Reposted from @seedtofork - The queen of garden blues was this variation of glass gem corn last fall - it was a glorious blue, not a down in the dumps blue, to be sure. Growing edible ornamentals was the most humbling experience of my gardening career; unwrapping these explosively colorful pristine cobs had me audibly gasping for days. I don’t share this often and you’ll understand why below, but in 2017 after over 6 years struggling with chronic pain, countless blood panels, scans, numerous diet changes and alternative medicines (to heal ‘chronic Lyme disease’), I went to the Mayo Clinic for evaluation, fully knowing they would not be diagnosing me with something they couldn’t quantify. They threw a label on me that I fought at first because to me it was the same thing as chronic Lyme, a diagnosis of elimination: fibromyalgia. The latest management approach for this incurable disorder is mindfulness. Instead of checking out with pain pills, check in to your mind and body by increasing awareness, reducing habitual joint rubbing (which reinforces overactive neurotransmitters), and not verbalizing your pain (this also reinforces the pain pathways psychologically). Also, concentrating on healthy habits, moderate activity, and a consistent routine. There was another modality they recommended: 30 minutes of creativity daily. The joy derived from a preferred creative outlet helps you focus on something other than pain, and can diminish, over time, chronic pain. I took this to heart, and prescribe ample time during the growing season to explore the garden through my lens. The garden provides so much more than food and flowers, especially for those who suffer from chronic diseases, anxiety, and depression. Your body knows what it needs when it’s in nature, and nature provides the medicine so many of us seek. I hope your garden delights you with more than just food and flowers, healing your body literally and metaphorically through its numerous nutritive pathways.💙 #seedtofork #glassgemcorn #homegrown #growyourownfood #fibrowarrior #gardenersofinstagram #minnesotagarden mimimargiemargot - #regrann https://www.instagram.com/p/ButuU71HS1M9y7IyNIuq2xWIBHTMeFJNFFFsqk0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=13szuai2x953b