Below is a picture of the Olympic Stadium, the venue used for the 2012 Summer Olympic games. For myself, coming from a rural village of a few hundred people in Canada, I can’t even imagine what a crowd of 70,000 people in one gathering would be like. Let’s hold that thought, as for one last time we return to the blackberry patch.
Olympic Stadium, London, England. Image via Manchester History
Fall is pretty much here, and the blackberries are finished for another year, but I was able to get a couple more pictures a couple of weeks ago, just before the season ended. Thank you to everyone who participated in my contest, of guessing what was in that berry patch that frightened me enough, for me to not go in and pick those tasty, delicious berries. The correct answer was POISON IVY!
So what is poison ivy, and why was I so afraid to enter that blackberry patch? Well, coming in contact with poison ivy, can cause a severe rash or inflammation of the skin. The toxic substance involved is urushiol, and is produced within the resinous juices of the leaves, flowers, fruit and even the stems of the poison ivy plants. Well, how potent is urushiol you may ask? An illustration from this university website, 1/4 ounce is all that is needed to cause a rash on every person on earth. Remember that Olympic Stadium picture? Well, the earth’s population of 7 billion, is in fact 100,000 Olympic Stadiums worth of people. And 1/4 ounce will cause a rash in ALL those people. Some more interesting tidbits from that same website: Five hundred people could itch from the amount of urushiol covering the head of a pin. For 1 person, 1 nanogram (or a billionth of a gram) is needed to cause a rash. However the average exposure for a person is 100 nanograms. That is all very hard for me to get my mind around.
Identifying a cluster of 3 leaves. Image via Wiki How.
So you have decided, maybe it might be a good idea to know what to look for, when you go out picking blackberries. YEAHHH!!! 🙂 (Just want to know you are safe). What has helped me over the years in helping me remember the features, are word association phrases. Two examples are, “One, two, three, don’t touch me”, or “Leaves of three, let them be”. Their main feature is a cluster of 3 leaves (2 going horizontal, and 1 vertical). You will also notice that there is a longer middle stem on the poison ivy plant. “Longer middle stem, stay away from them”. The leaves are pointed, the leaves are most often shiny. The leaves are most often smooth edged, and often (though not always) the leaves have a notch on one side. The base of the leaves are rounded, not square.
My hand is over top of poison ivy. Notice a cluster of 3 shiny leaves, with a longer stem in the middle. A rounded base, and (usually) a tiny bump, or notch on one side.
Fortunately, knowing these simple things to look for has kept me from literally being “caught red handed”, with a rash from contact with poison ivy while picking berries. Now getting back to the berry patch picture, the same one used for the contest on the post My Return to the Berry Patch. It is quiz time. Can you now identify which are the plants are poison ivy????
Look for clusters of three, smooth edged, often with a tiny notch or bump on one side. Also rounded at the base. This blackberry patch was LOADED with poison ivy and it’s urushiol. Was not worth risking it! 😦 Can you now identify poison ivy leaves from blackberry leaves?
The right side of this photo are blackberry leaves. Their clusters are MORE than 3 leaves. Are you able to identify the poison ivy clusters of 3? “Leaves of 3, let them be”.
In my contest, there were no bad answers. Every answer was a GREAT answer. Also, there were no losers. Everyone who participated was a winner. For all my contestants, I’m giving you a shout out, and pingback to one of your posts you have written, that I have really enjoyed. Thank you for your participation, and for making this a wonderful contest! 🙂
My first shoutout goes to Barbara, from the blog Courage Through the Storm. Her writings reveal her heart for fellow humanity, and also for the beauty of the world around us. This fairly recent post, called “Beautiful Autumn” had such a calming effect on me. I could feel my blood pressure drop while slowly reading how nature slows down, coming into the fall season.
Angie writes for the blog, Outdoor Running Adventures. Coming from the wilds of northern British Columbia, Canada, Angie shares her adventures of running with her energetic dog Kobi in a land inhabited with bears and wolves. A post that gave me goosebumps was actually called “Running With Wolves“. It is about Kobi’s inbred intuition on a day when she knew there were wolves, and immediate danger nearby.
