"Self-sufficiency does not mean 'going back' to the acceptance of a lower standard of living. On the contrary, it is the striving for a higher standard of living, for food that is organically grown and good, for the good life in pleasant surroundings... and for the satisfaction that comes from doing difficult and intricate jobs well and successfully." John Seymour ~ Self Sufficiency 2003

Sunday 23 September 2012

Bug bites

Warning: This posting can offend sensitive viewers!

There is something, or somethings, that are giving me a hard time on the farm.  Two weeks ago I received a bite on my right cheek near my nose, which caused it to swell up.  And to swell so badly that it looked like RMan had taken a swing at me.  As it subsided, it conceded to gravity and it looked like I had developed a 2nd and 3rd chin LOL

Yesterday afternoon, as I was watering my seedlings, something bit me again.  But this time it bit me by my left eye.

Talk about a right hook...
Bug bitten...
Mike Tyson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Mohammed Ali and Floyd Mayweather eat your hearts out.  This eye is mine :)  And I didn't go 12 rounds either.  Nor do I have a cut above the eye LOL

Either it was a flying bug or it was a spider (I did feel a web brush my forehead, so I wonder...)  Two doses of antihistamine later, and an ice pack to help with the swelling...

... I am still typing this with one eye only - so please forgive any typo's LOL

This is what my eye should look like...
Red, sleep deprived (the damn bite
hurts!) - but a normal sized eye :)
So, it looks like I am going to have to invest in a whole box of Peaceful Sleep or Tabbard sticks to liberally apply to my face in the late afternoons as I go about the garden.

Unless anyone can advise me of an eco-friendly herbal bug preventative mixture I can make myself, and which is mild enough to smear on my face, I would be very grateful...?

10 comments:

  1. Ouch, not good. I would find out who the culprit was and find out more about him. Might even be tempted to declare war on he and his kind, even if it happend to take on some innocent bystanders as well if this kind of thing continues on a regular basis. That is just nasty.

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    1. FCH - The way I'm feeling full on nuclear war is a possibility. Enough is enough LOL

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  2. Wow...That's bad! I had a "no-see-um" attack this summer that I assumed was spider bites. 16 on my torso after working in the garden. Never felt a thing and the swelling took a week to go away.

    Are you sure it's happening IN the garden? Since it's been on your face twice, I'm wondering if it's something in your pillow that gets you while you're sleeping.

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    1. tami - Nope, definitely a garden bug. Also have had the torso bites, with swelling (and incredibly itchy) which take forever to go...

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  3. Shame sorry to hear, hope you get better real soon...

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    1. LG - Welcome, and thank you for taking the time to comment. Yeah, getting better...

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  4. Dani have you thought about wearing a net over your hat while gardening. A lot of people wear them here to keep flies off. They're just like a light veil. Geez, I'd be scared to wander outside!

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    1. Linda - Just what I was saying to RMan. But it would have to be very fine netting, to allow some breeze through in the heat... Thanks for the suggestion, though, will check it out.

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  5. Ouch! Only thing I can think of is tea tree oil but unsure if it's available where you are. You couldn't put it above your eyes though as if you sweated and it went in your eyes that would be quite painful. Also, some people are allergic to it.
    Cheers, Robyn

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    Replies
    1. Robyn - Thank you. We do get it here, but I didn't know it was a bug repellent?

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Thank you for taking the time to comment - it makes my day and removes the "loneliness' of sitting at my screen blogging supposedly to myself ;) I try and reply as quickly as possible so please forgive me if sometimes my response is delayed.