moderators, if this is inappropriate, please delete. i just hate to see people all itchy, especially kids.

the northeast got a lot of rain this spring and the resulting herbage on the banks of some of our streams is not to be believed. raspberries are doing great!

but so is the poison ivy. if you usually get a rash from this, here is some advice that has all but eliminated the problem in our household:

after fishing amongst those "leaflets three", use poison ivy soap to wash off the chemical that will make the rash. there are several varieties, amongst them Burt's Bees, and i spotted some other sort in our local variety store. it's not cheap by any means, but it works. wash with lots of lather and warm water, and wash 3 or 4 times. some folks suggest using laundry detergent if you don't have the special soap, but i have found that less effective.

if you get poison ivy rash because you didn't have the soap, use teething medicine to take away the itch. just put it on the rash. the itching stops and the swelling goes away. again, not cheap, but effective. this stuff is also really good for mosquito and other insect bites too. you can apply it as often as you want, unlike some anti-itching medicines. it's made to go into a baby's mouth, so it should be safe on the skin!