365 Simple Pleasures. Susannah Seton

pins

      Tape 2 8½-by-1-inch pieces of tracing paper together along the 8½-inch sides. Fold in half along the tape seam and cut out a heart. Open and trace this heart on the wrong side of the fabric pieces. Cut out. Place the two sides of the heart together, right side in. Pin. Stitch along the outside of the heart, ¼ inch from edge, leaving an opening of about two inches. Clip along curved edges and in crevice. Turn right side out and slip stitch the opening. Makes 1 placemat.

      FEBRUARY 15

      HAIR MOISTURIZER

      Rosemary is very good for hair, particularly dark hair, to which it imparts a wonderful shine. It will also help cut down on the problem of flyaway hair. This recipe makes enough for several applications.

      8 drops cedar essential oil

      8 drops lavender essential oil

      12 drops rosemary essential oil

      2 tablespoons olive oil

      In a small glass container, mix the essential oils together. Add the olive oil. Pour about a teaspoon into the palm of your hand and rub hands together. Massage your head, hair, and scalp with the blend. Put a shower cap or warm towel on your head and leave it on for fifteen minutes. Wash and rinse your hair twice.

      FEBRUARY 16

      GARLIC SPREAD

      Years ago independent filmmaker Les Blank made a movie called Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers. If you agree, you should try this confit. Slather it on sourdough baguettes or use it any time a recipe calls for cooked garlic. And don’t forget to use the leftover garlic-infused oil. If you have a large garlic crop or make a trip to the farmers’ market, you can package this up in gift jars for friends as well as for yourself.

      8 ounces garlic cloves, peeled

      2 cups olive oil

      sterilized jars with lids that seal

      In a medium saucepan, bring the garlic and oil to simmer and cook over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes or until garlic is very tender. Cool and pack into containers. Store in refrigerator and use within two weeks. Makes 2 pounds.

       FEBRUARY 17

       PINE BATH OIL

      This oil is a great skin softener. Just pour a bit into your bath under the running water.

      1 cluster pine needles

      1 cup baby oil, approximately

      Put the pine needles in a glass container with a lid. Cover completely with baby oil and cover tightly. Store in dry, cool place for 4 weeks. Strain the oil, and decant into attractive glass bottle. If you’d like, you can add fresh pine needles for decoration. Makes 1 cup.

      FEBRUARY 18

      MAD FOR MUSHROOMS?

      Gardeners who need a fix during the cold winter months should consider a mushroom kit. These kits come in a number of varieties, including shiitake and button. The kits contain a sterilized, enriched growing medium that is preinoculated with mushroom spawn that can easily be grown indoors in a cool, dark place year round. Shiitake, oyster, and portobello mushroom kits are available from Real Goods (800-762-7325), Gardener’s Supply Company (800-863-1700), and Edmund Scientific Co. (609-573-6250). Edmund offers a catalogue with more than 4,000 science products, including lots of other kits. Great for science-minded kids.

      FEBRUARY 19

      I COULD HAVE DANCED ALL NIGHT

      This is something I do only when I’m alone. I put old Bob Marley tapes on my stereo and dance by myself in the living room. Sometimes I watch myself in the mirror. But mostly I dance with my eyes closed, just feeling the music as it moves through my body. Of course, you need to pick the music and the circumstances that are just right for you. Give it a try and see how it makes you feel.

      FEBRUARY 20

      MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE

      This drink is fabulous, the perfect thing for a cold evening. If you have cinnamon-flavored Ibarra chocolate, use it instead of the semisweet and omit the cinnamon and brown sugar.

      4 cups milk

      3 3-inch long cinnamon sticks, broken in half

      30 whole cloves

      1 teaspoon aniseed

      5 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

      2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

      2 tablespoons brown sugar

      In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk, cinnamon, cloves, and aniseed to a simmer. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until the chocolate melts. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 45 minutes. Serves 4.

      FEBRUARY 21

      CALMING BATH

      The sensual delight of taking a bath in aromatic oils goes back to the Romans, who raised bathing to a high art. The public baths consisted of three parts: first you went to the unctuarium, where you were anointed in oils. Then you proceeded to the frigidarium, where you took a cold bath, then to the tepidarium for a tepid one. You finished with a hot bath in the caldarium. While we don’t bathe as the Romans did, we can indulge in the essence of the practice.

      4 drops bergamot essential oil

      4 drops lavender essential oil

      2 drops clary sage essential oil

      Run a warm bath. Drop the essential oils into the stream of water. Slide in, and relax for 10 to 15 minutes.

      FEBRUARY 22

      CANDY-COATED FUN

      I keep a great big candy bowl on my desk at work. Most of my co-workers eventually end up there at some point in the day, rummaging through the bowl for their favorites. I always keep it filled with a variety of small, individually wrapped items—bubble gum, fireballs, peppermints, life-savers, chocolate, and lollipops—and make sure it’s all fresh. They enjoy the candy, and I enjoy the visits!

      FEBRUARY 23

      LOVE CLOTH

      For her son’s first birthday, a friend of mine bought a white linen tablecloth. She has since used it only on his birthday. She invites guests at each year’s birthday party to sign their names (or, in the case of toddlers, to draw something, which she then signs) on his tablecloth with permanent markers. Now, ten years later, she has a colorful tablecloth full of memories that will last a lifetime. The kids love writing on it and reading all the messages from past birthdays.

      FEBRUARY 24

      GO WILD—AT LEAST A LITTLE

      Sometimes we just need to shake up our routine. What little outrageous thing can you do today? Dye your hair? Paint your toenails green? Play hooky from work? For years, I lived near a street that must have had six or seven Chinese restaurants, and over time, I’ve probably eaten at them all. One day, I commented to my husband that each seemed to do a particular dish well and that putting them all together would make a great meal. So one night, when we were feeling the need to be a bit outrageous, we did just that. We had potstickers from one place, then moved onto the next for hot and sour soup, a third for the Szechwan beef, and a fourth for the garlic eggplant. If anyone thought we were weird only ordering one item per restaurant, no one said anything. We had a ball—not to mention a great dinner.

      FEBRUARY 25

      CANDLE COLLARS