Can anyone go anywhere in Lincoln and Sagadahoc counties and not walk into a conversation about ticks? I cannot. And as creepy as those creepy crawlers are, which is highly creepy, the fact ticks are all the talk is good.

They can give us Lyme and other serious illnesses, so feeling and seeing them on ourselves this spring and hearing it is happening to others, too, brings thoughts of those horror movies where you just know, the first tarantula or killer bee is going to escalate to hundreds covering a swingset, and eventually thousands covering a town. To hear, read, watch and talk so much about ticks is unpleasant, to be sure, but how much worse would it be for people to not be sharing their stories of where they are when they pick up ticks and where on their bodies they’re finding them?

TMI (too much information)? I feel like it sometimes, because it comes up among shoppers, diners, walkers, meeting-goers and others. We can't get away from it. But we can't get away from ticks, either. Precautions and awareness can help.

Make no mistake, Midcoast Maine is beautiful, and it has ticks. So, like you would in other parts of the Pine Tree State, when you are out playing or working in it, take precautions to minimize your risk of picking up ticks.

Given the risks they pose, they merit the attention that can make all the difference.