I always enjoy dropping in to visit Karen’s blog at Fill Your Own Glass. She describes herself as a “reformed pessimist”. Nowadays, she always shares a positive perspective on life, whether through her writings or her valued comments. Written a couple of months ago, the post “A Reformed Pessimist” highlights some noticeable differences in Karen’s life, as she changed from pessimism to optimism.
As a blogger, you really get to appreciate the time and effort involved, when a fellow blogger leaves a generous, well thought out and articulated comment on your posts. My Tasmanian Traveller friend does just that. The blog, “Walking the Derment River” chronicles the journey of walking this picturesque river. The post “Nature is Cheaper Than Therapy” highlights some beautiful landscapes along the journey!
Author and world traveller Jane Byne has more than just visited Africa. She has spent a considerable amount of time living in Africa. Personally, I am a very gullible person, and am not sure how I would manage in some of the situations Jane has encountered. The post “Pandemonium and Dust“, got me caught up in the emotion of receiving a simple parking ticket….but in Kenya, Africa.
Celia originally moved from a small town in Northern Queensland to teach in one of the greatest metropolitan cities in the world, Tokyo, Japan. Her blog, “Celia in Tokyo” shares her experiences, combined with amazing photography. The one post that really impacted me was “3/11 Quake: Living With Hope“. Celia had moved to Japan, just a month prior, to when the massive earthquake and tsunami hit Japan.
Kim from the blog “Kim Runs Miles With Smiles”, blogs on “BlogSpot” and is one of the several bloggers I enjoy dropping by, who have a platform other than WordPress. I learn a lot about running from Kim’s post. I am just a runner, but some posts on Kim’s blog, such as “Picking Up My Pace“, shows that training can actually get quite technical.
I’m pretty hard pressed to pick 1 post from Indah’s blog, “Indah’s: Travel Story and Photography”. The perfect title. I learn so much through Indah’s travel stories. And her photography, wow, both on land and underwater, her photos should be in magazines. Her post, “Nine Endangered Marine Species” gives a glimpse of her underwater photography, but also shows her passion in her writings for needed protection of endangered species.
As a mother of 9, I don’t know how Mar finds the time to blog in her blog, Momdeavor”. But her blog is always so fascinating, and there is always something for everyone. At my work, in the office area, there is a living wall. I am always amazed how calming it is, when I go in to the office area, by that wall. Mar’s post called “Longwood Gardens–The Green Wall“, talks about the largest green wall in North America.
I only discovered Staci for the 1st time very recently beside the berry patch, with a coffee in hand, trying to determine what the scary thing was in the patch. Originally from Canada, since 2000 she has working in Brazil with the mission organization “Youth With a Mission” Her blog “A God Colored Girl in a Grey World” has poetry, thought provoking posts, and even has her beautiful music (check out her music player). Her post “Words” was a challenge to me to always be careful what I say.
Tricia comes from the San Diego area and writes pertinent and timely posts from a Christian basis on her blog “Freedom Through Empowerment”. I can identify much through her post “Good Me, Bad Me“. Why is it that some days I feel like I am on top of the world, while other days, I definitely feel like I got up on the wrong side of the bed?
Holistic Wayfarer preferred cash instead of the prize I was offering, but was still kind enough to drop by and leave a comment. She has a HUGE following on her blog, “A Holistic Journey”, and her great posts reflect that. A fairly recent post is called, “Maybe We Don’t Want to Listen to Your Story“. It is a powerful reminder that we don’t know the story behind many forced smiles, and the struggles behind the walls of each home!
A blogger named April and myself both have family similarities. We both had 4 children in our respective families in just over 6 years. That’s where the similarities end, when it comes to our blogs. As much as I try to beg and plead, my family have never wanted to be a part of my blog. They just want to keep themselves low key and I have to respect their wishes. April’s blog is ALL about family. Her blog “Stories of Our Boys” is about raising 4 boys and homeschooling at the same time. April often praises her hubby Alan (which I love). One of those posts is “4 Flashbacks and Today For Our 13th Wedding Anniversary.”
