FOR RASHES
Add 1/2 cup baking soda to a warm bath. Soak for at least 15 minutes.
Oatmeal bath: In a blender, blend 1 cup of oatmeal until it is a powder. Place in a nylon stocking and tie the stocking closed. Place the oatmeal-filled nylon in a tub of warm water. Soak for 1/2 hour.
Mustard bath: Fill the tub with warm water and mix in 1 jar of yellow mustard. Soak for 15 minutes.
Sprinkle cornstarch on rashes. It will also help relieve itching.
FOR POISON IVY
Witch hazel applied to the affected area soothes the itching.
Instant tea helps dry the poison ivy. Add one 8-oz. jar of the tea to warm bath water and soak for 15 minutes. The tannic acid soothes and dries the poison ivy.
FOR INSECT BITES
Meat tenderizer. Make a paste with tenderizer and water. Apply to sting or bite.
Toothpaste, regular flavored, when applied to an insect bite (especially fire ant bites) will relieve itching immediately.
Orajel—a small amount applied to a bite will numb the area.
FOR BUMPS AND SPRAINS:
Great no-ice ice pack. Keep a handful of popcorn kernels in a small, sealed plastic bag, and store it in the freezer. The bag takes up very little room and is always ready to use.
If you notice a hole in the upper left-hand corner of your Farmers' Almanac, don't return it to the store! That hole isn't a defect; it's a part of history. Starting with the first edition of the Farmers' Almanac in 1818, readers used to nail holes into the corners to hang it up in their homes, barns, and outhouses (to provide both reading material and toilet paper). In 1910, the Almanac's publishers began pre-drilling holes in the corners to make it even easier for readers to keep all of that invaluable information (and paper) handy.
