citronella mason jars
Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at 9:31AM 
Chris and I had the fortunate experience to build a new house, and one of my requirements was a covered, wrap around porch with a view. Didn't care what the view was, just something nice to look at. After looking at 75 houses, we found it. Another wish come true. Our home overlooks one of Connecticut's vineyards. That was another surprise coming back from California. That I would get to live next to a vinyard in New England.
(There was once a time when everyone in my age group dreamed of owning a vineyard and winery. After living next to one, I would now say that it's somewhat like having a boat. They are much more money and work than you think, and it's always best just to have friends that own one.)
Now, I'm wedding cake when it comes to mosquitos, but I didn't want to screen in the porch. My good friend Susan recommended a more natural method of bug control: fans and citronella. After we installed the ceiling fans, I went searching for citronella plants, but got some very funny looks at the garden center. I’ll have to ask Mr. Van Wilgen if he knows anything about actual plants. In the meantime, I was forced to consider either liquid or solid citronella. My visual sense is offended by what constitutes citronella candles in the seasonal aisle at the big chain grocery stores, so I decided to create something myself. We went antiquing, or as Chris is fond of saying, we went junking.
Me: “How about that antique shop? Can we stop there?”
Chris: “No.”
Me: “Why not?”
Chris: “Because they couldn’t find a sign that says Ye Olde House of Crappe, so they put up one that says Antiques.”
After several Saturdays we found what we were looking for. Mason Jars. I went mad for Mason Jars, particularly the ones with the wire bales and the glass caps. I purchased simple clear glass votive holders, and citronella votives. Regular Kosher salt holds the votives level, and raises them up just enough that the scent gets out, but not so much that the breeze from the fans will take them out. (I did try using the tea lites, but found that just as they are starting to give off enough scent to keep the bugs at bay, they’re done.)
We surround ourselves with these jars, lighting them about an hour before you think you need them. Mosquitoes won’t fly over the candle scent and can't againsts the fans. Done.
Reader Comments (2)
I have to agree with Chris regarding Antique shops, his translation of what the sign on the window really means gave me a good chuckle. I don't like going into such shops and will find all kinds of excuses to need to wait outside when my wife wants to visit one. But must admit I have a slightly different perspective now that I see what you were able to do with some of that "junk" -- nice work. There is both a decorative and even a technical beauty to what you have done, especially with the outdoor mosquito combat system!
Thanks for the comment. You know what they say. "One man's trash is another man's treasure." You just have to be willing to wade through lots of other men's trash to get to it.