Well, imagine that, scientists now can tell you why poison ivy makes you itch. I know what it is – touching it without protection. Poison ivy has a substance in its leaves called urushiol, which is also on poison sumac. That’s what makes your skin itch.
Well, what to do, especially because poison ivy and sumac really, really love the weather we have had this summer. I’m finding poison ivy where I never saw it before. My iris beds are a good example. My little beady eyes latched onto the poison ivy – it was small, just a baby plant, BUT it had to be removed.
So I put on my poison ivy flannel shirt (and it’s not flannel shirt weather yet), garden gloves AND pull on a pair of plastic newspaper bags over the gloves all the way up my arms and pull out the ivy and then cover the first bag with the second so that plant never touches my gloves or my shirt. Central Park in the City uses goats – they evidently just love it, not very discriminating animals, those goats.
Prayer for the Day
The soft winds of summer grow stronger as fall approaches,
And your earth breaks open with the bounty of harvest;
The evenings grow cooler and days grow shorter,
And we begin to consider the winter yet to come.
Burrow deep into our hearts your law of love,
So we reflect your ways in our daily lives.
In the name of him who calls us to live,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
It must be September
July sun has disappeared.
Charmaine J. Forde, Barbados-American short story writer and poet
September days have the warmth of summer in their briefer hours, but in their lengthening evenings a prophetic breath of autumn.
Rowland E. Robinson, American farmer, artist, novelist (1833-1900)
O give thanks to the Lord, for the Lord of lords is good,
For God’s steadfast love endures forever;
Who alone does great wonders, for God’s steadfast love endures forever;
Who makes the heavens in wisdom, for God’s steadfast love endures forever;
Who spread out the earth on the waters, for God’s steadfast love endures forever;
Who makes the great lights, for God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Psalm 136: 3-7