Kelleys Custom Creams Newsletter, No 10

I have a wonderful book TITANIA'S ORAQLE, which I consulted recently. I asked it what I could do to make my life happier, and it said: Learn to focus on one thing at a time. This of course seemed like an impossiblity, after all, I've got a zillion things to do! Right?

But: This is, in fact, really good advice. Pay attention to what you are doing, prioritize your tasks and then forget about what is next until you are done with what is here. Even in Summer, when theoretically we are playing and enjoying ourselves, the truth is we are still working and "multi-tasking" (UGH) and looking into the future. This can lead to a state of overwhelm. It is really important to take time to look at the good things around us, take in the beauty, breathe the air. A few moments of that and you can go back to completing a concrete task. A good herb to help us with this (besides the obvious ultimate grape application, first stages indicated above) is dill. Dill is not only wonderful in food as a fresh herb- think potato salad, egg salad, tuna salad, grilled salmon, just to name a very few. The seeds are terrific too: In tea to soothe digestive issues such as gas and discomfort, as well as in curries and other preparations where they can serve the same purpose. Dill flower essence is also very wonderful. It helps with mental overwhelm, is good for allergies and skin issues such as rashes and eczema. Dill flower essence combined with Nasturtium flower essence and a little Peppermint essential oil in a spritzer can be just the thing for a summer afternoon's doldrums. It really is amazing what can be done with such humble but magnificent ingredients. Cucumbers are another wonderful thing that springs to mind. Good with dill, they are delicious and helpful cut into the shape of your choosing, and put in water with a slice of lemon. Add some ice and you have a refreshing pick me up that also boosts potassium.

In the meantime, we can all think about the one thing at a time business. This may be what Pablo Casals meant when he said, If we do small things every day eventually we will see miracles.