Some days it feels like Autumn, other days the summer heat returns. Here in South Dakota, and at this time of year, I like to dress in layers in preparation for temperature swings and the wind that is almost always a factor. I do enjoy these slightly cooler temperature shifts after a hot, dry summer.
Besides weather shifts, people also seem to dig out the fall scented candles and we see signs for pumpkin spice at all the coffee house’s. While I love the scents of fall, we ditched candles a long time ago. I didn’t want to risk forgetting to extinguish them when not around and they actually lower our air quality. They're loaded with artificial fragrance and volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) that can cause eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, as well as cause breathing issues and nausea. They can even damage the central nervous system and other organs. Yikes! (Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5093181/ )
So what did we use to replace ALL those? A diffuser, high-quality essential oils, and a spray bottle!
Diffusing vaporizes essential oils and gets them into the air so that we can breathe them in. We use cool mist ultrasonic diffusers so that the oils are protected from heat and retain their incredible properties!
Diffusing also purifies the air, makes your home smell good without harsh chemicals, and helps get those awesome oils into your lungs and to your brains. (yes, that's a good thing) Simply add your essential oil drops to your diffuser, add water to the fill line, and start diffusing. It’s so easy and I can change up the scent throughout the day. In rooms where I don’t have a diffuser I will mix up a room spritzer and just lightly mist the air… this is mostly done in the laundry room where our 2 Golden Retrievers hang out.
Here are some of my favorite fall diffuser blends.
Mulled Cider
3 drops Ginger
4 drops Orange
2 drops Cinnamon Bark
2 drops Clove
Snickerdoodle
3 drops Stress Away ®
2 drops Thieves ®
Falling For You
4 drops Orange
3 drops Ginger
3 drops Patchouli
Fall Frost
3 drops Cinnamon Bark
3 drops Northern Lights Black Spruce
3 drops Orange
One other super easy option is the Young Living Simplified Fall Collection by Jacob & Kait. This collection includes 3 blends with all the cozy fall feels with warm scents of Cozy Cabin (woodsy), Gingersnaps (spicy & sweet) and Orange Spiced Cider (rich citrus & cinnamon)
Whether you want to mix up your own, or you like the easy button, I hope this has helped you!
Not all essential oils are created equal. We only use Young Living essential oils. I love their Seed to Seal promise and I have visited their farm in Mona, Utah. I have tried other oils in the past and they did not even come close to the Young Living standard. Are you ready to ditch the candles and shift to pure essential oils? Get started today!
Hey all! Today’s 71 degrees is tough to beat for South Dakota in April. I’m so grateful! It definitely makes the "please stay at home" time so much more tolerable!
So, just a little introduction on myself.
I’m a boy-mom. Three young boys still in the house, one all grown up and has a family of his own.
I’m a homeschooling mom. This is something I never anticipated doing, ever. But, oh how things change once we have actually have children.
I'm an animal lover. I currently have 2 quarter horses and one mini-pony that loves to be on the wrong side of the fence. She likes free range life. We also have several barn cats and one large Golden Retriever.
With horses, I am a huge fan of keeping it natural, and have spent many years studying Parelli Natural Horsemanship. I love a good weekend horse-man-ship clinic and spending a couple of days with other horse lovers!
I love the oily lifestyle. That brings me to my purpose for today’s post.
Life in the country, with horses, cats, and a Golden Retriever can certainly bring about particular smells. A couple of weeks ago, our dog, Murphy decided to swim in our stock pond. Yuck! Of course after a swim, there’s always a roll in the horse yard to add to his essence of country dog. After a day, he kind of self cleans, but still definitely stinks. He is an outside dog, 90% of the time. This week, he found a deceased cat in the ditch across the road and decided to roll in it, then drag said cat onto our yard. So now we have a stinky dog and my boys are a bit distraught over seeing cat parts on our lawn. My 6 year old came and said “Um mom, this is kind of gross, but I think Tiger’s tail is on our yard.” Ugh! So sorry buddy.
Life is busy and I don’t have time to bathe a double coated, long haired dog every time he rolls in something or goes for a dip in the pond. I did have time to whip up an oily recipe. It helps with comb outs, reduces his country odor, and can even help repel some creepy crawlies, since he likes to explore our pastures:
Country Dog Spray
10 drops Lavender
5 drops Geranium
5 drops Lemongrass
5 drops Palo Santo,
5 drops Cedarwood
3 tsp conditioner
½ oz vodka
6 oz water.
Combine in a spray bottle and shake well before each use. Spray liberally and let it set a few minutes before brushing. Murphy is a 110 pound dog, so if you have a small dog, you may want to reduce the number of drops and adjust to your liking.
Not all oils are created equal. Please do not buy oils from your local grocery or large box store and think you will achieve the same results as pure therapeutic grate oils. I love Young Living products. I even used my Young Living conditioner in this recipe.
