Enchantment Learning & Living Blog

Welcome to Enchantment Learning & Living, the inspirational space where I write about the simple pleasures, radical self-care, and everyday magic that make life delicious.

Women's Soothing Mint Tea Blend

January 31, 2014

This tea is dedicated to all the ladies in my life who need a little extra TLC now and then. It has the soothing flavors of mint kissed with cinnamon and orange peel, with the healing power of raspberry leaf--a plant traditionally considered a healing tonic for women. Personally, I drink this tea pretty much nightly before I go to bed since it's caffeine free. Drinking it regularly allows me to get the maximum health benefits of the blend.

Ingredients:

1 cup raspberry leaves

1/2 cup peppermint leaves

1/2 cup spearmint leaves

1/2 cup cinnamon bark

1/2 cup dried orange peel

Blend all ingredients in a bowl and transfer to an airtight container. Keep away from direct sunlight and heat. To brew, use a heaping tablespoon per cup of hot water. Add more tea per cup of water for a stronger brew. Enjoy!

Health properties of herbs:

Cinnamon: antiseptic, aids digestion, calms nervous system, anti-inflammatory.

Dried orange peel: contains vitamins A, B, and C; unblocks stagnant energy.

Peppermint: a cure-all herb for headaches, cramps, sore throat, and stomach aches.

Raspberry leaf: rich in vitamins A, B, C, E, magnesium; tones uterus; relieves tension.

Spearmint: soothes nerves, motion sickness, along with the properties associated with peppermint; stronger flavor than peppermint.

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

On Birthdays

January 30, 2014

You are a kid again. The day is about cake and polka dots and fun.

Each part of your routine sparkles with the pure enjoyment of the day: the promise of celebrations, the excitement of opening a present carefully chosen for you by someone you love. Even the sun seems to hold you close.

It is a day begging to be dressed up in a fancy frock and ribbons in your hair; a day that calls for a lighter work load if not downright hooky. It is a day lived in the present even as it acts like a camera reel sliding over scenes from the past year--accomplishments, heartaches, adventures, and curve balls. But the reel stretches beyond the year, reminding you that today of all days is where you can feel not just your age but also 25 or 12 or 7. These years, these ages, these other yous all weaving together to make the you that is you right now.

The you that is seven still thinks of this day as the one where you get to eat a big piece of vanilla cake smothered in brightly colored frosting. The you that is now--the one that has almost grown out of the frosted cake eating--looks to the day as one in need of champagne or bubble baths or both. Both yous--the seven and the now--will forever agree that it is a day for a fancy dress, a cheeky A-line skirt that shouts girly fun and frivolity.

And all of the yous know that the cake, the dress, the champagne, the pure giddy enjoyment of being one year older, pale in comparison to spending a day with those you love, celebrating the you that is now with people who have known all the yous, sometimes better than you have. They are the hugs and love and proverbial warm fuzzy blanket that make the day worthwhile.

Energizer Bunny Bars

January 29, 2014

On the days I teach three classes in a row, I need a little snack to get me from my 6 am breakfast to my 1:30 pm lunch. This is especially important since I'm not the type of person who can function while hungry (that's the hobbit in me). Plus, getting too hungry can lead to grabbing easy but often unhealthy snacks on campus...so I Iike to have my stash of readymade delicious, healthy treats I can take with me to school.

One of my new favorites is this Energizer Bunny Bar, packed full of chia seeds, oats, and all sorts of good-for-you nutrients. I adapted it from the Healthy Family and Home's raw hemp and chia seed bar, supplementing ingredients with what I had on hand. What can I say? I'm an improviser. These bites store well in the fridge and freeze well too. Remember, this raw bar is full of fats--good for you, yes--but stick to a small 2inx2in square for your snack so you aren't eating more calories than you can burn. To learn more about the health properties of these ingredients, check out the link to the raw hemp and chia seed bar above.

