It's happened twice this summer. I have gotten poison ivy without even seeing it.
I know what this pestilential plant looks like. I've known since I was a kid. "Leaves of three, let it be." Yeah yeah yeah. I know, I KNOW.
I let it be, I promise. But it finds me. It slinks through the underbrush and catches me unawares.
The first time I got it this summer, I kind of understood. The Fair and I went to Cattus Island County Park and took a hike. I stepped off the path for 15 seconds to pick some wild blueberries. I think that's when the Plant of Doom attacked. The next evening I started feeling that classic unbearable itch at two places on my leg. 24 hours later I had blisters the size of dimes.
Okay, that was weeks ago. This past Monday I did a little light yard work in my sandals. Did I mention that I know what the damn stuff looks like???? I did not see it. Nor did I touch it, because it's not on my hands. There are, once again, two blisters on my ankle, right above where the sandal hits my foot.
I. Did. Not. See. The. Plant.
I feel that poison ivy has become sentient. It is now following me around and attacking me by stealth. It does this because it knows it's the only native flora I will not abide in my yard.
Have any of you ever gotten poison ivy without setting eyes on it? I have literally not been anywhere outside of my yard since last Saturday. And I know I didn't get it at the LARP, because I wore boots, socks, and leggings while I was there.
Why, readers, why? I didn't see it! How can you get slapped by the Plant of Doom without noticing it? I'm on my way to two more #$#S%#@$# blisters!
5 comments:
I've gotten poison ivy without seeing it, but I haven't had it this summer. Instead, I have plenty of mosquito bites in spite of my efforts to ward off the thirsty blood suckers.
Love,
Janie
I'm a West Coaster. We don't have poison ivy here. We have poison oak and the few times I've ever been near it, someone was all "Oh, that's poison oak, avoid it" and it was helpfully growing in some nook far away from the footpaths.
But on one of the few times I went to the East Coast--specifically Massachusetts--I was surprised that poison ivy is just like, everywhere! All over the burbs! And I couldn't figure out WHICH "leaves of three" they were, because all the plants look like that!
Another West Coaster here. Poison oak also has 'leaves of three'. I'm always on the lookout. So far, fingers crossed, I haven't encountered any this summer.
anne??? spray your yard to get rid of that shit...
Hello Anne! Ive been roaming for awhile,now planted hahahah in blogland once
again! I remember & dispay, the perfect piece of sea glass you sent me long ago
hummmmmm neon paint! now that you know where it lurks, splash neon on it!
Poison Ivy and the Plaque. wild times!
Nice to visit!
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