Are you using plug in or spray air fresheners?

 I stopped using all forms of air fresheners(commercial) long ago, Now instead, making up my own with essential oils. SO easy, and so much safer. Even most candles, unless beeswax, are carcinogenic.  But my new issue of Mother Earth Living really points out why we should avoid the ones we buy in stores. Do you have allergies? Asthma?  Watery eyes, sneezing, difficulty breathing? Well, blame it one those plug ins or sprays.
They all contain formaldehyde, which is know to be  deadly for many of us.  It causes me to break out in a rash that sometimes lasts a year. My first rash appeared after a perm when I was very small, my gram was a beautician and the old perms were laced with formaldehyde.  The products offered to make our homes smell good are also full of petroleum and aerosol propellants.  I have misting fountains, which are just filled with water and a few drops of essential oils, I love lavender as it's so soothing, or rose, or a combination of floral and spicy accents, like cinnamon or cloves.  Experimenting is fun to create new smells. Also, you can take a jar, mason or such, fill it half full of baking soda and add 10 drops of essential oils, shake well, punch holes in the lid and just sit it where you want the scent. You may have to refresh the oil once in a while but this will last a long time.  If you need a fast fix, put a pot of water on your stove, add a few sprigs of rosemary a couple of lemon slices and a splash of vanilla, and simmer. This is used in the Sonoma stores to create a good aroma.  This too, you can tweak, using different citrus fruits and herbs.  To make a spray, in a spray bottle put 16 ounces of water, 3 ounces of vodka and 4 drops of essential oil of your choice, and add 12 ounces of rose water, heavenly. 86% of all air products contain phthalates, hazardous chemicals known to disrupt your endocrine system.
 I am making a serious effort to eliminate plastic in my house, so storage has become glass jars. I buy things in glass instead of plastic, and save every jar I get. When I cook soup or have leftovers, the canning jars come out and are filled and refrigerated. It's to the point that anything that comes in plastic has an odd taste that I no longer like.
  It's finally warmed up, hope it stays, 80 or so next few days.  The rain we  were to get overnight was just a sprinkle so far, should have gone to town but it was dark so decided to wait until tomorrow. Looks like the sun is trying to come out now, and that means watering my newly planted flowers and garden seeds. Still have not tried moving plants outside for the summer or putting out tomato and pepper plants, they are warning us of a possible frost late next week, hmm, not sure I will take them seriously this time, it will be May by then. Really long winter this year. Most of the time, plants come in in late November and go back out early April, not this year.
  Having some caramel cream coffee this morning, my daughter sent me a put on the stove old fashioned coffee pot and a variety of flavored coffees for my birthday, I was having trouble with my electric pots not working, guess what, it was me, not the pots, now I have them figured out and have had no more glitches.
  Thought for the week, if you are having allergies, bronchitis  or breathing and coughing attacks, put  a few teaspoons of thyme in a container,  add the juice of 1/2  of a lemon and 2 tablespoons of honey, steep for 10 minutes, strain and take 2 tablespoons every couple of hours  as needed.
  The redbud trees have faded, now the leaves are setting on. We still have dogwoods and my snowball bush is lovely. The peony my son in NE gave me a few years back has blooms for the first time, yeah, love those.   Can hardly wait for them to open.
  Easter is past, next big holiday will be July 4th. A few others in there like Memorial day.  But it makes it feel like summer is coming on.  Have a good week, stay well, get some fresh air and sunshine.