Dry Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups multigrain oats (rye, barley, wheat)

1/2 cup organic blue corn meal

1/2 cup organic chia seeds

1/4 cup organic flaxseed meal

3/4 cups organic almond meal

Wet Ingredients:

1/2 cup organic honey

1/2 cup organic applesauce

3/4 cups organic peanut butter

1/4 cup organic coconut oil (melted/liquid)

2 teaspoons organic vanilla extract

Mix all wet ingredients together. In a separate bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together. Then slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring frequently (you may also need to get in there and mix it up with your hands). Put mixture into a 9x10 baking dish or piece of Tupperware and press down firmly until the mixture spreads out evenly. Let chill in the fridge for at least one hour to firm up (you'll want to continue to store them in the fridge because they soften at room temp). Cut into little squares and enjoy!

Makes approximately 12 squares.

On Figuring Out What to Write About

January 28, 2014

You've been on a roll lately, writing about this bubble bath and that morning walk. But today you mull over each new topic and discard them one at a time as if they are cards in a tarot deck and you aren't quite ready to hear what they have to say, although you know you will eventually return to them.

If you had more time, you would write a little on that topic and a little on another, until one sucks you in completely and you're off and running, spinning out words until you've said what you needed to say. But the time between coming home from work and going out to tea is limited. Each minute slips by in a flurry of dinner preparation and the transformation from teacher to person. No. It's not your normal routine, not the leisurely evening you usually enjoy, the unhurried unrolling of the night conducive to writing and reading.

Your dinner is heating on the stove. You have changed from your teacher uniform into your civilian jeans and boots; there is nothing left now but to return to your words. Then it hits you: what greater joy is there than to ponder writing--the luxury of worrying a topic in your mind like it's a frayed piece of yarn in your hand?

That's it. It's there within your reach. You've found it. You sit at your desk and begin the daily ritual again. You put fingers to keys and write.

On Cooking Dinner

January 27, 2014

The news plays softly in the background, the day's events unfolding one after another in a smooth narrative stream. A glass of wine sits on the counter next to your cutting board and pile of vegetables. Thin medallions of sausage cook on the stove, perfuming the air with their rich, spicy aroma. The dhal, made up of sweet onions and cooked-down lentils, simmers on the stove, adding to the tantalizing aroma.

As you wash and slice your green beans into inch-long slivers, you let the last of the day roll off you, the last little coil of tension that your yoga loosened, if not released. You sip your glass of wine; the dry kiss of the white nectar rolls across your tongue in a burst of crisp citrus and honeysuckle. Next, you tackle the ripe cherry tomatoes which burst under your knife, spilling their wet seeds all over the cutting board. You pull a jar of olives from your refrigerator, deciding they would be a nice addition to your stir fry. You scoop a small handful out and cut them in half, popping a salty jewel into your mouth as you finish chopping.

As world events turn over to national coverage, you pile the vegetables in with your sausage, letting the flavors meld. They mix in the pan while you finish your glass of wine and the news. It is time, then, to pour the steaming stir fry over the dhal. You serve yourself in a big shallow bowl, grateful for this plateful of nourishment, this edible gift.

On Brunch

January 26, 2014

You sleep in today--much longer than you had expected to. You relish the sleepy feeling, the delicious laziness of a long night spent dreaming, the happy promise of a free day.

The day calls for a breakfast as leisurely as your waking. You toy with the idea of waffles, but quickly dismiss it as too much work, too much to focus on. Eventually, you ease yourself out of bed and claim jeans and a sweater. The sun and fresh air lure you outside with the promise of a morning walk to the store, your mind finally settling on fresh fruit and a pastry for breakfast, maybe an omelet. You walk down the street, coffee cup in hand, appreciating the birds' song, the steady hum of light traffic.

The market has the same unhurried bustle as the street outside. You peruse the fruit spread out like edible jewels before you. Add some blueberries to your basket. They will pair well with the almond croissant you decided to commit to after examining the seductive confections lining the pastry case.

