Homestead mailing list

["Lisa K.V. Perry" <lisakvperry AT gmail.com>]

Akka B and Wendy,

Thanks, ladies. It does stink. I really do not like wearing gardening gloves
unless I'm playing in dirt.

I, too, dress like winter with jeans and a flannel shirt over a tank when I
pick blueberries for three weeks in late June into July. I'm competing
against hornets, wasps, and yellow jackets. The attire might be
psychological but I see it as sting prevention--less visible skin.

I thought about anti-histamines. I've got generic Benadryl on hand and
bought the liquid kind after recent list discussions. I monitored the
'hives' and would have taken some if it had progressed, but they did not. My
neck is still a bit itchy but tolerable.

It's just so weird--and new--in the last couple weeks. Guess my body
chemistry has changed, since I'm now 46 that's no big surprise. Just didn't
anticipate that part of the fun would be having red itchy bumps from picking
peaches (or zucchini) and mindlessly rubbing my neck afterwards. Living and
aging, ain't it grand?!

So, is it hyper-sensitive skin that we have that reacts to whatever prickers
or fuzz exist on the surface of the vegetable/fruit? Or, perhaps in my case,
just the swell change in body chemistry (or whatever)?

Thanks.

Lisa