2 minute read
The Joy of Gardening
LORI STROBEL GREW UP IN LUZERNE, PENNSYLVANIA, later moving to the Philadelphia area. She was in her previous home for 50 years without any plans to move back to Northeast Pennsylvania. However, after her son died unexpectedly in 2014, she found herself returning to the area where she had spent the first 21 years of her life.
Lori’s home at Masonic Village at Dallas was the start of a different phase of her life. It was a chance to reconnect with family and old friends in the area, and embrace her retirement. Her new villa didn’t quite feel complete, however, until she added a garden.
“Once I had a patio installed and put in a garden, I remember sitting in the backyard and saying ‘I am at home now.’ Time heals,” Lori said. “When I moved back here, I was quite surprised to recognize the beauty of the area I had long forgotten. I came to realize it’s a healthier environment than living on my own in a house that constantly needed upkeep and maintenance.”
Lori’s backyard at Masonic Village is lined with trees, giving her a convenient and private spot to plant her oasis. She has some raised beds, which are easy for her to access without having to bend down on her knees. Depending on the season, her crops include tomatoes, string beans, lettuce, kale, herbs, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, potatoes, red beets and lots of annuals.
“I’ve always enjoyed gardening,” Lori said. “Getting food was secondary. It’s a challenge, especially growing vegetables, but there’s a tranquility in watching them grow and having fresh produce. “I have found it’s very easy to stay inside my comfortable villa rather than be outside in the fresh air and sunshine. If it weren’t for my garden calling, I would be indoors and in front of the TV much more than I should.“
All gardeners have their share of best practices and are eager to share them with their green-thumbed friends. Lori credits the advice of others for helping her grow better vegetables and has found compost from the local township is the most beneficial way of getting healthy soil.
While she finds tranquility in the garden, Lori must occasionally remind herself gardening is fun.
“I tend to get over-involved and stressed because I can’t do it all and have asked for help several times,” she said. “I consider myself active for my age, but even so, I can’t do what I used to. When I work alongside another person, we get a lot done in a mere two hours.”
Lori continues to find a sense of healing and fulfillment digging through the dirt and nurturing her harvest.
“It’s a joy of gardening and a desire to be more active that inspires me,” she said. “I am very grateful to be involved in gardening, which keeps me rooted to my new home. It is an activity people can do on their own and can do as much, or as little, as they want.”
