Natural Bug Spray Recipe

It’s the end of August.and I am so fed up with battling mosquitoes.  I know they are God’s creation and all…and I know that they have a great purpose in our ecosystem, but they drive. me. crazy!!!!! They steal so much joy out of an otherwise lovely day!  My girls and I always get eaten alive when we’re outside…but for some reason our Resident Gardener doesn’t…maybe because we are just a lot sweeter!  Yet we endure the little pests because we love being outside.  And bug spray…well I hate it too….I don’t want those chemicals absorbed into my body and I just hate how sticky and stinky bug sprays are.  So I was super excited to find a natural bug spray alternative, while browsing through this awesome book I recently bought…The Rhythm of Family: Discovering a Sense of Wonder Throughout the Seasons, by Amanda Blake Soule with Stephen Soule.

Natural Bug Spray Recipe

Only 4 simple ingredients and an 8 oz spray bottle…that’s all you need.  I was able to find all the oils I needed at our local health food store…or if you want to simply order them on line, click on the links below:

• • Lemongrass Oil
  • Eucalyptus Oil
  • Citronella Oil
  • …along with Witch Hazel that you can get at just about any grocery or drug store.
    (By the way….witch hazel is one of my all time favorite things to have on hand in my medicine cabinet as it works wonders on bug bites and bruises. Dab it on you skin as soon as you get hurt and any bruising will be minimal.)

Simple Instructions

Amanda’s recipe calls for using 1 teaspoon of each of the oils combined with 7 oz of witch hazel.  You need to shake it well before each use and you just spray it lightly on your skin, avoiding contact with eyes, nose and mouth, and re-apply every hour or so.

We made our first batch this week and I gave it a try while weeding this afternoon.  No bites!  And it didn’t leave me feeling sticky or stinky…bonus!  It actually has a nice fresh smell to it.  I’m going to keep using it with hopes of  it being a new secret weapon for keeping the mosquitoes away!

From an Amazing book…The Rhythm of Family

Again, this natural bug spray recipe is one of the many great finds I found in the book  The Rhythm of Family: Discovering a Sense of Wonder Throughout the Seasons, by Amanda Blake Soule.  And isn’t that a great title! Anyway…I’ve really enjoyed soaking in all that this book has to offer…and I’ve just skimmed the surface of it this week, but I am so inspired by it.  The beautiful photography paired with an equally beautiful writing style inspires the reader to slow down and engage nature and family in creative ways.

Amanda, and her husband, Stephen, tell delightful and inspiring stories for each month of the year…while also sharing many creative, seasonal ideas to “make” or “do” as a way to connect as a family and make wonderful memories. I was drawn to this book immediately when I read the first line inside the cover…“Many of us with busy families yearn for a slower and simpler life with our kids – one that is connected to the seasons and the natural rhythm of the year, one that has our children spending more time outdoors rather than in, one that balances some of the busyness of our lives with a deeper connection to the earth.”  Sounds a lot like what we’re all about here at RYGblog.  No wonder I’ve connected so well with this book.

So if this resonates with you, you may want to pick up her book or check out her blog at SouleMama.com.

Thanks for your inspiration Amanda Blake Soule!  I look forward to following your blog and being inspired on a regular basis!

Take care friends,

P.S.  While flipping through the pages of her book I found that Amanda and I have very similar interests…among other things, stamping with okra.  I knew I liked how this gal thinks and creates! If you don’t know what I’m talking about, check out this post on stamping with okra.