I promised myself I would visit five new venues in 2024.
So how did that work out anyway?
A recent post detailed a disappointing trip to three new places, among them the “Strong Unit” which is part of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge (“DRIWR” or “Refuge”).
I’ve blogged about the Humbug Marsh Unit of the Refuge plenty of times and will be writing about it again the end of this month. But the Refuge itself encompasses 6,300 acres of marshes, coastal wetlands and islands found along 48 miles of shoreline on the lower Detroit River and western Lake Erie. The Refuge is divided into 30 separate “Units” or parcels of land, not all of them accessible.
Today’s post will be about my June 28th trip to Grosse Ile to visit the “Gibralter Bay Unit” of the Refuge.
This was a once-and-done visit to this venue as it was a little too unkempt for me. I was and continue to be, fastidious about avoiding venues where I might encounter ticks. However, this was the only venue where I brought home one of those little buggers, in my outer ear! Thank goodness it did not attach to my ear and I plucked it out and put it in a bottle, just in case I developed symptoms and it needed to be analyzed. So far so good.
Bugs are the bane of my existence.
(And that is not just spiders and centipedes which I detest.) Climate change, plus our warmer-than-average Winter of 2023-2024, meant the tick population didn’t die off, so not only did we have an abundance of ticks this year, but local news stations are warning of West Nile Virus-carrying mosquitoes as well. Even 83-year-old Dr. Anthony Fauci was recently hospitalized after being bitten in his garden by a mosquito carrying that virus.
Gallivanting around Grosse Ile.
The skies were overcast, so I figured that was a plus since it was likely humid at the marshy areas of the Gibralter Bay Unit. After my half-hour drive there, as I stepped out of the car, the mugginess of the marsh had me ditching the sunhat – after all, I’d be out of here before the peak sun rays were out. No doubt my decision allowed that tick to plop onto my head.
It was a bit deserted, unlike Humbug Marsh which is full of walkers, birders and anglers.
At the trailhead, as I paused to look at the map …
… another car pulled up beside mine. I was both relieved I was no longer alone, but, given the remoteness of this place, I was a bit uncomfortable as well – yes, I am wary of everything.
The driver got out of the vehicle, then ran around to the passenger side where he opened the door and a Yellow Lab hopped out. We exchanged pleasantries and I said it was my first time here, so he asked if I was looking to photograph birds or flowers or just here for a walk as he could point things out on the trails since he walked his dog here daily. I said “all of the above” so we set out together.
Together we trekked along the “ticky” trail.
I noted the tall grass and weeds on either side and told him I had been careful to protect myself against ticks, which was probably obvious as I was dressed in long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, socks and heavy walking shoes, whereas he was wearing shorts, a short-sleeved shirt and Crocs clogs. He said “no worries – there were lots of ticks in the Spring, but no more!” Then, noting my dubious expression, he added “I was plucking ticks from Bonzo every time we came here in the Spring. They were easy to find in his short hair, but you really have to watch the poison ivy!” “That too?” I thought.
A moment later, Bonzo was back from wandering around the weeds and wildflowers and I watched his owner bend down and pluck something from his dog’s coat. After giving me a rather sheepish look he said “well I guess a few of ‘em are still around.” “Yikes!” I thought and hoped he flicked that tick far away from me!
The voice of reason in my head said “go walk somewhere else Linda!”
My companion pointed out a few birds overhead and identified them as freshwater Pelicans. “Cool, I’ve been looking for these birds” I told him, then tried to get a few shots of a straggler. At home, on the screen, I wasn’t sure if it was a Seagull or a Pelican so I haven’t included it.
We got to an equally rugged trail with a split-rail fence, then together we moseyed along the marsh shoreline. He said “there is a seaplane parked out there somewhere that might make a nice photo for you – you have to go back out to the road for that though.” He pointed in the general direction of the woods, beyond the marshy area.
We lost sight of Bonzo, so he whistled and got no response. He told me “I gotta go find out if Bonzo got into trouble – see ya around.”
I decided to retrace my steps at a more leisurely pace through the field area and along the Meadow Trail …
… then I walked along the marsh shoreline where I got these shots:
There were a lot of low-hanging branches so I had to duck a lot. Check out this primitive-looking means to traverse the low ditch and mud with a plank and its fishnet-type covering for traction.
