Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:23:30 -0800WeeblyFri, 09 Aug 2024 00:32:03 GMThttps://www.theviolethummingbird.com/blog/august-2024

​Summer is here and the living is easier.  The schedules slow down some, schools are closed, vacations have been scheduled.  Time to enjoy family and friends.   Spend time in the great outdoors. 

The great outdoors that includes bugs that just want to have their own fun - biting us!  Just as we sit to relax by the firepit, or have a late night walk on the beach.   Lavender essential oil is great to wear to keep the bugs at bay.  Use a roller bottle with a drop of Clove and Lavender EO to help keep the peskies away - and the scent is fabulous!

Then there is the sun.  We love the sun!  It makes us smile and laugh and feel so alive!  Then we realize we have a sunburn!  WHAT???  Try white vinegar to help take the sting away.  A lavender lotion will help along with peppermint - the crazy oil that will both cool and heat depending on what your body calls for.

Go have fun and keep a few holistic tools in your beach bag!

Love and Light
​/Penny

​]]>Fri, 03 Nov 2023 23:35:37 GMThttps://www.theviolethummingbird.com/blog/drying-clothes-inside-is-coming-quicklyI'm one of those, hang the clothes on the line as long as possible - actually day, a bright brisk in the 40's may have reached 50's weather, the clothes went on the line.

There are lots of reason I do this. It keeps clothes from wearing out sooner, it brings the fresh of the air onto your body to help you heal, without you even knowing.   It keeps the electricity bill low.  But mostly because it's soothing.  It keeps you grounded and humble.  

But as the days grown colder and darker, some of the clothes will end up going into dryer and that's where wool/alpaca balls come in handy.  Lowers the drying time and if you add essential oils to the dryer balls, you have your fragrance.  But this fragrance is safe.  Or you can keep them fragrance free.  

By keeping the fragrance out, you are removing one toxin from your life - YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It's the simple easy steps that help.  I'm all for simple.  

Keeping the toxins out of our clothes, food, air will, over time, heal all of us.  Let's start simple - ditch the dryer sheets and go with wool or alpaca balls.  

Amazon carries them - or help a local farmer out.  

We're all in this together - let's help each other

Love and light
​/Penny

]]>Thu, 20 Jul 2023 23:48:16 GMThttps://www.theviolethummingbird.com/blog/japanese-beetlesThese are one of the most despicable creatures I have encountered in a long time.  They are right up with ticks - at least chickens like ticks but nothing I know of eats these little buggers.

I'm working hard to keep them from destroying my flowers/herbs/and trees.  I finally think I have a good combo - garlic and cayenne pepper with a tablespoon (I think I put than that in my sprayer), fill with water and spray.  This is a daily thing for me because I forgot to spray my yard in the spring.

I did that last year and they were non existent - this year, with all the water they can burrow deeper and come out strong - blech!

So if you're looking to salvage your gardens, try using garlic and cayenne with some dish soap.  Let me know if it works for you.  If you got a tried and true recipe that is clean, send it along and I'll pass on the info!

​Talk soon!
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