Well that is it, except once again I would like to congratulate our main winner Sarah. (please remember though, EVERYONE is a winner). For those who are now following Sarah at the blog “See Tomal Run”, thank you. Her following has increased 125% since she was announced a winner on the interview post, “And the Winner Is….”. Her post “About Me: Who I Am, What This Is, Why I’m Here” is a great introduction to Sarah.
Thank you everyone for participating in the blackberry patch contest. Hopefully now you can positively identify poison ivy. Trust you will not be “Caught Red Handed” 🙂
Poison ivy is a beautiful plant, but please stay clear of it! Not worth the risk!
To conclude, I have one last picture of more poison ivy. It was on the same trail, just a couple hundred metres from the berry patch. It is actually a very beautiful plant, one that a person not knowing what it was, might think of digging a few plants up and replanting in his or her garden. But do not. Or returning to your home country with some of it stashed in your suitcase……haha! Please do not. This is greatly illegal, and I am sure you would not be very popular within your home country, if it becomes an invasive specie there! Remember, “Leaves of three, let them be”, “Longer middle stem, stay away from them”. 🙂
Thanks for reading! 🙂
~Carl~
theoldfellowgoesrunning 
hehe Thanks for the shout-out! The oldest lets me talk about him precious little. As they get older, I try to be more and more selective with what I share. Love your blog, Carl. Keep up the great work!
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Awww, thanks for your kind words April, and you are very welcome! I am sure, many years down the road your boys will delight reminiscing about those posts early in their childhoods. And yeah, you will most likely find you will have to become more selective as the boys become older. Nothing to do with you, or your wonderful blog. Just that, as they get older, their relationship with their mom and dad changes. Even though I would LOVE to speak about my family on my blog, I know they still love me, and even read my posts….well I want to think they read them…haha! 🙂
~Carl~
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Two comments come to mind; firstly even in Tasmania without the poison ivy, tackling a patch of thorny blackberry canes is for the foolish, drunk or drugged. Secondly, you may have saved others from the poison by your excellent coverage of this plant. Well done!
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Thank you so much for your kind words. I always appreciate your positive feedback. The variety of blackberries in Tasmania does sound very intimidating for their thorns. In my area there are 2 varieties growing in the wild. The lowbush variety, (up to a metre tall) has thorns similar to our red raspberry, and can scratch. There is also another variety, less known, where the brambles are over 2 metres tall. This variety has wicked thorns that can rip open clothing. The berries are also bigger on this plant and VERY tasty. This one sounds similar to what you might have in Tasmania. Being tall with long arms, I can reach for some of these berries without actually going into the patch. Many of the berries within the patch would remain unpicked by me however. Leave them for the bears with their thick hides…haha! 🙂
~Carl~
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Well done Carl and thanks for blog mention! 🙂 Oh and great poison ivy lesson too. That small amount could really cause a stadium full of people to rash out? Yuck! You certainly did the wise thing by not choosing to pick berries that day.
Have a wonderful weekend my friend!
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Thank you so much Tricia, and you are most welcome regarding the blog mention. Yeah, I am thankful I did not choose to pick those tasty looking berries that day. Even though it is now several weeks later, I am realizing if I did succumb to my temptations, I would still be dealing with the consequences. (just realized there can be a spiritual lesson here too) 🙂
Have a great weekend yourself as well! 🙂
~Carl~
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Guess sometimes it’s better to pick up those berries at the grocery store Not nearly as tasty though….
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I know Tricia. Store bought berries are just not quite the same!
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This is such an insightful post! I’d heard of poison ivy, but after reading this, I realised how little I knew about it. I will remember those little phrases 🙂
Thanks for the shoutout! That post about the quake was definitely one of the most important and emotional for me. And I look forward to checking out the other bloggers you mentioned.
