I have some prolific lemonbalm and basil at the moment, so I am putting it to multiple uses! I like to liven up regular iced tea with both of these herbs. I believe that using fresh herbs provides the most benefit, so when I can, I certainly do! As I have mentioned before, lemonbalm is definitely best fresh. It adds a sunny slightly lemony aromatic note to iced tea. Just cut a few sprays and put it in your tea water as it is heating and let it wilt. This releases the goodness of the herb into the water. Then, add your tea (I like it with green tea) and steep as usual. I don't bother straining mine. A few stray bits of lemonbalm or tea leaves does a body good! I have the best luck with cinnamon basil here, so I use the same process with a lesser amount and black tea. I think the basil is too overpowering when mixed with green tea. Soon, I will be making Passiflora incarnata drinks. I could be using the flowers right now, but since bumble bees love them, I have left them undisturbed this season. Sadly, only two bumblebees have visited my garden this year, and maybe two honey bees. This is a very bad sign. My garden used to hum every season. I wonder how many of my neighbors are contributing to this decline, and it makes me sad that seemingly so few appreciate the value of these creatures. I seem to have a healthy wasp population, and subsequently, very few caterpillars have emerged so far. I'm sure some will survive! Speaking of the wasps...A nest has been started under the eaves of the front porch. We have had no trouble from them. I think of them as our extra guardians of the front door, guaranteed to ward off the faint of heart. 

Mosquitos find me to be absolutely tasty, and we have a severe population here every summer. Before I knew of the harm that the strong commercial insect repellents could do to my sytem and the environment, I never went outside unslathered and sprayed. When I stopped using the commercial products, I suffered greatly, so I began experimenting with naturally occurring alternatives. So far Neem oil is my winner. It does have it's downsides. #1: It is an oil, so if I use it straight, I'm oily. #2: Neem has a distinctive odor. I have gotten used to it. My daughter tells me I smell like food. Well, as long as I don't smell like mosquito food, I can abide! #3: It might not be a good thing for dogs and cats. I have read accounts of dogs and cats being poisoned by neem oil, so I definitely keep my beloved Izzy from licking my legs, and I make sure to wash my hands before petting The Boss Queen and Mack the Marauder. My latest experiment involves putting the neem oil into a smooth on stick form. A blend of 1/3 neem, 1/3 Shea butter, 1/3 beeswax plus 1 tsp of coconut oil is giving me good results, although it is a bit soft. The neem smell is lessened, and the protection is still excellent.