Mosquitos

I just found the product Mosquito Barrier on DIY Life and it sounds like the perfect way to control mosquitos and other pests without using chemicals. Here is some more info from Debra McDuffee about her experience with the product:

"It's easy to apply: just mix with water and spray onto your lawn every 3-4 weeks.
With only one gallon needed for the entire season (even less for most yards), it is very affordable at $85.00 per gallon
It won't harm the environment, or my kid, dog, or other wild animals that frequent my yard.
In addition to mosquitoes, the black flies have made themselves scarce.
We also haven't found a tick on the dog since we sprayed, and that is a small miracle in itself."

I'm convinced. Two of my neighbors have had major tick infestations so maybe this will prevent my dogs from getting them too and the mosquitos are already causing problems. Here is a link to the company http://www.mosquitobarrier.com/

Natural Air Freshner

Because of my four dogs, my house could use a good air freshner. I don't ever buy the ones in the stores because of all the chemicals. I don't even buy scented candles unless I'm sure they are natural. Ginger, one of my dogs, has seizures, and one of the things I did to try and stop her seizures without resorting to drugs was to remove all the chemicals and artificial fragrances from the house. I also switched to all green cleaning products. Today on DIY Life I found a recipe for a natural air freshener that's pretty easy to make. Here is the recipe:

Easy Cinnamon and Applesauce Air Freshner

1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup cinnamon
plastic zip-type bag
waxed paper
various cookie cutters
small rolling pin
unsharpened pencil
string or ribbon
Mix the applesauce and cinnamon together inside the zip-type bag. Seal the bag and mix the ingredients together well, until they form a dough. (Note: This part is GREAT fun for kids.) Dump the dough out onto a sheet of waxed paper. Cover with a second sheet, then roll out to 1/4 inch thick; too thin and it will crack, too thick and it will take too long to dry. Carefully use the cookie cutters to cut out shapes in your dough. When finished, use the pencil to poke a small hole in the top to tie in a ribbon or string for hanging. Leave your air fresheners to dry overnight or longer if necessary, then hang them in your car, kitchen, or even stick them in a dresser drawer.