On your walk home, your brunch menu forms in your mind. A scrambled egg stuffed with vegetables. More coffee. Your fruit and pastry. Vivaldi is serenading you as your eggs sizzle in the pan. The only thing missing is the paper spread out before you, the world's events broken into columns and captions. Instead, you decide to let your mind breathe, free of words, of information for the moment, indulging in the slow breakfast preparation and the gradual unfolding of a lovely meal.

On Playing with Herbs

January 25, 2014

You have your jars of herbs lined up before you like wild soldiers. Each is stuffed with gifts from the ground--fat golden flowers and thick roots and long needles--each its own medicine. Here is calendula, that happy marigold, ready to soothe irritated skin and frayed minds; there is ginger root, the fiery cleanser of the solar plexus, stoking the heat, the determination within yourself; tucked in the back is that brash kitchen herb rosemary, that fearless sharp evergreen the clears the mind and heals your tired bones.

You let the scents of each open jar mingle and cloud your nose as you take first a pinch of this herb and a scoop of that. You want something--your body is humming, calling for the soothing wisdom of these plants and they answer that call with the gentle melody of tiny buds bouncing against the sides of your mixing bowl, dried leaves whooshing into the pile of your new blend.

You inhale the rich grassy scent of alfalfa leaves, hungry for their nourishment. You search through your jars looking for alfalfa's mate, that balancing force that tempers the mouthful of mowed grass with sweet and soft. Your eyes light on fennel, that little seed made up of licorice and mint; yes, this will pair well with your other leaves.

Each addition to your bowl is the promise of a new healing elixir that will float from a steaming cup and into your soul to mend, to cleanse, to ground. And though you started with your jars and only a vague sense of needing a cup of wellness, you find that after your blend is made and steeped and drunk, that what you really needed was time in the kitchen. Time to unscrew the lids on those jars of herbs and play with nature's medicine cabinet. Time to let your mind drift, to let the taste of rosemary settle on your tongue, and to have no other aim but to blend.

On Peanut Butter

January 24, 2014

Peanut butter.

The patron saint of don't-know-what-to-eat-for-lunch and desperate-for-a-quick-afternoon-snack. Chocolate's perfect mate, jelly's no-fail dance partner. The smooth glob of velvet in your mouth that your tongue runs over and over in an attempt to make sense of the thick taste. Equally at home in the embrace of a fat spoon or a breakfast smoothie, smeared on apples or poured into soup.

Peanut butter.

It is the soothing memory of childhood PB&J lunches--the butter kissing grape jelly, smooshed between two slices of whole wheat bread. It's ants on a log, the flavor of raisins and the crunch of celery.

Peanut butter.

You stand in front of your refrigerator door, pondering these facts, these memories, as you root through your fridge, past the mustard and pickles, searching for your jar of peanut butter. You want something--not quite a meal, nor a real snack, just something to hold you over for the stretch between lunch and dinner, something indulgent, but healthy--the satisfying alternative to the chocolate that calls your name.

You unscrew the lid and inhale the warm, buttery scent of creamy nuts and memories of peanut butter cookies after a long summer day of mosaic-making. In goes your spoon to scoop out some of this edible gold from the jar. It sticks a little--the spread hard from weeks of sitting in the cool confines of the fridge--but you finally get your spoonful of heaven. You wrap your lips around the spoon and lick off the peanut butter, letting it slowly warm then melt in your mouth, filling you all the way down to your belly.

There is only one expression for that warm gooey feeling, that comforting taste of nourishing food--it is, simply, peanut butter.

Easy Peasy Baking Soda Face Scrub

January 23, 2014

First I will say that baking soda is the miracle kitchen staple, good for baking, house cleaning...and beautifying. Truth be told, I'm obsessed with baking soda because of how good it is for you--a cheap, natural, healthy product you can put in almost anything to make it better.

