Gardening is dangerous!

So, I have been working in my vegetable garden this week. I have 7 rows out of 18 done. I have actually gotten a lot done even though it does not seem like it. Usually, when I put my veggie garden in I plant one type of veggie in each row. Well, with companion gardening I am planting about 4 different veggies in each row. Along with flowers that repel pests. So I end up going up and down one row several times before I am done. So, 7 companion gardening rows equal about 28 traditional rows. No wonder I am so tired already!

Yesterday was a particularly frustrating day. I woke up excited to go out and work. First, I had to fetch the water hose. The hose I am using for the garden is about 200 feet from the garden. So, I usually use the 4-wheeler to bring it to where it's needed. We have about 8 hoses hooked together so it does get a little cumbersome to walk it all over the place. Yes, I know that is a ridiculous number of hoses to hook together but we need it that long to reach all the brush we have burning to control flames. See? There is a reason.

Anyway, I brought the hose over to the garden with it already turned on to save me a trip. I go to get it off the back of the 4-wheeler and the sprayer falls off and water drenches me all over. First my face, then my legs and arms then my feet. To top it off, my six-year old is laughing hysterically at me. Not a good start to the day. After I change and convince myself gardening is still a good idea I go to work with the hoe. I use the handle end of the hoe to make perfect little holes to plant my corn. I get to work on the holes. I hit myself on the forehead with the sharp edge of the hoe. Repeatedly. You would think I'd learn the first time. I did this at least 5 different times. I'm a slow learner.

Then, I go to work planting my carrots in between my cauliflower. I use toilet paper for planting small seeds. It keeps me from wasting seeds, helps me see them better and the TP helps hold small seeds in place and root better. It decomposes back in the garden so it works all the way around. After I place the seeds I just grab a hand full of dirt to put over them. So, I am working on a row repeating this procedure over and over and over. Until I am about 1/2 way up. I am mindlessly grabbing dirt to put on top and I reach into a huge fire ant hill. OUCH! They are a little protective of their nests.

Especially when you go so deep you grab a bunch of larvae. They get really mad. They sting repeatedly. It burns. I say some words I know I shouldn't. I contemplate boiling water and pouring it down every ant hill I see. If you look closely, you can see them carrying the larvae around and going nuts. You may even be able to make out my lovely hand print.

The rest of the day is a blur. I woke up this morning exhausted and in pain in multiple places. I have a huge bruise the size of an orange on my thigh. I have no idea how I got it. I have a sunburn. My back really aches.

Someone remind me again why I am doing this. I can think of easier ways to torture myself.