I got to the end of the trail and saw the open area near where I had parked and muttered to myself “hmm, that was it? I risked ticks, poison ivy and whatever else for that? Pfft!”
But, look – across from the small parking lot was an overlook with a nice view.
So, I decided to try and find that seaplane. Given this venue’s proximity to the Grosse Ile Airport and the small map at the trailhead showing “Old Seaplane Road”, how difficult could it be to find?
This was the entrance to the venue, which had the same style sign and logo as is found at Humbug Marsh only the Gibralter Bay Unit.
I trudged along the gravel road, a/k/a Old Seaplane Road. I was hopeful to see that seaplane. I kept stopping to take photos of some wildflowers. There was a sign, but my visit was thwarted by a locked gate.
Since I had passed a marker about a trail leading to the photo blind …
… I decided to make that photo blind my next stop.
Along the way I passed this sign …
There was this seating arrangement … cozy, but watch for splinters!
Finally, nestled in the bushes was this sign for the photo blind.
I stepped inside where there were cobwebs and, after peering through the “window” I saw no birds. In fact, I mused that here I was in this protected wildlife habitat with more than 300 different species of birds and I only saw these two:
… and those Pelicans or Seagulls (hard to tell from my blurry-looking photos).
Back at the car, I turned the A/C on full to get refreshed, then stopped at the Gibralter Bay Alpaca Farm, a short drive down the road, a stop that was very brief as they were mucking out the stalls and on that hot, humid day, let’s just say the smell was a bit funky.
I am joining Terri Webster Schrandt’s September 1st Sunday Stills Photo Challenge: All about Bugs.
Well, that was premature – Terri’s post won’t post ’til Sunday. So pretend it’s Sunday. 🙂 I’m still finding my way with this new computer.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
You’ve taken the road less traveled, Linda!
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Yes and it was a darn ticky one too Pam!!
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😂😂😂
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I walked with you, but I’m in the cool of my house. You have a new computer??
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I am glad to be inside today too Anne, but at least it it is not in the 90s with severe weather. I was trying to schedule this post because we have severe weather tomorrow (again) and I thought I might lose my internet, but made a boo boo. I have a new laptop and am transitioning from Windows 7 – it’s a pain as I’m e-mailing from the old computer for now and it took me twice as long to get this done. WordPress did an upgrade about three or four weeks ago and I can no longer create a post on Windows 7 – it freezes, so I had to make the move. I was hoping to wait ’til Winter. Sigh.
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Good luck! Changing computers is always a royal pain.
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Thank you Anne … it is a pain because every time I go on a long walk, I come home and write a draft of my walk that day. And when I sort pictures, I e-mail them to myself. So, it’s a bit cumbersome. I have had this Windows 10 computer since 2019 – it was bought for work and I never used it because I just remoted in using Windows 7. I’ve been trying to clean up the old computer to find things easier.
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That erratic is a chunk of limestone. Too bad your woods are so populated by ticks.
Just be glad It’s not like the carboniferous period where the centipedes grew to be 10 feet long!
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They called it a glacial boulder and I have a fellow blogger Barbara who, when she lived in Connecticut, would often take photos of their glacial erratics. So I saw this one and wanted to include it. This place was just too raggedy for me. There was not a whole lot to see here, so I won’t be going back. I’d die if I saw a centipede that long Wayne … the ones I see in the house are bad enough!
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the geologic term is Glacial Erratic.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glacial_erratic
Ontario is littered with millions!
and this will make you thankful you live in this period……..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W70clwXgy4A
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I was going by what Barbara posted – I had never heard of a glacial erratic before reading her blog – they have a lot of them in Connecticut. The sign at the trailhead called it a glacial boulder – so I decided to take a look. It was very huge. I know you studied geology. You have seen them in Canada- the really large ones?
Thank you for the two links Wayne. As to the bugs, remind me not to take a trip down the Amazon either with the Amazonian large centipede. Even the millipedes were enormous sized back during this period. I guess I am glad I am in the here and now. 🙂
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What’s THIS? A post from Linda on THURSDAY?! Today is Thursday, right? Does Linda have her day confused. So, I read… okay I get it! I’m pretending that it’s Sunday. Okay. But SEPTEMBER?! My summer just ended, sad face me. Even though it is hot tamales outside, I never want Summer to end. I know, I know, happy face for Linda because she loves the fall. So happy face, again.
But “All about bugs”. Ick. I don’t like bugs!