Which brings me to my love of a good face scrub. The skin on your face is more fragile than the rest of your body, so you need something that will scrub away the dead skin and other bad stuff without irritating it. This is something I take to heart, since my skin is super sensitive--so sensitive in fact that even gentle organic products can irritate it, making it feel like it's burning or drying it out. But I do like to give my face a little extra TLC, so after some experimentation, I've found that baking soda is a perfect primary ingredient for an easy, gentle face scrub. I then use olive oil as the wet ingredient (although you could use just water or another lighter oil) because it hydrates the skin. A drop or two of clove oil gives the scrub antibacterial qualities--but be careful not to overdo the clove oil, as it can irritate your skin. I recommend using the scrub no more than once or twice a week, so you don't strip your skin of good-for-you-oils. And of course, all ingredients are organic.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup baking soda

1/2 cup olive oil

1-2 drops clove oil (optional)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and transfer to a mason jar to store. Makes a little over 1/2 cup. Enjoy!

On Hobbit Feet

January 22, 2014

There is still a part of you that would give up shoes forever if you could--abandon the heels and leather in favor of the ground firmly under your feet.

You would relish thick soles that absorb the friction between you and the earth, the natural burlap coating that protects your feet from the elements. They would be too big for shoes, too big for something as mundane as sifting through your emails or filing your taxes.

Your toes would wriggle free from the ribbons and laces that bind them; instead, they would hug the ground with each step, grateful for their own space, no longer squished together under the pretense of civilized dress.

Better still, your hobbit feet would be built for roaming--through the mountains, past the plains, to distant forests. They would certainly never be at home in the confines of steel and concrete, though always welcome in a cozy hobbit hole built for ease and relaxation.

But there are customs to be observed, social rituals to follow, so you keep your shoes, taking comfort in the fact that if you must wear them, they are least second skins, singular works of art that tenderly cup your feet. For now, you settle for your barefoot mornings and shoeless evenings, even as the temptation of fashioning your small feet into large rough hobbit pads calls to you midday when the path from classroom to office seems longer than it is. Yes, you will love your shoes, but often think that hobbit feet would not be such a bad idea.

Easy Cinnamon-Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding

January 21, 2014

There are two things I absolutely love in my diet: chia seeds and the occasional desert. I say "occasional desert" because as much I am sometimes tempted to abandon myself to the pleasures of a decadent treat, I am rational enough to know that my waistline can only handle so much indulgence...so what's a woman to do? I've found the perfect answer to this question in chia seeds, the nutritional powerhouse loaded with antioxidants, calcium, and omega fatty acids.

And while we're on the subject of things I love, I'll add that I simply adore good, healthy food--fast. I enjoy cooking, yes, but if it gets too complicated than its a no go. Cooking should be relaxing, after all, not another homework assignment.

...so, back to chia seeds and my desert dilemma. I've found that when soaked in milk, these seeds soften to resemble the consistency of tapioca, making them a perfect base for a quick, healthy pudding when I feel like an easy, healthy treat.

I was inspired by chia seed pudding recipes from A Beautiful Mess and Food Fanatic but tweaked a few things based on what I had on hand in the kitchen and my love of cinnamon. I also like to top the pudding with fresh (or frozen and thawed) berries when I have them for that extra kick.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons chia seeds
1 cup canned coconut milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp honey (plus more to taste) 1/2-1 tsp cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a mason jar with a lid. Screw the lid on the jar and shake vigorously. Allow ingredients to sit in the fridge for at least one hour, making sure to flip the mason jar occasionally so the honey mixes with the other ingredients. To serve, divide the pudding between two bowls and top with more honey and fruit if desired. Makes two servings.

On Long Weekends

January 20, 2014

There is no school today. Still, the fact that you get to sleep in on a Monday gives you the sense that you are playing hooky--giving up on rules and restrictions and deciding to play the day away while others toil their way through nine to five (although you love your nine to five too).

