One of many memorable pop novelty songs from the 1950s, “Poison Ivy” was particularly memorable for those with first-hand experience with this plant’s insufferable itch.
Poison ivy (Taxicodendrun radicans) and its cousins poison oak (Taxicodendrun diversilobum) and poison sumac (Toxicodendrun vernix) are found throughout the lower 48 states. In North America, exposure to these three plants causes more cases of allergic contact dermatitis than all other plant families combined, affecting as many as 50 million Americans each year according to some estimates. People of all ages, ethnicities and skin types are vulnerable. The rash typically lasts one to three weeks.
An unremarkable looking vine, poison ivy is sometimes confused with Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia). The mnemonic rhyme “Leaves of three, let it be” describes the characteristic appearance of poison ivy in its warning. And as most nature guides remind us, it is worth taking a little extra time to study pictures of poison ivy before venturing into its habitat. It has become so widespread in the Eastern United States and Canada that one may run into it most anywhere (a West coast variety is also toxic).
An oily substance that causes a rash
All three plants exude an oily substance when touched: Urushiol causes an allergic reaction in four out of five people. Urushiol is in the leaves, stems, and roots of these plants. This oil can be found in many other plants such as mango skins and gingko fruit, but only poison ivy, oak and sumac seem to cause a serious problem for people.
Experts are agreed that one’s best defense against poison ivy is to learn what it looks like and avoid it. Since it tends to commingle with other weeds, gardeners should be especially careful when weeding it, doing so with disposable gloves; clothes that touch the plant should be thoroughly washed. Urushiol, even from dead plants, may remain toxic for years. Poison ivy weeds should be carefully disposed of separately, not composted.
People are warned not to eat the fruit, berries or leaves of poison ivy. However, it appears to provide a satisfying meal for many animals including deer, raccoons and rabbits. Many species of birds eat the seeds/fruit including robins, bluebirds and sparrows.
Poison ivy gives an itchy rash to people and to apes, but not to other types of animals (although hardly any other animals expose a significant amount of bare skin, and this may be the reason that they are not affected).
It is everywhere
Poison ivy spreads by suckering from its long root system at the surface of, or just below, the ground. Birds eat the seeds and expel them later in their droppings, thereby facilitating the erratic yet widespread distribution of the plant.
Poison ivy grows most everywhere; it thrives in nearly any type of soil both wet or dry and is happy in full sun or shade. It is often found in disturbed ground where it’s usually an early colonizer.
Eradication of a large area of poison ivy is generally a job best left to professionals. The most popular herbicide, sold by Monsanto/Bayer and containing glyphosate, may be one of the less dangerous, but the company is still defending itself against many multi-million dollar lawsuits challenging its product’s safety. As with any pesticide, users should follow manufacturers’ instructions and be very careful. Remember, even a slight wind is apt to carry pesticide spray to unwanted locations.
It’s getting worse
Destruction of poison ivy by burning is not a good idea; inhaling the smoke may cause internal reactions worse than that from skin contact. The massive western wildfires, worse this season than ever, are producing even more toxic smoke as large quantities of poison ivy burn.
Higher temperatures and more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are stimulating the growth of poison ivy and its cousins. Not only are poison ivy plants growing larger than before but also the urushinol inside the plants seems to be becoming even more toxic.
The greater supply of CO2 and the increased global temperatures have combined to help create giant poison ivy vines which, more and more, are beginning to dominate their surroundings. Even now the larger vines are often climbing to the top of forest canopies. Big trees are choking on these huge, supercharged vines.
While calamine lotion, the old standby over-the-counter medicine cited by The Coasters in their song, remains a popular remedy to help relieve the itch, many other topical creams and lotions are available. In severe cases consultation with a pharmacist or doctor is advisable.
Editor’s note: The Lakeville Journal’s Patrick L. Sullivan, who spends many hours climbing around in the woods while seeking trout, recommends Fels-Naptha soap. He breaks the long bar in half and puts one half in a resealable plastic bag and takes it with him when he’s out in the woods. If he feels there is any chance he’s brushed up against some poison ivy or other toxic plant, he immediately rubs the soap and some water on his skin, and then bathes with the Fels-Naptha or with another excellent product called Teknu when he gets home.
He warns not to get any Fels-Naptha in your eyes (“It is not pleasant,” he stressed). And he warns not to use calamine lotion, which doesn’t do anything to stop the spread.
Architect and landscape designer Mac Gordon lives in Lakeville.
