Friday, January 24, 2020

Pollen Wars

     The landscape of the Hill Country in Central Texas is gorgeous.  The area I live in abounds with hills.  Those hills as many will tell you are a source of discomfort at different times of the year.  This year those discomforts have been especially brutal with Cedar pollen counts above 32 thousand on some days.
     The first few years of living in this part of Central Texas, pollen levels had little or no effect on me.  My first discomfort from pollen and in particular Cedar and Oak was in the early 80's.  Each year is different, some worse that others.  Some years the pollen doesn't bother me much while other years it's time to buy extra tissues.  On  a mild day Cedar is around 40 count with a really bad day being around 400.   But the  32,000 count for about three days is off the charts.  Some days when the count is high it looks as though the landscape is on fire as the clouds of ceder pollen drift across the hills.    From December 15 to February 15, Cedar trees send their pollen onto every thing.  This year Ceder fever hit me the hardest it ever has.  Part of that was my own fault.  Each day during the time when the Cedar count was off the chart, I was out for an afternoon walk of 3-4 miles.  I dread this time of year because there is not much I or anyone else can do about mother nature. Usually tissues during the day and a  Neti-Pot filled with a sinus rinse every night before bed time is enough to get me through Cedar season  But this year I had to bring out my secret weapon just so I could get through the nights when the Cedar count was above 32,000.  Maximum Strength nighttime cold and flu liquid got me through the worst nights.  I hope the worst of this years Cedar War is over but next comes the Oak War then it's the rest of the trees and grasses with their pollen.  After that everything starts over in Mother Natures never ending cycle of renewal.  Now excuse me while I blow my nose! 
   

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