Taming pumpkins, accepting what is

One day in the last week we decided to go into the garden to tame the pumpkins. Since this is the first year of our garden, it is an experimental time for us to see what will grow best, where things like to grow, and what we like to eat most. Jetta and Pilot really wanted pumpkins, so we planted some. Little did I know that they would take over the whole garden, threatening every other living thing in their way. You may be asking yourself why we have hoodies, long pants and boots on in the middle of one of the hottest summers in Maryland. Well, I think every mosquito in Annapolis has found our yard and decided that it is the perfect place to settle.  Mosquitoes and I have a long history.  They have always loved me and I have never liked them. I have spent many nights with covers over my head, so afraid of the little buzzing sound in my ear that I could hardly breath. I have stood in the middle of my room at 2 in the morning looking for that little black speck on the ceiling for hours so I could finally turn off the light and go to sleep. Since we moved to Maryland, the only thing I have not liked about it is that I felt that I could not use my yard in the summer when I want to be out gardening and spending family time in my yard, until now. Why now? Well, I still have mosquitoes, but I have changed my attitude towards them. I have made peace with them and decided to except what is instead of fighting I can't change. We are still going to work on the problem as best we can, but with my attitude shrift, I can now move freely in my yard, reclaiming my space.  We are working to make our yard not as ideal an environment for them to live and one place that my little friends like to live is the pumpkins. So Jetta and I put on our mosquito gear and our warrior spirit and went out to tame the pumpkins. With hundreds of the little black specks swarming us and sweat dripping down our faces we cut back the pumpkins (making sure to keep and the blossoms to eat for lunch) letting the sun finally find the watermelons and blueberries that were under them and hopefully sending a friendly message to those well-intentioned skeeters to find another home.  But whether they stay or go, I will not be a stranger in my yard. They will have to share the garden with me.