Working Hard IN the Yard and Rashes For My Hard Work

I have been working on a project to try and get rid of the cat situation in my yard. I didn't have time last summer to finish the project in the backyard as I had all the fence posts, pruning, yard sales, and trips going on. 

I have been working hard regularly in the yard, both front and back, trying to get things looking good again. I shared that I pruned three trees in the back, weeded the entire yard, and am putting down barrier and boxes and still have a few other projects in mind for the yard. 

I finished weeding the back play area this week but am super frustrated with the amount of cat stool in my yard. The neighbors don't care about having a litter box or a place for the cats to sleep and many neighbors have problems with the cats clawing the trees etc. 


I have posted about this and talked with the neighbors many times, but I am to the point where I know it isn't going to make a difference so I am doing what I can. My hope is that if I can put down many layers of cardboard and then a barrier and then the black bark, then I can put cinnamon and cayenne pepper all over the area, then perhaps the cats will stop going in that area. 

This week I purchased liquid pesticide and granule pesticide of a different chemical and before putting down the cardboard and barriers, I am going to spray and put down the granules in hopes of killing any nematodes that are in the "litter box" area before finishing the project. 

Last time I was kneeling in the yard, I got a rash started on my knees where they got wet from the grass. 

This week, even thought I was kneeling on cardboard, I got two rashes that spread up my right leg in two spots and really believe it is from the cat feces. It was everywhere and I won't garden in my yard anymore. Within two days of the rash showing up, I had the burning in my left lung when the parasites burrow from the heart into the left lung (Loefflers syndrome) which happens when you get hook or strongyloidiasis worms from soil. The rashes are also something you get in the area that the nematodes burrow into. 

My leg has felt like it is on fire and I couldn't sleep with the sheet touching the leg. I have found the best thing for these rashes is Lugol's Iodine and Diatomaceous earth put on the spot after the iodine dries. It took a few days of hell and pain before I could work in the yard again as even walking in shorts caused so much pain. I kept taking Benadryl and Sudafed trying to deal with the itching and fire like pain in the area. 

At a few points, I just wanted to sit and cry due to the burning, but I just started giving gratitude for what I do have and got through the difficult moments but I truly hope that I can get the parasites and cats out of my yard. 

Tomorrow, I am going to spray and work in the yard. I still need more boxes and am working on that, but hope that I can finish up the play area tomorrow. I may need to go buy more bark to fill that area but I want to do everything I can to discourage the cats from coming back into my yard. 

I bought a battery operated motion sensor that puts out a high pitched signal and placed it in my front yard hoping that if the cats come to the yard, it will drive them away. I haven't seen them next to the front of the house recently but they do take a wide circle to get to the back of the house. But oddly enough, they have no problem walking directly from the back of my house to their house with no wide circle. They aren't afraid to leave the yard, just to get to the back yard. 

Anyway, I hope I can finish that project and start on the many other projects I have going on. 

Have a Blessed and nematode free day!