Fall is in the Air so Spice it up !

Here is a list of essential oils that will warm your heart & spice up the Holiday Season . Plus ,much healthier than the petroleum oil air fresheners on the market .
This time of year we start to think of the Holidays , Quilts & Family . The leaves start to turn and we turn into the comfort & warmth of our homes . It is a perfect time to add the spicy warmth of essential oils to your hearth & gatherings that seem to increase in frequency as the temperature drops outside.
Oils I have listed were selected for their warming, spicy, resinous or woody aroma. Even in the south the scents of Autumn help create that cosy atmosphere even if the chill is not yet in the air .

Cinnamon, Clove bud, Ginger are warming but be careful these are strong and must be used sparingly because they can irritate the mucous membranes. . Blending these with another oil will ,like a sweet orange or lemon .
Blending Spice Oils should start with a memory and build from there. Pick a single essential oil that you enjoy or sparks a memory and then complement it by adding spice oils in low proportion. Sweet Orange , Mandarin , Tangerine essential oils are easy to find and quite inexpensive plus they are perfect for this time of year and they have very few contraindications . During the chilly fall months, I love combining a few drops of Cardamon ,ginger, cinnamon, clove, and patchouli to my Citrus and will even add some of the memories of spring with a drop of Lemon, Lime or Bergamont .

Autumn Essential Blends Recipes
Blend & add them to a dark colored glass only bottle . With essential oils more is not better and remember be sure and familiarize yourself using reputable sources for the safety and the contraindications of all oils you choose to use.

Make a small batch 1st to make sure you like the blend

Entertaining ~Wine & Cheese Party Blend

10 drops Sweet Orange Or Mandarin Essential

Oil4 drops Ginger Essential

Oil6 drops Patchouli Essential Oil

Decorating uplifting Blend

8 drops Sweet Orange

6 drops Lime or Bergamont Essential Oil

6 drops Fir, Pine or Sage Essential Oil

12 drops Grapefruit Essential Oil

3 drops Cardamon Essential oil

3 drops Clove Bud Essential Oil

2 drops Nutmeg Essential Oil

Try some of the traditional scents of Cypress, Fir Juniper Berry and Scotch Pine as it gets closer to Christmas and wintertime.
A Warning About Applying Spice Oils to the Skin
The oils above were selected for for diffusion not to be used on skin. Check any oil you plan on using for its contraindications and use according to direction if unsure please find a reliable source and if possible use organic oils from a well know reputable dealer. When making a topical products that you apply to your skin, remember that many of the spice oils can cause skin irritation and should be used as incredibly low dilutions in a carrier oil like grape seed or almond oil, if at all. Donna McGee

Peppermint Oil the Humane Pest Control & Digestive Aid

As I sit here today having a cup of refreshing tummy soothing Peppermint tea I am thinking of all the reasons I love this plant and all its uses . This fresh green leafed lilac flower jewel of the Herbal Kingdom will keep your garden & home pest-free as well as sooth the tummy and dispel air in the belly in infants to seniors . Plus smooth out the contractions of indigestion .

In the Garden -Planting a small plant every 5 feet like a boarder along your house or scattered through out your herb or vegetable garden to deter Beatles, flies, spiders, cut worms, ticks , fleas, and aphids . Make sure you keep a check on this lively plant as it will thrive and must be kept in its place but it is never a chore to trim it back because there are so many uses for it dried as well as fresh .

