A new thing I'm trying this year to tame my allergies is: HONEY!

But not just any honey... it has to be local honey made right where you live.

Here's how it works...

 Plants are pollinated by both insects and by the wind.

Honeybees will collect pollen from each of these species and it will be present in small amounts in honey that was gathered by bees that were working areas where these species are growing. When people living in these same areas eat honey that was produced in that environment, the honey will often act as an immune booster. The good effects of this local honey are best when the honey is taken a little bit (a couple of teaspoons-full) a day for several months prior to the pollen season. Source

I've written about basic tick prevention and removal methods before.

Since then, we've learned a little secret from the U.S. Military.

It's called Permethrin!

Do you fear spiders?

Have you read about the Brown Recluse scare?

What about the graphic pictures of a Brown Recluse spider bite... have you seen 'em?

Now you can get a FREE poster to help you identify spiders in your area.

In our never ending quest to find "the perfect property" on which to build a new house, we have been trapsing in... through... up... and over... tall, thick brush filled with ticks!

Here's what I've learned about the dangers of ticks (like not all ticks carry the dreaded lyme disease), and the best tip of all: The easiest way to remove ticks!

In our search for the perfect piece of property to build our next home on, we've been spending a good deal of time in the woods -- traipsing through thick brush and weeds.

This means... we've seen a good deal of ticks, received more than our share of chigger bites, and walked through far too many thick spider webs -- with the spiders still in them! (It seems like all the spiders in the forest build their webs between dangling tree limbs -- right about at shoulder level.)

Unfortunately, this has resulted in numerous bug bites on our arms and legs, ticks that have managed to work their way up and under our clothes, and even a fairly serious spider bite where Jim's entire right arm got tight (the muscle was constricted) and he ran a high fever.

One thing we've learned:

Ever wonder what some peoples' Essential Oil collection looks like?

For the record, I'm far from an expert on this topic. I've just been dabbling in aromatherapy for the past 8 years or so. In that time, I've discovered my favorites. And they seem to coincide with the lists of "most popular" Essential Oils these days.

Here's what my Essential Oil collection looks like...

Aromatherapy is simply a way of awakening your senses with a particular scent.

• You may choose to fill a room -- or an entire house -- with the aromatic scent from one or more Essential Oils.
• Or, you might want to massage a combination of Essential Oils onto your skin, or add a few drops to your bath water.

You have probably already experienced the benefits of aromatherapy -- without even knowing it!

How many times have you walked into the office of your doctor, chiropractor, massage therapist, or day spa and noticed a pleasant-smelling aroma filling the air? THAT was aromatherapy.

Offices will generally use a combination of Essential Oils that help to relax and calm people. The right blend of aromatherapy oils can serve to de-stress and motivate people.

In fact, there's a "perfect blend" for virtually everything under the sun...

Whatever mood you're hoping to achieve, or whatever mindset you'd like to be in can often be enhanced simply by the use of simple aromatherapy.

I've been using Essential Oils and diffusers to fill my home with great scents for years now.

It's just so easy... and so refreshing.

If you haven't tried it yet, I'd highly recommend it.

Here's what you need to know...

All this talk about wildlife animal webcams took me back to the days when I worked at a Zoo...

It was The Gulf Breeze Zoo in Gulf Breeze, Florida -- near Pensacola. (We lived in Pensacola for a year, and Gulf Breeze for a year, before moving to Nashville, Tennessee.)

In my job, I wasn't supposed to be hands-on with the animals, but it's kinda funny how things worked out...

I was pretty much hands-on with this little orangutan from Day One -- if you count the day of my interview!

You've probably seen them hanging out in people's yards.

I never understood the whole Bag-a-Bug concept... that is, until WE needed to use them!

Listen to Bud Light's Real Men of Genius "Mr. Backyard Bug Zapper Inventor":

Japanese Beetles In Tennessee

...even though we've lived in this same house for over 3 years.

Following is something that came my way via a many-times-forwarded e-mail. Unfortunately, I don't know who the original poster was, so I cannot give due credit. But I believe the message is such that this person would welcome the massive exposure...

UPDATE: At the very bottom of this article, you'll find photos of a brown recluse bite that were submitted by a reader of this site.

The e-mail about a brown recluse spider bite in its entirety:

Take a look at the email below and the attached pictures of a guy who was bitten by a Brown Recluse spider. Some of the pictures towards the end are pretty nasty, but take a look at the last one -- it is a picture of the spider itself. Now we all should know what to look out for.

This would be wise thing to send around to people as it is almost summertime and people are going to be digging around doing yard work, and spring cleaning.

The following pictures illustrate the progression of a brown recluse spider bite. Just as a warning, day 3-6 photos are not too graphic. However, days 9 and 10 are very graphic. Your discretion is advised if you choose to view.

The final picture is the most important as it contains a picture of the actual spider. Please be careful, spider bites are dangerous and can have permanent and highly negative consequences.

FYI - They like the darkness and tend to live in storage sheds or attics or other areas that might not be frequented by people or light. If you have a need to be in your attic, go up there and turn on a light and leave it on for about 30 minutes before you go in to do your work.