Saturday, April 19, 2008

The Season of Sneeze



The pollen is flying fast and thick all over DC. Those of us who are sensitive to the annual orgy of the green world are either medicated, in hiding, or sneezing like crazy. Those who don't suffer from allergies are out there enjoying the almost unearthly beauty that's part of this time of year, oblivious to the storm of fertility taking place all around them.

It only lasts a few weeks so I shouldn't complain. In fact, I think humans should be more considerate. I think we should get out of the way and let the plants do their thing. After the pollination is complete, right around the second week of June, the trees will provide shade and the grass will give us a lovely green cushion to walk on. So why shouldn't we make ourselves scarce for awhile? It seems fair to me. The trouble is, in our culture we are expected to carry on as if nothing was happening. Those who suffer from allergies are pitied, but expected to juice up on Benadryl or whatever, and continue going about their Very Important Human Activities. What hubris! For heaven's sake!

This year I'm one of the flippant people because the acupuncture I'm receiving every week, plus the "grassy brew" (as I call the herbal tea I sip all day long) has dramatically reduced my symptomatic response to tree and grass sex. A sniffle or watery eye now and then is nothing compared to my usual situation of total congestion and misery. Wow! I believe in Chinese medicine!

Excuse me now while I take a nice stroll with the dog, who, by the way also suffers from springtime allergies. If you look closely at the pic on top, you'll notice he's sneezing hard. Poor Jake!

11 comments:

Moonroot said...

Bless you! (or Gesundheit, which I believe is what people say on that side of the Atlantic?)
I've passed on an award to you - details on my blog!

Loraine said...

It's just starting to thaw here in Utah- we had snow earlier this week! But the flowers are starting to bloom and we've planted some vegetables on our little balcony (in lieu of a yard).
Now if I can get this constant burning sensation out of the back of my nasal passages, I can enjoy the early Spring.
What kind of grass is that tea made of?

Steve Reed said...

I'm not sneezing yet, thank goodness. But I'm sure it's coming. Still, you're right -- why are we always so species-centric?

Lynne said...

Hah! I thought Jake looked a bit strange in that photo and I was trying to figure out just what he was doing with his mouth. How funny you caught him mid-sneeze!

Glad your brew is working for you!

Reya Mellicker said...

The tea is actually an herbal prescription. It has lots of different things in it - pods, seeds, little twigs and what appears to be a well trimmed, tiny bundle of crabgrass. There are shrivelled flowers (the acupuncturist says chrysanthamum and honesuckle are part of that mix) and there are little tubes that look like rigatoni. It smells grassy and minty when it's cooking, tastes sour, bitter, grassy, minty and slightly sweet when I'm tasting it.

I love cooking it - feels so shamanic. It's the original form of all medicine. Really cool!

i\It's not a good taste, but it's medicine, and the most important thing: it works. That's what counts!

dennis said...

Dennis had a brief fling with hay fever and drugs that made it worse--then he went au naturel with the healing, as you are doing and all traces of hay fever vanished. He has been 100% hay fever free for many springs.

Reya Mellicker said...

If it's good enough for Dennis, it's good enough for me! I knew I was doing something right!

Lanea said...

Ahhh, the pollen. I do love the plants, but their reproduction does a number on me every time. I did have a short respite in another city that doesn't seem as sneeze-inducing, which was a bonus.

Pod said...

bless you both!
i keep trying to post comments and can't!
i am pod! not a little bit of irritating pollen!
let me in! let me in!
have you read 'pollen' by jeff noon?
i read it years ago when i was teenpod, and thought it was good then. but i thought howard jones was good then too
xx

Reya Mellicker said...

Come in, please beautiful Pod! Let's have a sherry on reypod to celebrate your birthday. GREAT to see you!!!

Pod said...

sitting here, tapping foot, two sherries on the table, watching the stars. where is you? where is my prezzies? hic....hic
;0o