Bull's Eye

Isn't this guy gorgeous! I was in awe when I photographed him in the middle of my driveway but today, I might shoot him if I had a chance.

I've always loved trees and I am fortunate to live in a forest. The only downside is that we share those woods with many, many, many deer. The fawns are cute when they are fifteen inches high and wobbly on their legs. Then they grow up and stack antlers on their heads so they can run at each other and fight for the right to create more fawns. They eat amazing amounts of greenery and there is no way to stop them. The young tree seedlings are consumed and now we live in a forest that is more like a canopy of a rain forest. Forget trying to plant the flowers I love because deer have no respect and seem to prefer eating flowers rather than anything green.

Last week, I tossed storm damage deadwood away from the house. Yesterday, my right arm and side were very sore. This morning, I had a huge red bull's eye rash on my right side--amazingly good description. So off to the doctor for Lyme Disease treatment. I have always been a bug magnet for some strange reason and I need patches to wear on my skin to repel bugs, but I haven't found any in drugstores. Instead, I spray DEET on a tissue and pat exposed skin--face and arms. However, the bull's eye rash is under my clothes. The little buggers are impossible to repel. I understand the chemicals in DEET aren't very healthy so I avoid it when I can, but I can't take a bath in it if I walk outside. If I walk down the driveway to the mailbox, the bugs start to bother me before I get back to the house, so I shouldn't be surprised that a little time in the yard resulted in a deer tick bite.  This is another good reason that I avoid camping.

Lyme Disease isn't a condition to treat casually and can result in serious health issues, so it really annoys me to have to deal with it. Years ago, my husband had treatment with antibiotics for four weeks for Lyme after we had a trip to Cape Cod. We didn't have to drive that far to find it, we live in the middle of prime territory for this disease. Aside for that obvious problem, I still like many things about living in this region.

I'm not a person to get sick very often because it annoys me to have to deal with my health. I am fortunate that I am usually healthy since I have no patience with interrupting what I want to do because of health issues. My doctor assures me that after three weeks of antibiotics I should have no lasting effects and the medication shouldn't create any problems as long as I religiously take it. Even with the danger of tick bites, I love the warm weather and spending time outdoors after the severe winter we had. I'm not picking up tar balls from an oil spill so it could be worse.