This past Sunday I saw it for the first time. At first, I didn’t know where that dust was
coming from that I found on the windshield when I crawled behind the wheel preparing to head to church. Then I noticed the light golden color of the tiny flecks of dust. It hit me.
Pollen. Pine pollen.
Glancing at the ends of the branches of the hundreds of loblolly pines in my yard, I saw the swollen buds, locked and loaded to dump their load of aggravating yellow dust with no concern as to where their loads would land.
Pine pollen is produced by male pine cones, just trying out their masculinity I suppose. Some people are allergic to pine pollen, the same people are also likely to have allergic reactions to grass pollen. The culprit for most who experience bouts of hay fever in spring comes from pollen produced and released by oaks, hickories, rag weed and other such plants.
My wife enjoys opening the windows during spring to take advantage of nice comforting breezes. However, once the first bit of pollen is seen, she is not happy because this means she has to wait until pollen season ends in a few weeks to be able to open windows. By then, it’s starting to warm up too much to enjoy the pleasant springtime breezes.
Keeping windows open during pollen season is to invite yellow dust to make itself at
home on the couch, chairs, tabletops, carpet, floors et al.
The stuff is indiscriminate; it cares not a bit that when it comes into your home uninvited; it’s like the obnoxious cousin, Randy Quaid in National Lampoon’s Christmas vacation who comes to visit with wife and kids disrupting family plans and is in no hurry to leave.
As much as we despise the hated yellow powder, the Internet has discovered and shares a number of reasons why we should give it some love.
Believe it or not, pine pollen has health benefits with research suggesting pine pollen has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It contains a natural anti-depressant that stimulates dopamine levels in the brain.
Wait, here’s more. Pine pollen can help reduce cholesterol levels and improve
cardiovascular health. Here’s a good one; pine pollen is especially beneficial for men because it contains high levels of testosterone. It can bolster your immunity to anti-aging as well as reducing fatigue, regulating metabolism, lowering blood pressure and protects the liver.
It can be used for the topical treatment of eczema, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis and other dry, itchy, flaky or inflamed skin conditions.
These research sources are suggesting that maybe we should give pine pollen more love because of all its benefits instead of treating it like a bad case of the flu.
As for me, it’s just too hard to create pleasant pictures in my mind of all the nice things this stuff can do while it’s coating my car, my driveway, my porch with that obnoxious yellow dust.
Even with all this good things pine pollen can do, I still don’t like it.
FISHING REPORT
CANEY LAKE –Bass are being caught on soft plastics and jigs as they are beginning to move from deeper water to mouth of the creeks. Rat-L-Traps ripped through the grass are picking up some bass with soft plastics, square bills and topwater lures are also working. Crappie are starting to move to the mouth of the creeks setting up for the spawn as water temperatures continue to warm. For information contact Caney Lake Landing at 259-6649, Hooks Marina at 249-2347, Terzia Tackle at 278-4498 or the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
BLACK BAYOU – Bass are improving fishing spinners and jigs around the trees. Crappie are starting to move to the trees and fishing is improving on shiners or jigs. Contact Honey Hole Tackle Shop 323-8707 for latest information.
BUSSEY BRAKE – Big news on Bussey this week is a new lake record 15.78 pound bass caught by Sid Wilde. Bass fishing continues to improve flipping jigs and soft plastics around brush. Crappie are beginning to move to the shallow flats and are improving on jigs and shiners. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole at 323-8707.
OUACHITA RIVER – Water is still high and muddy but some good catches of crappie and bass are being made back in the sloughs. Bass are fair. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE D’ARBONNE – Crappie are continuing to improve as they are moving into shallow water to begin spawning as soon as water temperatures bump up a few degrees. Bass are on the banks with males getting beds ready for big females which will be moving in soon. No report on catfish or bream this week. For latest information, call Anderson Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE CLAIBORNE –Crappie are starting to move to the back of the creeks where spawning will soon take place. Bass are moving shallow with some good fish caught on spinners and jigs. Stripers are beginning to show up in open water around Kel’s Cove. No report on catfish. For latest information, call Kel’s Cove at 927-2264 or Terzia Tackle at 278-4498.
LAKE POVERTY POINT – Crappie fishing has been good as they’re starting to move to
shallow spawning areas. Catfishing is good. No report on bass. For latest reports, call Poverty Point Marina at 318/878-0101.
LAKE YUCATAN – The water is falling slowly. Lots of nice catfish are being caught. The
crappie haven’t started biting just yet. For information, call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.