Kitchen Magic?

  With all of the rains that the Coast has seen for this entire year and in view of the predicted rains to come, I have set about finding something to combat our overabundance of mosquitoes.  The pesky varmints are about to take over the place! Walk outside and you are immediately covered.  Any bare skin is subject to hundreds of bites in just a matter of minutes.  It is really that bad.  Something has to be done.  I empty every container, puddle, leaf, flowerpot and even the rain gauge after every rain but that has almost become an endless job.  The Frog Pond now is inhabited by dozens of fat bull minnows to keep the larvae under control there and the poor birds can never bathe since their private bath is emptied daily.  All of this is good but, hey, I cannot empty the Bayou nor the creek. That is beyond my realm of ability. The local "mosquito control" trucks have yet to be seen down our area as they seem to stay in the more ritzier neighborhoods.  The Bayou is on its own in this fight.  So I try or I stay inside.  Even there, a stray mosquito or two will find a way inside just to irritate me at night.  It is not good, folks.  It is not good.

  That said, I have been trying herbs to help combat the critters.  I figure that it cannot hurt and has to be better than slathering on a bunch of known cancer causing chemicals.  First, oregano was tried.  Not much help and I smelled a lot like a pizza.  Basil came next and while it helped tremendously with the itching from bites, it did nothing to help prevent them.  Rosemary, mint, fennel and even garlic was rubbed on the arms.  None of these seemed to do much other than to make me smell like a walking spice rack.  

  Then, out of desperation, I turned to the extracts lining the shelf.  Anise...no help.  Lemon...no help.  Almond...no help.  I was seeing a trend here.  Perhaps I should give up and spray the stinky repellent on and call it a day.  Lastly....vanilla.  Well, at least it smells good!  I mean, my goodness, who does not like vanilla???  I donned my new perfume and bravely went out to weed the eggplants.  These are planted far down by the canebrake as they seem to be not on the diet of rabbits, deer or raccoons.  There is, however, a boatload of mosquitoes that inhabit the area.  So, as was my habit in trying the new herbal repellents....left arm was herbed up....right arm was bare.  I started weeding.  Ok, so the mosquitoes were swarming about me like they were being drawn by the vanilla scent!  This was not good!  I was on the verge of a slapfest with the critters when I noticed that, while the wings with teeth were swarming the left arm, not a one landed on the arm.  The right arm had ten..twelve...fifteen...no sixteen mosquitoes gnawing away on it!  Left arm was clear....right arm was covered!  Halleujah!  The vanilla seemed to be working!.  

  I have tested the vanilla two days now and both times, the mosquitoes would swarm the arm but never make contact!  The left arm stayed unbitten!  While this may not work for everybody and while different brands of vanilla may make a difference, it appears to be something of interest anyway.  If I can remain unbitten, I will bathe in the stuff if necessary!  Vanilla!  Who knew?  Oh, and by the way, I normally do not push brands on here but I found it sort of a neat coincidence that the name of the vanilla used was Back Bay. Our bay is called Biloxi Back Bay!  I know the vanilla has nothing to do with the area other than being sold here but, hey, maybe it is a sign that I should use it.  At this point, I will take whatever I can get, use whatever works and be happy to be bite free!