PD Gardener

Story By Stan Marshall, Ottawa, Ontario

Hi everyone, This is the PD Gardener reporting in from our garden in Ottawa Ontario Canada. The photo here shows Parky with his friends Frosty the Snowman and Rusty the woodpecker. It is usually very cold and snowy in Ottawa in December. Parky was hoping to go cross-country skiing.  But as you can seethe garden looks very strange this year, as there is no snow yet!  Usually the garden is covered with snow and the plants are all asleep for the winter. But some of them are having a hard time dozing off because it is not cold enough. And no snow means the plants may be a little thirsty in the spring. So Parky is helping us to wish for snow for the Holidays (even though some curmudgeons would rather not have a pretty blanket of white!)

Parky knows that staying active is important for those of us with Parkinson’s. It helps our balance, flexibility, mobility, gait, and posture and makes us feel better. That is why we all have our favorite activities – skiing, running, boxing, playing any sport, cycling, Yoga, dance, Tai Chi, aerobic exercise or gardening like the PD Gardener does, are only a few things we can do.  So even though Parky cannot go for a ski right now, he will go for a long walk beside our canal and around the Canadian parliament buildings instead.

Until next time, keep active, and enjoy life

The PD Gardener