착한 오이 이야기^^

휴가 이후 잔디의 일부분(햇빛이 직접쪼이는 곳)이 말라서 물을 주며 잔디와 가까이 지내면서 보니 뒷뜰의 땅이 부석부석해져있었다.

그동안 잊고 있었는데 지난번 새를 묻어준 결과로 두더지가 그것을 파먹으려고 땅굴을 파고 사방으로 헤매고 다닌 모양이다.

불쌍한 아기새 사건이 지난지 한달이 훨씬 지났는데 아직도 땅속에서 상주한다는 것은 다른 먹거리도 있는 모양이다. 

오래전에 지인이 이멜로 보내준 뉴욕타임즈에 실린 오이의 효용에 대해 감탄만 했었는데 이제 그방법을 적용해 볼때가 되었다. 

주변의 이야기를 들으니 grub 나 slug를 방지할 수 있는 케미칼이 있다고는 하지만

자연적으로 치유(?)를 해보기 원해서 아래 자료중 4번에 제시한 대로 해보기로 했다.

알루미늄(파이)팬에 오이를 얇게 저며 올려 정원에 내어 놓으면 땅속 벌래들이 그 향을 싫어해서 도망간다고 한다.

그렇게 쉽게 두더지를 퇴치해 버릴 수있다는 것이 신기하기만 하지만 시도해보려고 한다.

다른 좋은 것들도 많이 있다.

모든 것이 사실이라면 몸에도 집안에도, 거의 레몬처럼 다양하게 사용할 수 있는 야채이다. 

무심코 먹던 오이가 이렇게 여러가지로 유용한 줄은 정말 몰랐다.

Wish me luck~ 

 

 

This information was in The New York Times several weeks ago as part of their "Spotlight on the Home" series that highlighted creative and fanciful ways to solve common problems.

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber.  Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower?  Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds?  Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long.  The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool?  Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite.  Works great on wrinkles too!!!

6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache?  Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8.. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes?  Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge?  Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa?  Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints?  Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel?  Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.

13. Using a pen and made a mistake?  Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!