My Wyoming Homestead

 Just START!!!

I’m really talking to myself today!  Have you ever wanted to do something but found every excuse in the world why you shouldn’t start yet!  

That’s been me for months…I want to write, to share my knowledge…but can’t seem to get started!  This popped up on FB this morning and it hit me hard! Gads…just start…

I have decades of “living the simple life” experience, I love to learn and I read almost every day, I think often of days gone by, the things I’ve learned from my grandparents, parents and so many others who have been a part of my 70 years of life!  So today I’m starting….with one paragraph…then another and another!  

For the past few months I have been devouring Brendon Burchards’ book, High Performance Habits.   The first chapter is about Clarity…knowing what you want out of life and having a specific plan to accomplish that! It warms my heart to see so many people wanting to get out of the rat race that seems to have sucked us in.  I did not grow up in the rat race because my parents would not allow it…but as an adult with a family of my own…I found myself being dragged into it!  I wanted out! So…I started a home based business and gradually worked myself out of that insane rat race. Every day I had to START…START to learn something new…START to implement the things that would get me where I wanted to be!  And guess what…I’m still STARTING…every day…learning, listening and implementing. 

Today I woke up to a list of things I need to do in town, 30 miles away.  My plan was to leave early so I could get them all done.  I checked my business page online and came across the above post.  It hit me hard.  I knew if I stuck with my plan, another day would go by and my dream/goal to write every day would be put off another day.  I would continue to stress about it another day, another week, another month and I would be not closer to my goal. 

I stopped

I sat down at my computer

I STARTED to write

And you can do it too!  START by making a list of the things you want to accomplish, the things you want to learn! Everyday do at least one small thing that gets you closer to your goal. 

Just START!!

MY FAVORITE BROAD-SPECTRUM GARDEN PEST CONTROL SPRAY

Use this all-purpose spray to prevent and control a variety of common garden intruders.

10 drops Peppermint essential oil
10 drops Thyme essential oil
10 drops Clove essential oil
Gallon of water

Combine and spray liberally on and around plants.

For more information about Young Living Essential oils, hop right over here    shermacundall.com

TO THE GARDENER

Whether you are an experienced gardener or just starting out...

Whether you want to create beautiful landscapes or grow a bounty of fresh, wholesome produce...

Whether you have a small plot or wish to create a backyard oasis...

Whether gardening is your hobby, your passion, or your livelihood...

This information is for you!!

Essential Oils are very effective at keeping the garden, pest and chemical free. Based on the pest you are trying to control or eliminate, choose one or more essential oils from the list below and apply according to one of the following application methods:

ESSENTIAL OIL SPRAY:

COTTON BALLS:

HANGING STRIPS OF CLOTH:

STRING:

COMMON GARDEN PESTS;

Ants - While ants do not cause harm to plants, they do encourage aphids by protecting the aphids from beneficial predators. fire ant can pose a hazard simply because of their painful bite.

Essential Oils: Peppermint, Spearmint, citronella, Orange, Cedarwood

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Aphids - This colonizing pests attack to plants and feed on the nutrent-rich sap, especially the young, tender growth. They also carry harmful viruses and attract mold and other pests with their own sweet secretions. 

Look for: clusters of rice-sized insects which can be pink, green, black or yellow, located on the underside of tender new growth and flower buds. They prefer ornamental plants including roses.

Essential Oils:Peppermint, Speramint, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Hyssop, Cedarwood, Orange, Balsam Fir

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Beetles - There area variety of beetles that feed on fruits, vegetables, flowers, stems, and even roots of opalnts.

Look for:Large, irregularly-shaped holes in leaves, stems, flowers, and fruits of plants. 

Essential Ols: Peppermint, Thyme, Lemongrass, Cedarwood

Cabbage Loopers - These caterpillars chew ragged holes in the leaves ad bore into developing heads of cabbages, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower.

Look for: inchworm-like, pale green caterpillars; irregular holes in the leaves of plants or holes red into heads of vegetables.

Essential Oil: Rosemary

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Caterpillars - Various types feed on leaves, stems, and fruit of plants.

Look for: large holes chewed in leaves of plants. Some caterpillars, like the tomato hornworm, can strip all the laves from a a plat in a shot amount of time.  also look for the presence of small black droppings on leaves. 

Essential oils: Peppermint, Spearmint

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Cutworms - emerge at night and curl around plant stalks, especially those of seedlings, and chew stalks until they are cut through.

Look for: caterpillars curled around the stem of plants, especially after dusk. During the day, cutworms hide in the soil near the plants upon which they feed. Adult cutworms are dark-colored moths that are active at night. 

Essentail Oils: Thyme, Sage

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Slugs and Snails - Actually mollusks, snails and slugs will feast on just about any plant.  They seem to prefer young, tender transplants, leafy vegetables, and succulent plants. They are active mostly at night and during wet weather. Slugs and snails are very prolific and can lay up to 500 eggs per year. 

Look for: large, irregularly-shaped holes in leaves and shiny slime trails. 

Essential oils for slugs: Patchouli, Balsam Fir, Pine, Cederwood

Essential oils for snails: Patchouli, Balsam Fir, Pine, Cedarwood

Squash Bugs - Ofte referred to as “leaf bugs” because they resemble dried leaves, squash bugs will feed on many vegetables plants, with a strong preference for pumpkin and other squash plants. They suck juices from leaves, causing them to dry up and turn black.

Look for: leaf-shaped and colored bugs; shriveled, blackened eaves, reduced output of a plant. 

Essential Oils: Peppermint