Finally, someone who understands the challenges of gardening in Florida! Thanks for being here, Eileen. Yes, things grow easily here but that includes what you don't want to grow!

I spent the weekend pulling weeds, including excavating roots, in a small garden patch. Not a weed could be seen when I finished in the intense heat and humidity Sunday afternoon. By Monday afternoon, there were green sprouts of weeds everywhere! Now, on Thursday, the patch has almost has much weed cover as it did before my weeding party on the weekend - sigh.

Gardens here are meant to be wild. By this time of the summer, we admit defeat and sit under ceiling fans on our porches drinking from glasses with clinking ice and just let nature take over. Before our yards revert to jungles, fall will come and the maniac growth slows.

Gophers are fabulous and strictly protected. For years, I lived in the country west of here. Three acres and several gophers. Once my dog got hold of one and chewed a hole in his shell. My vet fashioned a new shell from fiberglass and the gopher was returned to the far acre, now fenced to keep the dog out, and, as far as I know, lived a full life. I saw him a few times with his shiny new shell. I'm sure he was the envy of all the other gopher tortoises !

Our paradise is wild, wacky, and wonderful!