A brighter world

It's still January, although not too dark and gloomy this year, at least on the east coast of Ireland.  However, although buds on trees and shrubs look close to bursting forth, and primroses, snowdrops, crocuses and even daffodils are already blooming, it's not really spring yet, because it's just too dark. I went through my books to see which ones offer the most in terms of things to do while waiting for the bright days.

The first is “Herbal Remedies – A practical beginner's guide to making effective remedies in the kitchen.” It's by Christopher Hedley and Non Shaw, this edition published by Parragon UK 2001, and I bought it in a small shop attached to our local Tesco. It has a lot of interesting information on all types of herbs, and recipes using these, and the photographs are very attractive.

Here is a recipe for Juniper Soaks:

“Juniper is anti-rheumatic, which means that it promotes the excretion of uric acid and toxins. Baths, handbaths and footbaths of juniper sometimes bring about spectacular results in rheumatism and arthritis.

Add 1 tablespoon of reduced juniper decoction to 4.5 litres/8 pints/5 quarts of water, or use fresh juniper berry tea diluted in 600 ml/1 pint/2 1/2 cups of water. Soak for 15 – 20 minutes. Repeat daily.”

I prefer the idea of soaks (and this is the first time I've come across this expression)  to taking anything internally unless I am familiar with it. Sure it's worth a try, anyway.
Presumably you find out in the book how to make the decoction, or maybe you buy it, I don't know, but it sounds good. There are many other recipes here, for skin creams, oils, hand creams. It could turn into a hobby, or at least you'll feel refreshed for spring if you give some of these ideas a go.

Another book in the same line, “It's So Natural”, by Alan Hayes, was published by Gill & Macmillan Ltd., Dublin, in 1998. I bought it in the Eco-Shop, Greystones, sadly gone now, It also is full of natural remedies and hints. Here is one very useful one for cleaning ovens:

“There is no need to resort to harmful chemicals or throw your arms up in despair next time the oven needs cleaning.A paste of bicarbonate of soda and water will not only effectively do the job, but is guaranteed not to harm you or the environment.
Mix sufficient bicarbonate of soda and water to form a stiff paste and spread it over the inside of the oven, then heat for 10 minutes. When the oven has cooled brush the bicarbonate of soda off – it will removed all traces of burnt fat and grease. To loosen foods that have been baked on, place 4 tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda in the bottom of an enamel, oven proof glass or ceramic baking dish and add just enough water to cover the bottom of the dish. Heat the oven for 10 minutes, switch off, and leave the dish of bicarbonate of soda in overnight.”

The recipes in this book for the garden, pets, beauty, ointments and household cleaning are really useful, and none of the ingredients are expensive, so they are at least worth a try.. All are quite simple. If you rub soap over a bathroom mirror, for instance, and then polish it with newspaper, the mirror won't steam up. The trouble is, I saw that hint, but cannot find it again. There is no index, probably because the hints are given throughout the book in alphabetical order, but I don't know in what category I found it. When I look under Mirrors, I am directed to Windows, but no, it's not there. That is a little frustrating.

“Yeah! I Made It Myself – DIY Fashion for the not very domestic goddess" –-is written by Eithne Farry and published in 2006 by Weidenfeld & Nicholson of London, and it's my daughter's book.
t's a very simple sewing and knitting crafts book, showing you how to make all kinds of things, dresses, skirts, belts, scarves, accessories, and bags, all kinds of bags, without patterns. The colourful drawings and photographs are very inspiring and the whole theme of the book is creativity. Chapter 4, which is about making skirts, is entitled: “How to make a few skirts to run for the bus in and one that you can't”
Here is one of the many bags the author shows how to make:

Now for more sewing: “The Illustrated Hassle-Free Make Your Own Clothes Book” by Sharon Rosenberg and Joan Wiener, published by Straight Arrow Books of San Francisco in 1971, and its sequel, “Son Of Hassle-Free Sewing” by the same authors, and published by the same company in 1972 are two amazing books. So amazing that the first two we owned disappeared, the second one literally from under our noses in the house, and were replaced by a kind relative. It would be interesting to draw up a list of books under the heading: Books Most Likely To Be Pilfered, and these two would feature prominently. They show you how to make up your own brown-paper patterns from clothes which already exist – some clothes are even made without any pattern. There are clothes for men, women, children, babies; there are toys, belts, pillows, instructions on embroidery., baby carriers, clown suits. They give easy-to-follow steps for all of these; they show you how to use your favourite clothes as patterns to reproduce them, so when the originals are worn out, you can have them again, in any amount of colours or materials. None of these instructions would be half so valuable without the back stories and chitchat of the authors. They are what make these books really special.

“365 Ways To Change The World – How to Make a Better World Every Day” is a book full of ideas, with a different thing to do assigned to each date on the calendar. Written by Michael Norton and published by Harper Perennial in 2006, I'm not sure what to make of this book myself. It is full of causes to take up, a kind of modern 'What to Do' book – very much within the green agenda – everything from beekeeping to going on holidays or living in houses made from discarded tyres and earth, from trying out a wheelchair to see what life is like for the physically disabled in our society to going to a restaurant where the owner and waiters are all blind and you eat in the dark; there is something for everyone here, including myself; on March 11^th the suggestion is “Sell books online”.

This is one of the books I actually bought new. It's not the sort of book you can read straight through, but I would say there will be at least one idea for everybody, and if not, sure it's fun to read anyway, and isn't that what a book is supposed to be!