Enhancing Worship with Essential Oils

When you want to be "centered" and quiet a busy mind during meditation so you can focus on worshipful prayer, frankincense brings peace and a sense of calming to your heart. You need not burn the precious resin to achieve this calmness. Simply breathe in deeply the aroma of frankincense or sacred frankincense.

You may wish to (anoint) apply a few drops of these precious oils on your crown chakra and over your heart (Essential Oil Desk Reference, 2011). The negative energy that inhabits the world can be warded against with a few drops of White Angelica on your shoulders. A drop of rose oil (which I'll never be able to afford) over your heart or on the crown chakra can also help you rise up to a meditative state above the worries of the world.

I was trained to use essential oils for emotional release. I want to read further about this therapy before offering it to others, but I am intrigued, cautiously. I am well aware that emotional burdens can weigh heavily on physical health. However, the process of emotional release is one that walks a fine line with voodoo. I want to be very discerning with any gift of healing the Lord may be bestowing upon me.

One of my attractions to essential oils is the fact that I have a very heightened sense of smell. This is both beneficial, and at other times rather inconvenient. As scientists have studied the neural basis of emotion, they have discovered that the limbic system of the brain plays a vital role in interpreting and channeling intense experiences, particularly memories of fear or trauma. Interestingly, the two parts of the limbic system that play a major role in emotional processing - the amygdala and the hippocampus - are located less than an inch from the olfactory nerve (Essential Oils Desk Reference, 2011).

Olfaction or smell is the sense that is physically the closest to the limbic system structures of the amygdala, which is involved in experiencing emotion and also in emotional memory, and the hippocampus, which emcompasses memory: working memory and short-term memory. This close link is the theory linking the sense of smell to emotion and memory.

In my training, our instructor spoke of emotional bondage and the ability of aromas to have a profound effect in triggering responses that evoke release. "Fear and trauma can produce conditioned emotional responses that -unless released- will not only hamper our ability to live and enjoy life fully but can also limit the ability of some body systems to function properly, particularly the immune system. This can result in unexplained pain and illness as well as depression and other psychological 'issues'" (Essential Oil Desk Reference, 2011, p 4.6).

I am open to discussing what I've learned about essential oils and emotional release with those interested. I am interested in trying it personally, and using it with my family.

Enzymes

I haven't given much thought to enzymes until reading the book, Lick the Sugar Habit. Now I seem to find information on their benefit everywhere. Young Living Oils is a huge proponent of enzymes, even for children, and I'll admit, their rationale is quite intriguing. Not only am I considering this as part of my weight loss regimen, but I am considering them for the boys. Noah in particular has a sensitive stomach and I suspect MightyZymes might give him great relief.

Tattoo

Keely has wanted a tatoo for as long as I can remember. When I was younger, I thought these were very distasteful, but as I've grown up and become familiar with a greater diversity of people, I've learned that tatoos are not simply ink permanently marking one's flesh, but a Statement. Art. Identity.

In fact, I've developed a desire for my own, but thus far lack vision for how to express myself in a tattoo. Keely and I had made an agreement that if she could cut twenty minutes of her triathlon time, I'd buy her a tattoo. Her second race, she cut off ten minutes! As her seventeenth birthday approached, she began pressuring me more and more. I wasn't opposed to the tattoo, I simply hadn't been convinced she'd found her statement.

She has always had a love for butterflies however, and was searching the internet for various cute little butterfly tattoos. I realize it isn't my tattoo, but again, I was hoping for a greater purpose than a generic, childish tattoo branded on the back of her neck. Late one night I found a rather large, but very striking, tattoo of a monarch butterfly unfolding its wings in flight. This was Keely's tattoo. The next morning I shared it with her and explained that, to me, it spoke of her testimony. It represented to me the struggles she has faced in life and her will to overcome, her effort to look up to her Father, her earnest attempt to fly and fly she does, beautifully and gloriously.

She was speechless. We scheduled her appointment immediately.

The tattoo took more than three hours to complete, but it is still less than half finished. Only the lower butterfly has all the dark outline, and they all need filled with the deep orange, yellow and gold of the monarch butterfly.