The day is an open book. Where to go...what to do?

The sunlight beckons you out of doors, while the kitchen calls you to conjure up meals--here some breakfast quinoa, there a salad safely tucked inside a mason jar, perhaps even some roasted veggies for dinner. You toy with the idea of crafting, coating paper in glitter and ink, wrapping unused jars in ribbon--a holder for your loose buttons and ephemera.

You briefly entertain the idea of getting ahead on your work, from revising old prompts to organizing cabinets--but quickly dismiss the idea. It would only spoil the day. And you know the thought is only brought on by some vague sense that you should be doing something useful, productive, keeping up that facade of busyness.

No, today is not a day for extra work, but for indulging in those weekend-like pleasures Monday doesn't usually afford--a leisurely breakfast, a morning in the kitchen, an afternoon at the park and visiting family. There will be plenty of other Mondays to refine those lesson plans, to enjoy your cruise to work, but for today you savor the long stretch of time rolled out before you that will be filled on a whim, moment to moment, each impromptu plan a distillation of pure enjoyment.

On Long Walks

January 19, 2014

You wake up with an expansive feeling in your chest, a longing to roam to the farthest reaches of your territory. You want the sun on your skin and fresh air to tickle your nose. There is simply nothing to do but wander wherever your feet will take you--perhaps here to the neighborhood bookstore, or there to the park, full of families playing games and couples walking their dogs. All you know is that you must walk until the bright energy in your chest reaches your toes and your whole body sings with the fullness of life.

The birds support this plan, luring out of your home with their playful chatter and accompanying you as you drift through the city, one step at a time. The naked tree branches remind you that it's still winter, although it feels more like the first kiss of spring in the air.

You pause at each turn to consider your next direction; your decisions move you toward an unplanned adventure, the promise of an unexpected delight. Even as you move forward, a part of you is waiting expectantly, longing for a joyful surprise hidden behind each fork in the road, a mystery to be discovered, a hidden gem of something or another to be revealed. Because today your city is more than just a map of routes that get you from A to B, but a nest of haunts and jewels to be savored, lingered over, like a cup of tea on a cold day.

Eventually, when your legs tire and your appetite for an adventure is sated, you wander home, happy with roaming, but happier still to return to your sanctuary, the promise of a hot bath awaiting you.

On Saturday Mornings

January 18, 2014

You get to sleep in today.

The birds and sunlight wake you up instead of the too-eager alarm clock that usually intrudes upon your sleep. You linger in bed, the soft knitted blanket a cozy hug around you, relishing the open day before you.

It entices you with its lack of a real schedule and, as you mull over potential plans, you resist committing to any firm blueprints for your Saturday. That would be sacrilege. In fact, the only thing you're ready to commit to is lingering over a strong cup of coffee on your porch this morning.

Letting the sun's rays wash over you. You stand firm, the better to soak up the light, like a lizard or turtle sunning itself, not wanting to move for fear the warm rays will roll off you like water instead of sink under your skin to warm your very bones.

It is entirely possible you will do nothing today. You say "nothing" for it isn't the splashy outings and big events that weekends are so famous for--the ever important social schedules that let others know how busy or significant you are--but the solitary daydreaming and quiet reading of not-so-serious books, the conjuring in the kitchen or the writing desk. All this nothing that actually does something: it nourishes the soul and heals the mind and body--and allows you to enjoy a good martini in your pajamas on Saturday night without fuss or ceremony.

Your mind returns to your cup of coffee on the porch. Your body is full of the sun's caresses, but your coffee mug is in desperate need of a refill. You turn your thoughts to breakfast--something decadent, a treat after your weekly oatmeal--and the lush enjoyment of a schedule-free day spread out before you.

Weekend Head Start Bubble Bath

January 17, 2014

So you all know I love me some bubble bath!

