Now that the Learning Garden in Clarksburg is planted and a great many weeds removed, we needed to concentrate on irrigation. Twice a week, for several hours, we drug a long, heavy hose to the different areas in need of water. This proved to be an arduous, hot, and time-consuming job, but as we all know, water is life, not only to us but also to plants.

Kathy's brother-in-law, Paul reviewed the electrical for the many irrigation stations. He spent several hours testing, repairing, and testing again until he was sure the lines were ready to be hooked up.

Kathy and I met early on a Saturday morning. The beginning temperature was 85 degrees. We laid out the main lines and went to work, punching the holes and adding the drips. We wanted to add one drip per each plant. Using a measure of about an arm's length per drip, we cut the line, attached the couplers, and then the drips.

In the past, I have used a plastic ‘punch', a tool meant to create holes in the main lines. This tool has historically been less useful than frustrating; making dents in the lines instead of holes or creating holes larger than the couplers, thus causing more work to be done by cutting out that line portion. Today, however, Kathy brought a new green tool to the table. It is a plastic device with a metal spike that gets squeezed into the main line, creating a sure and easy hole. What a miraculous invention!

While Kathy prepped the drips as I familiarized myself with the new tool and moved along, punching holes like a pro! Once I punched the hole, I could insert the coupler, and Kathy followed behind, attaching the drips. The process proved to be faster than I had ever experienced. This would have been more enjoyable if the heat hadn't risen to the high 90s before we finished.

When all the work was completed, Kathy went to the pump house and systematically activated all the different stations so we could fine-tune the drips.

Once the lines were installed, activated, and adjusted, we sat back and congratulated ourselves, knowing that, although we were exhausted and overheated, we would no longer need to drag a hose around to irrigate the garden!

On a side note, I went to Lowe's the following day, and purchased the miracle ‘punch tool'.