A STINGING MISADVENTURE!

I felt a little like Alice in Wonderland yesterday. D, SA, and I went on a walk down the country lane where I usually run. I noticed some lovely green plants that were reminiscent of menthe growing on the side of the road. I have seen lots of menthe recently in the markets, so I thought I would check and see if this were the plant I had noticed. I was thinking dreamily about menthe tea as I reached out to pick a sprig, but I was met with a shocking surprise. The plant actually seemed to have "teeth" that grabbed my fingers and stung them! On the way home, I racked my brain and remembered something called the "stinging nettle". I have never heard of anyone I know encountering this plant, though, so I wasn't sure if this is what I had encountered. Apparently, it was. I learned from a quick search on Google, that this plant has tiny hairs that are akin to tiny hypodermic needles which enter the skin and deposit fourmic acid, the same acid that an ant has in its saliva. Anyway, I felt the sting for a full 12 hours. It was very weird and pretty painful. I could see the tiny holes in my finger and thumb after the "sting" occurred. I read that a paste of baking soda and water could be applied to help with the pain, but I am fresh out of baking soda and they don't carry "Arm and Hammer" over here. Watch out for this plant. Apparently it is in season, and it is located all over the US except in SC and Hawaii.