tamarack

A long-time (30+ years) co-worker - staff biologist - got Lyme twice. First time he thought it was his worst flu ever but waited a couple days for a long-scheduled wellness appt. Nice bullseye rash on scapula made for quick diagnosis. He had a 3rd doxy Rx immediately upon finding an engorged tick - didn't wait for symptoms. After witnessing all that, following the medical advice was an easy decision.

Morning low here was 57. If it holds, it will be the mildest minimum here since last August. Yesterday's 78 was the year's warmest, and the current full sun might push the temp past 80 if the clouds hold off long enough.

It's 2.5 years since my anaplas experience. Picked up the tick while hunting on Veterans' Day (clever little monster hid in the short hairs) and 10 days later I was totally miserable - wife thought it was a stroke. Diagnosis on 11/22, doxy Rx 23rd, felt much better 24th but finished the 10-day regimen.

Another harbinger of spring yesterday - mosquitos and black flies are out and about. The skeeters are biting but those other things are merely perusing the menu. Mid-May is their usual arrival; peak attacks will be next week when the younger grandkids are here. At least the deerflies won't be here by then - June/July for their carpet bombing.

W/SW breeze, dews mid 40s. Recipe for Aroostook heat in spring.

Still there - guess I'm not old enough yet. I used to be young and foolish; I'm not young anymore.

Because it's midweek.

Not as perfect here as the clouds won, other than a few late morning sun peeks - high was 63 (right at the average). Now some clouds are spoiling the full sun after a near-freezing start.

Other than 10 minutes of PC, it's been cloudy so far today. The clouds that forestalled a frost are also keeping us from approaching 70.

Ten seconds of sun about 5:30, peeking thru a rift in the clouds. May 1-10, one sunny day, 2 PC, 7 cloudy. Just under 3" so no flooding, just endless wet - only 5/1 had no rain.

Less than half that here - approaching 0.9" but we're about done. Still without a 1"+ day this year. PWM reported 2.20" from 2 AM thru 2 PM. Might be a few puddles there.

Mid 40s with light RA, only 0.3" in 12 hours thru 7 AM. Wood stove doing its thing.

May 2005, Tip's most unfavorite month, set the bar for yuck. The 5 days 5/22-26 (almost June!) averaged 48/41 here and dumped 5.14" of wet - with winds to increase the misery.

It's faster going downhill. Day started with ~2 hours of PC, then the clouds closed back in with a few spritzes. At least it's low 60s.

I certainly don't like black flies - some years ago I tripped in the woods north from Flagstaff Lake and cut my palm. The little horrors thought "It's a buffet!" and landed by the dozen. However, I despise deerflies even more, especially in the far north of Maine. Imagine 50 of them swarming around, accompanied by 100+ similarly sized but non-biting "sweat lickers" on a hot day. One cannot tell which of the little bombers carry knives, nor can one run fast enough to escape. I've never been chased out of the woods by bugs, but that scenario has come the closest. Sun! (peeks only)