I don't know where Keely is at in her journey in life, finding herself and finding peace. I don't know how she thinks and I am not sure I can say I understand her heart's desire any more than a stranger across the world, but I have hope. This tattoo, while maybe not the representation of Keely finding her wings and learning to fly that I originally visioned, it is hope for me that she may. This monarch apparently needed to find her own color, not the oranges and golds that I hoped for, but a color deepened through her own trials and tribulations. I suppose my prayer is that these deep blues and purples don't deepen so much as to turn black. While I've admitted to not knowing my daughter, I do know she is capable, if only she would believe.

Understanding Hormone Health

It seems this is one particular area of women's health is nearly ignored, because it seems to be the most perplexing. Hormones are critical to maintaining vibrant health, regulating numerous activities in the body. There must be a perfect balance, and when that balance is off kilter, restoring homeostasis is a challenging feat.

Hormonal testing is available, yet practitioners know very little about hormone analysis, ranges, subsequent cause and effect, and solutions. Hormone panels can cost several hundreds of dollars and to obtain the best results, they should be repeated every week for four weeks to cover the complete cycle. Saliva testing, or even hair analysis, are available, but fairly unreliable methods of hormone analysis.

The body ages faster because we do not eat live foods that are rich in natural enzymes and hormones. Our world today is a world of processed and prepackaged foods treated with all kinds of chemicals, sugars, and salt. Fruits and vegetables are sprayed with pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, and other growth and beautifying chemicals for our consumption. Our air is polluted, and the water we drink is often contaminated or treated with chemicals for purification. Then we wonder why hormones are starting to decline by age 25, and strange, unexpected maladies start to show up in children and young adults.

Simple Rules:
1. Keep the liver clean.
2. Consume enzyme-rich foods or add good quality, active, complex enzymes such as Essentialzyme or Polyzyme to give your digestive system a natural boost. Children who start early by eating the supplement Mightzyme will have a head start on maintaining hormone balance and healthy body function as they grow older.
3. Eat a fiber-rich diet supplement with ICP and JuvaPower.
4. Avoid processed food, foods grown with chemicals, body and hair care products formulated with damaging chemicals, and the use of synthetic chemicals in all forms.

Melatonin, the hormone of darkness, is worth reading about to better understand how to optimize your own levels.

The most common hormone, 5-DHEA, is the most abundant circulating natural steriod hormone that is produced in the body by both men and women because it is the precursor to over 50 other hormones in the body. A decline in DHEA is directly correlated with lower energy and obesity. The great the production and proper balance of DHEA, the greater sex life, energy, weight balance, normal sleep patterns, and a feeling of well-being. DHEA strengthens the neurons in the brain for better memory retention with sharp and clear thinking. Another benefit, is DHEA keeps cortisol levels in balance, which helps the immune system operate at an optimal level. DHEA produces hormones responsible for burning fat and converting fat to muscle. It is a hormone that is well worthy studying, as its value to the human body seems immense.

Cortisol helps you handle ongoing and difficult stress situations. When stress levels continue, cortisol levels go up, which can lead to adrenal fatigue and burnout. Cortisol is important for normal function of the brain, immune system, muscle tone and strength, blood circulation, and sugar levels. Although a valuable hormone, when out of balance, it can be dangerous or even fatal. Cortisol is  not only known as the death hormone but also the stress hormone and the fight-or-flight hormone. A major key to healthy levels of cortisol is to keep the hormone system balanced. Higher levels of DHEA will lower cortisol levels as well as many other aspects of body functions. If you are worried about having good balance, then the product Cortistop would be a supplement to add to your daily regimen.

I've placed my order with Young Living Oils. Interested in joining me, just send me an e-mail.

Bike Ride

Saturday evening, January, Savanna and myself all entered our first 10K, although Savanna was Super Woman and finished the 15K. I was surprised with how poorly I did. My knee was exceptionally sore and I just couldn't push past it any faster. I finished though. And after a good application of PanAway, went on a LONG family bike ride for Father's Day.

Sunday morning, I was blessed enough to catch a baby of a repeat client early in the morning. Beautiful butter birth. Complete joy. I brought home biscuits and gravy for Mike, one of his favorite meals. Then after waking that afternoon, Mike asked if I'd like to join him and the boys on a ride. My knee was holding up so I was thrilled to pull out my bike for the first time this summer.

