Summertime, When the Living Ain’t Easy
Poison Ivy, Biting Flies, Mosquitoes, Bug Bites Oh My!
Flower gardening is salve for my soul so I joyfully agreed to help a friend with her garden. It’s a magical place, one rambling garden area unfolding into another. Each having a personality of its own with graceful natural segues into the next. Upon first sight the amount of overgrowth was daunting. I immediately doubted my ability to accomplish the task then, just as quickly, decided to doubt the doubt. It is very rewarding work. I hate to stop at the end of the day and can hardly wait to get back as the beauty of the garden is unveiled before my eyes.
As I began chopping, pulling and clearing I came across the dreaded shiny three leaf plant, poison ivy. I took every precaution not to come into contact with it, gloves on, using the tools, gathering it up and depositing it in a plastic bag. Two days later there they were, those little red bumps, just where my gloves stopped. I didn’t need to see them; their presence was making themselves known. The unremitting call to scratch was compelling, but if I allowed myself to surrender, there would be most painful consequences. The search for relief began with a passion.
I tried several things, one being Lavendar essential oil and discovered that it is profoundly effective, can be directly applied on the skin for bug bites and all sorts of burns. It only provided temporary relief for the raging itch of the poison ivy rash. Finally, while waiting for a friend, I picked up a small book on natural remedies and there was the solution, oatmeal! It worked beautifully! One treatment and poof, no more itch. Two treatments to be on the safe side.
Here is the recipe. Put a quarter cup oatmeal in a sock, tie in a knot and let the sock soak in a cup of hot water for a couple minutes. Put the sock on the rash (use common sense, don’t burn yourself), it will feel delightful! After a few minutes re-dip in the now warm water and apply it again. Then pour the water in the cup over the rash and air dry. This works miracles, the itching is eliminated and the redness begins to fade. You can also put one cup of oatmeal in a sock, knot it and swish around in the bath for a full body treatment. Let the sock stay with you in the bath tub, squeezing it thoroughly into the bath water and holding it on especially affected areas.
Those pesky painful biting flies, bringing torment to a perfectly beautiful day. Try peppermint essential oil. It is amazing and cooling on the hot days when flies most love to love you and it’s not toxic. There are two ways to apply: use a fine spray mist bottle and mix a quarter teaspoon of the peppermint in a cup of water, shake well and spray liberally. Don’t get it in your eyes! Any place you miss the flies will find. You have to reapply as you perspire it off; or add one or two drops of the peppermint oil in the palm of hand along with each application of hand lotion, rub it all together then apply. Don’t get too carried away, as the peppermint is potent. Always test these sorts of things on a small spot on your body to make sure you don’t have a reaction before going gung ho.
Mosquitoes hate vanilla. I now use a vanilla hand lotion, I smell delicious, but not to mosquitoes. You can also put a half teaspoon vanilla essential oil in a spray bottle with a cup of water and mist yourself. Or a few drops in each application of hand lotion. Any place you miss, the mosquitoes will find. I frequently have a mist spray bottle with both the peppermint and vanilla mixed together, ready for any assault from the insect world day or night. I use the peppermint and vanilla spray on my dog Margo, being careful not to get it in her eyes. She’s grateful, wags and licks.
Healingeve's Blog 