lessons learned and not learned

why is it that i can never remember to check for poison ivy when clearing out vines? seriously, i know there's poison ivy in our back yard and i know approximately where it is located. but yet, still i find a way to get it. every spring. and sometimes in summer too. heck, i've been known to get it in other times of the year too. i don't have it too bad this time around though. i only have a few spots here and there, so i guess that's not too bad. maybe i'll just eventually become immune.

this weekend i did learn a valuable lesson in gardening. if you live in south carolina and you put down one of those mesh thingys to cover the ground around your plants it will indeed prevent weeds from sprouting. however, what you'll have in place of your weeds will be a raging anthill. seriously. big mistake, people. right now about 1/4-1/3 of my garden is one big anthill. dig in the soil just a little bit and i see bazillions of ants going crazy and heading for my legs. got it. it's on my list of "don't dos" for next season. now i just have to figure out how to still utilize the garden without being eaten alive.