Tea Tree (Melaleuca Alternifolia) “The Wonder from Down Under.”

Got Tea Tree?

Tea Tree oil should be a part of every homes medicine kit. It is a powerful herb with many therapeutic uses. It has a notable camphorous, medicinal scent and is a member of the eucalyptus, myrtle, and clove family (Myrtaceae). Tea Tree has been used by the aborigines for centuries to treat skin infections.
Because of its’ apparent effectiveness, it is presently the subject of international research.

Tea Tree can be used for so many conditions due to its’ antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. It can be used to treat wounds, acne, athlete’s foot, toenail infections, and yeast infections. You can even use it for toothaches.

The Australians use it to treat scabies and head lice (good for moms to know). Tea Tree is also great for treating insect bites and stings. I like to use it to sanitize my food prep area. It is safe for anyone, including pregnant women and children.
It is to be used only topically unless it causes a rash. Dilute it in a little olive oil before applying to children.

The antiseptic power of Tea Tree is thought to be one hundred times more powerful than carbolic acid but it is non-toxic to humans.
Wow!

A study at the University of Western Australia found that Tea Tree oil kills many infectious microorganisms that cause infection including e. coli, staphylococcus aureus, and pseudomonas .

It also kills the yeast fungus, Candida albicans.

It has also been shown to kill antibiotic resistant bacteria.

This stuff is amazing! Need I say more?

So, I’ll ask again.

Got Tea Tree?

If you don’t have tea tree oil in your medicine cabinet, I hope that you will get some as soon as possible. There is good chance you or one of your family members will need it at some time.

Tea tree is the wonder from down under that I never want to be without!

The Tea tree is native to the New South Wales and Queensland regions of Australia, growing on wet swampy land. This srub looking plant grows to a height of about 20 feet, spreading to about 13 feet at its fullest. It has papery bark made up of several layers. The small leaves are, about 3.5 cm long, narrow, and pointed. The flowers are small, five petalled, usually white in colour and are formed in the spring, on dense spikes up to 5 cm long. They are followed by woody capsules.

Christina Menefee

Living On Liquid Sunshine

Christina is our newest addition to our Blogging Beauties. You can meet them here: Blogging beauties!

Caught On Camera!

The Mayor’s Environmental Luncheon here in Florida is coming up on Friday, and my naturalist friend, Ms. Lesley, recently called to see if my son and some of his friends would be interested in coming out to Tillie Fowler Park to be a part of a nature film that will be shown at this year’s Mayor’s Environmental luncheon.

So, we spent Monday afternoon exploring a portion of the 500-acre Tillie Fowler Park while the camera man followed along filming the children’s interactions with nature and their reactions to Ms. Lesley’s varied nature lessons.

Even when the filming was done, the fun was not; we stayed on the boardwalk where we were located at the time the camera man left. We continued observing the minnows swimming in the water beneath us and checking out so many other interesting things nature has to offer.

On the way to one side of the large, luscious park, Ms. Lesley shared facts about plants, butterflies, including Florida’s state butterfly, Zebra Longwing, birds and more. As we heard one bird call, Ms. Lesley called back and received a clear response. We even got a lesson on the origins of chewing gum as we passed a Sweet Gum tree. Before we could purchase gum at a store, Ms. Lesley explained, folks would get their chewing gum from the inside of trees, such as this one, she said while showing us the leaves from the Sweet Gum tree. Eventually, chewing gum became available in stores and people started getting that type because it tasted better, she noted.

But, we all know, what tastes better isn’t necessarily always better for us, right?

Still in the great outdoors, the children got to the play Prey and Predator, a spin-off of Hide-n-Seek. Each “prey” that was found became a “predator.” Active fun intertwined with valuable lessons about predators hunting their prey! Heat and all, I could have stayed outdoors all day.

But, back inside the nature center, the children were able to pet and/or hold snakes, watch them be fed and explore a variety of other interesting critters there.

My friend, Charo, who hadn’t seen Ms. Lesley in quite a while, commented several times about how good Ms. Lesley looks. She really hasn’t aged a day since our regular home-school encounters with her about four years ago. Charo summised that it’s Ms. Lesley’s close and daily contact with nature (as shown here) that keeps her looking so well, in addition to the fact that the work she does as a naturalist is precisely what she wants to be doing. She is following her bliss, and it shows. Following the work of our hearts is indeed a remedy for good health!

What do you like best about nature?

Prior to going to Tillie Fowler Park today, I asked my son what he would say if someone put a microphone to his mouth asking him what he liked best about playing outside in nature. He replied: “The fresh air and ‘feeling’ God’s spirit.” When I asked him what was his favorite thing to do in nature, he said: “Jumping out of trees.”

That’s an active boy for ya, and I guess it’s no wonder when he scouted his first hiding spot during the Prey and Predator game, he looked for a tree he might be able to quickly climb. I bet, more than anything, he had the result in mind: jumping out of it.

Jumping for Nature…

Nature Hugs,

Penny