In your Home- Sprinkle the refreshing fresh cut sprigs or if you do not have access to fresh then essential oil on a piece of cloth or directly on the base boards works just as well to repel pest . Ants and roaches will stay well away as well as fleas, ticks and silverfish, plus moths will not lay there eggs with this smell in the air . The Herbs strong, clear smell deters many household pests as you can see . It will also keep the household cat & dogs out of places you might not want them to go .
The following spray can be used inside & out to repel the pest listed above & many more
Peppermint oil spray http://www.theholisticshop.com/acatalog/Aromatherapy.html
Fill a quart-sized container with distilled water
25 drops of peppermint oil
Shake well & Spray leaves of plants ( Do not spray on leaves that get direct sun for most of the day)
You can use it on the sides of of your house too
To Repel Mice & Snakes - Put a 3 drops of Peppermint essential oil on each cotton ball and place them around your house in places they might frequent. ( replace every week )
A better way to drive away gophers, moles, and other burrowing animals, try the mixture above and instead of spraying it ,pour it into burrows or hole. All of these uses do not harm a living thing just lets them know they need to find another place to live which is great for everyone. They are safer and so are you and your family.
Peppermint plants are easy to grow & do well in shaded areas .Keep them slightly moist and you will have more than you can possible use so make sure to share this amazing herb . Mix it into a dried teas, Jellies, soaps , muscle rubs and 1000 other wonderful uses .
(Also see the how to dry your own herbs article or join us at one of our classes in Jacksonville)
Digestive Uses-Upset Stomach place a drop on your tongue and lay down . As you relax start to massage your abdomen in clockwise circle which will stimulate elimination . If the problem is to much elimination then counter clockwise slows the elimination process and helps to move everything around so the peppermint can do its job.

Feeling a little low and still have a long way to go- Make a cup of Peppermint tea or if not time then drop a few drops on a cotton ball or cloth and inhale through your nose as you take a few moments with your eyes closed. You will be revived , stress free and ready for the next challenge that comes your way.

Enjoy your new found knowledge and share it with your friends and family . A healthy world starts with sharing what we know and finding what works .

Peace & Light

Donna McGee

Green Lotus Organics
Herbal Lore - Peppermint
Did you know that honeybees love the peppermint flower? They produce a sweet slightly minty honey from peppermint fields.

Garden in Your Home using Essential Oils & Herbs

1. To disinfect & freshen up a room when someone has been sick place 10 drops of each -Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, Lavender in a spray bottle with 6 oz of spring water or distilled water.
Shake and use as needed
( This mix has been shown to kill MRSA & Staph in German studies)
2. To freshen up the Kitchen add a few drops of Cinnamon, Allspice & Anise to a pan of boiling water. Add lemon , orange or both to help with fish smells or a morning wake up !
3. For freshness on a humid day add a few drops to the fan blades of lavender or ylang ylang in the evening to a bedroom . Drop a few drops on the filter of your air conditioner in the winter to freshen up the whole house . In the winter set a pot of water on heat radiators with a few drops of Bergamot or Mandarin orange to bring sunrise inside on any day.
4. To set the mood for a party add a few drops of essential oil around the base of a candle wick . Use a Pine for Christmas or a Sandalwood for a wine tasting evening , Rose Geranium for a luncheon , Tangerine for a Children's party . Cinnamon is always good for family gatherings .
5. For a fixative in potpourri or perfume blends use Patchouli oil or Sandalwood oil.
Green Lotus Organics
Donna McGee

Herbs Spice up the Air & Warms the Earth

Drying & Hanging Herbs from Your Garden or Farmers Market
October is almost here and we are starting into the Holiday Season . In Florida we do not get the same ushering in of cooler weather that others do but we still feel the subtle changes the earth seems to make & somehow that switches on our ancient instincts . We start to think of coming indoors and bring part of our harvest with us.
There is something very special about this time when it comes to harvesting the Herbs you have grown or collected from your local farmers market with painstaking care we choose what we will need or like for the coming dishes, healing salves , wines or simply to decorate & scent the world around us .
Drying Herbs is very simple
You will need a few coat hangers (wire , Plastic or wooden )
You can use a wooden clothing drying rack or they make herb drying racks you can order.
Gather up the herbs like Basil , Rosemary & Other leaf type herbs into small bunches no more than 1/2 each thick and them with cotton thread or twine bundle them .
Tie 4 of the bundles to each hanger or 3" apart on a rack.
Hang them in an airy dark place to dry.
Do not overcrowd the herbs or they will dry unevenly or possibly mildew
The Herb bundles when thoroughly dry will be papery to the touch.
You can use them as they are from the drying rack or you can grind or package them whole to use in your fall & winter projects.
Green Lotus Organics
Donna McGee