WHAT WAS THAT??!!

That was my first thought Saturday afternoon when there was this extremely loud metallic clanging outside my house. Oh no…my second thought was that the AC had problems. Then came the knock on the door. I ran outside to find my wonderful new neighbors standing around and looking down at the fan. I turned off the breaker to the unit, and with visions of dollar signs racing through my head I came over. That’s when we discovered the source of the noise was a very dead…and in many, many pieces…snake. Want to guess how fast I backed off?! Yes, I was a total wuss, so my neighbor and his little boy who of course thought it was the coolest thing he’d ever seen, took a stick and lifted the remains out. I held the garbage bag. Is it the time of the year, is it the weather, or all of the above? That same thing happened in the middle of the night a couple weeks ago. I never feel good about harming any animal, so I actually felt pretty bad about that.

At least everyone here was very empathetic. One more joke about snake sushi and the cookies stop. Forever. In Kelly’s Kitchen, we know what to do with critters that are best left outdoors. We leave them outdoors. But I do know the rains are responsible for a lot of those critters getting into our homes, so how about some natural pest control, especially in the kitchen? I know the snakes can help control things outdoors, but if you’re looking for something a little less slithery in the house, one natural pest control site suggested using a 50/50 mix of sugar and baking soda if those lovely cockroaches make an appearance. Leave that in a dish where no one else can get to that, like up on the counter and away from small hands. And make sure that the kitchen is clean, dishes are done and there’s no food left out to attract them. That and sealing up their favorite entry points, especially under the sink where the pipes are and where they only need a slight crack to get through. Baking soda is a wonderful answer to a lot of problems; use on a damp sponge to wipe down those glass shower doors, then rinse. And a 50/50 mix of baking soda and vinegar poured down the drain will help keep it clean.

So this weekend, I’m going to do double duty in my kitchen; thoroughly clean it up, seal any cracks that have a “welcome” sign and shut that door, and do a more natural form of pest control in Kelly’s Kitchen.

What do you do in your home to keep insects out, and naturally? I’d love to know and share them with everyone! Send those along to ann.kelly@coxmg.com. Thanks for the help in advance.

WORDS OF WISDOM FROM KELLY'S KITCHEN:

Kill the snake of doubt in your soul, crush the worms of fear in your heart and mountains will move out of your way.  Kate Seredy