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Oh Tom, that's not small endeavor. Teaching our body to act in the ways we wish it would. Bodies have minds of their own and they argue constantly. I am crossing all my fingers and toes for you - Patagonia!

I am fully outright jealous of your garden. I just want to stand there and touch the prickly squash leaves. Do it for me.

I hope you have a beautiful week. Be gentle with yourself.

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There’s not a day that I’m not out in the garden, fiddling with something. It’s very satisfying. But that whole gentle with myself thing … I could use some practice with that one!

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Aug 11Liked by Tom Pendergast

The garden looks great, and its an important way to get some rehab too. I envy some of your plants, melons and figs would requite a greenhouse or polytunnel here. I'm in such a similar space, gardening is bliss, (when the sun shows up - its been a bit hit and miss this year in Scotland but today is glorious) but my own joints are creaky, too much downhill scree-running as a young man, perhaps? Still, I've managed to avoid the knife, so far, anyhow, and I'll put up with the knees and hips as long as I can handle the pain.

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We used to not have much luck with the heat-loving stuff, but in 2019 we put in this fence and it really concentrates the heat. Now I just hope the weather holds out for another month to let everything mature. Downhill scree-running is it, isn’t it? But I’d do it again in a second, if I could. I hope you can avoid the knife, Rob, it’s no bloody fun. But I’ll let you know in February, post-Patagonia, if it was all worth it.

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Aug 11Liked by Tom Pendergast

I’m so happy to read you again. I’ve been worried. Think figs and Patagonia!! Garden photos are beautiful!

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Thanks Laurie, nothing to worry about, just a different rhythm. You should see Nancy’s flowers!

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Aug 11Liked by Tom Pendergast

What a beautiful bounty, Tom! Also (and I think I mentioned this before) but I've lived with my bionic knee since 2015 and my bionic hip since 2021. Every time I get on my bike, put on my socks or walk 4 miles I thank both of my surgeons! ("Dr. Bernasek, you're a miracle worker!" or "Dr. Wodowski, you are THE MAN!"). I'm in a writing funk myself. We should have a virtual beer sometime.

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We should have a virtual beer! If your WiFi good enough up in the woods?

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Figs! I love 'em!

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There is nothing like a ripe fig in my book.

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Have to say I had the best ones in southern Italy.

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Pretty much me too on southern Italy. Sara and I were walking up this long stairway to Ravello and these fig trees hung over people’s walls, so we picked the figs off the trees and ate them … we knew right then we had to have our own fig tree, but it’s taken a while to find the right location in our yard and to let the tree get big enough to bear fruit. I think we’ll get 10 figs this year total, but the tree is growing well.

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Hips and knees like figs and peas

Take time to bear some fruit.

I've heard that both operations can take time to heal, but it's better in the long run. Fingers crossed for Patagonia!

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Ooh, I’ll take that little rhyme to heart.

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lol - emphasis on "little". I almost deleted it -- it doesn't quite work, but I thought it was not bad for a Sunday-morning, pre-coffee one-off...

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I spend so much therapeutic time in my garden... and while I haven't had the surgeries, I'm feeling my age and the pain that comes with it. A lifetime of sports and a competitive spirit... I guess life makes us slow down, eh?

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We just made fig and prosciutto pizzas last night, an annual tradition when the figs ripen!

Thank you for sharing about your physical challenges and recovery, even if cryptically. I’ve never been an athletic person, but always active. At only 52 I’m already finding the need to care for my body differently.

I will eventually need a knee replacement (bone on bone, currently), but so far my PT exercises are helping to keep the scaffolding strong and supported.

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I keep reminding myself that I really was worse before the surgeries, and I’m improving every day. Fig and prosciutto pizza sounds great … maybe by next year I’ll have a good pizza oven.

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There is nothing like seeing growth in the garden to remember how powerful our need to live is. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your green friends, Tom.

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Thanks Ted, good to hear from you.

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Aug 11Liked by Tom Pendergast

I'm always happy to see what is on your mind, and this is a fun update. Knowing about something else fun that you did lately, I am already looking forward to reading about that when the time comes for you to share. Have a great week my friend!

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Aug 11Liked by Tom Pendergast

You have figs at year two?!? Howwww?

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Well, year two in the new location. It’s actually year three (or four) overall, cuz we planted it in the wrong spot at first.

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Good luck with your recovery, Tom. The vertical gardening idea looks great. I'm sure I won't be the only one hoping that you'll document this, ie the steps you've taken and the progress made.

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I’ve been keeping my eyes on a couple different vertical gardening efforts nearby so copied both of them this year. So far they’re working great. I’ll do an update when I can show melons hanging on the vine.

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Great. My lady wife and I would definitely be interested.

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We really tried two experiments: the first was just these 4' by 16' cattle panels, which we kind of bowed to form the arch you see us standing under. We put stakes in to anchor them, and then zip-tied the cattle panel to the stake. I'd take a picture, but it's a jungle out there now. The other vertical element was a purchase from the Seattle Urban Farm Company: https://www.seattleurbanfarmco.com/. We trained our pole beans and tomatoes to grow up these strings. Big success with the pole beans, but we did not trim enough on the tomatoes so they've gotten a bit out of hand. Hope that helps Terry. Tell me if you want more.

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Empathisizing from my bad back to your wonky knees and new hips Tom! Lotta learning in pain - mostly in understanding what so many people suffer. Thoughts with you and may your muscles and bones grow as well as your melons and tomatoes 🍅

Patagonia and good harvests beckon.

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Amen to that! Admiration in equal measure for your bravery and ambition, Tom

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Aug 11Liked by Tom Pendergast

Your garden is amazing! what a bounty it has produced so far! I am glad to hear you are working still on the Patagonia adventure and hope the healing continues to come along well.

Sending much love:)

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The garden is beautiful, but love even more the big smiles and pride effusing from your Day 0 build photo. Great shot 💕 Hope your new joints behave soon - your January trip sounds incredible.

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I like the way the dailyness of a growing garden is the bright side counterpart to the dailyness of physical recovery - both are slow, gradual, potentially (often actually) frustrating, but with occasional leaps of progress—hope they both result in a flouring harvest for you!

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Ah yes, you got it!!! And the patience needed to watch your garden struggle until the weather heats up is also a good parallel. I guess things progress when they’re ready.

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