Other than fall cleaning, I’m digging out garden paths for a 100 sq foot mini garden. It’s slow going with a 3-year-old helper who wants to examine every spadeful for earthworms, grub, spiders, or beetles. But this is the time of year to be doing this stuff — when it is cooler!

Take a tip though and give Sunshine State One Call of Florida a buzz by dialing “811″ before you start:

“Smart digging means knowing where utility lines are buried before you dig in order to protect yourself from injury and prevent damage to underground utility lines. One easy call to 811 starts the process of getting underground utility lines marked for free. Calling 811 in Florida routes you to Sunshine State One Call. Your utility companies then send a professional locator to your location to mark underground lines within two full business days. Once the lines are marked, you will know the approximate location of your utility lines and can dig safely”

I got them on the horn a few months back to mark my lines. As promised, they were out in two business days with their orange flags. Happily, nothing was in the way of my garden plot.

And in case you wondered about the other N11 codes:

• 211: Assigned for community information and referral services
• 311: Assigned nationwide for non-emergency police and other government services
• 411: Unassigned, but used virtually nationwide by carriers for directory assistance
• 511: Assigned for traffic and transportation information
• 611: Unassigned, but used broadly by carriers for phone repair service
• 711: Assigned nationwide for access to Telecom Relay Services
• 811: Unassigned, but can be for underground utility location in some areas
• 911: Unassigned, but used nationwide for emergency services