without getting tired. it allowed me to do this, three weeks after hip surgery, with no ill effects. 

 

okay, i might look a little funny in action, but you know, i don't care. :)