i-Pod Saves My Life

I have a lot of handy apps loaded into my i-Pod, one of which is the Audubon Guide to Wildflowers, it may have saved my life today. Let me explain. In my new volunteer position at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s South Willamette Watershed District Office, my main job is grounds maintenance. Which means I’ve been doing a lot of weed pulling. On my first day some Common Saint John’s Wort was misidentified for me as Tansy Ragwort. Now, it’s probably understandable as most of the scientific types wandering around here are biologist rather than botanist, but the lesson I took from this was to be a little more self dependent on plant identification. Thus my decision this morning to make sure I had my i-Pod with me to aid in any identification I might need to make. As my morning wore on I came to a big clump of flowers that I was pretty sure were Spotted Knapweed. I pulled out my handy I-Pod, and checked on Spotted Knapweed. Here is what is said: “WARNING: IF THIS NOXIOUS WEED IS EXTENSIVELY HANDLED, GLOVES ARE ADVISED; THERE IS SOME EVIDENCE THAT IT CAUSES TUMORS ON THE HANDS.” Wow----I’m keeping my gloves on. Plus, I’ll be making sure I have my i-Pod with me everyday!