Caution! Everything you do in this life can kill you!

We ran across this helpful article from the Centers for Disease Control explaining the dangers of gardening, and what one must do to protect oneself.  Their advice can be broken down into broad categories:

• Dress to Protect
• Put Safety First
• Watch Out for Heat-Related Illnesses
• Know Your Limits
• Enjoy the Benefits of Physical Activity

Now, we at Myrtle's are really big fans of the work the CDC does on a regular basis.  We got the entire family vaccinated against H1N1 flu as soon as was practicable, and we take all kinds of precautions against the spread of avian illnesses.  Anyone who goes in the coop has to wear shoes dedicated to that activity, for example, because avian flu spreads most easily as a passenger on an unwitting carrier.

However, we have to say, some of this advice is... well... silly.  To whit:  "If you have arthritis, use tools that are easy to grasp and that fit your ability."  Honestly, what arthritic gardener is going to go after dollar weed with a jackhammer?

We suppose this is just of a piece with a society in which there are instructions on the side of toothpick containers, but it saddens us.

On a more serious note, why did the chicken cross the road?

According to Plato, it was for the greater good.

According to Aristotle, it was in the nature of a chicken to cross a road.

According to Karl Marx, it was a historical inevitability.

According to our daughter, it was stapled to the duck.

We have a lot of indoor projects for the remainder of this month, but if anything exciting happens, we'll be sure to let you know.

Regular readers will be aware that even if nothing exciting happens, we'll probably let you know that, too.

Happy farming!