We are fast approaching a season that can literally “tick” you off! I’m talking about (Ixodes spp.) or deer tick! The deer tick is the major source of lyme disease in the United States, with 43 states reporting cases, including Michigan. Up till 2006, 186 known Lyme disease cases have been documented here in our state. The actual disease comes from the whitefooted mouse, which the tick nymph attaches itself to. The tick then lives off the “host” mouse for about a year. In the spring, those that have reached adulthood, climb onto leaves, ferns, and branches waiting for an unsuspecting warm body to pass by! That’s where you, or even your dog, comes into contact with these lyme disease carriers.
In 2004 and 2005 I turkey hunted around Channing in the Upper Peninsula, and the ticks were the worst I have ever experienced! One day after “tromping” over hill and dale, I shook over 40 ticks off my cloths. My son-in-law did likewise. When we got back to the cabin, we had to do a tick search before we showered. There were several more embedded in our skin that needed to be removed. I used to think that a hot match or rubbing alcohol would make the little “buggers” back out, but that’s not so. The only accepted way to remove a tick is with a tweezers, or similar devise. Gently pull the tick out, and try to make sure you get the head, and it doesn’t break off under your skin. If the head doesn’t come with the tick, you may want to call your Dr. and have him put you on an antibiotic. Make sure you check your hair, and anyplace there is soft tender skin, and have a partner check the places you cannot see.
Lyme disease is nothing to “trifle” with, as in about 20% of cases, lifelong effects can be quite serious. Rob Kress, who used to be the channel 7 news weatherman, contacted the disease while on a camping trip many years ago. He was one of the ones that suffered kidney and heart problems, and his life has been permanently changed. So do you and your family a favor this year, and make a “tick check” part of your daily routine when spending time outdoors. That way you’ll be sure not to get “ticked off!”
Friday the 28th of March will go down as “A day of Infamy!” Well maybe it’s not quite that “historic,” but it defiantly will go down as a “bummer!” This picture was taken out my dinning room window into my backyard on the 8th. day of Spring 2008. Unless your “Nanook of the North,” this is not what you want, or expect, this time of year. My mother, bless her Canadian heritage, loves this “white” stuff, but if it’s not a November or December tracking snow, I don’t have to have it. My turkey permit is just three weeks away, and I sure don’t plan on tracking one “in the snow!” I’m tired of blogging about these late season snow accumulations. Every time we get one I proclaim it to be the “last!” No proclamations this time, as I don’t want to be wrong again!
Could this possibly be a picture taken On Easter? I’m afraid so! We got 7 inches of snow starting on Good Friday, and ending Saturday morning. I’m getting tired of saying “this has got to be the last snow of the season!” Monroe surpassed it’s all time record for snow with this last “blizzard!” Two of my grandkids Quinn and Keegan built this snowman Sunday after our big Easter meal, and then we had a little snowball fight.
The final statistics have been released by the Michigan D.N.R. concerning the 2007 bear season. For the seventh year in a row bear harvest figures have topped the 2,000 mark. That being said the 2007 figure of 2121 bears tagged is the lowest final tally of those seven years! Sometimes weather plays a huge roll in the number of bears harvested, and it certainly played a roll last season. For most of the bear season the weather was unseasonably warm which kept the bear from being real active. Also there were quite a few severe storm’s that “raked” the Upper Peninsula, along with generally heavy rains statewide! This situation kept alot of hunters out of the woods.
This is my very first dog “skippy!” Actually I don’t remember much about the dog, except for the dog poop we had to dodge while playing in the back yard. Our next dog was a cocker spaniel named “blondie,” by my mother. I don’t remember an awful lot about her either, except for the day she died. We were playing outside our apartment, and blondie was chained to her dog house. I remember my mother was doing laundry in the basement, when suddenly the dog started barking and jumping all over the place. One of the neighborhood boys got too close, and Blondie tried to bite him. My mom heard all the commotion, and came upstairs to find the dog foaming at the mouth, and barking it’s head off. A couple of the neighbors came around, and they cautioned everyone to stay clear of the “mad” dog! My dad was at work, but just across the street, from our apartment, was a Justice of the Peace office. There happened to be a state trooper in the driveway, and one of the neighbors went over and got him. After checking things out he said the dog was dangerous, and he’d have to shoot him. The trooper made us all stand back, and right there before my 6-year old eyes he shot our dog! I’d never heard a pistol go off at close range, and I certainly never had something I loved , shot and killed, while I, my mother, and my brothers watched helplessly. It was quite traumatic for us all, and my dad was pretty upset when he got home. My dad didn’t think that was the way for the police to handle the situation, and I remember him going over to the J.P.’s office, next time a state trooper was there, to give them a piece of his mind!
Happy St. Patrick”s Day to all you that are Irish, and also to those who wish they were! This is one of the few old pictures we have of my grandfather Gorden “Kelly” Greer. A true Irishman if ever there was one. He’s holding my brother Randy, and that’s my Aunt “Dode” with two of her boys Tom (standing) and Greg. This picture was taken on Spring St. in Sault Ste. Marie Canada. My grandmother Irene (Kelly’s wife) died 16 years prior to this picture being taken. My grandfather never remarried, and had to have alot of help in order to raise his six children. He was well known, and much loved around the Soo, and a bit of an “Irish Character” to boot!
While I love the snow, and the pure fresh picture that it paints on nature’s canvas, I am ready for it to melt, along with “Frosty!” It can come again another day-like next year when I need it to track a big rut crazed 10 pointer. Until then though, let the sun shine in! This picture was taken less than a week ago, but right now the snow is almost completely gone from my yard. Yesterday’s upper 50’s felt wonderful, and today’s 40’s should finish off “Old Man Winter” for this year. I saw my first robin yesterday, and my wife has been seeing them for several days-welcome back my feathered friends. Now that is a sure sign of Spring! My wife’s tulips are even starting to crack open the soil, a wee bit.
I thought I was done going after the bunnies for this year, but my little brother Darryl called this morning, and said “they should be out enjoying this sunshine today!” I agreed, and figured the snow was on it’s way out for the year, so “yeh I’m game for one more try!”