Sometimes there is no better way, in my personal opinion, to end the week--and start the weekend--than to have a deliciously detoxing and restorative bubble bath.

My recipe includes baking soda (the wonder staple of the kitchen) because it is an antibacterial skin softener. It also clears away blemishes on the skins and pulls out toxins. The Epsom salt in the bath help heal the nervous system, decrease inflammation, and allow the body to better absorb nutrients because of the magnesium and sulfates in it. You can also add your favorite bubble bath (really is any bath complete without bubbles?) and soothing essential oils. Lately, I've been loving eucalyptus and lemon oil in my bath.

Ingredients:

1 cup baking soda

1 cup Epsom salt

10-15 drops essential oil (optional)

Bubble bath

Pour all ingredients in the bath, then add warm to hot water. Plan to spend at least 30-45 minutes in the bath so that your body can absorb all the nutrients of the salt and your skin can get nice and soft from the baking soda. Enjoy!

On Cruising to Work

January 16, 2014

The sun is just breaking over the mountains.

Each building, each tree, each lamppost, seems to spring to life under the playful prodding of the morning light. It is only you and a few brave souls gliding through the streets at this early hour.

Your body sings with the light energy of the morning as yet unblemished by time; this clean slate is tickled by the sound of country music wafting over the radio. Your favorite song comes on and your crank it up just a little louder, waking up that last sleepy part of yourself as you sing along to the twangy tune.

It is as if the mountains pull you towards them, towards the sun, with their own magnetic force.

In this moment, you feel like a true New Mexican, as you crank the music louder still, letting the rhythm wash over you like the sun's rays. Your foot presses the pedal just a little more, revving the engine as if in time to the beat of the music. You greet this workday as you do every other, with the ritual of cruising down your streets, the streets you've known all your life, the streets that carry you through each hour of your day.

You signal to turn into the parking lot of your work, stopping just short of the mountains, the sun. You lower your radio--you must keep up appearances of being a Serious Professional, after all. You turn off the engine and emerge from your car ready to take on the world.

You could dance through your day, ready for anything.

On the Hunt for a New Read

January 15, 2014

But the last one was so good.

If only it was longer or you hadn't turned through the pages so fast, greedily gobbling up the words like a child stuffing her mouth with sweets. It wasn't your fault--how could you not keep reading? How could you not dip back into that world every chance you got, losing yourself in the absinth and fog, the plot and the twists?

Perhaps you will try this book here--it's been sitting on your shelf awhile. But no--the heroine is not so likable, the streets not so interesting--but maybe if you gave it a few more pages--why should you? You shouldn't have to work that hard. It is a battle within yourself, searching for a new place to plant your imagination and yet loath to leave your old haunt. Eventually, you abandon the bookshelf altogether, throwing yourself at the mercy of Kindle sample reads. Surely there must be *something* to sink your mind into.

But the same old dilemma greets you in your cyber realm: this book is too slow--that one too fast, falling over itself in its hurry to get through the plot. The tone there is too light, like a cream puff, leaving you feeling too sugary and breezy; yet this next one is too heavy, weighted down by verbose prose and self-importance--hardly the stuff of guilty pleasures.

You sift and sift, revisiting old books and searching for new ones, until it happens: you stumble upon a gem in the pile of simply-will-not-do books. It's the cover that draws you in first with its the hint of adventure--then your fingers slip between the covers and find that perfect spot--the one that makes you giggle, or shiver, or wonder, begging you to turn the page.

You remember now, why you bought the book in the first place. You can hardly understand why you haven't read it sooner, as you curl up on the couch, the immediacy of the last read fading in the unfolding of the new one.

Keepin' it Fresh Homemade Deodorant

January 14, 2014

Keepin' the B.O. at bay is not the most glamorous of subjects, but there's nothing like solid underarm protection to make you feel like a lady (or gent).

