This is. . .

An ear . . . This is an ear all hopped up on something. . . Get the picture?

While out whacking brush in the jungle the other day with the machete, something large and black landed on my neck. I swatted it away. A few seconds later, I felt a sting in my right ear lobe, which grew progressively more painful as I clawed at it.

I have never had my ears pierced, but I would guess that this must be kind of what it feels like. After sleeping on it, the next day it was swollen to twice the size of the other lobe and was cock-eyed like a drunken weatherman leaning into a hurricane, sticking out at a pretty good angle.

No idea of what got me, but I would guess it was a wasp. There are a lot of them down here, and I may have ticked one off while I was cutting through the grass and the other jungle junk to clear the area by one of the fences.

The distended lobe was, of course, a source of great amusement to everyone here at Tree Houses. Disney will be pleased to note that Dumbo is well known in at least this part of Costa Rica, judging by the comments from Keneth and Darleen.

It still doesn't hurt all that much (don't think there are a lot of nerves in the lobe) but it looks goofy and feels like I've got a weight dangling from my right lobe.