Hard and Fast They Appeared

by Richard Kordesh

I concede that “Hard and Fast” might seem a weird use of the phrase, given that I’m referring to vegetables! But, this is the time in the summer when we can barely keep up with the harvest. The climate favors this window in time, so the gardeners must stand ready.

We added to the challenge of readiness this year by taking a trip to England and France during the final two weeks of July. That vacation coincided with the explosive arrival of our cucumbers, many of which we had wanted to pull while they were small enough for pickling. Fortunately, our now-adult daughter, Kathy, has grown up with our gardens, and stepped in to maintain a good harvesting pace while we were sailing in the English Channel. Bush beans appeared during the same time. And the first waves of red onions – we had planted them at two-week intervals – began demanding their liberation from the ground.

As for liberation, the excursion to Europe also included visits to such D-Day sites as Pointe du Hoc and Omaha Beach. The bluffs along the five beaches where courageous American, British, and Canadian soldiers landed are still marked by the remnants and scars of war. Bomb craters abound, but they now burst with meadow grasses and flowers.

The back-and-forth between the rhythms of the earth and the sometimes violent spasms in our lives yields many surprising outcomes. The gardens we tend as well as the fields that flourish without our guidance nourish and heal us, sometimes it seems against all odds

Guest blogger Richard S. Kordesh is the author of Restoring Power to Parents and Places  and has worked professionally in the community development field for 35 years.

More about Richard S. Kordesh

Exercise of the Month: August

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by the JCC Association and One Club

Need some exercise inspiration? Our June Exercise of the Month is the upright row (beginner and advanced levels below)!

FOAM ROLLING, FLEXIBILITY & RELEASE

Muscle Group: Glutes, IT band & thoracic spine

HOW TO STRETCH AND RELEASE THE GLUTES:

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1. Place glutes on the foam roller, propping yourself up with your arms.
2. Roll from upper glute to upper hamstring.
3. If a tender point is located, stop rolling and rest on the tender point until pain decreases by 75%.

HOW TO STRETCH AND RELEASE THE IT BAND

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1. Position yourself on your side, lying on the foam roller, with your bottom leg slightly off the floor.
2. Roll just below the hip joint down the lateral thigh to the knee.
3. If a tender point is located, stop rolling and rest on the tender point until pain decreases by 75

HOW TO STRETCH AND RELEASE THE THORACIC SPINE

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1. Lie supine (stomach to sky) with the upper back on the foam roller.
2. Relax the body over the foam roller, with arms crossed over the chest and shoulders relaxed toward the ground.
3. If a tender point is located, stop rolling and rest on the tender point until pain decreases by 75%.

BENEFITS: 

Foam rolling releases muscle tension in affected areas, allowing muscles to repair and return to their correct lengths.