3XL T SHIRT

FlowerAlice and HannahLA noted that the sprouting plant in an earlier photo was poison ivy. I suspected, but it was too young for me to be sure. I don't always watch for poison ivy. I do walk a lot in the wilds, but am never bothered by it. Many of my community will be taking to the wild for a massive music event known as the Wakarusa Festival. Many will be scratching or worse for weeks afterwards. Let me offer a bit of advice...

Forget fashion and sundresses... assume that every plant is poisonous and that every insect will bite. Bring folding chairs or sit on rocks... never sit on the ground even on a blanket. Think about boots, tucking your jeans into your boots, and tucking your shirt into your jeans. Wear a hat. Get good insect repellent and use it. Never lay or roll on the ground. Walk around and not through tall brush and trees. Never forget you travel in a land whose ruler is the mighty tick.

If you photograph, be sure to always wear tight fitting rawhide gloves. Rawhide gloves allow you to work your camera equipment with ease while allowing you protection from thorns and barbed wire. The barbed wire which I refer to isn't the fences which protect private property which you shouldn't enter anyway - it's the 75-150 year old variety that's often found on state parks and other places and it's usually buried along old fencelines, but will rise a foot off the ground in an area when you least expect it when walking. Get your tetanus booster and then enjoy the music!

As I was out doing some "Fall" photography this little guy jumped in front of me and then froze. Even though I hadn't been planning on getting down on the ground during this photo outing I thought if (s)he'd stay in place I'd see what I could do about getting in close for a photo. (S)he did not disappoint ... there was no motion, no breathing, not even a blink of the eye ... totally frozen. I managed to get really close and took several shots. When I got up my wife said, "Oh, you were laying in a patch of poison ivy!". Since I had on a long sleeved t-shirt and jeans I said "I'll be OK". I'm now treating a large patch of poison ivy on the right side of my waist :-) But I DO like the photo :-)