Cheers 🙂
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Celia, I really want to thank you for being such a wonderful participant. And thank you for your kind words. The phrases have actually been around for a long, long time. After an encounter with poison ivy as a child, my dad took me to where a patch of poison ivy was. And using those very same phrases I learned how to identify poison ivy. That has been over 42 years ago, as my dad died in 1973, when I was 15. And how really cool it was for me to discover decades later, those very same phrases used on websites on the internet. And who knows how many generations were using those phrases, before my dad shared them to me (my generation). 🙂
The earth quake post, was written by you a quite a while ago Celia, but was the one that immediately came to my mind, as I was choosing a post for the shoutout. It was as if you were reliving it all over again, and I could easily see the emotional toll it had on you. The experience really would change your perspective on life.
Thank you so much for dropping by with your generous comment! 🙂
~Carl~
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(Where’s the cash? LOL) The PR was not necessary at all but thank you very much, Carl. Great breakdown on the numbers. You’ve put the fear of God, I mean Poison Ivy, in us all. I learned this wk at our homeschool science outing that Ivy is in the East Coast and it is Poison Oak that threatens us in the West. I have homeopathics on hand, ready. =)
Diana
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You are very welcome, it is my pleasure. And thank you for reading, and for your kind comment. I do have a great fear of poison ivy. As the idiom goes “once bitten, twice shy”, it has been decades since I got poison ivy. But I remember it enough to be much more careful the next time.
The homeschool science outing sounds very practical. Well done! 🙂
~Carl~
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Hi Carl,
Thanks for the shout out, the opportunity to check out some other great bloggers, and the lesson on how to spot poison ivy. Three great things to start my day!
Best,
Karen
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You are very welcome Karen. Always appreciate your blog and your camaraderie and friendship.
Have a great weekend! 🙂
~Carl~
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Hi Carl, thanks for the mention. I don’t know if we have poison ivy in England. Will have to check it out. Love the one, two , three…leave me be.
Concentration not too good at the mo so will have to go back and read the blog again tomorrow. Have a good weekend. 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧Barbara 😊
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Thank you so much Barbara. I was not sure if poison ivy was in Great Britain, but the site here http://www.kingdomplantae.net/poisonIvy.php mentions in has been introduced in your home country. Originally someone planted it in their gardens there for color. I definitely will not try eating small bits of leaves for immunity and desensitising as the article suggests…LOL. WOW!!!
Sincerely hope all is well. Please do enjoy the rest of the weekend! 🙂
~Carl~
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Thanks Carl. Could end up with a dose of the trots if I tied to eat the stuff….👀
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Ohh, I know. You are so correct with that!
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Thank you for the shout-out. I love how you highlighted everyone who made a guess. What a kind and generous thing to do 🙂
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You are very welcome Kim. Just wanted to make sure everyone who made a guess feel like a winner. I was one of those kids picked last for all the teams when picked in school….”well, I guess I will have to take Carl”. LOL. I was hoping the shout-out would get to you on BlogSpot. Glad it did. Thank you for reading, and for your extremely kind comment! 🙂
~Carl~
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Very good info on the poison ivy. During an Army training, one of the guys in my platoon sat down right near some and boy, oh boy, his entire body got so red! It was a wonder why they didn’t send him home to recover, as he was swollen in some areas of his body, especially around his neck. Oy!
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Thank you so much for sharing. This gives me chills down my body just reading this. WOW!
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Thank you for the memorable rhymes and for calling my attention to the poison ivy. Looks like something that grows in my garden, but now I’ll know what to look out for and avoid.
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You are so very welcome. Thank you so much for taking the time to read and share. I recognise you from Twitter. 🙂 Some plants can have similar descriptions. Hoping the rhymes and commentary provide enough detail to provide positive identification.
