I wish I could have titled this post 'The Great Ant Expulsion' - however, that is not the case. This morning, I went about my watering routine as usual, revitalizing my wilting porch plants before the heat of the day set in. All was going well - the basil was perking up, and even my aloe plant (which I only recently learned how to water correctly) was starting to plump up with gel. But alas, two of my plants remained weak and frail, despite my efforts at quenching their thirst. An otherwise healthy, Black Pearl pepper plant and a nearby pot of patchouli slumped before me like weeping willows. My eyes drifted, inspecting the premises. And then I saw the culprit.
ANTS.
I'd already made about 3 trips to the faucet by the time I made my discovery - in which time, I had likely trampled scores of busy black ants and their larvae luggage. I cringed. A steady stream (nay, a raging river of Mississippian proportions) of these incessant insects was marching with full force from my Oregano plant to my Patchouli plant, a mere four feet away. What were they doing? I wondered silently as they scaled the clay pot en mass, their unborn baggage in tow.
Then I saw the second wave, this time coming in from behind. These must be the gypsy ants, I mused, sneaking their way up from below the deck to squat in my pepper plant. And while their caravan was less dense, it was certainly no less populated. The bastards, I thought.
At this point, I wasn't exactly sure what their game plan was. They were all running around the outside of the pots in a frenzy, seemingly without rhyme or reason. Apparently, the river rocks under the deck must have lost whatever property value they once had, and my potted plants had become the proverbial 'deluxe apartment in the sky'. Maybe the ants were just movin' on up?
Regardless of the reason, these ants made one fatal mistake in their move; they failed to consider the safety of their neighborhood. And so, throwing my environmental integrity out the window in a wave of helplessness and despair (okay, so maybe I was just a little pissed off. We have SO MANY ANTS) I decided to fight back. Being bad never felt so good. (but don't worry, I still feel bad).
Nonetheless, the ants (at least, those that survived Annageddon) have still managed to move into their new digs. And, poisonous sprays aside, it looks like the only way I'm going to get rid of them is if I dig them out - plants and all.
Sigh. What is a girl to do?
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Hot Tea Therapy for Cramps
Sipping Tea...
It's about 20 minutes after eleven on a Friday night. I'm sipping a cup of hot tea, a special blend that I am experimenting with to help ease the horrendous cramps I get during my period. I won't start for another week or so (my cycle is like clock-work, every 28 to 30 days) but it's good to take preventative measures.
I have recently started working with a local herbalist, and she says that in order to get to the root of the problem (which we both think is some type of nutritional deficiency - magnesium, calcium, iron - coupled with those fiendish cramp-inducing hormones known as prostaglandins) I need to adopt some new lifestyle habits. So, I'm starting with something relatively easy to squeeze into my daily routine: soothing, herbal tea.
Herbal Magic
And not just any run-of-the-mill box of Yogi or Tazo tea. No, indeed. This is a handcrafted, loose leaf blend of herbal magic. The 'Moon Cycle Blend', as it is aptly called, contains a mixture of cleansing and fortifying herbs like raspberry leaf, oat straw, horsetail, red clover, and (one of my favorite plants) stinging nettle. It also contains pleasant and calming herbs like chamomile, cinnamon, and vibrant flakes of pink rose petals. Did I mention that it's tasty, too?
A twist on the hot tea is to ice it and add sweetened almond milk. I tried this for the first time a couple days ago, and it was delicious!
Finito
For those of you suffering from severe cramps (clinically known as Dysmenorrhea), I would be happy to share the contact information of the herbalist I am seeing if you'd like her advice or would like to try this tea. I'm still experimenting, and I have some other nutritional changes to implement...so I will try to document them in this blog.
My tea cup is now empty, and it's nearly midnight. I have an early morning tomorrow as my friend Kim and I venture out to the Polk County Farmers Market for a change of scenery and selection. Who knows what fresh grown foods and adventures await?
It's about 20 minutes after eleven on a Friday night. I'm sipping a cup of hot tea, a special blend that I am experimenting with to help ease the horrendous cramps I get during my period. I won't start for another week or so (my cycle is like clock-work, every 28 to 30 days) but it's good to take preventative measures.
I have recently started working with a local herbalist, and she says that in order to get to the root of the problem (which we both think is some type of nutritional deficiency - magnesium, calcium, iron - coupled with those fiendish cramp-inducing hormones known as prostaglandins) I need to adopt some new lifestyle habits. So, I'm starting with something relatively easy to squeeze into my daily routine: soothing, herbal tea.
Herbal Magic
And not just any run-of-the-mill box of Yogi or Tazo tea. No, indeed. This is a handcrafted, loose leaf blend of herbal magic. The 'Moon Cycle Blend', as it is aptly called, contains a mixture of cleansing and fortifying herbs like raspberry leaf, oat straw, horsetail, red clover, and (one of my favorite plants) stinging nettle. It also contains pleasant and calming herbs like chamomile, cinnamon, and vibrant flakes of pink rose petals. Did I mention that it's tasty, too?
A twist on the hot tea is to ice it and add sweetened almond milk. I tried this for the first time a couple days ago, and it was delicious!
Finito
For those of you suffering from severe cramps (clinically known as Dysmenorrhea), I would be happy to share the contact information of the herbalist I am seeing if you'd like her advice or would like to try this tea. I'm still experimenting, and I have some other nutritional changes to implement...so I will try to document them in this blog.
My tea cup is now empty, and it's nearly midnight. I have an early morning tomorrow as my friend Kim and I venture out to the Polk County Farmers Market for a change of scenery and selection. Who knows what fresh grown foods and adventures await?
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