honeychile

Poison ivy/oak/sumac is my biggest problem. Because I get scratched a lot in the hunt (fair skin, red hair), I have to be really careful not to let a bruised poison ivy leaf touch a fresh scratch or I go systemic within 24 hours. As I'm enjoying a nice dose of steroids for the next 10 days (along with break-out from head to toe), I'm rethinking my position on barrier cremes. The doc said, "well, this proves that you have a healthy, intact immune system." -honeychile <--- chanting "leaves 3, let it be" '*+.,_,.+*'`'*+.,_A joyful heart is good medicine!_,.+*'`'*+.,_,.+*'`

Poison ivy/oak/sumac is my biggest problem. Because I get scratched a lot in the hunt (fair skin, red hair), I have to be really careful not to let a bruised poison ivy leaf touch a fresh scratch or I go systemic within 24 hours. As I'm enjoying a nice dose of steroids for the next 10 days (along with break-out from head to toe), I'm rethinking my position on barrier cremes. The doc said, "well, this proves that you have a healthy, intact immune system." -honeychile <--- chanting "leaves 3, let it be" '*+.,_,.+*'`'*+.,_A joyful heart is good medicine!_,.+*'`'*+.,_,.+*'`

The CDC has several interesting sites regarding ticks. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme/lymespot2002.htm refers to Lyme disease and has links to other tick-related diseases. On another site (http://entomology.ucdavis.edu/faculty/rbkimsey/tickbio.html), I learned that"Hard ticks have three distinct life stages. Larvae which emerge from the egg have six legs. After obtaining a blood meal from a vertebrate host, they molt to the nymphal stage and acquire eight legs. Nymphs feed and molt to the next and final stage - the adult, which also has eight legs. After feeding once more, the adult female hard ticks lay one batch of thousands of eggs and then die. Only one blood meal is taken during each of the three life stages. The time to completion of the entire life cycle may vary from less than a year in tropical regions to over three years in cold climates, where certain stages may enter diapause until hosts are again available. Many hard ticks can go for several months without feeding if not unduly duressed by environmental conditions." (like being in a tupperware container, I'm guessing) It's interesting that "the transmission of B. burgdorferi (the bacteria that causes Lyme disease) from an infected tick is unlikely to occur before 36 hours of tick attachment. For this reason, daily checks for ticks and promptly removing any attached tick that you find will help prevent infection." Golly, and I thought the time-honored after-'caching "tick hunt" was just another of my husband's romatic ideas -honeychile- '*+.,_,.+*'`'*+.,_A joyful heart is good medicine!_,.+*'`'*+.,_,.+*'` [This message was edited by honeychile on June 23, 2002 at 03:00 AM.]

The CDC has several interesting sites regarding ticks. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme/lymespot2002.htm refers to Lyme disease and has links to other tick-related diseases. On another site (http://entomology.ucdavis.edu/faculty/rbkimsey/tickbio.html), I learned that"Hard ticks have three distinct life stages. Larvae which emerge from the egg have six legs. After obtaining a blood meal from a vertebrate host, they molt to the nymphal stage and acquire eight legs. Nymphs feed and molt to the next and final stage - the adult, which also has eight legs. After feeding once more, the adult female hard ticks lay one batch of thousands of eggs and then die. Only one blood meal is taken during each of the three life stages. The time to completion of the entire life cycle may vary from less than a year in tropical regions to over three years in cold climates, where certain stages may enter diapause until hosts are again available. Many hard ticks can go for several months without feeding if not unduly duressed by environmental conditions." (like being in a tupperware container, I'm guessing) It's interesting that "the transmission of B. burgdorferi (the bacteria that causes Lyme disease) from an infected tick is unlikely to occur before 36 hours of tick attachment. For this reason, daily checks for ticks and promptly removing any attached tick that you find will help prevent infection." Golly, and I thought the time-honored after-'caching "tick hunt" was just another of my husband's romatic ideas -honeychile- '*+.,_,.+*'`'*+.,_A joyful heart is good medicine!_,.+*'`'*+.,_,.+*'` [This message was edited by honeychile on June 23, 2002 at 03:00 AM.]

I have obligations on Sundays, so I won't be able to attend this time, but I hope you folks have a wonderful time. Take lots of photos! -honeychile- -- '*+.,_,.+*'`'*+.,_A joyful heart is good medicine!_,.+*'`'*+.,_,.+*'`

I checked eBay, too, but ended up with one purchased on Yahoo (instant buy). I got an eTrex Legend for only $100 -- it did not have the pc cable, the owner's manual, quick start guide, or carry lanyard. It had been a demo model at a store and has two tiny indentations on the plastic cover. But works fine. I picked up a cable on eBay for $15, printed the manual online, and I'm good to go. -- '*+.,_,.+*'`'*+.,_A joyful heart is good medicine!_,.+*'`'*+.,_,.+*'`