Thank you again for stopping by! 🙂
~Carl~
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I’ve been lucky all the times I’ve been blackberry picking as a kid as in the UK we don’t have it! YAY! We do have stinging nettles, but there’s always a dock leaf growing nearby to help deal with the sting!
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Thank you Natalie for reading and sharing this. This is extremely interesting and fascinating. I have heard of stinging nettles, but I would not have a clue what to look for…haha. Would the sting feel like a bee sting? And the dock leaf? Would this be something you would as a poultice? I am not too sure if we have a dock plant in Canada. So much to learn in the natural world! 🙂
Thank you so much for your feedback! 🙂
~Carl~
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A stinging nettle’s sting is a bit slower to ‘feel’ than a insect bite (it’s been years since I’ve been stung!). You know’ expectations been stung as you get a creeping feeling and 3-4 white bumps that itch! The dock leaf grows near by (you’ll have to google them, but my mum taught me what to look for!) that you spit on and then rub the leaf over the sting/bumps and it takes the itchiness and sting away! Then you have to resist the temptation to aggravate the bumps as the dock leaf doesn’t always work! I’d be clueless with poison ivy! It’s amazing how nature have cause and cure!
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Thank you for answering these questions Natalie. This is really interesting. I googled stinging nettle, and I now realized where I have heard of it before. It is a plant sometimes used in natural medicines, a quite a few cautions on the one link. The same link said it was originally from Europe, but now can be found in parts of Canada. http://www.rexall.ca/articles/view/3804/Stinging-Nettle
This is very interesting about the dock leaf though You are so correct, about how nature has cause and cure! 🙂
Thank you for your response! 🙂
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No worries! I now know 3 leaves stay well clear if I’m ever in North America!
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Just checked your google link. I knew it was used in herbal tea, but I didn’t know it had that many uses! Plants need more respect!
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Plants really do need more respect Natalie! I was actually pleasantly surprised to read this, knowing that the link was from a Canadian drug store chain. I don’t how it is in Europe, but in Canada the drug store chains highly promote their pharmaceuticals and often discredit the natural medicines. It was nice to read this link. Thanks for checking it out! 🙂
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Was just looking at your bucket list on another page Carl and found it quite impressive. It is something that i will have to think about.
At the moment I seem to be content moving at a snails pace. I think my writing is the big one, not sure which direction I want to go with it. I know my blog page is an achievement in itself. I have always loved reading and never thought I would put pen to paper.
I think I will maybe, only maybe mind you create a bucket list on my blog.
I am not energetic these days, but I think maybe that is something to do with my mum passing away. But I am enjoying the quietness of solitude. I spend many hours on my own company. When I was younger I used to be an athlete and belonged to an athletics club, did plenty of horse riding and plenty of reading.
I think my bucket list will be totally different from yours, so it will be interesting to see what I would like to achieve.
I received my pensioners bus pass a few months ago being the big 60. But I feel good in myself and love being my age.
Thanks Carl, your site gives me things to think about.
Can’t see any berries where I live now, but my neighbour has some home grown tomatoes which are begininning to ripen..bit late I may add.
This post has absolutely nothing to do with your post, but I felt to write here.
Must be my age.
Best wishes..Barbara 😳😳😳
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I am SO glad you did write here Barbara. Thank you that you felt comfortable to drop over and share. The thing with bucket lists, is that they are very personal. What might be special and unique with me, will be entirely different to what is special and unique with you. That is because God has made each of us very individual, very unique and very special. There is not another duplicate of ourselves anywhere in the world. (which is VERY cool!) 🙂
Losing a parent, like you have had with your dear mom can indeed be very difficult. I lost my mom 3 1/2 years ago. There never really is a “getting over it” (at least I find it that way). It really shows how dearly you loved and cared for your mom.
This is where I think bucket lists are good. I am glad that reading my list has sparked an interest. None of us knows how long God has for us on earth, but having something written down to strive for is important. And it changes. Ten years ago I never pictured myself as a runner, much less running a marathon. Bur after losing my own mom, I needed something to help with the emotional loss. My running and my writing both seemed to help me cope. From my personal journey, I have been reminded there is SO much to live for and so much to be thankful for.
