By LYNNE IRONS

By LYNNE IRONS

Two years ago this month, one of my young women workers got a reaction to a plant which sent her to the emergency room. She was told it was the worst chemical burn they had seen and was sent home with prescription burn cream and her arms wrapped from shoulder to wrist in bandages.

We got on the Google-machine and found that certain plants, called apiaceous, contain toxic chemicals. These furanocoumarins are absorbed by the skin when exposed to ultraviolet light and cause painful blistering or photo-dermatitis.

By LYNNE IRONS

Is it the end of the world? Aside from the unusual weather, I had three experiences recently which have given me pause. I thought wild animals were supposed to be afraid of humans!

I keep pigs in an open area — so open, in fact, I needed to provide shade for them in the form of an enormous beach umbrella. In the last week or so, when I feed them, an inordinate number of seagulls show up and basically dive-bomb the pen. It is positively Hitchcockian.

By LYNNE IRONS

By LYNNE IRONS

By LYNNE IRONS

I was humbled this week. I took an assessment of my vegetable garden. It is remarkable that I have been able to produce so much food. There is hunger in so many places in the world — famine, war, poverty and drought. We truly do live in a land of plenty. This summer’s garden has been particularly good, what with enough rain.