It’s Memorial Day Weekend in Maine. Time for BBQ’s, gardening, beach combing, hiking, family, friends and fun! The official kick off to summer. Summer brings warm breezes, sweet berries, fresh veggies, refreshing ocean waters, fireflies and….ticks! It’s always brought ticks of course…nasty but benign. Not anymore. Someone told me up to 70% of the ticks in Maine carry Lyme Disease, and a smaller percentage carry other even more deadly bacteria. Add to the list of things for moms to worry about!

My parents never worried about ticks as a child. I played in the woods, rolled in the grass, and built forts out of sticks and underbrush. But now, kids must be strip searched every time they come in from playing outside (adults should too) to check for the deadly creepy crawlers. So while, last week it was sunscreen, this week I’m making tick repellent spray.

Here is the recipe I use and so far….no ticks! I still ALWAYS check though. The main ingredient, Rose Geranium essential oil is mentioned on a plethora of websites as highly effective in repelling ticks. I’ve read it is also safe for dogs for those of you with furry friends that play in the woods too.

Here is the spray I’ve used on my daughter starting at 1 years old.

Natural Tick Spray
Mix 2 oz each: Distilled Water, Apple Cider Vinegar, Witch Hazel
Add 10 drops each: Tea Tree, Eucalyptus Radiata, and Lavender essential oils
Add 20 drops Rose Geranium (Look for pelargonium capitatum x radens)
Add 5 drops vanilla extract
Place in colored glass spray bottle so that the essential oils don’t break down

Enjoy the outdoors this summer but please, please, please protect yourself and your loved ones from Lyme as best you can.