Poison Ivy Relief

It looks like my poison ivy is going away, PTL! It has been a maddening battle with it.

Last night, in the nearly 100 degree heat (with a 107 degree heat index), Clint stopped by Rite Aid to see if he could find anything to help with the nonstop itching I've had. We do not have a/c in our van and he had already made one stop along his commute home. It really touched me that he would stop in that heat because he wanted to see me get relief. That's love! He found Rash Relief another product by Tecnu. It has helped the rash go away as well as greatly eased the burning itch. One of the homeopathic ingredients is Plantain (plantago major). It is pricey at $14 a bottle, but did provide relief. Last night was the first time I have slept without Benadryl.

Plantain is an herbal remedy for poison ivy, insect stings, rashes, etc. It grows in one form or another all over the world. If you are in Virginia, it is probably growing in your yard. The plantago major is the broad leaf variety while the plantago minor is the narrow leaf. If you can identify it, you might want to make a poultice or tea and see if that helps you first. Between company, homeschool, projects, goat babies and errands, I have not had an opportunity to experiment with it.

Clint's Special Shampoo

Clint was in the shower this a.m. getting ready to go look for a new car. He grabbed the oddly shaped shampoo bottle and applied a liberal amount to his head. He noticed the bright orange color seemed "strange." It didn't lather like he thought it should either. So, he applied more. He noticed it smelled odd, so he looked at the bottle.

He was washing his head with Hartz Advanced Care 2 in 1 Flea and Tick Shampoo with the citrus scent.

Clint says he shrugged his shoulders and kept washing and then washed again with regular shampoo. He reports that not only is he squeaky clean, but he does not have any fleas either.

Nala, the owner of the shampoo, was not available for comment at this time.

Btw, Clint reports that his head became a little "tingly" while using the flea and tick shampoo.

Can you identify this artifact?

Amanda found this with the metal detector. There were a couple of wars and several battles fought on our land. Neighbors have found Civil and Revolutionary war cannons. Any ideas what time period this could have come from?