I have tens a welts on my body…trying not to itch like a madwoman, but it’s hard. I can even hear the little buggers outside our thin nylon sheet. I despise them. I even kill them, when for others I’d cup in my hand and set free. For those I feel it’s my karmic duty, or something, but not with mosquitoes. Oh no, the one small thing taken out of the food chain would be these guys. I don’t know if that’s sustainable or not, but right now, after briefly, I mean briefly, being outside I believe I have over forty bites on me. And unfortunately, as soon as those discerning thirsty annoyances suck me, I welt up and actually am in pain. So here I sit, unable to scratch, because that also makes it worse, looking like I have the hives, and am utterly unsettled.

According to our friendly camp hosts, and others we have passed along the way, the mosquitoes this far south of Minnesota is a rarity, very strange indeed. They say it’s because of all the rain, and there are now stagnant waters everywhere, even the potholes have been breeding grounds. If this is indeed the case, I really hope that the reporters are right about this being the 500 year rain. Sounds ambitious since climate change is occurring, but next year I’ll be happy with one less insect.

posted by Melissa  # 11:43 AM