20 second Herbal Insect Repellant Cream
One of my favorite things about summer is movies in the park. Last night, Festival Park in Elgin kicked off their Thursday night summertime movie series with Kung Fu Panda. The air was a perfect blend of popcorn and citronella as I staked out my little plot of grass. I used to love these types of community event when I was growing up in Des Plaines. The park was 2 blocks from my house and the summer block party was always a highlight of my childhood. I would decorate my banana seat bike with streamers and enter the parade every year. At night, after a head to toe spraying of insect repellant we would race to the night time movie lugging our brown bag of popcorn with butter starting to leak out of the bottom. I'd lose interest in watching the Yellow Submarine and fall asleep on the blanket with greasy fingers, hair smelling like citronella, and needing a coat of Calamine lotion. Mmmmmm, summer.
As I look around me I realize times have changed this classic pastime slightly. Our local library is selling raffle tickets to win the VIP seating which consists of a battered green sofa roped off with yellow police tape for gravitas. Although I'm slightly jealous of the raffle winner sitting on the sofa I don't know if you really want to be the one on the "inside" of the police tape.
As the movie starts up I'm impressed that the screen is 4 times the size I remember and the sound is perfect. I lay back and smile as the 8 year old boy on the blanket beside me begins to recite the entire movie.
Enjoy your summer nights mosquito and tick free with these natural suggestions:
Essential oils provide protection from deer ticks, mosquitos and chiggers.
Lemon Eucalyptus and citronella dissuade chiggers, mosquitos and ticks.
Herbaria company has a blend of lemon eucalyptus and citronella called Citronella Mist.
Or make your own 20 second herbal insect cream.
20 Second Herbal Insect Repellant Cream
2 oz. organic unscented body cream
5 drops cedarwood essential oil
5 drops juniper berry essential oil
5 drops geranium essential oil
15 drops lemon scented eucalyptus essential oil
Mix together and massage into skin. Store in an air tight container.
Other essential oils with insect repellant qualities include bergamot, cypress, eucalyptus, lavender, lemongrass, patchouli and rosemary.
Feel free to mix and match into your cream base for variety.
Homeopathic Gel for Mosquito and Spider bites, and Bee stings.
If you do get bit by mosquitos, bees or spiders try using homeopathic Sting Stop to help with itching and swelling.
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