Weekend Thoughts

A few thoughts for this warm weekend.

How to Treat Mosquito Bites
Mosquitoes are coming out in force around my house. To help reduce the irritation of a mosquito bite, rub any of these household, garden or medicine cabinet substances on the bite: aloe vera, baking soda, a piece of sliced onion, vinegar, salt, or witch hazel. I've heard that toothpaste and bleach work too. Just use a little, and rub gently. The effectiveness of these remedies will vary from person to person, so if one method isn't getting the results you want, try another.

Rhubarb: Trifling, Tipsy, Fool
If you have a moment, head over to All Things Considered at NPR and check out their piece on rhubarb. They have some interesting background on a few common and not so common dessert terms, like tipsy, parson, trifle and fool. It almost sounds like a song title. There's a rhubarb, berry and cream dessert recipe that looks tasty too: A Dessert for Spring: Rhubarb, Berries and Cream

Growing a Plant Fort For the Kids
The folks at the San Francisco Chronicle have some great instructions on how to grow a sunflower fort for the kids at: How to Grow a Sunflower House

How to Cut Down on Weeds in Your Herb Garden
If you're having some trouble sleeping in the heat, turn your insomnia into fewer weeds by weeding your garden after dark. Turning the soil when the sun isn't shining cuts down on weed germination, so strap a pen light to your hoe and get to work.

Happy gardening.