It turns out that we basically have a poison ivy forest behind our house. Yesterday I decided to clear out a ton of vines and growth behind our back patio so that we could have a nice place to sit outside. An older neighbor who was also working outside stopped by to chat and was kind enough to point out the massive patches of poison ivy surrounding me.
I grew up in the country so you'd think that I would have noticed it, but I always thought poison ivy was a vine with notched leaves. Not true. There are different kinds. The poison ivy here grows on the ground and has smooth leaves. Dang. By the time I figured it out I had already been knee deep in it. I've never had a reaction to poison ivy and so far I'm not showing signs, but I read that it can take up to 48 hours for the rash to emerge. I'm praying (literally) that I don't have a post in the next few days with pictures of my red and swollen face. I wore jeans, boots and gloves but had on short sleeves. I know, I know, but it was really hot! And here I was worried about mosquitos and ticks. I see why some people hate the outdoors.
Speaking of the outdoors, we're planning on going camping at the end of the month. There are tons of great camping spots nearby so it's difficult to choose where we'll go. There are lakes, rivers, mountains, waterfalls...and just think that we had to drive four hours from Lubbock to find anything resembling mountain camping. We might even rent a canoe. That should be interesting with a toddler!
Ok, here's something if you need a good laugh. http://donmilleris.com/2008/08/27/donald-miller-barack-obama/
It's an "exchange" of emails between Donald Miller (author of Blue Like Jazz; prayed at DNC) and Obama. It's really just a series of general campaign emails and his response. No matter your politics, this is just plain funny.
5 comments:
hope you don't get it. I touched one of the tires at work that must have had some sap on it and within about five minutes I had blisters starting on my hand by my wrist. That was about 3 weeks ago and I still have scars on my hand and a place on my arm.
thanks for the link... love me some donald miller
I miss you, Bowman!! I will have tons of good nursing stories for you when you get back :) You are almost making me miss living in South Carolina with all of the waterfall talk. Almost.
I, too, hope that you don't have a picture of your swollen face!
Of all the 28 years since we have lived here, trudging through the tall grasses, picking dewberries, mowing around poison ivy and cutting it from the trees, and so much more to do with poison ivy, I haven't ever had a problem with it. Of course I pretty much protect myself, as it sounds like you had, but I would always wear long sleeved shirts. Of course I always say a prayer before I go outside to work, pick berries and to take photos, that God keeps me safe, especially from snakes. I also would spray myself with bug spray and now I heard Listerine mouthwash keeps the mosquitoes away, and so I rub it on my face, any skin showing and then on my clothes, especially on my back where the mosquitoes love to get me and so far it has worked.
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