Nieces-3 & Brother were out this weekend (for too long) and it got hot. Finally the kids jumped in our front pond! They’ve all had swimming lessons. I float. As a child, I preferred OldHelen’s pond (bigger/cooler, cleaner/ clearer water) to ours…
-I’ve had lessons (2 courses) but too many years of having my head held under water by The Duchess developed a phobia. Point is, I’ll get in water but it’s not a common occurrence. It was hot, though, so there we were, splashing in the muddy pond. Good times!
I’d seen a critter swimming by minutes earlier. It looked like a small, water snake. Most snakes of this region are non-venomous; however, a local folkway is ‘all water snakes are poisonous, treat them as such.’ -it’s not poison, it’s venom but that’s what everybody says
Being the female hillbilly version of the Crocodile Hunter, I grabbed it and chucked it onto the bank, never mentioning to the kids. After the eldest and baby got out, #2niece and I stayed in for a bit.
Ta? What’s that squiggledy thing on you?
I looked down and hoped it was vegetation. It was greenish-brown…
When I grabbed it, it was super-sleek and moved of its own accord. That’s when I realized it looked a lot like that snake’ that I’d chucked out earlier.
Is that thing attached to you?
‘Yup.’
I yanked the six-inch leech off my underarm and chucked it on the bank. As I turned back to #2niece, I saw another one snaking towards me. I must smell delicious. I fished it out and chucked it, too.
‘Whulp. Time to get out!’ When we got to the house, I ran a load of wash. The washwater was so dirty, I ran it again. It was still dirty. Dang. That’s some filthy pond water! Told you I preferred OldHelen’s! I’m unsure how one ‘acquires’ leeches. We did not have them when I was a kid.
opinions expressed may be incorrect 
That sunburn looks painful! And the leeches? OMG I think I’d die! LOL
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Lucky for me, I’m quite the Ozarker and I can roll with stuff like that. What’s funny is seeing me shriek and flap my arms around when I THINK there’s a wasp about…in fairness, I’m ALLERGIC and have a very bad reaction. But still, I’m all hard-nosed til it’s ya know, a wasp. YIPES, YIPES, YIPES ::runs off::
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Leeches used to be in our dams – my mother kept a supply of salt on hand to get them to drop off. They look disgusting don’t they but don’t really do much harm (at least they drop off when they are full and don’t burrow under one’s skin). Wasps, hornets and bees totally freak me out.
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It wasn’t a big deal, just cool YET i preferred NOT having them! I’m allergic to wasps, mosquitoes & now spiders from too many “encounters.”
Last time, my hands & throat swelled up & blood oozed from my torso (just out pores–the bite was on my face–this was a “common brown house spider”–nothing fancy!).
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That’s the hottest shoulder I’ve ever seen! 🙂
I can honestly say I’ve never been leeched. Wowsa!
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Recommend the leech experience. It was massive, not those wee black ones, so easy to rip off & cast away. Didn’t hurt–was just weird.
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Ick! Six inch leech!!!
All I can think of is that scene in “Stand By Me”.
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And those were lil pussy leeches (except it *was* on his balls). Remember: you don’t feel it, even when you pull it off. The thought is gross-tastic but the reality of it isn’t bad at all.
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Leeches. Cool. Missouri just sounds better & better. I’m not so keen on the idea of Ticks though as they carry disease.
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Ticks are terrible and I just had to doctor Bobby for a FULL MONTH cos he got one of the terrible bacterial infections they carry BUT not every tick bite does that. Sadly, this year is NOTORIOUS already for ticks.
All the nieces, myself and Bobby are fighting them every step of the way. They ignore tick-repellent:(
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Yuck! We have seen six inch long leeches in the lake in north Michigan. Creepy things!
Only ones I ever had on me were tiny….two inches, tops and pure black. Ew!
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No shit! Looked down & couldn’t believe it: Nothing like what they show on tele! I never, ever knew such a thing existed.
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