We are not sent into this world to do anything into which we cannot put our hearts.

      John Ruskin

      FOREWORD

      by Gail Greco

      author of Secrets of Entertaining and Tea-Time at the

      Inn, and host/producer of the award-winning PBS TV

      series, Country Inn Cooking with Gail Greco

      During the past twenty years, while I’ve been writing about bed-and-breakfast inns, innkeepers have led me not only through the doors of their charming, well-appointed, and thoughtful rooms and their delicious, homemade meals. In addition, surrounded by the great halo of their hospitality, I have learned about myself and about others. Once I asked an innkeeper, “So, what do you do on those days when you want to shut out the world, but in just a few short hours, guests will be arriving, seeking your undivided attention and whatever is left of your energy?”

      On a high note, she challenged me, “Having a bad day? What a great time to invite someone over!”

      What an incredible comment, I thought. But the she was right. As she had discovered—by having no choice in the matter—if she could pull herself up, suppress her doldrums, and muster up strength with a smile, she would not only please her guests, but also, unbelievably, herself.

      Life is full of moments—make that hours—when we are beside ourselves with uncertainty, fear, stress, or any one of a host of dilemmas that weigh us down and paralyze our thoughts and actions. Sometimes we are under so thick a cloud of confusion that we are rendered immobile. Some people have found help through such means as prayer, meditation, or close friends. The innkeeper has her guests. What do you have?

      How about the book you are holding in your hands? Like a guest knocking at your door, 365 Simple Pleasures is bound to turn your day around.

      By reading daily and trying out some of the suggestions, you will not only lift your spirits, but also experience pleasure and perhaps notice the same reaction as the innkeeper gets from her guests. You will come away feeling renewed and out of your sour mood. The point of Susannah Seton’s new book on the exploration of comfort and joy in your life is that proactive, life-giving ideas are all around you, even in household chores. Sometimes, though, we are blind, as our minds race with so many things that we do not pay attention to what we are doing or how we are feeling.

      Our author wants to bring us back to Earth, and she points out that past generations of women can help us get there. Pioneers were faced with making things by hand, and by doing so they were self-rejuvenated, an experience that we too can have. Bravo! Anything that brings us to our knees again will most assuredly also bring us to our senses, and thus to 365 pleasures and then some.

      A BOWER OF PLEASURES

      I’ve been thinking and writing about simple pleasures for six years now, scouring old-fashioned crafts and recipe collections, hounding friends and family for ideas. What I’ve come to see is that in these mechanistic, commercial times, much joy can be found in reviving some of the traditions that our mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers practiced in their homes in the name of necessity. Women in previous generations made their own bread, candles, and lotions because they had to; we in the twenty-first century have more choices about everything, and many of us are discovering that the choice to make a rosemary wreath rather than buy one or to make a batch of crackers from scratch is downright rejuvenating in some wonderfully fundamental way. Using our hands to make something—a homemade toss pillow, a jar of pickles—can be extremely pleasurable in and of itself—and that’s not counting the pleasure to be derived from sharing it with others!

      What you hold in your hands right now is 365 of these timeless pleasures—the little things that can make such a big difference in our lives and in the lives of those around us. They represent not only my ideas and stories, but those of hundreds of other folks as well. Not all these suggestions will appeal to you. Pleasure is extremely idiosyncratic; one person’s delight might be another person’s nightmare. But I hope you will find enough to bring you joy throughout the entire year.

      Think of these offerings as a huge flower mart in which you get to wander, picking exactly the flowers you want to bring into your home to give you maximum delight. The idea is to enjoy yourself and to bring enjoyment to others, not to lay a guilt trip on yourself about how you should be more creative or take better care of yourself. In this, at least, if in no other corner of your life, it’s all about savoring the simple beauty of being alive in the world.

       —Susannah Seton

      JANUARY 1

      CREATE A SIMPLE PLEASURES LIST

      What little things bring you joy? They’re different for each of us. Here is my friend Pat’s list: 1) when I really feel listened to; 2) when I have the bed all to myself; 3) when I take a hot bubble bath; 4) when my son gives me a big hug and holds on tight. Make your own list—and then be sure to indulge regularly

       JANUARY 2

      BASIC WHITE BREAD

      Nothing beats the smell of bread baking. It creates such a feeling of home!

      1¼ cups low-fat milk, scalded

      1½ tablespoons honey

      1¼ teaspoons salt

      2 tablespoons canola, corn, or safflower oil, plus a bit more

      1¼ ounce package dry yeast

      ¼ cup warm water (105-115°)

      3½ cups unbleached