Superhero

“Mom, if you could have any superhero power, what would it be?”


I want to answer “I don’t know” right away because I don’t want to think about superhero powers just then. I’m thinking about stopping to get the mail, making dinner and a million other things.


But…I come up with an honest answer.


“I would want to be able to get rid of the garlic mustard on our property in one second”.  “Maybe even get rid of garlic mustard in the whole country in one second”.


Zane is quiet as he thinks this one through.


“That really doesn’t count as a superhero power, mom”.  “I mean like flying or teleporting or flame throwing or turning things into ice.” “I mean, how would you do it?” “How would you rid the world of garlic mustard?”


I’m just proud and sad that my son knows what garlic mustard even is.


I add targeted surgical strike explosions as my method of eradicating this incredibly invasive biennial weed and Zane is happy.  The explosions make it a way better superhero power.


When we get home, he helps me pull these plants for a couple hours…swinging his hefty bag full of garlic mustard like Thor’s hammer. I keep telling him that if we don’t pull the small patches now, they’ll multiply exponentially into bigger and bigger patches and take over the whole woods.  


Although I know they’re just an opportunist making a living without any predators to deter their unwelcome invasion, I can’t help but hate them. I truly hate them and get great satisfaction from removing each and every one.


14 person hours and a week later, my land is once again safe from the choke of garlic mustard, at least until next April.


I feel like a Superhero.

I wish rabbits liked garlic mustard.  But, they don't.

I hate this plant.  Do you see anything else blooming?