When I was in camp, I recall winding up in a patch of poison ivy on more than one occasion and I never broke out or itched from it. These days, being a city dweller, I don't come into contact much with poison ivy.
I was the same way...until I was cleaning out a patch in our apartment complex. I broke ut in many places, one of which I shall not go there. Ironically, when my lady friend came home from vacation, she also had it.
My sister was weeding in her back yard and wound up with it on her arms and my boss' wife was weeding and wound up with it from head to toe where she wasn't covered with a shirt and shorts. Horrid itching.
Yes -- pretty badly. I'm such a sensitive guy, I guess. So badly that I had to stop regularly mowing a neighbor's yard because she let all types of plants grow naturally (an admirable trait to me) and I broke out all over every time I mowed.
I have never had it, but I don't know anyone who has had it and didn't break out. People should really educate themselves and learn to identify those types of plants.
To identify poison ivy, I know we're supposed count the number of leaves on the plant, three. ("Three, Let Them Be") Yet, I then go to extremes -- I can count three leaves on every plant I see -- "1,2,3. 1,2,3. 1,2,3." [Even if they have WAY more than three.] :) :) So I avoid every plant. Ha! :)
This post was edited by WelbyQuentin at November 15, 2018 8:55 PM MST
Yeah, I guess I sort of registered that in my brain, probably subconsciously, somewhere along the line. I was just sort of exaggerating. But I do know that I don't pay enough attention to the wildlife surrounding me sometimes because I've broken out more times than I'd like to admit. :)
It's one of my hobbies. Once I was at my daughter's cross- country race, when one of the university professors approached me. We were kinda buds as our children went to the same schools. He asked me to show him poison ivy as we were in a forest. Within a few minutes I found some growing up a tree. It was a perfect example and even had the white berries, as it was Autumn.
I think it's all fascinating, too. Now that you mentioned it's one of your hobbies -- I find myself sort of 'weird' maybe -- as much as I have gotten frustrated when I've gotten the rash, the dynamics of the whole thing fascinates me, as in, I obviously failed to notice this plant, I came in contact with it and the plant has then decided to, again, help me not to forget it. :) Even when I see and recognize poison ivy, I enjoy just looking at it.
When people say, "Have had it" in reference to Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, etc, I know that they are referring to having the rash.
This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at November 16, 2018 12:34 PM MST