If it is okay with you, I would LOVE you to share your bucket list with me, whenever you finish it. With me, sometimes physical limitations or financial restraints can interfere with what I want scratched off my list. But that is okay. Having that dream is what it is all about. And when we work to live out that dream, so often we accomplish SO much more than we ever expected! 🙂
Thank you again for sharing Barbara. It REALLY, REALLY meant a lot to me!
Take care, and have a wonderful week! ❤
~Carl~
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What a wonderful article. This is my first visit to your site, having come from Mette’s site, Italian Notes. And thank you for the introduction to all the terrifiic sites and new (to me) writers. I am looking forward to visiting each and every one. And as for the poison ivy, remember the children’s ditty – “Leaves of three, let them be!”
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Adri, what a pleasant surprise to have you drop by with your extremely generous and kind comment. Just makes my day! Thank you for introducing how you found your way here through Mette. Love meeting new bloggers and checking out new writers. 🙂
Am going for a short run before it gets too late here in Canada, but will be dropping over when I get back.
See you soon! 🙂
~Carl~
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I am so honored after reading your kind words about my passion and favorite post! THANK YOU! I am sorry to reply just now, I read it at glimpse on Sunday but I wanted to look at the poison ivy very carefully..I think I can see them but to be honest, they are as good as those camouflage marine species 😀 thus I could be wrong! I learn more from your post – I will watch our before picking up any wild fruits 🙂 Thank you for great information and also great introduction, truly appreciate this. Have a lovely week and good luck on the training for the Marathon!!
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Awww Indah, you are so very welcome. You have a point there, in the berry patch the poison ivy does have the tendency to be camouflaged. In the blackberry patch, the poison ivy plants are the ones which are shinier than the blackberry leaves. (did not emphasise this too much, as sometimes non poisonous plants are also shiny..haha, which can get even more confusing) But if it a blackberry patch in Canada, it might be good to stay away from any shiny leaves. 🙂
Half marathon this weekend, and the full marathon less than 3 weeks away. Thank you so much for your kind words about my training! 🙂
~Carl~
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Carl, I had no idea that plants that came in clusters of three you had to steer clear of. I guess we learn something new every day eh. Also, I did not know you were Canadian. From where in Canada are you from? I’m originally from Vancouver, but lived 6 1/2 years in Ottawa, right before going into missions.
Thanks for the words about my blog Carl. That was kind of you to do that for all of the bloggers that participated.
Have a wonderful week.
🙂
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Hi Staci, thank you for stopping by. There are plants that come in clusters of 3 that are non poisonous as well. (just to make it even more confusing…haha) For years I just stayed clear of EVERYTHING that was in clusters of 3, until I was comfortable enough to identify poison ivy clusters of 3 from non poison ivy clusters of 3. (the longer middle stem, etc.) Such an amazing world around us, and so much to learn from it. 🙂
Yeah, I am a fellow Canadian. Have lived in Ontario all my life. I work in Barrie (which is in Central Ontario, and about 140,000 people). Live in a village called Hillsdale, one of the places, as the saying goes, if you blink you will miss it..haha. Our population is upwards of 700 people. This is also where I lay pastor of a church. Just have not had time to get a website going for it, but I have set up a Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/StAndrewsPresbyterianChurchHillsdale?ref=hl Have lived in the same house for the past 23 years. Being in that same place has provided a lot of stability for the family growing up. 🙂 I LOVE BC. So cool, you have lived “fairly” close by in Ottawa for 6 1/2 years. 🙂
You are very welcome, about having your blog included in this post. I really must drop over to your blog and read more posts from you. (and of course click on the music player while reading! 🙂
Have a great week yourself! 🙂
~Carl~
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Thanks so much for the shout out Carl! How cool! I am just getting around to replying now as we lost our phone line and internet for a while – long story! I am so glad we don’t have poison ivy up here! We do have several sharp poky plants that hurt, but nothing that causes a nasty rash!
