Okay, something not so fun about the forest....

My first encounter with yellow jackets happened yesterday as Max, JB, and I were clearing out some brush that Max had cut down and we were piling into a ditch. Clearing out the place of brush makes it more usable and nicer looking. However, there are risks involved in living and enjoying a place like this, insects and heat (and the occasional falling dead tree). We were all sweating yesterday after moving just a few branches and Max had heat exhaustion the day before after going for several hours of work in the heat and humidity without eating. This kind of "taming of the wild" is his (and sometimes mine too, although sometimes shopping sounds better:)) way of de-stressing. Outdoor work can feel so good sometimes...I know, strange coming from a city girl.

Anyway, I stepped in a nest of yellow jackets. I didn't know this until I felt an acute stinging pain on my temple underneath the bandana I was wearing on my head. I ripped off the bandana and held my head, then started feeling the stings other places, like my lip, leg, and wrist. Max yelled, run for the house! Max, JB, and I all ran. Fortunately, JB only had two stings, one on his chest and one on his forehead and he took it very well...all he said was "man, those hurt!" We stripped inside the house to get all of the yellow jackets out of our clothes and killed any that were still alive.

I can't speak for Max (who also got bit...or stung... on the head, including near his eye) but my stings hurt like the dickens (what are the dickens?) for a few hours after that. I looked like I had lip enhancement on my upper-lip with the swelling, and my temple pounded. Max immediately went out and sprayed the hundreds of yellow jackets that were angry and flying around and then went to the store and got more spray as well as yellow jacket traps. They are mean insects! I took two Benadryl and some aspirin and felt "out of it" for the rest of the day (probably due to the anti-histamine).

I'm thankful that we found it before one of the kids stepped in it and got bit all over, especially Benaiah, who doesn't tend to wonder in the forest anyway, but does spend time walking outside around the house. Thank you, Lord, that it wasn't worse!