But the absolute granddaddy of all nusiance weeds here is the goathead or often just called stickers. They are all over our roadways this time of year and they are the most painful little bugger you have ever encountered. When the plant is mature these small round blobs emerge that have thorns on them just as sharp as any rose thorn. They are low plants and if you are walking it is easy to step on one because the stickers move away from the plant and you can't always see them. They get stuck to your shoe and you don't realize it then they can get drug into your house and embedded in the carpet. Then you walk across it with bare feet and WHAM does that ever hurt!!!!! Niki doesn't realize that they come from a plant so she just trudges right into them and gets them stuck all over her paws. At that point she can't move at all without terrible pain so she waits patiently for us to lift her paw and remove them. They do not really cause other serious problems like foxtails and I have never seen infections caused by them. They are just a BIG nusiance. Anybody else encounter these?