It’s good to no longer be a “housed-up” woman. Just ask Eben E. Rexford.
“The general impression seems to be that gardening is essentially man’s work, and that women and children are not equal to it. This is another mistake that will rapidly be done away with, for the woman of to-day is no longer a housed-up woman. She is rapidly learning the value of fresh air, and the tonic of outdoor life is fast taking the place of the doctor’s prescriptions. The writer knows of many women who have found work in the garden not only a healthful occupation but one so delightful that they look forward to spring with most pleasurable anticipations, and long for the time to come when they can get to work out of doors.” Eben E. Rexford, A-B-C of Vegetable Garden (1916)
Thank you Eben E. Rexford for setting the record straight. I could not imagine being “housed-up”. I need the tonic of the outdoor life!
In other news, my peas, planted on March 17th, are starting to come up.
And daffodils are replacing crocuses as the dominant spring flower.
And lest you be concerned that women should only grow flowers, Rexford also wrote that “the vegetable-garden is no harder than the flower-garden, and neither demands more strength or time than the average woman is able to give it if she makes use of labor-saving tools“.
It is good not to be housed-up, especially in the spring.
Made me smile… and hopefully to get out. Thanks!
I finally got out to clean up some things in my garden. I planted some pansies, too. My daffodils have buds, but none are blooming, yet.
Finally we have warmer weather – more Spring-like. Yesterday was so beautiful – good not to be housed up any longer!
Have a blessed day!
Lea
Lea's Menagerie
No, it is not good for a woman, or anyone, to be housed-up. But with a long, cold winter, that's exactly what happens. Thankfully, now is the time to get out and shake off those housed-up blues!