DIY MOSQUITO REPELLENT MASON JARS

Store-bought bug sprays- (most of them) contain a chemical known as DEET which has been shown to cause a lot of health problems, from skin irritations to allergies, and even nervous system interference. Here is a beautiful and healthy alternative.

photo credit: CK Worley

When combined together, essential oils and citrus fruits make a very effective mosquito repellent. Here’s what you will need:

 

2 mason jars   (here I used 16 ounce Mason Jars)

20 drops of *doTERRA TerraShield (each)

One lemon, sliced

One lime, sliced

4 rosemary sprigs

Floating disc candles

*You can purchase doTERRA TerraShield here:
 https://www.doterra.com/US/en/site/growit

Preparation: Add even amounts of lemon and lime slices to each jar and then put 2 sprigs of rosemary into each jar. Next, fill the jar with ¾ water and add 20 drops of Terra Shield essential oil to each specific jar (do not mix). 

photo credit: CK Worley

To activate them, just light a candle. 

These bug-repelling jars make a great addition to backyards, porches, campfires, and other outdoor areas where you spend your summer nights.

                  You can put the top back on the jar and carry them anywhere.

photo credit: CK Worley

Essential Oils and Burns

My husband Robert and I were making dinner in the kitchen. I had my back turned when he pulled the steak out of the 450 degree oven and placed it on the center eye of the stove. I filled my pan with the vegetables I had cut up and turned to place it on the stove. I saw the cast iron pan sitting on the stove and without thinking I grabbed it with my left hand to move it over to the side.

I screamed and started crying. My whole hand was burnt and I knew what was coming next. Blisters, swelling and skin damage. Robert saw what had happened and told me he was taking me to the emergency room.

No, I didn't want to sit there for hours and hours with no treatment or relief. My friend had gone there recently and had to wait 8 hours to be seen. I wasn’t doing that. But I knew I had to act fast.
I quickly opened my essential oils reference book. It’s a contemporary guide to the therapeutic use of essential oils. I happened to have it on the kitchen table that day.

I could hardly see through my tears but I turned the pages until I found the information that would help me.

Lavender, Melaleuca, Peppermint, Geranium, Helichrysum and Roman Chamomile. I asked Robert to call my friend Kelly who lives down the street to see if she had Lavender, Helichrysum, Roman Chamomile and Geranium. I had just run out of Lavender but had Melaleuca and Peppermint.

I started treating my hand with the two oils that I had while Robert ran down the street for the others. Kelly didn't have Roman Chamomile either but that was okay. She did have Lavender, Geranium and Helichrysum. It’s always good to have a neighbor who uses essential oils just in case!

Robert came back quickly with the other oils and I started rubbing all 5 onto my hand. Two drops each every 20 minutes for 5 applications total.

The discomfort dulled but didn’t go away. My hand was red but hadn’t started to blister yet. We waited. I went to bed that night still being conscious of my burnt left hand.

When I woke the next morning the skin on my hand was tight. I just knew I’d have blisters on my fingers and the middle of my palm but no.

My hand was red but had no apparent skin damage. The skin on my hand was tight and very dry but that’s it.

I applied the salve that Kelly had made for me a couple of weeks before. (I’ll post that on my next entry.) I did that all day long. My hand didn’t look burnt at all. I had a little skin damage on my finger tips and when I put my hand on my cheek my hand felt hot.

photo credit: CK Worley

The next day my hand was back to normal.
Would I recommend not seeing a doctor for a bad burn? No. You never know and you don’t want to take a chance but I decided against it.
 
I was glad for Robert who believed enough in me and in the oils - allowing me to use my intuition instead of insisting on going to the ER. I am grateful for Kelly who had the oils I didn’t and who made the salve that I used all through the next day. I’m happy that I had my essential oils and the presence of mind to use them.

“People who are unfamiliar with essential oils might see them as voodoo or quackery because there’s not much scientific validation yet. The research is coming slowly gaining momentum as our Western society realizes the value of natural products.” Nicole Stevens is a member of a Scientific Advisory Board.

Want to learn more? Please contact me at settersrun360@gmail.com for information on how you can get these essential oils for 25% off retail price.

