Bee Sting

A hornet stung me last Saturday when I was mowing lawn. The last bee sting I remember was when I was mowing a field at the farm with my John Deere tractor and apparently cut through a yellow jacket nest. Before you could say, jump off the tractor and run like the dickens, a swarm of very mad and quite vicious yellow jackets drilled into my neck at least three times. I did stop the tractor and run waving my hat and arms like a crazy person. My neck was sore for a couple days, but nothing serious.

This time, as I mowed my lawn with thoughts on everything but bees, I felt something crawling on my bare hand. I brushed the hornet off, not thinking anything about it, but soon felt the telltale stinging sensation that got increasing worse. I stopped the mower, looked closely and spotted the stinger still stuck in my hide. I pulled it out and continued mowing.

An hour later my hand was the size of a softball; I couldn’t close my fingers and the pain and itching became quite uncomfortable. Out came the ice pack. Ruth suggested some Benadryl and I found some anti-itch lotion. By the following morning the swelling had subsided; but now, a week later, my hand is still sore. But no swelling. And my fingers work.

I did a little reading on bee stings. Be careful. Every year several people die from bee stings. Make sure symptoms such as difficult breathing don’t appear. See the doctor immediately if this happens.

BLUE SHADOWS FARM (My new novel, which is out this week). Someone asked me what the book is about. A WISCONSIN TRAILS reviewer wrote: Uncover the changing face of a Wisconsin farm . . . . Recall bygone days and gain an appreciation for the difficult challenges farmers face as committed stewards of the land.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Don’t interfere with somethin’ that ain’t botherin’ you none.

UPCOMING EVENTS.

Sept. 9, 7:00 p.m. Whitewater Library. Old Farm and other stories.

Sept. 16, 12 Noon. UW Oshkosh Learning in Retirement. LaSure’s Banquet Hall, Oshkosh. Life after Academe.

Sept. 17, 11:45-12:30. Larry Meiller Show. Wisconsin Public Radio. Blue Shadows Farm.

Sept. 21, 7:00 p.m. Sequoya Library, Madison. Blue Shadows Farm

Oct. 1, 7:00 p.m. Chippewa Falls Library, Blue Shadows Farm

Oct. 4, 1:30 p.m. Monona Historical Society, Monona, Iowa, The Lighter Side of Country Living, including Blue Shadows Farm

Oct. 15, 7:00 p.m. Reader’s Loft, Green Bay, Blue Shadows Farm

Oct. 17, (9 to 4) Writing From Your Life Workshop. The Clearing, Ellison Bay, WI. (Still room for additional participations. Contact http://www.theclearing.org.)

Oct. 20, 7:00 p.m. Barnes and Noble, Madison West. Official Book Launch, Blue Shadows Farm

Oct. 24, 1:00 p.m. Wild Rose Library. Book Launch, Central Wisconsin, Blue Shadows Farm

Oct. 28, 6:30 p.m. Elkhorn Library. Blue Shadows Farm