Post by Southern Belle on Mar 9, 2008 16:12:12 GMT -5
Or, what the heck happened to SB's face 
. Okay, so it's the weekend, hubby's home and it's a beautiful day outside, all of this conspires to get me off the 'puter and out doing some work in the garden. Being early March, I'm already about a week late trimming the winter kill off of the roses, so I figure, I'm paid up on my health insurance - this is a good time to take care of one of my least favorite spring time chores. And of course, since I may have a little tendency to overdo things, we're not talking just a couple of rose bushes. Nope, 58 last count (don't ask, really).
Now, you have to understand, just getting prepped to trim the roses is a MAJOR production here at SB's house. First, we need the ratty old jeans, and a very thick long sleeve shirt, cause those thorns hurt. The shirt has to be blue, cause I'm deathly allergic to bee stings, and for some reason, bees aren't attracted to blue (go figure). No, the roses haven't started blooming yet, but the jasmine is going CRAZY - smells like a little slice of heaven, and the bees are happy campers.
Next, we need our super duper thick rubber boots (Bright, bright pink - cause a girl needs a little color). Super thick cause those thorns hurt and boots cause, well, if you've ever stepped into a fire ant pile, you'd understand (if I could find hip-waders in bright pink, I'd probably wear those).
Then it's time to find the kevlar gloves - so thick I can't actually feel anything through them, cause did I mention those thorns hurt? Bright yellow - don't ask why, that's the only color they came in. I'm looking like quite the character, and I can see my neighbors grabbing their binoculars and pulling up chairs to enjoy the show.
A few hours later, I'm feeling major proud of myself, cause I've gotten through the main rose gardens with only a few cuts - really, I've bled very little, and only need a stitch or 2. Now it's time to move on to the climbing roses. For some reason, I decided to plant them in an area where the prevailing winds cause them to grow all whompy jawwed (that's SB speak for crooked). So every year I have to wrestle the larger stems back to where they belong and tie them up. Only I can't tie the knots in the plant tape with gloves on, so I very carefully try to grab the stem where there are no thorns, pull it back to the trellis and tie really quick. This is where it happens
, my hand slips and a great big ole rose cane comes flying back and hits me RIGHT IN THE FACE. Well, after jumping around, yellin and cussin for a minute or two I reach up to try to feel the damage.
That's when I remember that I have mild skin allergies to just about every plant on the face of this earth. So not only do I have scratches on my face, I've now rubbed plant juice all over my face and this spectacular rash is popping up. I know it will fade in bout an hour, but its making me insane.
I think from now on I'm sticking on Squishy where it's safe. ;D
. Okay, so it's the weekend, hubby's home and it's a beautiful day outside, all of this conspires to get me off the 'puter and out doing some work in the garden. Being early March, I'm already about a week late trimming the winter kill off of the roses, so I figure, I'm paid up on my health insurance - this is a good time to take care of one of my least favorite spring time chores. And of course, since I may have a little tendency to overdo things, we're not talking just a couple of rose bushes. Nope, 58 last count (don't ask, really).Now, you have to understand, just getting prepped to trim the roses is a MAJOR production here at SB's house. First, we need the ratty old jeans, and a very thick long sleeve shirt, cause those thorns hurt. The shirt has to be blue, cause I'm deathly allergic to bee stings, and for some reason, bees aren't attracted to blue (go figure). No, the roses haven't started blooming yet, but the jasmine is going CRAZY - smells like a little slice of heaven, and the bees are happy campers.
Next, we need our super duper thick rubber boots (Bright, bright pink - cause a girl needs a little color). Super thick cause those thorns hurt and boots cause, well, if you've ever stepped into a fire ant pile, you'd understand (if I could find hip-waders in bright pink, I'd probably wear those).
Then it's time to find the kevlar gloves - so thick I can't actually feel anything through them, cause did I mention those thorns hurt? Bright yellow - don't ask why, that's the only color they came in. I'm looking like quite the character, and I can see my neighbors grabbing their binoculars and pulling up chairs to enjoy the show.
A few hours later, I'm feeling major proud of myself, cause I've gotten through the main rose gardens with only a few cuts - really, I've bled very little, and only need a stitch or 2. Now it's time to move on to the climbing roses. For some reason, I decided to plant them in an area where the prevailing winds cause them to grow all whompy jawwed (that's SB speak for crooked). So every year I have to wrestle the larger stems back to where they belong and tie them up. Only I can't tie the knots in the plant tape with gloves on, so I very carefully try to grab the stem where there are no thorns, pull it back to the trellis and tie really quick. This is where it happens
, my hand slips and a great big ole rose cane comes flying back and hits me RIGHT IN THE FACE. Well, after jumping around, yellin and cussin for a minute or two I reach up to try to feel the damage.That's when I remember that I have mild skin allergies to just about every plant on the face of this earth. So not only do I have scratches on my face, I've now rubbed plant juice all over my face and this spectacular rash is popping up. I know it will fade in bout an hour, but its making me insane.
I think from now on I'm sticking on Squishy where it's safe. ;D
