We have a new neighbor, M. You've met her dogs Baloo and Leia. Many evening walks end with a nice chat about gardening and Baloo cadging treats. One evening the topic turned to M's parkway weed situation. It is covered in foxtails which are extremely dangerous to dogs and other creatures. The barb-shaped seeds can hook between toes on a dog's paws, get wedged in ears, get pulled up a nose and stuck, and tragically, can enter the brain. Needless to say it is a scourge. M realized she would actually have to pull it all out by hand and her parkway section is fairly long. I naively figured it would take her weeks to get going and get it under control. Here is one small section to show you the foxtail infestation.
The next day, Nellie and I were walking by and I couldn't believe my eyes. M had not only cleared a sizable patch, but had added soil amendment AND, as if that weren't enough, she put in plantings. When queried about if she had help (no) and how she managed to do it so quickly, she responded in a very offhand way that it only took her 5 hours, and she had to stop simply because her yard waste bin was full. She then added that it should take five to six more sessions and it will be done. M works full time and still has energy for this hard labor. I'm impressed, amazed, and in awe.
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