Time to get your hands dirty and work in the garden.

The Huntress

With spring finally arriving, we have been having fun in the yard and enjoying the weather.

Our garden is filled with spinach, romaine, collard greens, cabbage, tomatoes, purple hull peas, cucumbers, squash, English peas and potatoes.

Cooper enjoys digging and planting in the garden and he looks forward to eating fresh tomatoes and peas the most.

We are trying two strawberry plants so he may get a small crop this year.

The purple hull peas have sprouted through the surface this week and will probably take off growing once some rain rolls in later this week.

I spent my time in my rose bed pulling weeds and spraying for bugs.

I also decided to start another rose bed so I added to my collection last Saturday.

I now have a yellow rose, a red and white combo rose (Love) and a Granada rose that has tones of red, orange and golden yellow.

I hope I will get to see them all open at once really soon.

They are young plants but are already showing lots of blooms and life.

I may be adding a few more varieties in a few days but I'm happy with my six rose bushes for now.

Cooper will be finished with school soon and will be out for the summer.

I am already planning on taking advantage of my off time during the week so we can hit some fishing holes and do other fun stuff such as going riding or picking huckleberries.

Cooper loves a blueberry cobbler with huckleberries mixed into the fruit.

I have to agree with him that the flavor is wonderful.

Huckleberries are also good in pancakes and muffins.

Early summer is a great time to hit a fishing hole before the unbearable heat of a South Arkansas summer grabs a hold of us.

With most hunting seasons closed, summer is a great time to help control the hog population.

Being near a water or food source in the summer can almost guarantee a hog sighting.

We have a pond and a creek on our hunting land and when we go a few days without rain, the hog signs are easy to find.

Also, be sure to watch for snakes because they are on the move.

I saw three snakes in just two days while I was turkey hunting.

Also, check yourself for ticks even if you are outside for just a few minutes.

If you have pets, especially indoor pets, check them as well because a tick can come in on your pets and wind up on you.

Rocky mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease are not uncommon in our area.

Remove a tick with tweezers. Do not use oils, alcohol or creams.

Oils and other irritants can make a tick regurgitate their stomach contents and can give you bacteria and viruses that can be harmful.

This can make you contract something that could have been avoided.

Be safe outside and wear bug repellent as mosquitoes will be very active with all of the heavy rainfall we had in March. Questions? Comments? Pictures? Send them to katiem@ eldoradonews.com.