Here is a picture of us starting the trail out of Thorntown, going south. This was Samuel's first time riding the bigger bike. Mike lowered the seat and moved back the handle bars and he did fabulous with it. Having bigger wheels, he didn't have to pedal as much so he proved quite capable of riding longer.

We all rode past the 5K turn-around and then Noah and I started chatting about the 10K I walked the night before. We realized a while later that we had left Mike and Samuel behind. Noah said he really wanted to follow the trail all the way to Lebanon, and I thought, "Sure!" I texted Mike and told him to meet us in Lebanon and he responded that he was at home.

These pictures are where we crossed the intersection of I65 and SR52, under I65. Amazing! We were quite proud of ourselves. It was at this point that we knew we couldn't ride all the way back home, so I texted Mike again to come get us. After a few very confusing texts, he called me and said he was only about a half mile behind me. I was quite baffled, because I couldn't imagine Samuel riding that far, but he sure did!! Noah and I waited for them and soon after, they they were. Crazy kid!

Noah and Samuel played under I65 in the creek for a while, as Mike and Simon rode ahead to White Castles to get something to drink. He called his brother to come pick him up, and then returned with the van to get the rest of us and our bikes. I ate a White Castle cheeseburger and loaded fries without any guilt. After walking the 10K and riding my bike all the way to White Castle, I jumped on the scale with great joy only to find that I had gained two pounds.

Essential Oils

The Bible contains over 200 references to aromatics, incense, and ointments. Aromatics such as frankincense, myrrh, galbanum, cinnamon, cassia, rosemary, hyssop, and spikenard were used for anointing and healing the sick. In Exodus, the Lord gave the following recipe to Moses for a holy anointing oil:

Myrrh        "five hundred shekels" (about one gallon)
Cinnamon  "two hundred and fifty shekels"
Calamus     "two hundred and fifty shekels"
Cassia        "five hundred shekels"
Olive oil      "an hin" (about 1 1/3 gallon)

Psalms 133:2 speaks of the sweetness of brethren dwelling together in unity: "It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments." Another scripture that refers to anointing and the overflowing abundance of precious oils is Ecclesiastes 9:8: "Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment."

The Bible also lists an incident where an incense offering by Aaron stopped a plague. Numbers 16:46-50 records that Moses instructed Aaron to take a censer, add burning coals and incense, and "go quickly into the congregation to make an atonement for them: for there is a wealth gone out from the Lord; the plague is begun." The Bible records that Aaron stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stayed. It is significant that according to the biblical and Talmudic recipes for incense, three varieties of cinnamon were involved. Cinnamon is known to be highly antimicrobial, anti-infectious, and antibacterial. The incense ingredient listed as "stacte" is believed to be a sweet, myrrh-related spice, which would make it anti-infectious and antiviral as well.

The New Testament records that wise men presented the Christ child with frankincense and myrrh. There is another precious aromatic, spikenard, described in the anointing of Jesus:

And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. Mark 14:3

The anointing of Jesus is also referred to in John 12:3:

Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

Our modern world has only begun the discovery of the power of God's healing oils - something that the ancient world knew well. Their time was one without laboratories, manufacturing facilities, high technology and equipment, or chemicals. The earth and its healing gifts were the ancient world's medicine- something our modern world should take note of and embrace. Modern medicine is certainly not without its miracles. But the way to live with strength and vitality without pain and disease lies in what God has created, not in what man has altered.

Essential Oils Desk Reference, 2011

Our New Deck

Just prior to Mike and I purchasing our home, the previous owners tore down the deck, which also held a hot tub. I suspect it needed replaced and I suppose I am grateful they did the dirty work, but this task seemed rather intimidating for me. I simply had no vision for it and the financial investment, I knew would be great.

I thought maybe Mike and I could create our own patio, do something fun and unique that would give further character to our old home, but that meant building steep stairs or some sort of landing that would spill down into the patio. I had no vision for that and not one of our clients had interest in bartering this task for care. We've been dropping out the door into a pile of mud until Mike patched together a set of temporary stairs just prior to winter last year. Not ideal, but it was quite convenient for the dogs.

