More Poison Ivy

A few days ago I wrote about Poison Ivy and mentioned I have a small line on the inside of one of my feet (now nearly healed). When I mowed the lawn again yesterday I found a few more small plants (and these are really small) embedded in the grass, so that is where I think I am getting it, not from hiking.

What I think is happening is that as I mow over it, the blade of course cuts it, releasing the urushiol oil, and then I am brushing against that as I walk past. I also think that my increased incidence of getting it is related to that, and I just need to do a better job of clearing it off my property. Add that to the “to do” list.

Interestingly, there is folklore that actually eating the leaves can provide immunity and that is what Native Americans did.

Read Full Post »

“The Barefoot Book” Wins Award

The Barefoot Book has won “Book of the Year” honors from ForeWord Reviews. Congratulations to author Daniel Howell. The award decisions

are based on editorial excellence, professional production, originality of the narrative, author credentials relative to the book, and the value the book adds to its genre.

“The Barefoot Book” won the Gold in the category Body, Mind & Spirit, where it was up against 9 other finalists. The winners were announced at the American Library Association‘s Annual Conference and Exhibit.

This is replete with irony.

Read Full Post »

Poison Ivy and Bare Feet

Poison ivy can be the bane of many an outdoors person. If you are one of the about 80% of the population that is susceptible to it, it can be really annoying. And if you don’t seem to be one of the 80%, don’t get smug — the rash is an allergic reaction and you just may not have been exposed to it enough yet. There is still “hope” for you. (Sorry about that).

The substance in poison ivy that causes the rash is called urushiol. Supposedly it is a yellow liquid, but the trouble is that it is nearly impossible to see, so you generally don’t know if you have gotten any on you until the rash develops, and then it is too late.

There are a couple of things to keep in mind, though.

Read Full Post »

How the Hocking Got Its Name

I do a lot of hiking in Hocking Hills, which got its name from the Hocking River that passes through it. The Hocking River was named from a geological feature around Rock Mill, which is along Lithopolis Road to the west of Lancaster (Ohio). It got that name from the Delaware Indians living in the area . . .

Read Full Post »

BFF

BFF? “Bare Feet Forever”. Why, what did you think it meant?

Read Full Post »

Dual Survival — “Hippo Island”

First a reminder that there is another new episode of Dual Survival on this evening. Usual time: 9:00 EDT. Tonight’s episode is entitled “Up the River”. Here’s the official description:

The hosts play two kayakers who become separated on a river in Kentucky, where Dave traps a skunk.

Now, on to “Hippo Island”.

Read Full Post »

50 Dangerous Things

There is a rather cute story in yesterday’s Huffington Post entitled 11 Dangerous Things You Should Let Your Children Do. It takes a short look at eleven of the suggestions in the book 50 Dangerous Things (You Should Let Your Children Do) by Gene Tulley and Julie Spiegler.

The idea behind the book seems to the recollection that when we were kids we did all sorts of things that these days are seen as too dangerous. We rode our bikes everywhere; we had the freedom to be kids. These days so much of kids’ times seems to be structured: play dates, camps, that sort of thing.

Read Full Post »

Man Bitten by Venomous Snakes — He’s Dead

Here’s a story in the The Washington Post about Bill Haast, a famed herpetologist who ran the Miami Serpentarium. Over his lifetime he had been bitten around 172 times by venomous snakes, including cobras, vipers, and a blue krait. He died a week ago . . . of old age: 100 years old.

Read Full Post »

Beak Performance

Back to my birdfeeder, which I have not yet shut down for the summer.

Once spring arrived, I started to get Blue Jays visiting (they must have gone elsewhere for the winter). And I am struck by the difference in the way it eats the sunflower seeds I keep in my birdfeeder.

The main bird that birdfeeders attract are finches. Here’s a picture from the feeder of a Goldfinch and a House Finch:

Read Full Post »

Another N-NSNSNS

Earlier I wrote about a place in Galveston with the opposite of the usual NSNSNS sign. Here’s another one,

Read Full Post »

World (Not-So-)Naked Bike Ride

Here’s a story that’s making the rounds about Portland, Oregon’s contribution to the World Naked Bike Ride:

Read Full Post »

Queer Creek Revisited

Earlier, in Queer Creek, I speculated that the real reason for the name was the way the creek headed west looking to head down a well-defined valley, and then it encountered Salt Creek going the opposite direction, and then Salt Creek suddenly headed south, as I described in What’s Wrong with Salt Creek?.

I had a chance to go take a look at the creeks and their paths yesterday, and I thought you folks might like to see what I saw.

Read Full Post »

Dual Survival — “Eating Dust”

First a reminder that there is another new episode of Dual Survival on this evening. Usual time: 9:00 EDT. Tonight’s episode is entitled “Hippo Island”. Here’s the official description:

The hosts use waterlogged binoculars and a dying GPS to escape the hippo-infested marshland of Botswana’s Okavango Delta

Now, on to “Eating Dust”.

Read Full Post »

Busybody Density

Over the years, I have come to the conclusion that getting stopped in a business for being barefoot is pretty much random.

There are those who say that it is your demeanor. If you slouch around as if afraid of being caught, they say it increases your changes, but if you stride about as if you owned the place you will not be stopped.

I am not convinced.

Read Full Post »

N-NSNSNS

Here’s a store sign that’s the opposite of the usual No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service sign:

Barefeet and dogs (via Flickr)

The location is Hendley Market in Galveston, TX. And they have a facebook page here.

Read Full Post »