So no bug pictures. Yay!
Is that funny! There you were in this weird place where this is a protected wildlife habitat with more than 300 different species of birds and you only saw these two or three? Imagine that! What is this world coming to?
I love the scope that you found viewing the marsh, though no birds. Pretty sight, im sure. But where are the birds?
As far as that ragged looking trail that you single filed the doggo Bonzo and man-stranger, I would not have done myself! It was a bit creepy. And I had to keep reminding myself that here. You are writing about the adventure, so you must have made it home safely and alive… with only one hitchhiker.
Between you with the adult ticks and Barbara with the seed ticks, I’m grateful that Yorkie and I are tick-free in our neck of the woods this Summer! Enjoyed your post! ❤️🤗
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Glad you liked the post TD, even though I published it prematurely. That was a first for me, but they’ve made some changes in WP and I can no longer use my old Windows 7 laptop to create a post … learning curve for me. So, now I am using a Windows 10 computer. Big differences. I was surprised no birds were to be found at this venue. When I got there, I assumed it would be like Humbug Marsh which has Egrets, Herons, geese and ducks and some songbirds, even an American Kestrel (which is like a small Falcon). Nope, nothing. No butterflies either, even with all the wildflowers in the fields and in the marsh. Odd indeed. In looking at the photos taken now two months ago, I see why I likely brought that tick hitchhiker home with me – it was not at the Alpaca farm as I stayed near the entrance and didn’t go out in the field area. I am glad to see Summer leave, but I understand we will have a warm Fall. I don’t like walking in the heat but my main reason is the volatile weather. We had severe weather on Tuesday, winds clocked at 76 mph – that is not normal for us and quite a thunderstorm and torrential rain. There were a lot of trees down, downed wires too. We will have similar weather tomorrow afternoon, plus a tornado threat. So this hot, humid and volatile Summer weather can exit anytime in my opinion.
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And not a butterfly one! Take the weird place off our list for sure.
76 mph winds is Tropical Storm speed! It can do damage. And tornado threats are scary 😱! I think it’s time to hide under my covers with my “Pinky Bear”.
Our weather lady actually said the the Tropical Storms and Hurricanes are taking a nap. Be ready our hurricane season peak is in September…
Be safe my friend. ❤️
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Yes, I won’t be going back, even when it’s cold and the ticks die off.
Yes, that was the recorded wind speed at Detroit Metro Airport about ten miles from me. It was scary. The weather is just a force to be reckoned with these days TD. Sorry to hear you are about to embark on hurricane season – stormy weather all around. Thank you – I hope tomorrow goes well.
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Well, you did get a walk out of it, anyway! Not a waste of time to explore a new area — and cross it off the list!
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That’s very true Eilene. I think my feelings were tainted by the tick, though it was a little too unkempt for me. I’m always open to try new trails though.
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Great photos, Linda! 😊 Please be careful walking in such places. There are a lot of looney tunes around these days.
Big birds like seagulls and geese seem to be absent in my area now. I’m pretty sure that it’s the Bird Flu. I sure hope that things improve regarding this!
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Thank you Tom – I’m glad you liked the photos. I had Googled before I went and it did not appear to be such a remote location. I usually scope that out to be sure. That is it – once and done for me. I’m sure that is where I got the tick in the corner of my ear; luckily it did not attach.
I went almost all Summer before seeing a single Seagull and I thought that was unusual.
Then I saw a whole group of them and Terns too at Pointe Mouilee DNR Headquarters. The Geese at the Park just returned from molting. They hang out at the Detroit River shoreline until they get their flight feathers back – I hope yours return to you. I do worry about all the birds contracting the avian flu – it used to be so simple feeding them back in the day.
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I don’t even take any pellets to feed them these days. There are none to feed. At least the small birds seem to be doing well so far.
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That’s sad Tom. I feel sick every time I walk at Council Point Park and see the destruction they have created. The nests from birds and squirrels in all the trees they mowed down and now there is controversy that the contractors were only supposed to get rid of the DEAD trees in the Creek and at the shoreline – they tore out everything, some trees that were a century old. I know the birds/animals can relocate their nests, but what if they had young in those nests, something I tried to explain to the mayor why they could start at the other end where they are now … he said “the animals will be fine.” Right.
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I think that looks like a lovely walk. Of course I read your post in a room with AC so I was a lot more comfortable. I don’t think we have a tick issue where we live, thank goodness. Smart to dress in protective clothing.
