JUL 02 - Even in her late 50s, my mother knows how to remain active. I have never seen her passing her time watching television or sleeping in the daytime. But she is very creative in her own way.
Perhaps it is because of her active lifestyle that she has no illnesses that many people of her age are suffering from at present. She only complains about a minor backache or toothache sometimes. I am very happy and think myself a fortunate son to have such a healthy mother. She still has a very good appetite. She has neither high blood pressure, diabetes nor uric acid. She eats, sleeps, drinks, works and rests normally. In short, she is in sound health.
My mother doesn’t do yoga every morning, but her general household chores are not less effective than that. In her daughter-in-law’s absence, she cooks food for the family. She enjoys it very much. But her passion is her karesabari. This kitchen garden is where she is found most of the time everyday.
My mother’s karesabari does not cover a large area. It’s just a five by six piece of land between the kitchen of the house and the bathroom. There is a hand water pump which my mother uses to water her plants regularly. In her karesabari, she does not use chemical fertilisers. Instead, she uses the manure of pigs, cows and buffaloes as fertiliser. This practice of hers has boosted the productivity of the land, and it has started yielding a good amount of different vegetables even though it is so small. She has been growing latte, seem saag (green leaves), red pepper, beans, maize, papaya, sunflower, tomato, garlic, onion and mint in her small vegetable patch. So, she is always busy digging, turning the soil, planting and watering the plants.
Though the production of the karesabari is not sufficient for the family, it helps us to save a lot of money. The expenses for vegetables every week have been remarkably low. Moreover, we can have fresh green organic vegetables in our kitchen. The karesabari has also increased the greenery at our house. The greenery around one’s house provides one with satisfaction not only physically but also mentally. The green leaves provide a kind of coolness against the scorching heat of the sun. The pleasure we get looking at them works as a tonic for our mind and helps it to remain healthy.
My mother did not know about all these advantages when she started gardening. She did it simply because she liked it. Now, she is habituated to her karesabari. And she is happy. I think other elderly parents who are also seeking health and fun without spending much money and time can learn a lot from my mother.
No comments:
Post a Comment