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ticks, bellies and rednecks, oh my!

July 28, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner 7 Comments

On our last morning at the lake, I found a tick on my stomach. The bugger had buried his face in my skin and was working extra hard to get to the blood beyond my new layer of lake fat. He looked like a watermelon seed. I did eat a lot of watermelon at the lake, but our watermelons were seedless.

watermelon seeds

In all my fifty-two years of going to the lake, I’ve had plenty of chiggers but no ticks.

I yanked him out with tweezers, head and all thank goodness, and swabbed the bite with bourbon because I had no rubbing alcohol. You might be a redneck if…

I flushed the blood sucker down the toilet. The whole thing freaked me out enough that I didn’t take any pictures. Hard to believe, I know.

The following picture came from Wikipedia. I’ll just warn you, it’s disgusting—the tick before and after feeding. No wonder we say full as a tick!!!

Tick before and after feeding - GROSS

Two days after my tick incident, I have a dime-sized red spot on my belly, much like a spider bite. I don’t think it’s anything to worry about because a) I consulted Dr. Google; and b) my tick, and I don’t mean my in an endearing way, didn’t have time to fill up and transmit disease.

But still!!! Is that not disgusting?

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Musical Pairing:

Brad Paisley – Ticks

Filed Under: Arkansas Tagged With: Lyme Disease, Norfork Lake, ticks

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Comments

  1. Colene says

    July 28, 2014 at 9:08 am

    Very discusting! I hate ticks but I manage to get at least one or two on my body every year and we find them on our clothes fairly often. I never get used to it and it freaks me out everytime.

    Reply
  2. dana says

    July 28, 2014 at 12:41 pm

    Yuck!!! I HATE them with a passion…so gross and I just thank goodness that the 1st picture wasn’t ticks!!! LOL

    Reply
  3. Dorothy Johnson says

    July 28, 2014 at 9:20 pm

    I hate them, too! Occasionally, one climbs aboard, which always make me feel just like you did.

    Reply
  4. Bryan Jones says

    July 29, 2014 at 5:46 am

    yep, and man can they hang on! Keep an eye on it, if you get the bullseye rash get some antibiotics going. Good one though.

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      July 29, 2014 at 7:09 am

      I think my bite mark is fading. Thanks!

      Reply
  5. Corinne Rodrigues says

    July 29, 2014 at 8:02 am

    I’ve had spiders’ licks, bed bugs bites and thousands of mosquito bites, avoided some leeches, but never had a tick bite me. Glad to know you’re okay!

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      July 30, 2014 at 4:18 am

      Oh my goodness Corinne! Glad you avoided those leeches!!!

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Talya Tate Boerner. Writer, Reader, Arkansas Master Naturalist / Master Gardener, Author of

THE ACCIDENTAL SALVATION OF GRACIE LEE (2016)

GENE, EVERYWHERE: a life-changing visit from my father-in-law (2020)

BERNICE RUNS AWAY (Now Available!)

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