SALISBURY — Joseph Robert Meehan the 2nd,photographer, college professor and nearly 50 year resident of Salisbury, passed away peacefully at Noble Horizon on June 17, 2025. He was 83.
He was the son of Joseph Meehan the 1st and his mother, Anna Burawa of Levittown, New York, and sister Joanne, of Montgomery, New York.
He is predeceased by his wife, Elsie Lynn Meehan who passed away in November of 2023.
He leaves behind a son, Joseph Cortese, of Upton Massachusetts, his wife Mary and grandchildren, Michaela (Cortese)Donabedian, her husband Sevag and his great grandson, Ari, of Hopkinton, Massachusetts.
His grandson, Joseph Cortese, of Barrington, Rhode Island, and his granddaughter, Jaclyn Cortese of Tamworth, New Hampshire.
He also leaves behind his daughter, Kathleen Cortese Zito and husband Dominic, their three children, Michael, Alessandra, and Mathew Zito of Broomall, Pennsylvania.
After teachingpsychology at Dutchess Community College in Poughkeepsie, starting in 1968, his40-year career in photography started in the mid to late 70’s and has included assignment work for a wide variety of commercial and editorial publications. Over a thousand of his photographs have appeared in newspapers, books, magazines and on web sites for clients such as Nikon, and Hasselblad cameras, SanDisk memory cards, Tiffen Filters, Fujifilm, Eastman Kodak, the U.S. Army, National Geographic, the Smithsonian Museum and the U.S. Department of the Interior.
His work ranged from the beauty of the Salisbury areato an expedition photographer for arctic animal studies in the high Canadian Arctic, photographing Inuit hunters in Northern Greenland to landscape work in other extreme locals such as Death Valley, California.
Portfolios of his work have featured in such magazines as Outdoor Photographer, Shutterbug, Rangefinder and Popular Photography and his style has been characterized by the New York Times as “…alive with color and sparkling with light.”
He also served as the technical editor of Photo District News for over a decade, writing about new technologies and products and was the former editor of the Photography Yearbook. He has authored over 20 books on photographic technique many of which have received “best book” awards and have been translated into several languages.
Born in New York City, he was a 1959 graduate of Levittown High School, Levittown, New York.
He received his baccalaureate degree with honors from Columbia and a Master of Arts degree from Manhattan College. He has taught photography on the college level in the U.S., England and at the National Academy of Arts in Taiwan and gave workshops at the Palm Beach Photographic Centre in West Palm Beach, Florida.
His eye always saw the beauty of the Salisbury area through alens and he captured those images in an area that he and his wife Lynn loved.
When they were not on/in and around the lake, he and Lynn didn’t miss any of their grandchildren’s big events.Joe took great pride in photographing all these memorable events.
His beautiful images will always be here for all to appreciate.
Funeral services are under the direction of Newkirk-Palmer funeral home and a graveside service will be held this Friday, June 27, 2025, at 11 a.m. at St. Mary’s Cemetery, 18 Cobble Road, Salisbury, Connecticut.
STANFORDVILLE, New York — It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Florence Olive Zutter Murphy, who went home to be with the Lord on June 16, 2025, at the age of 99.
She was born in Sharon, Connecticut on Nov. 20, 1925, and was a long time resident of the Dutchess County area.
She was a devoted mother, loving wife to James Francis Murphy, who passed on Oct. 11, 1971, and a dear friend to many.
Florence, who was also known as Flo, managed a dairy farm for many years on Carpenter Hill Road in Pine Plains, New York. She is remembered for her delicious home cooked meals.
After raising her children she became an avid square dancer, racketball and tennis player. She then discovered her love for bike riding. She enjoyed embarking on bike tours well into her mid 80’s. When Flo wasn’t out riding her bike she could be found taking care of her property. She loved gardening, clearing the woods and building rock walls one stone at a time.
Florence was an amazing woman of great integrity, strength and tenacity. She was adored, respected and greatly loved by her family and those who knew her.
Florence is survived by her seven children — Bonnie June Chase, James Albert Murphy, Donna Sue Strauss, Jackie Lynn Merwin Disher, Glenn William Murphy, Lori Lee Mora and Clint Evan Murphy as well as 16 grand children and 20 great grand children.
She will always be remembered and greatly missed.
The Kenny Funeral Home has care of arrangements.
Chore Service hosted 250 supporters at it’s annual Garden Party fundraiser.
