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This tiny arachnid is the thing I fear the most...a scorpion. The irony is I'm a Scorpio.
Give me snakes, spiders or any numbers of creepy, scary things and I can handle it. You can chase me across the state with one of these tiny things.
This one is one of our own, found in the rock garden. Just a tiny thing but it's sting is equal to about eight wasps an exterminator told me one
time.
time.
Through the years my family has been continually inspired to help me overcome my "irrational" fear of this tiny thing. I have been given some unusual gifts like this paperweight from Arizona.
Beneath this glob of twenty-two year old hot glue lies a scorpion. A gift to me from my daughters and nephew to help me with this fear. The glue was clear for years.
This tiny arachnid was captured by them in the middle of the night. Knocked out with a cotton ball soaked in alcohol and carefully hot glued into a tea jar lid for my viewing pleasure. I heard the screams and laughter in the late night but was too tired to investigate. They were teens, I knew they were up to something but I had to sleep...deal with it in the morning.
Strange but I do think these sweet, thoughtful gifts have made me a tad more tolerant toward this little monster.
The origin of my fear...when I was three I stepped on one. When I see one today the same pain from the first sting shoots from my foot to my hip. I guess pain is long remembered.
22 comments:
Shudder! I fear them, too....
Fear and pain reside in a special place in our brains. It's hard to 'erase' anything in that area!
I love the gift from your teens. It is so 'teenager-ish'!
Gail,
Oh my, yep....I fear of these little critter myself. I have not seen one in the house or on the property, but I know their around. I heard that the darker the scorpion, the more pain you will feel if bitten. Be careful girl, we don't want to have you get bit again.
Nice picture of the awful little critter by the way.
I dont' like 'em...'don't like 'em one bit but not as much as I hate snakes...and severe storms!
I had a snake experience when I was three or four and went through a tornado when I was five. Imprinted in our brains baby!
BTW: Farm Boy watched a young (teen sized) panther cross the road in front of him on our property a couple mornins ago. We knew we had a large male and a couple female light colored cougars for awhile. (they'll gut a good sized calf ya know. This is the first black we've see on the Ponderosa. (no pic..booger)
God bless and have a beautiful weekend sweetie!!! :o)
I would not want to be near one of those buggers . . . Funny how irrational fear can be although I think being nervous and fearful of a scorpion is totally rational.
I am totally irrational when it comes to a mouse. CAN NOT STAND THE THOUGHT . . . I think it goes way back to my first year of teaching. The school janitor thought he would pull a prank. He found a mouse in my construction paper closet, put it on a string and when I came to school the next morning he was waiting near the entrance. He was hiding in a room across the hall. I walked in and the mouse slowly moved in front of me, I shreaked, jumped, twisted in the air, screamed, hollered, I did it all . To this day . . . the thought puts me in a tizzy.
Now I am going to be "freaked" the entire day . . .
I would never tease you with a Scorpion!
Nothing is irrational about that fear, unless it is so strong that you can't function, pass out, or something similar! Scorpions are scary, they hurt, and a few kinds are downright life threatening. I say that is a very valid fear, and that I am very glad I live somewhere without those little buggers.
Everyone has fears. I wouldn't like sharing space with that guy either..but I dislike ssnakes much worse..my encounter with them as a small child was so terrifying I cannot remember it..sometimes losing a memory is a good thing:(
Ugggh i would be afraid of them too! I'm so thankful we don't have them in florida because it would be one more poisonous thing I would have a phobia of. lol The paperweight is such a good idea and I believe doing things like that does help somewhat with a persons fears. I force myself to pick up snake skins and keep them in a jar...that has helped me somewhat also.
I am sure that if I were to encounter one (which is very unlikely), I would be afraid too. Especially if it was inside the house. I'm more terrified of snakes and am more irrational about them. But anything creepy crawly will do it for me. xox
we get those same brown guys here. i've been stung twice and it hurts like HELL!
Oh Heavens to Betsy...I HATE them as well! I had an experience as a child that I will never forget! If I see one now, I will drop whatever I am doing and run...screaming! Hate, hate, hate them!! Shudder!!!!!!
I would feel the same way. Not a fan of them either. We have the counterpart here, Wind Scorpions that their job is to kill them big ones. I haven't found one in the house yet but they will be here soon.
I'm with you on this one-- but anything with more than 4 legs gives me the creeps.
Wasps though? Wasps terrify me. I got one stuck in my very long hair when I was just a girl. The multiple stings on my neck led to two things, my lifelong fear of wasps, and my infatuation with short, short hair.
I have only ever seen scorpions on a nature show on TV and I do not think I would ever want to step on one or find one in my bed. Pain and injury leave footprints on our brain and I think its like a permanent stamp, and long remembered. Creepy little creatures and just the look of them to me is enough to beware !
I have my fears too. And I'm quite fine with them. If anyone ever gives me something with a snake on it- I'll kill them. Right before I have a heart attack. :0
I love arachnids. BUT, yikes, yes, the scorpions scare the bejesus out of me too for the same reason. Nasty nasty sting. I think your fear is justified. You can appreciate them and have a healthy respect/fear of them. Nothing wrong with 'dat.
I love the sense of humor of your daughters and nephew! :-) But you have the same fear of scorpions that I do of snakes--I doubt I'll ever get over mine, and I'm okay with that!
Enjoy your weekend and watch your step! :-)
I don't like anything that sneaks around, and I certainly don't like anything that bites (or stings)!
You are braver than me, Gail. ;o)
*hugs*
Have a wonderful Sunday! :o)
I laughed right out loud when you wrote: "for my viewing pleasure."
Ewww! Oh...how not very thoughtful of them. A horse statue, a pretty painting or some pretty jewelry...now that is for viewing pleasure. Even a box of chocolates would do in a pinch (ouch!), but scorpions, even under protective glue and plastic...not so much. lol!
I'm surprised you have scorpions there. It would seem like it's too wet for them. We have 'em in New Mexico, too. I've never seen one up here on the green side of the mountains, but down in ABQ...oh yeah. Lots.
*shiver*
~Lisa
I'm not a fan either. When we moved to the desert in my childhood, my mom and grandma warned us so strongly against these that they ended up scaring me to death! For life!
=)
Once bitten by these horrid creatures you never forget the pain.
I too am afraid of them but my biggest fear is snakes out here on the North Forty.
Hope all is well and you are having wonderful weekend
Love
Maggie
I do NOT like those, but spiders are my fear. I run like a scalded dog!!
Wait....you actually FEAR something?
Those suckers are supposedly all over AZ, but I never saw one.
I guess experience has given you a REASON to be afraid!
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