Forget all that nonsense about aliens, demented scarecrows and other horrors lurking in cornfields. Our home is surrounded on three sides by this tall, leafy, green stuff and I can't say I've seen any evidence at all of these slinky, sneaky, vessels of evil. Not that I'm looking, mind you, or plan on conducting any type of nighttime investigations. My observations from my kitchen window in broad daylight is enough for me. No, I think too much emphasis has been placed on possible corn dwellers when there are horrible things that truly do exist in other vegetative forms............like beans. You read it right.....your everyday, home grown, jolly green giant endorsed green beans! Their beautiful rows (I love lines!!!!) look innocent enough... short, full and leafy; sprinkled with tiny, petite, lavender flowers; they're just adorable. However, readers, beware of the great evil that dwells in this mini paradise, this oasis of cute!
My story of survival begins not after the first bean harvest...but the third. If the frozen food section is the only place you're familiar with beans, that's ok, you must already know the danger of harvesting, so, a wise one you are! Green beans are a favorite among many gardeners because it's a great "big bang for your buck" kind of plant! After each pick.....they will continue to reproduce. On this particular evening, the family and I were out picking. I, in my flips (I was later scolded for this), the rest of the family in proper footwear.....tennies and garden clogs. Clouds of mosquitoes filled the air every time a bean plant was repositioned to expose beans ripe for the picking, so when I felt the nibble on the back of my leg, I assumed it was one of those pesky, sharp nosed critters. Cute, fuzzy, white caterpillars, bouncy grasshoppers, buzzing bees and little, green, hopping frogs were as abundant as the beans, so when my bucket was full, I was thrilled to end my visit to this world of creepy crawlies!
Later that evening, my bite started to glow, two days later, the glow turned to raised red blisters. After almost 2 weeks, the color purple and "yellow" (from the ooze!) were added to the mix. I despise doctors, so Kris humored me and let me try to "lick" my own wound. "Lick" meaning, doing absolutely nothing and hoping it would go away on its own. I don't do medicine well. When I complain of headaches, Kris will ask...."Take anything?" My response is usually always no. A resounding "Duh!" ends the conversation with me making my way to our medicine basket. With my bite fashioning colors of purple, yellow and red, no amount of sobbing, whining or crying would work against Kris' rock solid stance on me going to the place I dread the most....the doctor.
To the doctor I went, with my kids in tow for support. There's something exhilarating about the fact that I, little ol' me, could gross out nurses to the point of the"hibbie jibbies"......exact quote. My exam room was more like a pre-schools show and tell with both nurses on staff at my doctors office huddled around my leg; me proudly displaying my war wound and laughing at every "ick" and "nasty"! One of the nurses biggest fear, and Ryan's, was that there were babies or eggs of something in the red, nasty mess. A "Monsters Inside Me" show fresh in her mind, the nurse proceeded to give me all the gruesome details of maggot like creatures hiding in a wound bearing striking resemblance to mine. A friend of ours suggested I skip going to the doctors and go to the vet instead....so he can deliver the babies. Ok..this amoeba, maggot, worm talk was starting to gross me out and all these "implants" were making me feel as if....something truly WAS moving around inside my leg! The doctor finally came in, looked at it and reassured me.....and my roomful of grossed out comrades......that nothing was living inside and that whatever got me, apparently just got me good. My guess was as good as his on what on earth bit me and he proceeded to prescibe a steroid ointment. Leaving the office, I noticed curious stares from the adjoining office. Receptionists craning their necks over their desks and nurses peeking around corners all sneaking a peak to get a good look at this possible walking incubator. Giggling, one of my nurses called out "Tsetse" (a fly in Africa with parasites) while the other nurse handed me breathable bandages to assure the little ones nestled snugly in my wound wouldn't smother. Nice.
Curious, a friend of mine researched online the possible suspects of terror. Spiders were quickly ruled out, I only had one puncture wound. The list slowly dwindled down until only one suspect remained, the fluffy white cutie I saw in the garden. It's cuteness lures in its victim...as innocent as a wide eyed puppy, then WHAMO! With tiny hollow quills on their bodies connected to poison sacks*, it injects the "toxic" venom into its shocked prey leaving them looking like alien incubators for weeks to come.
You know, this cuddly caterpillar, reminds me so much of another enemy in my garden. Satan. The bible says in 1 Peter 5:8 to "Be sober (alert), be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour (consume)." In my garden, I should have been alert and vigilant to all the dangers that lay seemingly hidden and been prepared by wearing the proper foot gear; socks, tennies or garden clogs. In my life's garden, the protective clothing of daily meditation in God's word, prayer and regular church attendence can help guard my heart against Satan's stings and the spread of his deadly venom.
Our beans were ready for another picking. I bravely put on my husbands tube socks, a pair of old running shoes, took a deep breath and walked into caterpillar territory. During my picking, I found the rascal that wreaked so much havoc on my leg. My son did me a favor and established justice.....taking care of the culprit for all eternity....my hero! Romans 16:20 says, "And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet...." We can take comfort in knowing that God will take care of Satan for us for all of eternity someday. In the meantime, take safe guards in your life's garden and be sure to wear your "tube socks"!!
*"Stinging Caterpillars", by Deborah Tuka, Aug. 11, 2006, Farmers Almanac Blog
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