How I spent my Summer Vacation with Essential Oils

When I was growing up, it seemed like I was always assigned the same homework on that first day back to school. I am not sure if the teachers simply lacked imagination, or if it was a curriculum requirement. Still, it was always the same thing, every single year. It went like this: Please write a paragraph about How you spent your summer vacation.

This assignment was so common, that usually by mid-August, I was already starting to compose it in my mind in preparation. I suppose the exercise stayed with me, as I find myself drawn to write yet another similar blog. This time, however, I have a different twist to my story. So here it goes.

My Summer Vacation with Essential Oils

This was my first summer having essential oils as a Go To for all kinds of situations and ailments. Now that we are nearing the end of this season, I am truly grateful for all the uses these oils provided. With the increase in activities, this playground of fun allowed me to use so many different variations of essential oils.

It started with making that first rhubarb and strawberry crisp. Like the novice chef that I am, I of course burned my three fingers when I was removing it from the oven. By instinct, I ran for the cold water and let it ease the pain. Once dinner was over, and came time for the dishes, I could not immerse my hands in the hot soapy water. Giving up the chore to my son, I proceeded to continue writing notes from a webinar that I had followed that day.

Holding the pen was crazy painful! I could not hold the pen, nor could I write. Since essential oils were so new to me, the thought never entered my mind until that moment, to see what oil I could use. I quickly applied Lavender EO to my fingers, et voilà! The pain became an afterthought. After a few hours of writing, I had to reapply. But that was it. The next day it was gone, pain and all. That truly impressed me.

That first weekend at the cottage

I shared my story with my family, who at the time, would just humor me, nod in agreement, and politely listened to my testament. But then someone noticed that the ants were back. Every year, we seem to get this gathering of ants along this one particular window. Peppermint EO, I thought and suggested to my family.

Out came the bottle of peppermint, and drops were applied here and there along that ant highway know to us as a window sill. As I write this now, I am trying to remember the outcome of that application. I now realize that the matter had been resolved, and the ants had moved away. We never talked about the ant nest along that sill for the rest of the summer. It just stopped being a problem after that.

At this point, I sparked interest in my family. The polite nodding of the head turned into questions about various problems that would come up. I quickly became the person that would get asked if I knew of a way to help with this and that.

Do you have an oil for……

Various cuts and scrapes were treated by the application of Frankincense EO. This worked amazingly by the way. There was a case of poison ivy that seemed to disappear with a homemade blend of Peppermint, Frankincense, Myrrh and On Guard Protective Blend essential oils. When I checked with my brother after his use of the blend, he had actually forgotten that he had been exposed to poison ivy. Another positive outcome to say the least.

No summer is complete without an occasional sunburn or two. I quickly learned how the use of Lavender, Peppermint and Fractionated Coconut Oil helped to ease the pain of forgetting the application of sunscreen. With the heat, we also discovered the cooling effect of Peppermint EO applied to the back of the neck while we played cards. It worked wonders.

My favorite story of the summer

For some reason, the female gender is naturally drawn to the use of essential oils. The men in my family, however, used to shrug their shoulders at the concept. That is, until a small five minute conversation occurred with my nephew. He had an infection on one of his toes. I promised that the next time I came to the cottage, I would give him a small supply of Melaleuca EO to treat his ailment.

As I am adding drops of Melaleuca EO to a small dram bottle, my nephew is talking with my sister-in-law. He tells her of the day he had and how he was bitten by a wasp. Even though it had occurred several hours earlier, he was still complaining of the pain. I quietly reached over and handed him my bottle of Lavender EO. He was amazed by the instant relief he felt and even said: “Where were you three hours ago?”

I smiled, and returned to the task at hand. Continuing on the thread of his day, he comments on the new cut he received on his leg while doing yard work. Again, I reached into my supplies and handed him Frankincense to apply to the cut. This time, my nephew did not even question me. He simply applied it and thanked me. He applied his Melaleuca to his toe, and commented on how much better it felt. I had helped him with the simple application of three little drops of oil.

In conclusion, how was my summer vacation?

The Essential Oils were the most popular topics of conversation during the entire course of the summer. We all learned lots about their effectiveness on so many situations. Even the roasted potatoes on the barbecue with a toothpick drop of Dill EO quickly became the staple. It truly was a wonderful season to have shared essential oils. I can’t wait to see what the fall will bring.

And by the way, I fell in love with a diffuser blend of two drops each of Lime, Tangerine, Grapefruit and Spearmint EO. The air in my home smelled of summer and fresh air. Give it a try, and you will understand my obsession.

Please share with me how your summer was enhanced by the use of essential oils, so that we can all try them again next summer!