Chiggers

Last Sabbath, August 30, I went hiking at a place my friends and I have been to many times. On this visit, however, we did something we don’t usually do, and went for a walk around the lake. The weeds were kind of high along parts of the trail. What I didn’t realize until later was that I had picked up some hitchhikers: chiggers.

Unfortunately, chiggers are nearly microscopic, and chigger bites only appear after the damage is done. By then the chigger has already packed up and said goodbye. After feeding, chiggers drop off and turn into harmless adults. Sometimes extra chiggers may tag along, hiding in your shoes, socks, carpet, bedding, etc., and come out for dinner later. For this reason, if you’ve been in chigger country, it’s a good idea to take a shower and put your clothes in the wash after you get home. (If you’ve had a bad experience with chiggers in the past, you may be tempted to burn your clothes.) Using insect repellent works well at keeping them off.

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Ferne Clyffe

Yesterday our church had an evening vespers program at a park in southern Illinois called Ferne Clyffe. This park has rocky areas similar to what can be seen at Giant City or Little Grand Canyon, place I’ve described in previous blogs. However, we did not visit those parts of the park this time.

Instead we took a walk around the park, enjoying the fall colors.

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