Gardening with Melasma

Well hello world! I am feeling pretty good today despite being sore from this weekends activities. I have been working hard on my garden despite it's lack of love towards me. although the weeds have been less aggravating this spring! I put down some feed & weed a month or two ago and it seems to have definitely helped despite some reviews online to the contrary. Although not 100% where I want the yards to be but better than nothing at all or the wild jungle of weeds from last year. Seriously last year was harsh, those weeds tried to take everything over! I spent most of my time trying to kill off all the purslane that seems to have infected the whole neighborhood, OK not the whole neighborhood but almost. Well except for those people who seem to have an amazing green thumb on my street, some of those yards are amazing. The major focus of my weekend was to clear out remaining tree stumps and branches, also some planting because I am lazy and should have done this last weekend but I have an excuse - it rained. I planned out a rising sun or setting sun as my nephew said. I planted some corn, watermelon, cantaloupe, some herbs and peppers. It's all from seed so cross your fingers it all comes up! The tree is a jujuberry tree, I love those things!

The downside of working in the garden when you think you're still in your 20's? Although I am a firm believer in wearing spf containing lotions, it was not always so. Sadly I moisturized but rarely ever wore anything with any spf in my younger days. Now I face the consequences. I have always tanned easily and rarely burned, mostly in my childhood when you don't know when enough is enough. I recently had a course of antibiotics and a lot of sun exposure, combined they caused melasma. People wear your sunblock. People always ask whether you should avoid sun exposure when taking antibiotics or other medications. I'm hoping some aloe vera will help fade the problem but usually once you develop melasma it's very difficult to get rid of it. It's most found in pregnant women, called chloasma a hyperpigmentation of skin. Melasma is mostly associated with people who tan easily or produce melanin easily, of course including sun exposure without protection. Oh how I regret those weekend carwashes I did with the church group and no sunblock.  Seriously the amount of sun and water wasted is enough to make me groan now. Well fingers crossed the aloe vera makes it all go away.

Goals this summer now include having my own aloe vera and finishing the yard.