On Saturday, June 21, Mort Klaus, longtime Sharon resident, hosted 250 enthusiastic supporters of Northwest Corner’s beloved nonprofit, Chore Service at his stunning 175-acre property. Chore Service provides essential non-medical support to help older adults and those with disabilities maintain their independence and quality of life in their own homes.
Jane MacLaren, Executive Director, and Dolores Perotti, Board President, personally welcomed arriving attendees. The well-stocked bar and enticing hors d’oeuvres table were popular destinations as the crowd waited for the afternoon’s presentations.
Jane MacLaren, Executive Director of Chore Service, and Mort Klaus, host of the Garden Party eventBob Ellwood
The Garden Party is Chore Service’s only major fundraising event of the year, so it was not only a wonderful social activity, but a vital support mechanism to keep our most vulnerable residents in their homes.
First to present was MacLaren, who underlined the organization’s mission, thanked all caregivers for their important work, and said, with gratitude, to all donors, “Our accomplishments are your accomplishments.”
Ellen Ebbs, a Litchfield resident and Chore client, delivered a powerful and deeply personal testimony, sharing how the organization’s services transformed her life after a serious fall left her “disabled, dependent, and depressed.” Her story resonated with the audience and highlighted the vital impact of Chore’s work.
Priscilla McCord, outgoing Board Chair of Chore Service and Patrick Roy, incoming Chair.Bob Ellwood
Patrick Roy, high-energy incoming Chair of the Board, as well as First Selectman of Roxbury and Chief of its police force, told the crowd of his “Fragile List” — those in the community a step away from losing their independence, and how he ensured that this group was adequately taken care of. Priscillia McCord, outgoing Board Chair after twelve years of unstinting service, asked for donations for Fund the Cause, urgently needed to support the recently-expanded transportation services before funding runs out in September. As Patrick Roy said, “In rural towns like ours, our clients depend on us for basic services — to get to their medical appointments, go grocery shopping, as well as life-enhancing activities like going to the library and getting a weekly lift to visit family and friends.” Both Roy and McCord emphasized the area of greatest current concern — that of an upcoming decrease in federal funding, something we will learn more about in August.
Chore Service supports the towns of Cornwall, Falls Village, Goshen, Kent, Litchfield, Morris, Norfolk, North Canaan, Roxbury, Salisbury/Lakeville, Sharon, Warren, and Washington.
For those interested in accessing services or providing them, please contact Chore Service at (860) 435-9177. To learn more about the organization or to donate, go to www.choreservice.org.
Sally Haver has lived in the Berkshires, on and off, since the mid-’70’s and her horse lives in Amenia.
The mission statement of the Berkshire Bach Society (BBS) reads: “Our mission is to preserve the cultural legacy of Baroque music for current and future audiences — local, national, and international — by presenting the music of J.S. Bach, his Baroque predecessors, contemporaries, and followers performed by world-class musicians.”
Its mission will once again be fulfilled by presenting a concert featuring Dane Johansen on June 28 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 29 Main Street, in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.
Terrill McDade, Executive Director of BBS, said, “Dane is a supremely talented musician and a musical poet. Audiences will hear his cello speak in three different musical dialects: those of Bach, Gaspar Cassadó, and Benjamin Britten. They will experience and be able to find the idiom that means the most to them. The music is classical, contemporary, and modern. It is contemplative, energetic, lyrical, rhythmic, and, in the end, philosophical. The audience is in for that rare musical treat of an intimate recital of profound music interpreted by a solo player who gives them something to think about —whether consciously or sub-consciously.”
McDade added, “Berkshire Bach believes it is very important to present live performances of a variety of Baroque music throughout the season, especially in this time in our society. Music has restorative power, and when played by fine musicians, can provide moments of respite and reflection that do us good.”
Johansen’s recital on June 28 is a case in point. The sound of the cello — so close to that of the human voice —makes us feel better somehow — refreshed in our spirit, hopeful, better able to carry on in difficult times,” said McDade.
Johansen grew up in Fairbanks, Alaska. He graduated from Juilliard and is a member of the Cleveland Orchestra, which he joined in 2016. He has performed all over the world as a soloist, chamber, and orchestral musician. He was a member of the Escher String Quartet and a BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist.
The concert will conclude Berkshire Bach’s thirty-fifth season, which opened with the film “Strangers on the Earth,” also featuring Johansen as he walked the Camino de Santiago — the ancient 600-mile pilgrimage route extending through France and Spain — with his cello strapped to his back in 2014. He stopped in towns along the way and played the six Bach Cello Suites in local churches.
The concert will begin at 5pm. Tickets are available at: www.bershirebach.org/events.