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Looking back at the photos it does look better than at that time and the mugginess of the morning and the worry about the ticks, did make for an apprehensive walk. You are lucky you don’t have tick worries Janis … before the last few years when climate change has given us warmer Winters, the ticks and mosquitoes died off over the Winter, so no worries until August or so about those pests. We have had the issue since the Spring. My long-sleeves, long pants and sun hat are also sun protection clothing with a UPF rating of 50+ so they are doing double duty. I spend a lot of time walking near the water and unbelievably was burned twice in early April and on gray days. I know you can get burned on gray days, but on a late morning walk in April?
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I feel your frustration with so little in the way of wildlife to photograph, after so much effort in the miserable weather.
I am in need of a new computer too, and the need to learn the new operating software (is it Windows 11?) is delaying me in pulling the trigger.
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JP, it was so warm and humid and I was already apprehensive about the ticks. I am very ready to get to Fall, although it will be a warm Fall per the predictions. I am anxious to get away from this volatile weather – we have severe weather rolling in shortly and we had very severe weather this past Tuesday (76 mph wind gusts and torrential rain).
Yes, Windows 11 is the most-current operating system. I understood Windows 12 with a lot of AI features was debuting in late Fall in time for Christmas, but Microsoft has delayed that rollout now to the Fall of 2025. It’s been a problem for me as my Windows 7 laptop has been a workhorse and I have a lot of stuff pertaining to my blog and other things on here – it’s taking forever to organize/transfer.
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“Glacial erratic” – that’s a new phrase on me and an interesting way to describe a rock. Yes, the bugs are making up for lost time down here too (though tics are nowhere nearby, thank goodness). The spiders and flies weren’t in their usual numbers earlier in the summer but now the gnats are particularly annoying. Looking forward to the forecast cool down next month and the beginning of fall. The bugs seem to go on hiatus about then.
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It was a new phrase for me too Dave until I began following a blogger who lived in Connecticut and often posted photos of huge glacial erratics, which are boulders that traveled along with glaciers and literally ended up at the end of their “roll”. So, when I saw this one that the map identified as a “glacial boulder” I went for a look and a photo to show Barbara. She and her husband moved to North Carolina last year, so she doesn’t see them anymore. We’ve had so much rain that centipedes have stayed away – they don’t need to look for water in the pipes (thankfully), but I must have had a pregnant gnat in my hair or on my clothes from walking as I saw it buzzing around the kitchen and a few days later I got up in the morning, turned on the hall light and my hallway is a light cream color and there were about 50 little gnats or no-see-ums, (whatever you want to call them), on the wall. I shut off the light (like it would make them leave) and I saw them around for a few days, then they were gone. It’s been an unsettling buggy year. The weather too as we await still more severe weather tonight. Enough!
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My son-in-law puts earbuds on when he works outside so he doesn’t have to hear the whine of the gnats around his ears. I can’t do that. I’ve never been one to wear headphones when I’m outside (need to hear what’s going on around me) and more importantly, I wouldn’t like the idea of gnats on my ears just because I can’t hear them. Ugh!
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Ugh indeed! I hate those little bugs! Years ago I’d put on my heavy Radio Shack battery-operated headphones while I was working outside to listen to music. I’d be singing away, not realizing how loud I was singing. My mother would come to the door or rap on the window to enlighten me. 🙂 Now, I won’t do that, especially when using electrical equipment. If something startled you, you could have an accident.
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Well that doesn’t sound very productive! I sometimes feel that way at Shiawasee if I don’t see anything interesting. But usually I do see stuff that’s good. Can’t always get a good image though.
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No it wasn’t Dawn and I kept thinking “this is it?” It was a once-and-done trip … back to familiar standbys.
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Well that sure was a disappointing walk for you Linda! I can’t believe you didn’t find more birds, animals or something, maybe they were hiding under the boulder. Lol I would never take my dog where it could get ticks. That had to be gross taking a tick off your outer ear, imagine if it went inside, ewwwww! It was nice they built a Photo Booth but too bad there was nothing to take a picture of. At least you can say you went there.
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The pictures actually looked better than the actual walk Diane. I was disappointed – maybe not as much had it been great weather, but hot and muggy and it turned out buggy as well. I wouldn’t take my pet there either. Yes, the photo booth was funny as I looked out the “window” – nothing to see!
