Congratulations, Molly, and welcome to The Cozy Read...
Happy new year, Sharon and all who follow the cozy life!
Though it was highly satisfying to kick 2020 to the curb, we also recognize that life hasn’t magically been fixed with a turn of the calendar page, and that we still have a bit of winter ahead. Even in non-pandemic years, while I appreciate the hush of winter and the sparkling stars and frost, I do long for the scents and colors of spring.
Thus my wintertime coziness plan is: bring in the plants and their magic!
Here are three activities I indulge in, covering three different time frames: for right now, for a week or two from now, and for spring and onward—though you can START any of them anytime.
For right now:
Herbal tea is a lovely way to enjoy the scents, flavors, and healing properties of plants. Here’s a bedtime tea I like to make. For one mug, put into your tea strainer a generous pinch of each of these dried plants:
- spearmint
- lemon balm
- lavender blossoms
- rose petals (or a splash of rose water)
Pour boiling water over it, let it sit 5 to 10 minutes, and drink! This infusion smells like a fresh herb garden, tastes as good as it smells, and will help you mellow out and feel healthier before bed.
For a week or two from now:
In winter you generally can’t find many fresh flowers to cut and bring inside. But you can do the next best thing: cut a few slender branches from trees or shrubs that WILL flower in spring (be sure to choose ones with buds on them), bring them in, and put them in water. Chances are good that, given a week or two and a few changes of water, they’ll be seduced by your home’s warmth and start opening their leaves and flowers. I’ve had especially good luck with my red currant bushes, some plum and cherry trees, and also magnolia—here’s a recent picture!
|