The cottage was purchased in 1986 when Heather was four years old. She was blessed with spending several weeks a year at this wonderful place. The cottage is named Ducky Irene. It is located near Duck North Carolina and the "Irene" was for my beautiful Grandmother. Heather and I both have her middle name, but I also felt that this magical, peaceful place should be named after her. One thing for sure, I never have to worry about any other cottage having this name.
On one of my many walks on the beach, I collected shells to spell out Lyme. My intention was to get a picture of the shells as the waves slowly washed over them. Since I am a wanna be photographer I was trying to capture that artsy picture.
There I am, sitting in the sand, spelling out Lyme and just before I could finish, a gentle wave would scatter my shells. This happened several times before I realized that I needed to move back. I know several people were watching from their beach chairs wondering what in the world this crazy beach lady was doing. As I watched my "Lyme" wash away, I wished and hoped that the waves will also wash away Heather's Lyme disease.
I have a good feeling about this summer. I think this change will be good for Heather. I read somewhere that at the beach we live by the currents, plan by the tides, and follow the sun. Pretty simple and oh so right. Hello summer of 2015.
Deer ticks thrive in grassy areas that have low sunlight and high humidity. Woodlands and fields are prime habitats, but these ticks can also be found in the long grasses adjacent to beaches. The ticks are not confined to rural settings. In suburban areas, they can live in overgrown lawns, groundcover plants, and leaf litter.
The exact time of year for risk depends on a geographic region's seasons and how they affect the tick's breeding cycle. In general, the highest risk for Lyme disease onset is from June through August, and the lowest risk is from December through March.