Last fall, when our landscapers helped with the front yard, the designer recommended simply building a small deck. I was so opposed to the idea because I felt a deck would be over-powering and not at all reminiscent of our old Victorian house. Not that our salmon siding is either! I stewed on it however, and then thought maybe a small deck might at least get the project moving and we could add lots of flowering shrubs around it to soften the architecture.

Our landscape designer recommended Scott Miller and I too, highly recommend him. Highly. Here is his handy work in less than three days.

Falling in Love with Indiana

I've shared many times before that I absolutely hated Indiana growing up. I always thought I'd achieve success when this place was far behind me. Once we traveled a bit looking for a midwifery job, and was offered a few "utopia" jobs, there was always a better reason to stay. I was quite surprised and have grown very grateful for the contentment the Lord has blessed me with, and not just contentment but complete joy.

Last year Mike and I were riding his motorcycle through Indiana and I literally fell in love. The seasons are just unmatched anywhere else. The colors are so intense and the weather is continually changing. The hills are hopeful and the animals are serene. I do love it here. We can always travel, and travel far and frequently, but I hope we always call Indiana home.

Last month I had quite a number of births and home visits. I drove nearly every road in Central Indiana and saw the terrifying damage the storms had caused. It was absolutely awe-inspiring. I made a mental note to take more pictures while I am driving of the beauty and the devastation my fabulous job allows me to witness.

Here are my first two. Enjoy the beauty my Indiana evening.

Zoo Trip

We are members of the Indianapolis Zoo and make several trips a year. I chuckle every time I go because you can tell the regulars from the visitors. The regulars pack a lunch and an extra set of clothes so the kids can get wet and the mother relaxes in the shade reading a book, or chats with her girlfriends also steering, leisurely, an over-stuffed stroller. The visitors take pictures of all the animals. They make sure to see every animal, including the plains animals in the scorching heat. Regulars never take an animal picture unless it is doing a crazy animal trick and they certainly don't trek into the plains area unless it is breezy and cool. Our scrap books are already full of giraffes and polar bears. No need for more pictures.

Here is a picture of the boys though, watching the seals. I thought it was quite beautiful and is now the wallpaper on my phone. It is sort of a bitter sweet for me though. I always feel so blessed to be able to take the kids to the zoo so often, or have the money for the family to have a membership. This was a special event for me as a kid and we could only afford to go when the school went on a field trip. There have been a few times that Keely took the boys when we needed her to watch them, and again, I was very appreciative that they had this opportunity rather than simply sitting in front of the television. I've heard however, that this was part of the abuse she had to endure. I made her spend too much time with the boys and she absolutely hated taking them to the zoo. Perspective. Is it a blessing that our kids don't know poverty?

The Mud Slide

When I tell the boys to go out and play in the sprinkler (like I did as a kid), the boys interpret that as connecting the hose to the top of the slide and creating a mud slide. They beg me to allow this at least a few times a week.

 

I only give in a time or two a summer because it makes a horrible mess. See the slide? It took the entire next day to clean all the mud off the swing set, their clothes and shoes, the towels, and clumps from the yard, the house where they left tracks, and I still need to take down the shower curtain and wash it.

They sure did have fun though. A few of the extra boys there are friends of theirs. Not sure who that fat shadow is. She's a few pounds lighter now though.

Cuties

Adorable Noah

The funny thing about children is when I think of anyone of my children, I think, I love "him" or "her" the most. Then I think about another one, and I think, "no it's this one I love the most." It just seems each one of them individually fills my heart completely and I can't imagine loving another one that much. Noah is a funny little kid and he has certainly caused me think, "I love him the most," a number of times.

Today he was digging a hole in the garden for me, just chatting along as the kid always does. Then I heard him laughing to himself. "What's so funny, Noah?"

"Mom. I just thought of all your kids and what they're going to be when they grow up. I am going to be the most successful."

Ha! He is the funniest thing. He didn't start the thought with himself as the most successful, but just labeled each of them as a particular profession and then decided he would prove to be the most successful. I have no doubt he thought of Samuel as a test-car-dummy.

I asked what he thought he was going to be and he said, "A chiropractor....or a bone physiologist." Not sure what the later is?

Either way, this will be his little his van, or something similar. I can't seem him in anything else.