One last winter thing- planting lettuce in a pot for winter use, planting potatoes, Pocket hose and Scrub Daddy reviews

During an Essential Oils party (I'll tell you more about this later) one of the participants said that she thought gardening was hard. I said NO! You just need to try one thing to get started. Here is a good way to start Growing It First. Take a small pot and plant some lettuce. You can get a salad for two every other day or so just by pinching off what you need. It will grow back pretty quickly. Here I have Bibb and Red Leaf lettuce. We’ve been eating lettuce off of these plants all winter long. (Keeping them inside) If you don’t want to start with seed just go to your local nursery or hardware store and buy the plant. Now is the time to do this before all the plants are gone.

Here I have lettuce that somehow survived the winter. Unfortunately it will have to be pulled because it got very bitter during the cold weather. Bitter lettuce is perfectly safe to eat but I don’t care for it.


I am going to plant these fingerling potatoes that I got from Whole Foods. They are organic and have developed eyes or buds. You can cut potatoes leaving two or three buds on each piece because each bud will produce it’s own plant. Always plant a certified seed potato but this is an experiment of mine so I’m going against my own advice but just this once. Cut the potato into pieces two days before you plant. That way the potato will form a kind of a scab and this will help to keep the potato from rotting in the soil. Plant the potatoes in a sunny spot with well drained soil. You can always grow potatoes in a container that is deep enough to hold the root if you don’t have a yard or a place that has a lot of sun. Just make sure you have drainage holes in the bottom.

Just wanted to show you some peach blossoms. They are so pretty! My peach trees are now about 5 years old and if you remember I planted them about 2 years ago so they are still growing strong. I have more about pruning fruit trees on an earlier blog if you are interested.

I wanted to tell you about my new go to side dish for dinner. Onions, kale, carrots and chickpea sauté. My kids will be so proud!

I heard a great review on the Pocket Hose from my friend Shelly and wanted to try one. Unfortunately when I went to the web site they wanted $7.99 for shipping and handling so I was happy to find it at Bed, Bath and Beyond. I was able to use my coupons there as well and since I got such a great deal - I bought 2. I gave one to a friend and used the other one. It’s a very light weight hose that expands when used and shrinks down to fit into a small pot for easy storage. I liked it a lot until it starting leaking at the spigot and nozzle. Had to throw it away after about 3 months.

Another thing I found was a scratch free Scrub Daddy. It’s firm in cold water and soft in hot water. I was told it originated on Shark Tank (one of my favorite shows) so I had to try it. It really does what it says it does. I'll need to get another for outside use. It's cool and I like seeing that smiling face at the sink every morning.

That’s it for now. I’m going to start planting and I’ll keep you updated on my progress and results. Let me know how your plants are coming along. You can comment here or go to my Facebook Page “Grow It First”. Happy Growing!

8-1-13 update:

The potatoes worked. It was just too wet this summer for plants that grow down in the ground. Many potato harvests were very small because of the over abundance of rain. I will try the pot growing method in February and write a blog on that for you. If you grow potatoes in a pot it really doesn't matter how much rain you get. Drainage is the key for potatoes, garlic, carrots and the like.

Making soap with herbs.

It’s easy to make soap. All you have to do is buy some glycerin or lanolin soap from a craft store or buy some glycerin soap at a dollar store. A 5 lb. bag of glycerin cost about $5 and it makes 9 bars of soap.

Put about 2 glycerin chunks per bar into a microwave safe bowl and run it on high for 4 - 30 second intervals. Make sure the bowl or container that you microwave it in has a spout for easy pouring. Once the soap is completely melted, add some of your favorite chopped herbs. I chopped up some mint and some rosemary for two different kinds of soap. Make sure to chop all herbs finely so it will easily go down the drain when used.

You need to get some essential oils as well. Essential oils are distilled from the leaves of plants or herbs and aren’t really oily feeling.  I added wintergreen and eucalyptus to the mint soaps and rosemary and eucalyptus to the other. Eucalyptus is good for people with respiratory issues and my husband Robert has a terrible bug right now. Essential oils help to bring out the scent in the herbs that you are using. Go to -settersrun360@gmail.com - for more information on where to buy quality essential oils.

You can buy molds or use a small container to make your own mold. Molds cost around $3 and they come in all shapes and sizes.

photo credit: CK Worley

The bars will take an hour or so to cool. You can pop the soap out of the mold and wrap it in parchment paper. Add a sticker with the kind of soap that you made to the back to hold the paper together and a sticker with your name on the front.
Add a bow if you’d like and you’ve got a great gift.

photo credit: CK Worley

Now go out there and use those herbs that you grew and have fun!