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You are very welcome Angie, thanks for stopping by, and glad everything is alright, (except for not having phone and internet). Losing them up where you are is pretty big, as that would be your lifeline.
Glad there is no poison ivy up where you are. You have the bears, wolves and those massive mosquitoes, it would be one less thing to contend with! 🙂
~Carl~
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I was trying to imagine digging up some poison ivy for the yard – and thought it could be a burglar deterrent – or at least something that would make the burglar regret his decision to go through the plants to the house!
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Thank you Sarah to drop by to read and comment. I am sure to plant some poison ivy would be a deterrent. And quite amazing how much a deterrent just the words “Poison Ivy” is. Along a long distance hiking trail 45 minutes from where I live, called the Bruce Trail has some cliffs where hang gliders like to jump off of. To get to the jumping off point the gliders have to walk through a landowners private property. “No trespassing” and “Keep Out” signs did not work. Finally some “Caution, Poison Ivy” signs were put there, despite no poison ivy anywhere to be found around there. And it has actually slowed traffic to the cliffs. People were unsure what poison looked like, so just to be safe, they stayed clear.
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Oh, that is such a good strategy! Amazing how all it takes to deter people is the threat that they will personally suffer some pain (as opposed to a general prohibition that they presumably believe applies to everyone else).
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All psychological. Amazing how effective it was! 🙂
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Carl so sorry to have missed the contest! I love this kind of game.
I am quite familiar with the effects of poison ivy from a childhood encounter. I enjoyed the way you used the comparison of a stadium of people to make your point.
Wishing you poison ivy free days always! 🙂
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Thanks so much for stopping by Sue, and for your kind comment. Once you have had a poison ivy encounter, no doubt you would never forget it. Poison ivy free days always in return! 🙂
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I loved this post Carl! I’ve had my own oops moments with poison ivy. Thanks for the links to the other blogs. I look forward to checking them out. 🙂
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Thank you so much Lilka. And I am so sorry about your own “oops moments” with poison ivy. Hoping it was not too uncomfortable and it cleared up for you. Thank you for checking out the other blogs. Very kind of you! 🙂
~Carl~
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I am a sad sad person! I failed to recognize anything. You could brush me with poison ivy and I would just say, “Oh! How pretty”… Yea. I need to remember those two quotes at the end of your post. I will be travelling a bit next month and I plan to get down in some wilderness. Good reminder as not everything is pretty and delicate in nature – there is some serious ammo it is hiding and best we respect it. Oh! And it was sweet of you to link up people’s post 🙂 What a lovely way of saying thanks.
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Ohhh no Prajakta, you are not a sad, sad person. You are a wonderful, beautiful person. You don’t have the advantage like I did with my dad when he was living, who walked me to a where patch of poison ivy was, and made sure I knew what to look for.
So very cool you will be travelling into some wilderness. Have fun, I know you will have a wonderful time.
Thank you for stopping by to read and sharing your comment. Just remembering those two quotes will be of great help! 🙂
~Carl~
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Thank you so much 🙂
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I have pointed out poison ivy to my daughters the times I saw it, when we were out.
Sometimes we are at a parking lot near woods and I look along the edge without getting too close. If I saw some then I called them over to show them…..and so they could see how it can be surrounded by other kinds of plants which make it blend in and hard to identify.
It is a good skill. My father taught me in the same manner.
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Thank you so much Annie for stopping by and sharing your wonderful comment. Sometimes poison ivy really does blend in with the other plants. I think that is wonderful that you are passing on the skill of identifying the plants to your daughters. This is probably going to happen less frequently in our society as people become more attached to technology.
Have an absolutely wonderful 2016! 🙂
~Carl~
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Love how you’ve knit so many blogful shout-outs into this truly informative post, Carl 🙂 ♥ ❤
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Aww thank you so much for your kind words. Always love to “spread the love”. Wishing you a wonderful week ahead! 🙂
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