nettles

I could have done without confirming 42itous's identification of the plants at the back of the yard as nettles.

Fortunately, I only brushed them, with the edge of my left arm; also fortunately, my immediate impulse to rinse the area in cool water seems to have been useful, or at least harmless.

I then came upstairs and googled "nettle first aid," and have applied a paste of baking soda and water, which seems to be doing the job. It's also leaving white dust/blobs all over the living room and kitchen, but I will deal with that later.

It's some satisfaction that I succeeded in pulling out the maple sapling that was why I was reaching in there at all. (This one wasn't a threat to the foundations of the house, but I don't want it crowding the fruit trees.)

It's very nice outside, and I may go back and sit on the bench and read; I am fairly sure the nettles did me no actual harm.