Wasps!

Yesterday evening I finished up the evening chores and was sauntering slowly back to the house, milk pail in hand and thinking I really didn't have much of anything interesting to blog about when I heard Mountain Man's voice call to me from the window in a tone I don't hear often. "Go around!" he said in a loud voice, "Go around!!!" OK..... Not sure what all the fuss was about I walked the long way around to get back into the house wondering all the while what the commotion was about. There didn't seem any reason to take the long way but I have learned to trust him even when he tells me to do something kinda strange.

When I arrived all he did was ask for the baking soda. Puzzled I found it for him and watched him quickly make a paste of baking soda and water and apply it to his ear. At this point my curiosity was starting to get the best of me and my patience wearing just a bit thin. 

Thankfully once he had his ear covered in this paste he explained. Wasps had build a huge nest behind the wheel of his tool trailer. He had needed to move the trailer and they had become angry and attacked him. Luckily he moves very fast and was only stung on the ear. He had yelled at me to keep me from going near the nest while he treated his ear and decided on a course of action. One thing was sure, they could not be allowed to stay. Finally armed with a large bottle of wasp spray and a long stick he directed me to stay back while he sprayed the nest and then knocked it down.

He was right, it was huge!

This was my first real look at the inside of a wasp nest. Talk about elaborate! I had noticed an excessive amount of wasps in the area but they are always a nuisance here so as long as they left me along I didn't think too much of it. 

Now I've been stung many time by wasps so was very glad to see them gone but I had never heard about making a paste of baking soda and water to treat it. Turns out that was exactly the right course of action as it takes the sting out of it almost right away. What a smart guy. Lets hope we don't have to use that remedy again anytime soon.