BEE GREEN

I love the Pacific Northwest. During the summertime its a little easier to say such things.... but all in all the PNW is my home. That being said, geeze, a big huge deep breath of Washington air can cure just about anything! Except for a bee sting. Yesterday I had a not so enjoyable experience. As I lounged around, pool side, slathered from head to toe in sun block, I was just getting into my new book..... when all of a sudden... WHAM!!!! A shooting pain in my right tri-cep. I yelped and quickly grabbed my arm, just in time to see the culprit buzz away. I was flabbergasted. Did I just get stung by a bee?? I was a bit shocked and confused (rightly so in my newly injured state) because I haven't been stung by a bee in YEARS! I didn't really know what the heck happened but as soon as a white semicircular lump swelled up to the surface of my arm. I rationed that my arm had been the direct target of a sting and fly (hit and run) crime. Much like a drive-by....stinging, that is.
I quickly applied my frosty cold water bottle to the back of my arm and pondered whether or not I should resume reading outside, or make my way indoors where bug life is limited. I packed up and went in.

After a tumultuous day I realized it might be helpful to provide others with bee sting home remedies. Even better if they are all natural...... or GREEN!

Bee Sting Home Remedies-

1. Abstinence from bees and their stingers is always the best option.

2. Baking Soda and Vinegar. I tell you vinegar does EVERYTHING. I am obsessed at the WIDE variety of uses for this substance. Anyway mix the two into a paste and apply directly to the sting.

3. Toothpaste can relieve the pain quick and get rid of that itchy feeling.

4. Plantain (Found on learningherbs.com)
Plantain is by one definition on dictionary.com: A plant; mostly small roadside or dooryard weeds with elliptic leaves and small spikes of very small flowers; seeds of some used medicinally.

You can see it popping up in between cracks of your driveway and sidewalks. Below are the directions on how to relieve your pain. I took this directly off learningherbs.com website.


1. Pick a few leaves of plantain from a clean source. Try to gather it away from the side of the road. Also away from places where chemicals are sprayed. HOWEVER, it an emergency, you get it where you can get it.
2. Chew the leaves up real good keeping the plant matter and saliva in the FRONT of your mouth.
3. Spit it out on to your bee or wasp sting site.
4. Hold it on the sting site for a few minutes until you feel relief. Repeat if necessary.


I hope these simple remedies can be of some help to you. Don't let the bees burden your time spent outdoors!

Cooling Down

After what seemed like the never ending winter, summertime in the Northwest is FINALLY here! (yippee!) If you are like me, then you look forward to warmer temperatures and clear blue skies during the months of July, August, and even September. Growing up in the great PNW I truly believe there is nothing better than a summer day in Washington. A deep breath of fresh air to start the morning, a relaxing boat ride with a hot breeze wisping through your hair, and BBQin barefoot with shorts and a tank top on is what my summer days consist of. Those summer days never seem to end with daylight lasting until 10pm. While a long day enjoying bright sunshine seems dream-like after so many dark days of winter, hot temperatures can take a toll on our body, and our energy bill. We've seen record breaking temperatures across the northwest and cranking up the AC seems like the best quick fix. As temps continue to rise, your carbon emissions and energy consumption can sky rocket as well. I've included some helpful hints on cooling down this summer.... the GREEN WAY! Remember, just like anything, AC in moderation is ok. Why not try out some other methods for cooling down?

Looking for a quick easy fix? Wash your hands! By placing dabs of cool water on your wrist or other pulse points can help lower your body's core temp.

Ceiling fans can be great during the summertime, making a whole room much cooler. Make sure you are cooling things down by checking the fan's rotation direction. You want the fan to blow air down. This is usually indicated by the fan blades moving counter-clockwise if you are standing underneath.

If you aren't sold on the Fan idea... get this. Fans use 90% energy than central air, and they can make room feel up to TEN DEGREES COOLER!

Clothing options can cool you off as well. Wear loose fitting and lighter colored clothing to feel cooler. Linens made from natural fabric, cotton, help pull away moisture from your body cooling you down.

Unplugging appliances doesn't just cut costs, it cools your home down! TVs, computers, VCRs and more give off heat even when they are not in use. By plugging these into a power strip and flipping the switch off, or simply unplugging the appliance, you can reduce the temp of your home.

Turn off the "drying cycle" on your dishwasher!!!! Your dishes can air dry! If you air dry clothes (good bye dryer!) they will actually last longer.

Using the microwave instead of the oven can keep temperatures down.

By using CLF (compact fluorescent lights) you can keep the temperatures down. I use CFLs in my bathroom to help keep the heat down. After a hot shower, blow drying my hair and turning on a straightener, CFLs make a huge difference.

Make sure to keep windows closed at the hottest part of the day. If you open a window, open another one to create a cross breeze. Believe it or not, a breeze of just 1MPH can make you feel up to 4 degrees cooler!

I'll end with one of my favorite tricks for beating the heat while snoozing. Place a cool, damp wash cloth on your forehead and turn out the light. This will help keep you cool, even more so with a fan blowing on your face!

If you have any tips for cooling off and staying green please comment or email me at MollyO@kvewtv.com


Happy cooling!

4th of July Fun!

Hello Friends! With the 4th of July quickly approaching there are TONS of fun things to do heading into the weekend! We might see some breezy to windy conditions by Friday, so if you are planning on celebrating our great nations independence with fireworks, please use extreme caution.

With that said- let's get to the fun stuff! The Tri City Dust Devils were kind enough to allow our Good Morning Northwest viewers and me to wake up in Gesa Stadium this morning. A big thanks to Brent Miller, Monica Ortega, Erik the Peanut Guy and Dusty for showing us a good time and continuing to put forth all of their energy to entertain and please fans.

With ridiculously high gas prices and the struggling economy, one might think attending a sporting event isn't feasible on a budget, but good news...it IS! Tickets for children and seniors start at $4 and adults at $5. There's also quality entertainment throughout the game, making it a fun night out for the family. Not to mention Dusty is one wild Dust Devil! He had me laughing non stop!

We had so much fun playing a little ball, doing the chicken dance, eating sunflower seeds and goofing around with Dusty. With fantastically warm weather and (partly) clear skies, this morning couldn't have been better. I've included a few pictures from our time at Gesa Stadium. Enjoy!

-MOB