ITS SUMMERTIME FUN
The sun is shining, the weather is warmer and its time to be enjoying the outdoors….. How do you enjoy your time at this time of year? Hiking, yard work, at the Lake or Cottage or boating? With our high volume of water on the lakes and rivers it’s been a rough start for many. I am more the walking/ hiking in nature and being on our Boat. Brent is all about the boat and keep a very beautiful yard…. We both love flowers, but not gardening!!! I am so blessed and I love how our home and yard looks and feels!!! With that being said, how do I still keep us safe outside our home….
Let’s talk about Citronella Essential oil; now we all know of Citronella candles and burners as a bug repellant. When using therapeutic grade Citronella Essential Oil with a Cedarwood Essential oil has the amazing strength with just a couple drops for not only repelling bugs( DIY recipe included at the end), has many other benefits… Such as a great sanitizer and deodorizer on surfaces especially my lounger (my prize summer possession). In my experience this is more effective than any bug spray I have ever used. When using a DIY recipe and applying to my skin I feel I have softer and brighter…. And works great with Suncreen when using the proper brand. Now with all this water the mosquitos are going to be out in full force and I am all stocked up.
We all know the importance of Sunscreen to protect our skin for the harmful rays from the sun. With my light skin and how skin cancer runs in my family I am extra cautious. Now have you actually read the label on how to apply. Most recommend applying 20-30 minutes prior to sun exposure, re apply after 80 minutes in the sun and after towel drying from swimming or water activity. When on our boat, at the beach or doing yard work I use nothing less that a SPF 50 on my entire body. I also use an SPF 10 on my face and neck everyday under my make-up. This makes me feel more secure in protecting my skin. Something my Dad insisted I must take care of after his first diagnosis of Skin Cancer when he was in his 40’s.
Now can we chat weed control …. This is where Brent and I struggle; he prefers his chemical to control our weeds issue in the yard. So when the yard is sprayed with his chemical of choice we have to keep our fur babies, Killies and Callie, inside for their safely and ours as it is harmful to kitties and many other species. I have to stay inside for 24 hours as my skin is supersensitive. Now I am not going to get into a huge debate or fight over this with Brent…. It’s a pick a battles, and our weeds are the bigger battle worth fighting…. So I started researching for healthier alternatives I came across How Stuff Works Website, and thought this was a fabulous alternative….. I am going to try this for sure…
“ This simple concoction of three ingredients we most likely have in the pantry or under the kitchen sink is guaranteed to stop weeds in their tracks. A note about salt: Any time you add salt to soil, you will affect the soil and make it difficult to grow things there in the future. So if you aretargeting weeds where you want nothing to grow, in a driveway or in cracks on a patio, for instance, go ahead and use the salt. If you want to plant in that spot in the future, leave the salt out, or use it sparingly.
Ingredients:
- 1-gallon (4 liters) white vinegar
- 2 cups (473 milliliters) Epsom salt
- 1/4 cup (59 milliliters) liquid dishwashing soap
Instructions:
- Pour the vinegar, dish soap and Epsom salt into a spray bottle. Shake until combined.
- Let settle for 2 minutes then spray on the weeds. Make sure to soak the whole weed (but watch out: anything you inadvertently spray will also be killed).
- Let it stay on the weeds for 24 hours. The weeds should be dead within a day.
Note: For best effect, spray weeds on a sunny day when they are dry. “
Now this is something I am going to try for the benefit of our whole family; health, cost and time. Would you? Knowing that its keeping you and everyone healthier. Maybe Brent and I should make this a couple challenge; Who’s weed control works better!!!
So this is a few ways to make simple changes fun and healthy…. As promised my DIY Bug Off Spray,
2 one spray bottle
- 10 drops Citronella Essential Oil
- 6 drops Cedarwood
- 1/4 bottle Organic of Witch Hazel
- Fill with distilled water
Options of adding Lemongrass Essential Oil
Thank You My Lovelies for being in My Life
Love Shannon
