A fence rebuild, some pruning, and poison oak

[ArrestMeRedZ]

I had what I thought were oak saplings I was clearing from the vineyard. Winter, no telltale leaves. I kept getting reinfected from tearing out the "oak" bushes. I now know what poison oak looks like during every season.

 

[slo town]

I had what I thought were oak saplings I was clearing from the vineyard. Winter, no telltale leaves. I kept getting reinfected from tearing out the "oak" bushes. I now know what poison oak looks like during every season.

The stuff is nasty. I got a small spot of it on my right arm about 6 weeks ago. Had no idea where I could have gotten it. And then I remembered, the only thing possible. While out on my road bicycle, riding up Willow Creek Road, I remembered brushing past a small, single, leafless branch, less than the diameter of a pencil. When I rode by it a few days later, yep, there it was. It was poison oak. Cars knocked the leaves off when they passed by, so I got it just from brushing past and barely touching the bare end of the branch.

Scott

 

[RDMgr]

If you know you are exposed, washing up with Tecnu will help keep you from breaking out, or will reduce symptoms dramatically. It is a specialized detergent that will actually remove urushiol (the active irritant) from your skin. Don't ask how i know about it.

I use Tecnu on exposed skin as a preventive every time I work near poison ivy or oak. The stuff works great.