My Mother Would Not be Proud

My mother has never really appreciated my sense of humor. I always thought I was quite funny, but I remember her being rather embarrassed by my tactics. I am sure when I thought I was a riot, she thought I was being distasteful. I can't help but have concern that she would disapprove of this post, so for all of you (those few of you) that stop by here, please be warned. You might want to stop reading and move to the next post. (I do think my midwifery associates would find the innocent humor though, and I encourage you all to continue reading and add your own comments!).

Moms of boys will tell you that boys will make a gun out of anything. It doesn't seem to matter how pure and wholesome we try to make their environment, not allowing guns in the house and no violence on television. After a few boys, we surrender and simply caution them not to kill each other.

My little Simon was playing in the office while I was trying to catch up on work the other night and he found himself a gun in the top drawer of my exam table. I think he's brilliant and adorable. My mother would be mortified.

Those chubber legs are pretty cute too!

Healing After Abortion

I am a midwife. I certainly meet quite a few women who have had abortions. They come from all walks of life and share various convictions with regards to their own personal experience. I have no doubt that many more simply don't share and many more don't express their grief.

I know women who have had an abortion are very much alone with their memories. This is not a grief women can seek refuge for in their friends and family, even their church. Amazingly, 44 percent of all American women will have an abortion at some point during their lifetime.

Most women are uncertain about their decisions. Their feelings and circumstances collide. One writer said, "that a woman chooses an abortion like an animal, caught in a trap, chooses to gnaw off its own leg in order to escape."

It is my belief that most women who choose to abort their babies are going against their own moral codes, which explains why they feel guilt afterwards. And the guilt is what stops them from talking about it. These women are then unable to get the help they deserve.

Counselors have coined the term "post-abortion syndrome" (or PAS), defined as the inability to:

• process the painful thoughts and emotions - especially guilt, anger and grief - which arise from one or more unplanned pregnancies and subsequent abortions.
• identify (much less grieve) the loss that has been experienced.
• come to peace with God, herself and others involved in the pregnancy and abortion decision.

If a woman chooses to have an abortion in order to bring a personal crisis to an end, why on earth should she be upset afterward about losing her baby? These women face monumental barriers to moving through the process of grieving their loss, or even recognizing that they have experienced a loss at all.

I've found because these women repress their feelings, either too afraid or incapable of grieving at the time, they later find their sadness resurfaces in subsequent pregnancies. Their reactions to situations such as miscarriages or any other pregnancy or birth complication often seem a bit out of proportion. I wonder too how many of the women that seem a bit too preoccupied with becoming pregnant are actually dealing with an uncoinscience hope that a new pregnancy will replace the baby that was aborted. Many feel they will be punished by God in subsequent pregnancies.

When a woman comes to terms with her past abortion and finds she is in need of emotional healing, there are resources. First, these women need to peel away that callus formed by months or years of denying and repressing the painful emotions connected with the abortion experience. These feelings need to be processed. They'll fester like an infection, affecting current choices and behavior.

Find a safe, supportive environment to share. Reach out to someone who understands.

Reconcile with God. Receive His total and unconditional forgiveness. Restore intimacy with Him.

She does him good. (Prov. 31:12)

Lord, I pray my husband speaks words that build me and our family up, and reflect a heart of love. I humbly pray that he will not use filthy language. (Prov 18:21; Eph 4:29).

She does him good. (Prov. 31:12)

Lord, I pray that Mike will use practical skills to build our family and make wise decisions for our welfare. I pray that he will serve unselfishly. (Gal 5:13; Phil. 2:3-4)

Monday's Menu

Monday (Noah has a game)
For lunch, I think we'll have turkey burgers with fruit. Then for supper I'll make bacon, ranch, and chicken mac and cheese with salad on the side.

Tuesday (Samuel has a book club meeting at the library)
Lunch will be sandwiches and fruit in jello. Creamy loaded mashed potatoes for dinner with another fun salad, maybe spinach, bacon, egg, and sprouts.

Wednesday (Samuel has baseball practice and Mom is in the office)
This will be a microwave lunch day or left-overs, and for dinner - shredded beef tacos.

Thursday (Noah has book club and baseball practice, and Mom is in the office)
Homemade pizza for dinner.

Friday (Set up for prelims and Crawfordsville Breastfeeding Support Group)
Lunch will be fun sandwiches and fancy cut cheese. Pasta n Shells and a fancy dessert for dessert.

