Cedar Fever

No, not me, but 'K' really suffers from it.  It's about the only thing anyone talks about this time of year.  Actually it is so heavy even my eyes and face were itching and that has never happened.   It's just the amount seems to be heavier this year.  You have to keep the doors etc closed and anything that might have been outside has to be brushed off before using it inside. It's not really cedar, it is a juniper and they infest the Texas Hill Country and we live in area of it that have it very heavily.  They are pollinating this time of year.  I have cut them all down on our place but it has little effect when everyone else has them and they do nothing with them.  They also are a big drain on the ground water.  At one time, most of this entire area was all grassland.  But over grazing in the 1800's wiped out the grass land and this blight took over.  It is very prolific and can live through harsh droughts and heavy freezes with little effect on it's survival.  The skies will look dusty and and a haze hangs over everything.  They are a very dark green but turn a nasty orangeish brown with the pollen.  And your car, don't bother washing it for at least a month or more.  The peak is usually around January 15 in this part of the woods.  Here is a video of what it looks like.  And this is only one tree in the video.  There are probably several hundred like this within the block I live on.  

When you first see it you think it's smoke.  Then you come to realize this will last much longer than smoke.  We have lived here in the middle of it for over 30 years and 'K' has never once asked to move to a better location.  Well a cedarless location.  She can be sick for 2 months at time with this crap.  She seems to be handling it a bit better the last few years since an allergist got her changed to different med.  And it's over the counter.  She is a real trooper.

Happy Trails.