04/02/2026
Whether you're Valentine's inclined or not, picnics are fantastic low budget date ideas.
You know the biggest thing that sucks about picnics in Australia in just about any season, especially if you live near nature? Mosquitoes.
You know what helps cleanse bacteria and impurities out of the air (and bad juju if you're inclined to symbolism and ritual) AND helps repel flies, including but not limited to, mosquitoes, WHILST also looking cool and drastically upping your picnic game?
Smudge sticks 😁
Smudge sticks are great because they can be made out of your common kitchen herbs and even some of the plants you might have in your garden!
Don't wanna make your own but also don't like most commercially available in bulk because the harsh chemicals used in treating them before they're even allowed in the country mucks the air they're supposed to purify?
Consider getting one off me next time you see me at a market 😁
I'm almost out of the ones I made the last time I did a pre fire-season clean of the property, and it's just about the right season for me to start harvesting again. As I make these from plants that grow in my back yard, they are all organic and free from harsh chemicals and insecticides, and remain untreated.
Eventually I'll get into making them for different symbolic reasons and seasons, but for now, availability is limited to whatever I have bundled together.
My smudge sticks include any variety and combination of:
- White Sage
- Common Sage
- Garden Thyme
- Common Rosemary
- Mugwort
- Wormwood
- Peppermint
- Blue Lotus
- Mullein
- Blackberry
- Apple
- Maple
- Hydrangea
- Lemon Verbena
- Lemon Myrtle
- Eucalyptus
- Lemon Scented Gum
- Tea Tree
- Rose
- Thuja/arbovitae
- Mediterranean Cypress
- Hawthorn
- Oak
- Ash
- Elm
- Birch
- Wilow
- Wisteria
- Lemon
- Lime
- Acacia
- Boronia
- Calistemon
- Rose
- Lilac
These aren't available online just yet, but keep an eye out because I might change that 😊