Chickens

Oh my, do I have a lot to learn about raising chickens. Even completely ignorant though, it is pretty easy and quite enjoyable.

First, I need to remember my terminology. Females less than a year are pullets. Males less than a year are cockerels. We have mostly bantams, which I prefer. January gifted us a book on caring for chickens, which I am slowly reading through. We have less chaos in the backyard so I feel like I am getting a better handle on things and can start to sit and learn more. I do enjoy their noise and their joy when I throw them a block of cheese or a bowl of yogurt.

Isn't he pretty? He's our Silver Laced Wyandotte and one of my favorites. I really like the Light Brahma below (a few pictures down or cut out of the picture above) though. When he runs his little feathered feet and fuzzy back side are quite adorable.

These tall, funny lookin birds are Birchen Modern Game. This guy is a cockerel. We have three total, two cockerels and one pullet. You can see her down below, in the last picture with the Quail.

The guy up front is another Birchen Modern Game cockerel. The guy on the left is a Silver Laced Wyandotte. We had a Gold Laced Wyandotte but the barn door fell off and killed him unfortunately (one of those chores the Hunny was getting around to fixin!). The one on the right is apparently a Light Brahma. I'll have to look that up, because the feathered feet made me think it was another breed. Apparently this is just a variety of Brahma.

 

The little pullet on the left is Noah's favorite. We thought it was an Ameraucana, but we're wrong. Noah's project leader in 4-H has identified as a Quail d'Anver. He explained that d'Anver is the breed, which is short for Belgian Bearded d'Anver. Quail is the variety. We also thought this was one of our Farm store birds, although was surprised. He says it clearly had to have come from our Wisconsin breeder. I suppose our sixth pullet from the local farm store was the one that drown herself in the goat's water bucket. 

This guy is a Rhode Island bantam, but he's a bit dark so didn't do well at show. He's the king of the roost right now and we'd like to find him another home, a very kind home though because he's our only survivor from last year and spent the winter completely alone. I feel horrible about his lonely winter and not even giving him scratch to keep him warm through those awful months. June Bug tossed him around a few months ago, so he has spots on both wings that don't grow feathers anymore. He is rather quiet, but has a nice cockle-doodle-do. FREE to a good home!!!

We might sell the Birchen Modern Game as well. Noah's leader says he could get $20 for each of them. I'll have to ask him. Having this many roosters will be bad for showing our pullets (they will "ride" them and wear off their feathers). We need to pen the cockerels for this same reason. Not looking forward to that. Just seems mean.

Enemy Profile

Those of you that know me well, know that I have a very unGodly fear of slugs. As I mentioned previously, a friend of mine found a fabulously discounted box of cards at Border's going-out-of-business sale, that is sure to help me conquer my enemy.

Did you know that slugs have a speed of 0.007mph? They produce over 100 eggs per year. Yuck. Worse, they live two to six years and have 27,000 teeth!! They like beer and can eat twice their body weight in one day. Clearly, we all know a slug or two.

They dislike salt. Their enemies are frogs, which we have a healthy supply of in our backyard. I watch with great diligence as I am mowing and wave away any frogs that might be harmed so I don't loose any allies in my fight against slugs.

I was unaware of how much slugs loved hostas and that they can destroy one in a matter of days. And, I've blamed Gus for this.

Another interesting fact about slugs: they are hermaphrodites. Yes, read that again. They have both male and female reproductive systems. They mate with themselves when and where they wish - although apparently they can partner up for more than 90 minutes! No joke.

The average garden contains approximately 200 slugs and in each season eats up to about 1 3/4 pounds of plants.

Apparently slugs are full of protein and therefore, good snacks for fish, cats or ducks. They are great in the compost bin because they'll fall in love and won't leave, breaking down cardboard and paper as they feast.

Here's the important part. There are many ways for me to minimize my running into a slug in the garden. First, I need to rid my yard of shrub branches that touch the ground. I need to trim grass edges, because slugs hide under the overhang. Mulch is gone. No more mulch. I'll simply plant perinneals and ground covers which will save us money in the long run anyway.