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Glad the ticks didn’t find you! The areas does look like bug heaven.
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Yes, lots of tall weeds and wildflowers to get to the marsh – there are so many other marshy areas around to visit, it was a once-and-done trip for me. Striking out big-time this year in trying to avoid some places that I know have lots of ticks.
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I haven’t seen any this year but I also haven’t been out in the parks much.
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Well at least your bathroom renovation kept you unscathed from ticks and mosquitoes anyway.
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Mosquitoes are a different story. We’ve had those this summer.
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I think a lot of people have had an abundance of rain this Summer. My grass is as lush as in Spring. And, I found two dandelions today. I spent a lot of time weeding and pruning today as we had absolutely gorgeous weather. I was looking for spiders, mosquitoes and happily didn’t see any groundhog burrows, although he/she destroyed my hydrangea bush last year and only one twiggy branch came back this year.
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😦 The groundhogs here don’t eat hydrangea.
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You’re lucky for that Kate – the leaves must have been the appeal. I had it for a long time and it was full with blue flowers and large leaves. Critters where they don’t belong! At the Park there was a deer recently, then a coyote, now a pair of groundhogs. Someone had their python snake escape not far from me. Going outside of the house is a trip sometimes. In fact, I was a bit nervous in a particularly weedy area, poking with a rake before reaching in … and I ALWAYS wear garden gloves and long sleeves and pants.
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It’s been a wet kind of year, we still have mosquitoes which we never have in August. We are in a very tick infected area where we live, we are always careful. Good thing you got that one off your ear. I have had two on me and we just kept a careful watch for any signs of Lyme disease. When we were kids we would lay down in the grass anywhere and go wherever we pleased. Not anymore. Between ticks, poison ivy, Giant Hogweed, other bugs and toxic plants no wonder kids just sit at home lol
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We are adventurous but we can’t be carefree about it at all. I’m wearing long sleeves and long pants and a sun hat for sun protection as most of my long walks are in full sun, often near water and in this heat, it’s been no picnic. That’s for sure Susan – we had a meadow-like area at the end of the street, which they were developing into a mall just as we moved to the States in ’66. All the kids in the neighborhood hung out there, we put our jars in the creek for tadpoles and didn’t worry about pond e-coli, laid in the field and would chew on clover tips for a honey taste. No more. That Giant Hogweed is terrible. They haven’t done any warnings on the social media sites I follow this year about not touching it – they are too busy ensuring everyone knows about ticks, mosquitoes and not bringing Spotted Lantern Flies to your home (they’re bad for hardwood trees).
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Miss Linda………………………that was a very interesting blog……………………….I always learn something from you on our local parks………………………..I’m glad you didn’t get any ticks……………………….
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Thank you Ann Marie. I wouldn’t recommend you go there – better to go to Humbug Marsh instead. I wish they would have had the area open for the seaplane. I went to Humbug Marsh a week ago Friday. We hadn’t had any rain so I knew it would not be muddy on the trails. Be careful of the ticks and mosquitoes … they’re out for blood!
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I hate ticks with a passion! Even in hot weather, I’m the one working outside in long pants, a long-sleeved over-shirt, a sun hat, hiking socks, and hiking boots. My coworkers are running around outside in tank tops and shorts. While I envy them, I’m too fair-skinned to show that much skin – even with sunscreen!
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Oh yes, a redhead with fair skin would burn so quickly with these Summer rays. I hear you Linda – the long-sleeved shirts and long pants are no picnic. The sunhat either. I got burned twice back in April and I was not even near the water!
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Well, I hate ticks, Linda. We’d get them at the delta in spring. My dogs were set with their Bravecto, which meant if my dog sat next to me on the trailer sofa, inevitably a tick would wander towards me. I found a few over the years but nothing had lodged into me except one time.
Your muggy and buggy weather invited more than ticks I’m sure. West Nile virus is nothing to mess with. A winsurfer friend had it and another got Lyme disease. Both were ill for months, with after effects lasting for years.
Great shots of the area. Love that Reed reflection image! We’re dealing with hot dry temps 97 here today. Way too hot for this time of year. Ugh. Hope all is going better with your computer and software. Your post looks great! Enjoy the holiday tomorrow!
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I’ve been so careful Terri, checking my socks especially when I’ve been walking anywhere – even at Council Point Park where I’ve never never had a tick come home with me.
