gardening is my relatively inexpensive (except when i go seed/plant crazy) seasonal stress relief. i love that after a long day of work i can go out to my garden and create something beautiful and nutritional. this year my garden is new to me.
back in byron center i had the same beds for the past five years. i knew how many plants i could fit and what kind of soil i was working with.
this year has been a year of discovery so far. fist off we are working with clay soil which we initially though was sand (how does that happen) and it took us about 3x as long to till that shiz up.
anyway. got the garden beds in, the majority of my plants in and i just have to finish planting some squash and pumpkin seeds before we head to europe.
there is just one little thing that is pissing me off about the new garden.
TICKS
yes ticks.
sick disgusting little butt heads that cling to your skin and suck your blood and give you diseases. SICK.
yesterday morning i went out to check on the chicks and water my garden. i went back inside to finish getting ready when i felt something creepy crawly in my bra region. i lifted my shirt and crawling into my bra was a TICK. i had a quiet meltdown because it was only 6am. i threw my clothes off, flicked the tick off of me and threw it in the toilet. i needed to preserve it so joe knows what it looks like.
i decided a self examination was not sufficient. i woke up joe and forced him to check my hair, back and neck for ticks. nothing. i then made him look in the toilet so he could get a proper idea of what one looked like. he peed on it and then we sent it to a watery grave.
all day long i felt like i was itching and itching. you know that feeling when it’s not really there but you just feel the creepy crawlies?
well last night i did some more major work in the garden but this time i (thought) i was prepared. i wore tighter long pants, high rubber puts and a white tshirt.
i continually checked myself throughout the night. when we were done working outside for the night i checked joe and had him check me. he found one on my stomach.
i have never got naked so fast. naked and freaked out. if someone would have seen i am pretty sure i would have been tranquilized.
i proceeded to check everything in our house that had fabric. there was even one crawling around my rubber boot. everything is sitting outside in a heap. i took a bright lamp and went blanket by blanket in our bed. nothing. thank god.
i did some googling this morning it seems that they hate three things. eucalyptus oil, fabric softener and deep woods bug spray with deet. you can be damn sure that the next time i head out to my yard to work i will be lathered in all three.
has anyone else had to deal with ticks yet? what are your remedies. i’m freaking out!
1
Melody Malone James says
June 9, 2015 at 11:58 amOh my gosh! FREAKY! I hate those things. Well I hate bugs of all sorts, but yuck!
We haven’t had any experience with them (shhh, knock on wood)…I’m almost afraid I uttered the words…seems like when I do that, negative things happen! Here’s to a tick-free rest of the summer! 🙂
Abigail Hoppen says
June 9, 2015 at 2:54 pmMelody! I thought I was one of the lucky ones because I haven’t been seeing them around then POOF! two in two days!
Jana says
June 9, 2015 at 1:05 pmOur dog had a tick climbing its way into his head last summer and I did the big freak out, too. I had one crawling on my arm last year and I seriously considered burning down my house.
Make sure you are giving your dogs tick meds and check them, too!
Abigail Hoppen says
June 9, 2015 at 2:59 pmwhat kind of tick meds did you use?
Alicia DeWeerd says
June 10, 2015 at 1:51 pmUse Frontline or Nexgard – no off-brand stuff! They maybe cheaper but they are much less effective.
For your Collies, with their long fur, I’d use Nexgard for sure
Abigail Hoppen says
June 10, 2015 at 7:01 pmThank you!
Barb says
June 9, 2015 at 1:54 pmIt’s a way of life in w mi now. We are in what is called a red zone. Be diligent in looking for them after every venture outside. Check under arms, private area and waist band area. Also head and behind ears. With your big collies, I am sure they are transporting them in your house. I know my little dog gets at least one a week. We live by sanctuary woods. Take a breath. Check each over like monkeys and all will be fine. I got a cool and so easy to use tick thing from my vet. It works great.
Abigail Hoppen says
June 9, 2015 at 3:00 pmBarb I’m totally freaked out! What kind of Tick meds do you use for your dog?
Barb says
June 10, 2015 at 12:03 pmThe tick thing I got from the vet is a tick removal plastic tool type thing. I have used this on my dog and my people! The meds u can use for your dog is Advantix. Once a month pill for fleas and ticks. They may still get a tick, but they won’t get sick from it. I have a sis in law and nephew with Lymes Disease. The area where I live and Scenic Shores are full of ticks. Many many folks who love or have lived in scenic shores have Lymes. It is quite a study. This is where they lived as well. Stay on top of it and u will get into a routine of checking yourself and your dogs several times a day. Just wait till U have kids. I often felt like a monkey mom.
Abigail Hoppen says
June 10, 2015 at 7:00 pmHaha I bet!
That is crazy! I’m terrified of Lymes Disease. I was doing some reading and it said if you catch it soon enough it can be treated with antibiotics?
Lol I do feel like a monkey when i’m checking my dogs!
Kelly says
June 9, 2015 at 2:51 pmThose things are so nasty!!! Be extra careful! My mom now has Lyme’s disease from a tick bite in MI!!! Eek!!!
Abigail Hoppen says
June 9, 2015 at 3:00 pmNo way! Did she just not find it in time? I’m totally freaked out because I know someone who also has Lyme’s disease from ticks!
Ashley Folkema says
June 10, 2015 at 1:00 pmWe added a few free ranging guinea hens and that seemed to help. I know a lot of other people do this as well; they are great for eating ticks. The only downside is they can be quite noisy when they get riled up.
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