While mainstream deodorant can promise extra strength protection against sweat and B.O., it does this with the use of harmful ingredients--check out Dying to Look Good for more info on the scary details. This leaves us with a safer, but often less effective option: all natural deodorant found at your local co-op or hippy grocery store. Safe? Yes. But if you're active like me all day, it does little to keep you feeling fresh as a daisy. Worse still, some "natural" products even contain harmful ingredients as well.

So I went in search of another option: DIY deodorant. It sounds crazy, but it totally works! Not only are the ingredients cheap household staples for the most part, but the final product works better than anything I've tried before. The recipe I have here has been adapted from ones by Wellness Mama and Crunchy Betty. The baking soda absorbs odor and, I've found, actually makes you sweat less over time. The coconut oil is anti-bacterial, while the arrowroot absorbs moisture. If you use essential oils, opt for tea tree oil or lavender oil, both of which are antibacterial. Always go for organic ingredients because they are gentler on your skin.

Ingredients:

1/4 c baking soda

1/4 c arrowroot powder

1/4 c coconut oil

3-5 drops essential oils (optional)

Mix dry ingredients together in a small bowl then slowly work in room temp coconut oil until all ingredients are combined. Then stir in essential oils if desired. Store in a small mason jar. Makes about 1/2 cup. Enjoy!

On Reading Late into the Night

January 13, 2014

You've lost track of time.

You know it's late, but you refuse to glance at your clock for fear the little green numbers will pull you out of the magic spell the book has cast over you.

It's just one more page--to see what happens--yes, just one more. Really, you should just finish the chapter--yes, that's a good stopping point--except you still don't know what happened to the heroine or if the hero will ever escape his captors. It only makes sense to keep going, letting the words on the page run through you like sand through an hourglass.

You are safely cocooned inside your blankets, the soft lamplight keeping sleep at bay. You know tomorrow will be better for a full night's sleep. Yet you know, just as well, that even if you were to put the book down, you would only stare at the little cracks and lines in the ceiling and whittle away the hours speculating. Wondering about what could happen, how your heroes could have done things differently, why they didn't see the clues earlier as they were so plainly laid before them.

So you read just a little more.

Truly, it would not do the novel justice if you were to break off reading at such a pivotal moment, as if you would suspend the characters in that scene, freezing them until you could return to your book, find that right page, and begin again.

You press on, enjoying the naughty feeling of being up past your bedtime.

Your eyes betray you first--they droop and flutter, even as they try to squeeze in one last sentence. Then your hands, too tired to hold the book up any longer. Your head tilts to the side, your cheek on the pillow. But the story had not left you--only the page--as your dreams pick up where you left off and play with the loose threads of plot not yet sewn into the larger tapestry.

On Sundays

January 12, 2014

A day in the kitchen.

There is no other way Sunday should be spent. You linger amidst your pots and pans, oven and stove, concocting medicine for the week in the form of hearty winter soup for your dinners and lentils with roasted veggies for your lunches. You even tinker with your herbs and spices, lazily dreaming up another tea blend--a treat to finish off your evenings before drifting off to sleep.

It is a day of devotion to nourishing yourself and your loved ones, filling up your soul as you fill your belly, fortifying yourself for the week ahead.

A nap is in order while the soup simmers on the stove and the roasted veggies cool. You allow yourself to drift on the couch, an abandoned book limp across your chest. You relish the afternoon quiet and sink into the deep pleasure of no real agenda, no need to be on for anybody, no reason to wear restrictive clothing.

Tomorrow you will greet the world, ready for the noise and bustle--yes, even ready to wear real clothes with zippers and buttons on them. But for now, you let the smell of your winter stew tickle your nose as your mind dances between the dream world and wakefulness.

It will only be the promise of a bubble bath that inevitably lures you from the couch and the ritual of homemade pasta for dinner that steals you from the delicious hot bath. The slow easy pace of the day and luxurious family dinner will always be your restorative tonic to start the week.