My friend and former co-worker used to do a lot of tracking with her dogs and also at competitions as a judge. She had a mixture of Avon Skin So Soft bath oil and water that she sprayed onto the dog’s fur before going outside and never had an issue with ticks with any one of her dogs – she had a dozen at one time. I told her Avon filed for bankruptcy and she’d better order the Skin So Soft from Amazon while it is available, but she says she has enough bottles to last forever – she is in her early 80s and is now down to two dogs and rarely tracks with them.
We had a popular local meteorologist that was in Northern Michigan and got a tick and Lyme Disease and had to quit his job. The illness was so debilitating he barely could get out bed and walk down the hall. He gave an interview to the TV station where he had worked. He never worked again and is in assisted living.
I liked that Reed reflection too – it was difficult to tell which was real. Looking at the photos to put this post together I realized maybe the walk was not all THAT bad, but my experience was tempered by the heat, humidity and the tick. That is way too hot – 97, whew! We had another heat wave last week which spawned two bad storms, Tuesday and Friday. We are only 70 tomorrow, so I’m getting out in the yard, which is full of weeds and overgrown bushes.
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I did enjoy seeing the glacial erratic you discovered, Linda! The light was perfect the day you visited the marsh and I loved your pictures of all the lush greenery. Especially “the end of the off-limits marsh area” with the fence post sharply in the foreground. The optical illusion of the reeds looks like a lovely impressionistic painting. That spotting scope looks like a human face, intently staring at your camera. It’s too bad you didn’t get to see more birds, that always a disappointment. It’s hard to predict when they will appear! But you did get to enjoy some great scenery.
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I’m glad you liked that glacial erratic Barbara. It was big, but in comparison to the one that you and Tim used to take photos of where Tim would stand up on it sometimes, it was small. I did see on the trail map they said “glacial boulder” and I was glad to find it.
I thought the spotting scope looked like a “face” too and it appeared like it was staring at me. I was trying to take a photo of that pink flower which was a swamp rose past the end of the fence but it wasn’t too clear. That was the prettiest part of the trail in my opinion too, including the optical illusion of the reeds. They had some pond lilies, not many, so if they had had more lilies, it might have looked exactly like a Claude Monet painting.
It was very lush and green that day, probably since we have had so much rain and hot weather this Summer. I spent many hours out in the yard today due to the nice weather and I had some huge weeds out there and the grass is as green as in Spring.
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Great photos…I have a weird paranoia of ticks…lol. I just hate the thought of them in my skin. Yikes.
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Thanks Kirstin! It’s been a crazy year for ticks here in SE Michigan as it never got cold enough last Winter to kill them off – same as the mosquitoes. I never thought I’d say “I hope we have a normal Winter this year” but I am saying it now. I’m grateful the tick was on the outer part of my ear and not in the ear canal and that I saw it!
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Mosquitos and ticks [and dare I add sink bugs] are so annoying, just in different ways. I imagine that knowing they exist could slow a person down, but not you. I’ve never seen a freshwater Pelican so will now keep my eyes peeled when I’m around a pond [no lakes near me]. I like your photo of the spotting scope, haven’t looked through one of those in years.
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Yes, we have an overabundance of all those nasty bugs this year unfortunately because of our warm Winter, so they didn’t die off like they usually do. I’d just as soon we have a normal Winter so it kills off all the invasive bugs. I follow a Michigan blogger who is a photographer and used to see and photograph the white Pelicans on the Mississippi River. They tend to hang out together and look just like the brown Pelicans, only pure white. Supposedly there are a lot of freshwater pelicans around here now but they won’t overwinter here, so now I’ll have to wait until next year to look for them. That spotting scope took on human characteristics by “staring” back at me. I can’t remember the last time I looked through one either Ally.
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Those ticks sound such a nightmare . Glad it was a tick free tine this time apart from on your furry friend.
Hope your new computer is behaving itself and working well 🙂
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I feel very fortunate that the tick had not “settled in” and attached to my outer ear. I can’t tell you how shocked I was to see it on my ear when I took the Kleenex to lift it off. I am happy that we have no ticks at Council Point Park. I still do a “tick check” every time I go to any nature setting though, even there just to be safe. I am still finding my way with this computer Zena. I had that Windows 7 laptop for 10 years and I am still using a 2009 Windows 7 laptop to store my photos. It is like wearing a worn and comfortable shoe. 🙂
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