The oak tree in my front yard is dressed in a glorious robe of green now! She is so beautiful! All of the trees in my area look so lovely!

Unfortunately, tree and grass pollens, as well as mould, have made a spectacular comeback, too. I have been sneezing my brains out for a few days now. How are your allergies? How are you coping? I have been taking generic benedryl, but it has not helped much. Will this pollen deluge be over by June do you think??

Where are you located?
I'm wearing my covid mask to garden... The other day... the entire thing was yellow at the end of the day!

Unfortunately, when one source of pollen ends... seems like another begins.

While the rain washes the mess out of the air... it also encourages greater production... But, what are you gonna do?

Only so much complaining that other people will tolerate...

Yellow???!! Yikes!!! I am in the southwestern part of the country. The forecast says the count will be lower tomorrow, but then it zoom right back up to extremely high levels on Thursday. I have tried to stay indoors as much as possible, and I change my air filter every four weeks, but it does not seem to help. Part of the problem is it has been very windy here for several weeks now.

try the generic form of Zyrtec ...Cetirizine

most years allergies do not bother me ....but in some years it is almost unbearable (w/sneezing, runny nose & watery eyes)...that is when I take Zyrtec ...... and my allergies clear up in a matter of hours

I only have two allergies: smoke and pine pollen. The pine pollen is easier to stay out of then the smoke. Zyrtec and Flonase are my go tos. I also have an air purifier - I don't think I'd survive smoke season without it.

deepsouth said: try the generic form of Zyrtec ...Cetirizine

most years allergies do not bother me ....but in some years it is almost unbearable (w/sneezing, runny nose & watery eyes)...that is when I take Zyrtec ...... and my allergies clear up in a matter of hours

I wish it would work for me. I have tried both the over-the-counter formulation and the Rx. Also tried Claritin. Neither one helped me. The only thing that works for me is Prednisone, but it is like pulling teeth to get an Rx for it.

DaisyI said: I only have two allergies: smoke and pine pollen. The pine pollen is easier to stay out of then the smoke. Zyrtec and Flonase are my go tos. I also have an air purifier - I don't think I'd survive smoke season without it.

You must mean burning of yard waste, yes? I am very sensitive to both cigarette/cigar smoke and automobile exhaust.

Tried three different Rx nasal sprays--one with a green cap, one with a blue cap, and one with a purple cap. None of them helped me unfortunately. Many years ago I took an Rx called Rhondec that helped me a lot, but I knew if I took one, I had to go to sleep--no choice. They no longer make the version I used to take, though.

Smoke season starts in July and lasts through the fall. Its wildfire season. Last year we had 3 fires burning north and south of us. Sometimes the AQI was over 800. Luckily, most years aren't that bad.

Oh, that sounds awful, Daisy! I am so sorry! I can imagine how miserable that must be. :

Not to mention unhealthy. Sometimes it looks like twilight all day.

DaisyI will recognize some of these sights around the greater Reno area; we visited in late September 2020.

1:16 pm, near Pyramid Lake...


1:53 pm, I-80 near Fernley...


5:22 pm, Comstock Highway (NV 341) north of Virginia City...


5:46 pm, outskirts of Reno...


EXACTLY "...like twilight all day..."

And as bad as your photos are, it was worse in 2021 because we had 3 major fires within about 50 miles of us. Smoke season... Last year, my entire veggie garden died from lack of sun? Or air pollution? Amazingly, my greenhouse plants did not suffer but, it was the only place I could go outside and actually breathe. Those plants were hard at work trying to make the world a better place. I have an app on my phone that tells me the AQI. Normal for Reno is 1 or 2 - when it hits 40, I have a hard time breathing. Last summer it was all the way up to 750 to 850 sometimes.

I feel I hijacked this thread. Sorry!

No, not at all, Daisy! Wow, Daisy and Viburnum Valley, I have never personally experienced anything like that! I think I would have to relocate! I have too many allergies and respiratory problems to be able to live in this area. I have been to California a number of times. Never had any problems in Newport Beach or San Diego, but I was deathly ill whilst visiting L.A. The pollution there was unreal.