I'll never go under the deck (to be built this week!). We have weeded each weekend at a bare minimum, so we're ridding those eggs from our garden. (I need to be more mindful of wearing gloves.)

I need to encourage slug predators, primarily frogs. I am not really open to welcoming moles and hedgehogs, or salamanders.

Interesting tip - using the cardboard center of a toilet roll around young seedlings will prevent the slug from devouring it.

A tidy garden is a slug-free garden.

Slugs hibernate in the spring, so this is the time to cultivate the soil. This way they'll die in their sleep. If you don't kill them, birds will eat them and their eggs!

Slugs hate mint (which we have in great abundance), chives, garlic, geraniums, foxglvoes and fennel. I've planted garlic and chives. Geraniums I was going to pass on this year, but alas, I'll be heading to back to the garden mart and creating a barrier tomorrow. They also hate artemesia (the plant above which the boys like anyway because it is very soft), bleeding heart, cornflower, forget-me-not, fuchsia, hydrangea (love these), lavender (can't seem to grow these), nasturtium, peony (love these and have many of them, with plans for many more), pinks, tulip (one of my favorite) and wallflower. I suppose it isn't ironic that peonies and tulips are my favorite flowers!

I am unfamiliar with diatomaceous earth, but apparently this is a powder made from the ground skeletons of small, fossilized plants. The small razor-sharp edges slice up the slugs when they try to slime across it, causing them to dehydrate and die. This can be used to dust your plants and the surrounding soil. Is this too cruel? Apparently this is used to kill tics and fleas as well, even lice on livestock. (Not to be confused with material also found in pool filters which is treated with heat and then after chemically altered is primarily silica.)

Slugs hate soot. It dries up their mucous glands, restricting movement. We could scrape some from our chimney and sprinkle it around the base of your plants. Reapply after rain. I might apply some to my face and do a war dance while gardening.

Eggshells, grit and sand are great slug barriers! Other ideas are crushed nuts, seashells, gravel and pine needles. Apparently if I lay this barrier beneath my plants, the slugs will look longingly up at a plant they'll never get to nibble. I might even hang a sign under the plant, "Come and get me, if you think you're tough enough!" I cut Mike's hair. This apparently is a good barrier too. Sawdust is too rough for even the bravest of slugs. (I wonder if that works for chickens as well?)

Petroleum jelly around the base and tops of plant containers makes them slip off. Vinegar, a mixture of boiling water and chillies, geranium leaves and horseradish root will all detour a slug as well. We sprayed vinegar on the weeds growing along the brick in the garden today. Glad to know this will keep away the slugs too!

A copper ring around plant containers will cause the slug to be shocked, because copper naturally carries a tiny positive electric charge. I believe I've done this before and it was actually quite pretty on the container and made me smile.

I suppose I could drown them in beer. Holly would appreciate my offering lettuce, or grapefruit,
and then carrying them away. Maybe before her office days I can do this along the front walk and she can take them home with her. A live slug would completely ruin my day. I can see her slipping out in the secret of night with her flashlight and bucket to collect the slimy creatures so she can relocate them to the nearest woodland. I envy her.

I didn't realize bran cereal was deadly for slugs. Although they love it, after eating it the bran swells inside of them and they can literally explode.

Slugs love comfrey.

Chickens are slug killers, particularly Rhode Island Reds. Can I let them run around the yard with the dogs put up or will they eat all my plants?

Dutch scientists have created a carnivorous triffid that eats slugs. Yuck.

There were many other gross suggestions like slug smooties, slug races, parties, running them over with my car, torching them, throwing them off a cliff and squelching them under a deck of cards. I am not really a fan of torcher, even to the hated slug, but most importantly, I don't want to go anywhere near them or risk having to clean up a slug mess.

I hope this helps someone.

She does him good. (Prov. 31:12)

Lord, I pray my husband will have a humble, teachable spirit and a servant's heart before the Lord. I pray that he will listen to you and desire to do your will. (Prov 15:33; Eph 6:6).

She does him good. (Prov. 31:12)

Lord, I pray that your husband will cultivate a strong integrity, and not compromise his convictions. I pray that his testimony will be genuine, that he will be honest in his business dealings, and will never do anything that he needs to hide from others. (Proverbs 20:7; 1 Tim 1:5; 3:7; Eph 6:10-12)