Everything takes long with one hand in a splint. I have to adapt routine tasks, and rescuing the seedling that got neglected after the injury was a lot less easy than it would be with two functioning hands. But I adjust and manage.

Note: The video version of this post gets released on Monday, May 27.

I couldn’t come here yesterday, and some of my tomatoes were in two small pots still so they dried out. So we’re just gonna get them into the bed and hope that they make it there, because they definitely need to come out of those pots.

Over the last few days, everything took longer. Even the most routine tasks require adapting. I often forgot about my injury until I set out to do something routine and could not just get it done.

I even had to can potatoes, as I had bought them before the accident. It took longer. I needed more help. I relied on my machines and my husband a lot. I needed both hands where I usually only need one. I am very glad I challenge my left hand a lot.

My rarely used oversized gloves came in handy to protect the bandages.

Because I couldn’t properly hold a knife, I used the machine to dice all of the potatoes. Right, I never told you what happened to Marvin, the food processor.

After I sent Marvin in for repairs, they kept asking me to send in the machine. It had long been delivered at theirs. In the end, after weeks of debate, my mom received a full refund. After a lot of research, I decided to get a refurbished good-quality machine.

I also decided to not get another jack-of-all-trades machine. Instead, I got two separate ones. I very reluctantly added some savings, but I am so much happier with the machines now. I’ll tell you more about what I chose when we use the machines. I’ll also need new names, of course.

For now, let’s return to the garden and our little rescue mission. Accepting that I would need to weed a bit to make room for the dying plants, I got my tools.

I still have not had time to identify all of the weeds on the land. This seedy grass is definitely trouble.

I also got the bad news that the sheep and goat that should help with the weeding kept jumping their fence. So, back to plan A. Get this done myself and try as many methods as possible.
Once all the plants were in, I added some mulch around them.

I had come here only to water the plants, so I could only do the bare minimum that day–and no time for a cart. I also could not film properly. Sorry for the shaky footage.

The sun was setting, so I watered them in very well. They had been in dry conditions for far too long.

I can only carry with the left at the moment, so I returned the first can to the greenhouse. I had a second filled one waiting. I get a lot of steps walking twice for everything.

I watered the rest of the tiny, unhappy tomatoes and peppers, and called it a day. Two days after the fall, I wasn’t ready for more. The garden is in shade now but there were still last rays of sunshine to enjoy at home.

The next day was another holiday in Germany. There was a loud party on the soccer field. I could hear them through the noise-cancellation… It was worse in the food forest, so I was glad for garden plot tasks.

This compost bin is supposed to be part of my composting system, so I need to dig it out. It was stuck well. No one had moved it in years. But after fifteen minutes of wobbling and digging, I had a start.

I emptied the cart which was still filled with leaves. The first bed was getting a heavy layer of mulch.

I was very glad to have a dump cart. With one-and-a-half hands, this would have taken forever. I still haven’t brought the tape to cover the logo. Sorry. I promise this isn’t sponsored. I really like the cart. It has been serving me very well. But I hate the giant logos on the sides.

I know this looks nothing like a bed. I’ll show you the plan for the layout soon. I carefully mulched the plants already in the ground with the grass my neighbors left. Getting grass clippings, leaves, and spent hay from neighboring gardens has been very helpful.

I even finished the first bed around the tomatoes and peppers I had rescued. I was pretty sure all but one would make it. Pepper lay on the one that won’t…

I turned the pile of food waste and compost. Once I get the plastic bin out, all this will go inside. Food waste will go into the two plastic bins. Garden waste in between. I have a piece of fence to put there.

But first, I had to dig out the plastic pieces still thoroughly stuck in soil. This is decent compost, so I decided to use it to try another method of starting beds. For the first time, I had some extra soil.

I spread cardboard around the first bed. I still have a lot of moving boxes some neighbors dumped in the trash last year.

Guess where Pepper is lying right now… Poor little pepper plant. Though, I don’t blame him for not seeing it. It didn’t look alive at all. Each survivor got a bit of compost as starter rations. I hope they make it.

Once everyone had their share, the rest of the compost went onto the cardboard. I had enough compost for the cardboard to stay in place.

The rest would wait for another day–and another episode. So long, and thanks for being here.