Monday, April 15, 2013

ANTS IN MY PANTS AND OTHER CREATURES

So, always the usual saga of interesting things happening at the farm, and this weekend was not to be any different.  We did get to do several things out there that I will share in the upcoming days.

So we get there on Saturday and walk in and one of the cabinet doors in the kitchen is wide open!  Now, did I forget to close it last time I was there?  Or did something come up from under the house, through the openings around the pipes under the sink and "force" its way out by pushing them open?


No thank you, I don't want to be there and hear the door squeak open in the middle of the night, so off to the hardware store we went to get this:


Child safety lock!  Ain't nothing getting through those doors without a fight!  The noise is bound to give me time to get a broom, or a knife, or whatever.


I got all the mowing done and while mowing, I saw a couple of toads and, of course, mowed around them.  But this little guy/gal kept hopping into the path of the mower so I had to get off and push him to hop a different direction.

Image courtesy of davesgarden.com




...and then there were the baby bunnies jumping out of every thicket of brush I mowed near.  Since they were fast as, well, bunnies, I found this random photo online for your viewing pleasure.  



So then on Sunday, I go out there by myself.  I was digging holes for some more fruit trees and I had scooped up a shovel full of dirt and tossed it into some brush, but just then a big wind blew through and most of it blew back my direction.  Thinking nothing of it, I kept working.  Then I felt it.  A sting on my leg.  Then another on my arm.  Then another on my head.  Then another under my shirt.
Fire Ants!!!  I had thrown a shovel full of fire ants into the wind and then stood downwind of them.  They blew back onto me and a few landed pretty much all over me.  A couple of them in my hair, a few on my arms, and a couple that managed to crawl down my shirt into my pants, while a couple more crawled up from my shoes into my pants.  Really?  THIS AGAIN?  

They are vile, nasty little creatures that don't need to exist.  For those in other parts of the country/world, they are relatively small ants that have a nasty bite that burns (hence the name).  It also leaves a little pimple-like bump for a couple of days after biting.  Thankfully all of my little bumps will be covered by clothing for the duration of this week at work and I won't subject you to photographic images of said bumps.  Mental note for the future, never toss anything upwind while standing downwind...you never know what will come back on you.

DIE FIRE ANTS, DIE!

However, all this fun in the sun over the weekend did lead to my first
'farmer's tan'.  Isn't that what it's called?

My arm
Both arms burned red from the short sleeves down...the face and front and back of neck burned as well?  The rest of everything pasty Winter white?  Yep, that's me today.  Thankfully, once again, in addition my ant bumps, the long sleeve work shirts will cover this up all week...unless I wanted to go this route:

Image courtesy of cafepress.com
My boss might not appreciate it though, so long sleeve button down it is.
I will NOT however be entering any contest like this:

Sadly, once again, NOT ME in this photo
Never a dull moment in the country, but you know what?
I wouldn't trade it for anything.  I love every minute of it
(though some minutes less than others).

 

25 comments:

  1. I have the ankle/shorts tan from working on the house. I usually have what I call "the Easter Egg" tan- stripes from sandals.

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  2. In this country, that kind of tan is called the "rooinek" look (redneck) It was coined centuries ago when the Brits came to South Africa, by the very amused and aclimatized Dutch.

    Are you sure there isn't a hole at the back of the cupboard that the "creature" goes in and out of, and how it will gain access for when next you open the cupboard so that it can jump out at you and get it's revenge? ;)

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    1. Oh, great, thanks Dani and Tonya, I didn't think about whatever might have come in, would try to go back out and might just be sitting there waiting for me to open the cupboard door. Hmmm, "hey 2nd Man, you run on up ahead and open the cabinet for me while I unload the car...." LOL! No, i wouldn't do that...really, I wouldn't....I'm pretty sure....

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  3. Um where is the closest short shack? (spoken like a perverted old lady) haha

    And on a side note I read an article (or maybe it was something I found on Pinterest) about drenching the anthills with a combo of dish liquid & citrus oil. I guess this is an eco option? Have you heard of anything like this?

    I found these links when doing a search and wasn't sure if this would help or not...

    http://www.cleanairgardening.com/fireants.html

    Eucalyptus Oil?
    http://astore.amazon.com/holbecsur-20/detail/B0046HLPOI

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    1. Awesome links, thanks! LOL about the shirt shack, that was my thought too, ha!

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  4. Fireants "leaves a little pimple-like bump for a couple of days after biting." IF you aren't allergic. IF you are (I am) then those suckers leave welts that swell up your entire arm, leg, foot or face to the point where you think it will split open!! SO glad you aren't allergic. Would have made for a miserable weekend and upcoming week.

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    1. Seriously? I never knew that. Yikes! Stay away from fire ants!!! Even more reason to classify them as vile little creatures, ha.

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  5. Hello, remember me? I haven't been here for a while, having been away, and it seems I have lots to catch up on. Nasty fire ant buggers though, poor thing, sounds horrible.

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    1. Hey kind man!! Missed ya! Glad you are back. It only hurts for a bit (unless you're allergic as mentioned above). Thanks (as always) for the kind words!!

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  6. We don't have those kind of ants in our area. I use Diatomaceous Earth for my insects & it works great. It's starting to get warm in our neck of the woods...in the 90s.

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    1. 90's, that's definitely warmer/borderline hot! I've heard of Diatomaceous Earth but have never used it. I'll have to try that, thank you!

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  7. fire ants....the farm would be for sale! i hate bugs. where is your mother? now that baseball season has begun, i am reminding my 70 year old husband and 30 year old son on a daily basis to put on their sunscreen. they have both gotten burned in cold weather! is a mother's job never done...hahaha!!!!

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    1. Ha, yeah, they are not nice and their mounds can just spring up in a couple of days. Yes, if my Mom was still around, I'm sure I'd be admonished, so thank you for reminding me to be more careful. Isn't cold weather deceiving at times? Crazy.

      Thanks and keep up the great Mom work!! :-)

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  8. Forget the eco stuff and go buy some Amdro. Follow the directions and find every ant hill. Problem solved. You can find it at Home Depot, Lowes, etc. As winter white as I am, I am terrified of the sun.
    You seem to be taking a beating lately. I'm hoping the rest of spring and summer treat you better. : )

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    1. YES! Amdro is what my Dad used to us and, even though it smells like death warmed over, it kills the mound overnight as I recall. I couldn't remember what it was called. Is it a white powder? I might have to just get some. Thanks for the nice words, I hope so too! :-)

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  9. I second the Amdro.
    When we bought this place, it had been vacant for years and was all overgrown. And covered with fire ant mounds. I often wondered what by-passers thought when they saw us 'dancing' and ripping our clothes off! LOL

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    1. Thanks, I just couldn't remember the name of the stuff. I remember my Dad raving about it. I think fire ants would survive just about anything, like cockroaches. Thanks again.

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  10. I wondered how you got those cute little bunnies to sit so still for the photo! I was so glad you didn't have any run-ins with snakes. I really didn't want to start thinking about those things yet.

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    1. Man they were fast for sure. I don't even know how that photographer got them to sit still ha.

      No snakes, SO far. I'm with you on the snake thing, ha.

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