Bugs and Birthdays!

by Cindy R. Williams

Bugs and birthdays --what do they have in common?

Nothing rational that I can think of, but never the less, today's blog is bugs and birthdays.

Let's talk birthday's first.

Here's the thing. Today is my mother's 84 birthday. She is 84 years young. I mean it. She walks three to four miles each morning as the sun rises. She walks a set of stairs to and from her Beach House several times daily. (She lives upstairs in a four room Victorian-like condo with several gables, located on my sister's property.) She drives, she lunches with her three children, and grand children weekly. She does service projects with and for the family often. She is the "fun" grandma, not a couch potato. I have to push it to keep up with her. In a word, she is "incredible!"

So, here's to you  mother!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

And a HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL THE OTHER MOTHER's around the planet!

Now about bugs . . . little creepy, crawly things that skee-daddle their way into all kinds of places.

I like a clean critter free house. Maybe you do too, so here are some remedies that won't cause you or your family members any side effects.

Spiders:  Make a spray with coconut oil and white vinegar. Spray them and their web.

Ants:  Place whole bay leaves on counters, in drawers, sugar bowls etc.

Ants in dog food: Draw a chalk circle around the food.

Fire ants:  Mix, wet cat food with boric acid and jelly.

Silver Fish:  Diatomaceous Earth, Food Grade (buy at garden centers and nurseries)

Rodents:  Oil of peppermint

Cock Roaches:  Hot sauce and water; spray area. Diatomaceous Earth also works.

Mosquitoes:  Dryer Sheets

Bed Bugs:  To prevent them, place dryer sheets in between mattresses and also under fitted sheets.

Wasps:  2" soda in 2 litter bottle - they fly in and are trapped.

Gofers:  Okay, so they aren't bugs, but here's a good trick. Drop laxatives into their holes.

So there you have it. A blog about birthdays and bugs.