In my state of Connecticut, this has been a winter to remember.

Maybe not even so much the entire winter… up until the last week of January, things were pretty easy-peasy. But then, February hit and the snow and cold pummeled us for the entire month. The snow showed up in feet rather than inches, and it piled up fast.

The next thing that happened was the bottom fell out of the thermometer. I have never seen such cold temperatures. Single digits, below zero…we’ve had it all. We used to think that it could be too cold to snow; guess what? This year blew that theory out of the ice skating rink! And now that the year’s shortest month is over, it turns out that this was the coldest February ever since meteorologists started keeping records. But still, I can find something to be thankful for.

The really cold weather didn’t hit until all my roses were under several feet of snow. They are well insulated from the frigid conditions we have been exposed to for the last six weeks! Our weathermen say that tonight will again be frigid, but beginning this weekend the temps will finally be creeping up to normal…in the 40’s. Gosh! I’ll be ready to pull out my shorts! Unfortunately, a lot of melting has to happen before I can hit any of the gardens running, but as soon as the sidewalks are melted off, I’ll be going for a walk every day.

Escape Winter’s Grip with a Daily Stretching Program

I’ve started my stretching program which is always an early spring phenomenon for me. I have a tendency to get a little lazy during the winter. But, the days are definitely longer and I know it won’t be long until our rose growing season starts.

If you begin a stretching program now, you will be all limbered up before you rev up in the garden. I give myself 40 minutes a day, on the floor. You can even do these exercises in bed, if you like. They are not so much for building muscle but to get the winter’s stiffness out of your body.

I begin with individual knee-chest pulls. With the opposite knee in a bent position, I pull the first knee to my chest and slowly count to 20 and back. I then stretch the other side. I do two reps of these and they really loosen up my lower back.

Then, I pull both knees to my chest for a count of 100. I then do two individual sets of leg lifts (always keeping the opposite knee bent), again counting to 20 and back.

After this, with both knees bent, I stretch my arms with a #2 barbell in each hand. I do some lifting from the side and some overheads to down by my knees. Then, I flip over and prop myself up on my elbows for five minutes.

Some days I do a little more and some days a little less, but I can feel my muscles complaining a little. Good! It means things are waking up and when I begin gardening in earnest I won’t feel stiff and sore like a weekend warrior. Try a little exercise…you will be glad you did!

I spent a while today looking at my lovely rose pictures. I love how you can tell which season it is just by a photograph…the sun is different in intensity throughout the year. We are looking at two weeks until the Vernal Equinox and the sun this time of year has the same intensity as September. There is actual warmth in it as it shines through the window and it is now waking me up at 6:30 in the morning! Sunshine on my face in the morning always makes me happy.

So, try to keep cheery for a little longer. We will be in muddy season for a few weeks, but when that all seeps into the soil, I’ll just bet we’ll have the loveliest Spring ever! Hang in there; the forsythia will be in bloom in a heartbeat!