If you would have a mind at peace,
A heart that cannot harden,
Go find a door that opens wide
Upon a lovely garden.
~Cypress Gardens

Pampering Yourself With Herbs
By Brenda Hyde

From the moment you wake up your day is hectic. You skip breakfast and barely have time for lunch. It seems like you can never catch a breath, which is why pampering yourself seems out of the question. The thing we often have a hard time understanding is that we must refresh ourselves in order to do our best. You can only travel at 100 miles an hour for so long. Herbs are an inexpensive yet elegant way to pamper yourself when you take a few minutes or hopefully a few hours of quiet time.

Quick Refreshers

Tie fresh lavender, thyme, and sage together in a small bundle and hang near your desk or work area; even if that happens to be the kitchen sink.

Flavor plain cream cheese with finely chopped fresh or crushed dried herbs such as basil, thyme, dill, marjoram, chives, mint or oregano. Add 1 teaspoon of dried herbs, or about 1 tablespoon of fresh, at a time per 8 ounces of cream cheese. Mix them if you wish; as long as they equal those proportions. Keep in a covered container to spread on bagels, crackers or French bread instead of skipping breakfast.

Place dried chamomile, rosemary, lavender and lemon balm in a small cloth bags. Place the bags in a bathroom, under cushions or other places where pressure or warmth will release a wonderful smell.

Special Treats

Lavender-vinegar hair rinse: Fill a one quart jar 1/2 full with lavender leaves and flowers. Top with white vinegar; seal with a plastic lid, or place plastic wrap over the jar first before closing lid. Place in a dark place, such as a cupboard for 3-4 weeks. Mix one part lavender vinegar to one part distilled water and use to rinse hair after shampooing.

Herbal Baths: Fresh or dried herbs can be used for a relaxing bath. Use herbs such as lavender, rosemary, lemon verbena or lemon balm. To infuse the herbs simply combine 4 cups boiling water with 4 tablespoons of herbs. Steep for 30 minutes, strain and add liquid to your bath. To create a bath bag cut a circle of muslin or cheese cloth and place fresh herbs in the center with fine oatmeal (ground in blender) or powdered milk. Gather the bundle and tie tightly with ribbon. Tie the bag from the faucet while the water is running and allow it to soak in your bath water while you are bathing.

Room Freshener: Combine dried lavender, rosemary, southernwood, ground cloves, cinnamon and baking soda. Sprinkle on your carpet and leave for one hour, then vacuum. If you have very light carpet be sure to test an small area first.

Relaxing

We all need quiet time to reflect on our life and what we are trying to accomplish. Don't keep speeding down the road of life without taking a daily side trip. Slow down and relax while enjoying the natural fragrance of herbs.