Monday, July 25, 2005
Ponds and Jellyfish - A True Story
During last winter, the water pump that runs the little pond I have in my little backyard with the little fall broke down.
I tried my best to dry out the pond until such time as I had enough money to buy that sophisticated water filter-pump. Alas, my efforts were in vane as rain kept falling even though everybody claims we're in a drought.
And then... I was away for a month.
During that month, I've traveled to the Mediterranean hoping I could bathe and swim, catch a wave or two to shore and all the other fun things one does at sea.
Twice I have visited the sea. Twice I was disappointed.
The first time I went swimming in the Mediterranean, the water was calm. No waves. Like being in a salty pool. This was not what my heart desired, but I managed to enjoy myself nonetheless.
Before my second attempt at a swim, I was forewarned. The sea is dangerous, I was told: high waves, strong pull, sneaky undercurrents, and ...
and jellyfish.
Determined as I was, I went to the beach after all. A very small section was closed off by the lifeguards to the enjoyment of the swimming crowd, nowhere else was permitted. But people were in the water, in that little sectioned off part. So, encouraged by this, I decided to go in as well. It wasn't before long that I started feeling the stinging and the itching in a few places in my body. The experience became unpleasant and I left the water to examine my body. In a few places I had what seemed at first like red burn marks, which turned into welts after a few minutes only to settle into burgundy color the next day with what looked like small scratches in the middle of the burgundy spots. It's the jellyfish secretion I was told, and jellyfish eggs. The water was apparently full of secretions and eggs that stung and itched and burnt all bathers who dared going in the water. So much for swimming in the Mediterranean.
Last week I finally returned home and found to my dismay that my pond wasn't just full of water (apparently it rained), but also full of living things I could not name. The waters shimmered from the life in it, not unlike from water sparkling under the sun, and yet so different.
It took me a few days until I gathered enough courage to deal with the pond, but I finally drained it over the weekend. And today I even came this close to buying a new pump. Yet today something else happened. All of a sudden, today for some strange reason, after nearly a fortnight of not bothering me, all my jellyfish burns started itching. And I have no idea why. Maybe I'm growing little jellyfish under my skin from the jellyfish eggs that nestled under my skin??
I tried my best to dry out the pond until such time as I had enough money to buy that sophisticated water filter-pump. Alas, my efforts were in vane as rain kept falling even though everybody claims we're in a drought.
And then... I was away for a month.
During that month, I've traveled to the Mediterranean hoping I could bathe and swim, catch a wave or two to shore and all the other fun things one does at sea.
Twice I have visited the sea. Twice I was disappointed.
The first time I went swimming in the Mediterranean, the water was calm. No waves. Like being in a salty pool. This was not what my heart desired, but I managed to enjoy myself nonetheless.
Before my second attempt at a swim, I was forewarned. The sea is dangerous, I was told: high waves, strong pull, sneaky undercurrents, and ...
and jellyfish.
Determined as I was, I went to the beach after all. A very small section was closed off by the lifeguards to the enjoyment of the swimming crowd, nowhere else was permitted. But people were in the water, in that little sectioned off part. So, encouraged by this, I decided to go in as well. It wasn't before long that I started feeling the stinging and the itching in a few places in my body. The experience became unpleasant and I left the water to examine my body. In a few places I had what seemed at first like red burn marks, which turned into welts after a few minutes only to settle into burgundy color the next day with what looked like small scratches in the middle of the burgundy spots. It's the jellyfish secretion I was told, and jellyfish eggs. The water was apparently full of secretions and eggs that stung and itched and burnt all bathers who dared going in the water. So much for swimming in the Mediterranean.
Last week I finally returned home and found to my dismay that my pond wasn't just full of water (apparently it rained), but also full of living things I could not name. The waters shimmered from the life in it, not unlike from water sparkling under the sun, and yet so different.
It took me a few days until I gathered enough courage to deal with the pond, but I finally drained it over the weekend. And today I even came this close to buying a new pump. Yet today something else happened. All of a sudden, today for some strange reason, after nearly a fortnight of not bothering me, all my jellyfish burns started itching. And I have no idea why. Maybe I'm growing little jellyfish under my skin from the jellyfish eggs that nestled under my skin??
