needing the rain.
The farmers had to put on irrigation machines earlier last week. Now the Rain is here, and marks the 10-year Anniversary of my leaving Florida for
the Land of Aahhhhhs.
Late late on July 3rd, 2000, my Good Friend MJ and i pulled into Kansas hauling my little truck (nellie) behind the Big Ryder we were Rydin in. We were Really Tired. So tired that MJ showed the real test of friendship--driving when we both were dying to sleep.
I was a bad passenger and neglected the turn off around Topeka
and we ended up going down I-35 for a spell,
adding at least an hour to our ordeal.The Weather was Wild.
Later, weatherfolk said it was was the most violent lightening and thundering storm in many many years.
We enjoyed hearing and seeing it through the window
for the two minutes it took for us to Crash into Sleep.
But lo and behold--
When we woke in the morning, well into Independence Day, we discovered
A Very Sobering Fact
We had crashed smack dab in the middle of a Brown Recluse SuperHighway. If you are a strong person, and you are not prone to nightmares, you are allowed to see the pictures at the bottom of this post. Do NOT look at the pictures at the bottom and DO NOT click to enlarge them, if you are a scairdycat.
I'm not kidding!(At the bottom i will show you what a brown recluse can do.)
In the weeks to come, i put enough spider poison around the spider places to Stun the Angus Herd down the road. When i did the Test-- putting a couple PURE DROPS of poison under a martini glass, along with a brown recluse--i found that spiders are not affected by spider poison. If anything, i helped create a super race of Brown recli.
(I did not say i was brave or proud)
Wolf spiders eat brown recluses, so they are my main source of deterrence at the moment; other than that reclusing oneself is not an option much anymore. The little house had been vacant for many months so the poor little Brown Dears thought they had a safe place. The wolf spiders leave me alone. I don't see many BR anymore. It took over a year before they realized eminent domain had changed things.
So, Big Sweet Rain and Thunder good enough to sleep in brought back 10 years of memories, and big thanks to MJ now flying around in cute little tiny planes! Live the Dream!
Here is a pretty picture, then, better squint your eyes vewy vewy tiny if you are not aware that you are a monster to a spider.
Step by step...
Inch by Inch
Closer it came...
Do not proceed unless you want to see the effects of a brown recluse BITE. click to enlarge photos
Day 3 of brown recluse bite
Day 4 of brown recluse bite
Day 6
Day 9
Day 10 Brown recluse Spider Bite
Fairy Wrens to Cleanse the Palate
Guh-ROSS! I'm assuming that guy is in treatment for his bite and it's progressing anyway? Did I say 'gross' yet?
ReplyDeleteWish you had pictures of the recluse superhighway, that sounds neat. In a hypothetical very-far-from-my-house kind of way.
Yes, very gross- i only look with my eyes squinted. I received these emailed en mass supposedly from a nurse 8 years ago. as far as the Superhighway, they were crawling across our chests!! We were sleeping across their primary path! needless to say, my bed was erected and was not put against the wall or skirted for many days.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the memories. That was a great road trip. How bright were the skies this Fourth?
ReplyDeleteMJ was here.
ReplyDeleteDude, the 4th was again full of lightning, thunder, rain rain rain. i slept good though. interestingly enough, a friend's husband was just released from 5 days in the hospital for a Brown Recluse Bite! yikes. in the leg. shake your pants out!
ReplyDeletewish you were here.
I, my daughter, and my one year old grandaughter have been bit several times. A local Dr developed a treatment that stops the venom in its tracks. He has since passed but his wife and our local fire dept has carried on his treatment. A small electrical shock from a stun gun disrupts the venom and renders it harmless. We have one of our own since we have so many of these nasty little guys around, and if we get bit we give it a little shock on a low setting. My grandbaby didn't even cry when the fire dept shocked her bite since the shock is so small and quick. We also keep collodial silver on the bite site just in case the spider might be carrying staph. You can google Dr Carl Osborn and stun gun for brown recluse bite and bring up info on it.
ReplyDeletewell, that is quite interesting. i will pass this along...
ReplyDelete