Long Hollow

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Realtor, writer, blogger in Austin, TX

Revenge of the Cedars

    People around here badmouth the cedar trees (technically a type of juniper, but we call them cedar – don't ask me why, because I don't know!) They are looked down on because they spread fast and drink up all the water. They gang up on oak trees and anything else that has roots and leaves. Don't get me wrong…I actually have a soft spot for cedars. The smell reminds me of going to my grandparent's cabin near Lake Medina near San Antonio when I was little, and the old trees with thick trunks are beautiful (to me, anyway.)

    But right now I don't like them so much. There is so much cedar pollen in the air, thanks to the otherwise perfect weather (sunshine, mid-70's, breezy) that I'm wishing someone would take some steel wool to my eyes and SCRATCH!! I'm taking antihistamine every way I can – orally, nasally, and …eye-fully? With eye drops…you know what I mean.

    Maybe they're just trying to get revenge for all the trash talk and weeding out of their kind that goes on, but, come on! they're not doing their cause any good. Here are a couple of pictures I found of cedar pollen explosions – I never have my camera when I see one myself. The first one is in Arizona (by digital_house - I believe in giving credit) and the second one is in New Jersey (by Benny Bishop). I never realized other people were suffering just like we are. It doesn't make me feel any better.

Cedar pollen explosion by digital_house 

Cedar pollen explosion in new jersey by benny bishop

    While I'm on the subject of revenge, here's a cartoon I cut out of this week's Parade magazine that really made me laugh…

Revenge on sleeping teenagers

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4 responses to “Revenge of the Cedars”

  1. rockinthegrass Avatar
    rockinthegrass

    I know the feeling. Here we have wonderful spring flowers. They bloom just north of cape Twon in a semi-desert area called namaqualand and people travel from overseas to come to see the amazing display. But I just suffer the consequences of this sudden pollen profusion. It becomes worse when the wind begins to blow. So the eye-drops, and the antihystemine pills and the scratchy eyes and itchy roof of my mouth: and the sneezing. Unfortunately one of my daughters has inherited this from me – so we share our agony together. And I am married to a long-suffering (but wonderful) woman who can’t stand sniffing, and blowing noses, and sneezing.
    Strength for the season sister.
    Pete

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  2. Barbara Shallue Avatar
    Barbara Shallue

    Thank you, Pete! The forecast for the next week is just more of the same. It’ll be a long, long week! When do your beautiful-yet-agonizing flowers bloom? I wish you strength at that time (and your wife, too!) You might remind her that God has a way of teaching us to be sympathetic to the suffering of others – he has such a great sense of humor! 

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  3. rockinthegrass Avatar
    rockinthegrass

    Come to Cape Town in August/September to see amazing flowers (our Spring). Come to Cape Town in April/May to have perfect weather for swimming in the sea and climbing the mountain and watching the oak leaves change colour (our Autumn).

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  4. Barbara Shallue Avatar
    Barbara Shallue

    I suspected they were flipped from ours. I’d love to go there sometime – one of my friends went in November – she just married a man who was originally from South Africa and still has family there (he’s been in Texas over 20 years, though.)  Unfortunately, we’ve all been too busy to get together to see her pictures and hear about her experiences! Isn’t that sad?
    I visited the Arizona desert one spring when it was in full bloom – absolutely breathtaking!

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