Herbal Housekeeping

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Herbal Housekeepingby Barbara Radcliffe RogersHere are some tips to aid your spring housecleaning--and some plantsyou might want to add to your garden this year to help withhousework chores all year long!

Moths aren't the only pests you can use herbs to repel. Fleas andmosquitoes will avoid pennyroyal. Rub the fresh leaves on your skin(but not on your face) or package the dried leaves to put in a petbed. Tansy was often planted around the foundation of old houses

because ants do not like to pass through it. Ants don't like catnipeither, and a sprinkling of it along an ant path will encourage themto turn around and leave. But just try to keep catnip in the antpath if you own a cat!

When Italian cooks discovered that houseflies don't like basil, theyplaced a sprig of it over a bowl of tomatoes as they worked.(Fortunately, the basil and tomato flavors do like each other!)Clover flowers and sweet bay are also useful in keeping away flies,

so a bouquet of green and purple basil, sweet bay and red clover notonly looks and smells good in the kitchen, but keeps away the fliesas well.Mint repels mice; long stems of it placed along the eaves in the

attic will encourage mice to seek a winter home at your neighbor'shouse instead of yours. Anise, on the other hand, attracts mice, soa little anise oil or a few anise seeds mixed with peanut butter is

far more effective than cheese as bait for a mousetrap. Velerian isalso good bait for mice, as well as for rats.Bay leaves will keep weevils out of stored flour, cornmeal, andother grains. A whole bay leaf laid on the top will not flavor the

food at all, but will protect a whole container full. The fungusthat infects dried beans and grains can be prevented by placing asmall, cheesecloth " sachet " filled with broken cinnamon stick, black

peppercorns, coarsely ground black mustard seed, and green garlicinto each gallon can or jar.Although dogs and cats aren't properly classified as pests, they arenot welcome in garbage cans; very quickly discourage them by giving

the can covers a good sprinkling of cayenne pepper.-- Diana Gonzalez

Nothing wastes more energy than worrying - the longer a problem is carried, the heavier it gets. Don't take things too seriously - live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets. -Unknown