365 days of yoga and art

Day 365 August 4, 2011

2011-08-04T10:27:00.016-03:00

white sculpture clay, acrylic paint

Today brings an end to this daily blogging for Denise, of the blog 365 days of yoga and daily routine, and for me. I intend to continue writing and posting images but I will do this when it feels like the right time, versus every single day; posting daily was one of the founding principles of the journey for Denise and I. Yes, I still will do yoga asana practice every day, because I know it is such a help to me and fun as well. Why wouldn't I? As well, why wouldn't I continue my art practice daily? When things feel right there is no issue with doing them, if anything, we can hardly wait to begin!

The words though, ah the words, they are more challenging for me to compose every single day so they will be posted sporadically, certainly. Of course this resistance to daily writing goes against what many writers tell you to do, but I didn't say I wouldn't write daily, I just won't post daily. There is a difference.

I leave you with a few words about a neighbour of mine who used to live across the road from me in Cape Breton when we were both young women. From the vantage point of my Cape Breton farmhouse, her house was one of only two that I could see within the 360 degrees of visibility. She and her family were from Toronto. This is what I remember most about Sue. She never spoke a word of criticism to anyone in my presence, even when I thought upon occasion, well, perhaps this or that should be said about X [you fill in the blank]. Sue was also soft spoken, a bit shy and she always had a personal story to share with you that cheered you up.

Sue's family was her centre; I knew her when her boys were young and whoever doesn't realize that raising two small boys is more than a full time job is a bit of a lunatic. Sue and her husband were artists. They worked with cloth, manufacturing luscious, wearable art garments and wall hangings. After their family moved away, Sue went back to school and later went on to teach painting in a university. She composed highly symbolic paintings and exquisite portraits, sometimes of her own family members.

One of my favourite memories of Sue was her joy at showing me one of her family's latest summer creations. She walked me outside to her sprawling vegetable garden and there amidst the small rows of different vegetables was a bed of lettuce. I mean there actually was a brass bedstead, a brass headboard and footboard set up on the ground and within its demarcated framework was a lush, thick carpet of tall lettuce leaves. Sue's face lit up with such apparent joy as she watched me examine this work.

This tells you a lot about what was important to Sue and her family. Laughter. A common purpose. Bringing an idea to life. Sounds like a good plan for all families, don't you think? Yes, Sue was inspirational. May the love and joy in her life rub off on all of us. That is the nature of love you know, whether it be love of food, love of art, love of good books, or love of family, for when you talk about love, it can always expand and include more.

Namaste.

Day 364 August 3, 2011

2011-08-03T20:49:00.000-03:00

detail of acrylic painting

The day before the last blog in this project. Ahhhhh.........

I've learned so much. Denise and I both feel honoured to have completed this project together. We have both learned an awful lot about yoga asana practice, daily routine, art practice and more.

Once I have my new blogspot up and running I'll include a link to this lovely project. I think my new blog will simply be Muriel Zimmer. Haven't made it yet, but I'll keep you posted. I'm away for five days starting tomorrow, so I'll get to it once I'm off the boat and back on the land here at home.

Mr. Bear, our ten year old black labrador retriever, just came over to get a kiss. He's such a sweetie. I hope someone just came over to give you a kiss too :)

Well, I'm off and running.

Namaste.

Day 363 August 2, 2011

2011-08-02T20:56:00.000-03:00

Jim's front room

My brother Jim lives in a very old house, set deep in the country in upstate New York. His stone house was built about 200 hundred year's ago. By some standards that is not an old house, but for Canadians a 200 year old house is an old house. Of course by standards in India or China, 200 years is like yesterday afternoon. I myself am getting a bit decrepit at my current age 65, at least compared to my youth. You see, everything depends upon your personal point of view.

It's true though, some times I feel about 102 while other times I still feel about 7. My heart is young. My body on the other hand needs considerably more attention to keep it happy and functioning than even five year's ago. So, there you have it.

How are you doing? What age are you? Is your body crying for attention? If it is, I recommend you pay attention. I know that often we are the last ones to get loving attention; there is usually a long list of people ahead of us, especially if we are caregivers ourselves. But you know what? Here is my take on that, as a caregiver how are you supposed to know how to take care of anyone else if you are clueless about taking care of yourself?

I hope that you spend some time taking care of yourself today.

Day 362 August 1, 2011

2011-08-01T22:20:00.000-03:00

Did I remember to mention that my daughter is getting married next month? Yes, it is an exciting time for our family. This season we are actually talking about wedding fever. There are five weddings taking place between June 2011 and March 2012 in my family. Phew! My daughter's is wedding number 4, but as you can well imagine, her wedding looms very large in my life.

One of the fun parts of weddings is figuring out what to wear on the big day. Thanks to lots of feedback from my fashion consultants [my daughters], I've bought a great medium blue dress and the colour of these tulips I've posted is the colour range of the Korean red coral jewelry that I plan on wearing to my daughter's wedding. If it's chilly I'll bring a similarly coloured pashmini shawl as a warm up wrap. I have reddish coloured sandals too. I haven't spent so much effort on my wardrobe in many years. It's really an exercise in artistic sensibility, to choose an outfit for an important occasion.

What is the statement you want to make with your choice of clothing? My rules for any clothing are: 1. it must be comfortable, 2. in colours I adore, 3. and suitable for the event. If the clothing passes all three rules I know it is destined to find a place in my little closet. How do you chose your clothing? Current or not? Classic? Do you forget comfort? What are your favourite colours for clothing? Do you watch Project Runway to enjoy looking over the shoulders of clothing designers?

Day 361 July 31, 2011

2011-07-31T21:55:00.000-03:00

Today I spotted one tomato starting to ripen in the garden, a sure sign of the upcoming season of fall. Tomorrow begins the month of August. Denise and I will celebrate the evening before the anniversary of our blogging at a fine local restaurant with David, following an early evening yoga class. Then bright and early on the 4th, more Denise's time of day than mine, we'll have a closing ceremony for 365 days of yoga. It amazes me that Denise loves the dawn and practices daily very early in the day. I am not a morning person, I'm more a late morning or an early afternoon person, but not too late in the afternoon, once 3:30 hits my energy starts to decline.

It is hard to believe that one year is almost done since this blog began. So much has changed in my life. My commitment to daily yoga asana has become a welcomed part of each day. I can feel the benefits of this physical conversation with myself, and more than just in a physical way. I am happier and calmer. I'll keep you posted about how things will change once the one year anniversary date of this blog is reached. The fact that Denise is with me again in the flesh to start and end this project makes the circle complete for both of us. I couldn't have done this without her. Thank you so much, my dear Denise :)

Right after our closing ceremony, I'm off to the airport to fly out of Nova Scotia, just down the coast to Maine, to join my brother on his boat where we will attend a family wedding on a small island. Water and boating is a hard duo for me to pass up. Seeing my family will also be lots of fun.

Namaste.

Day 360 July 30, 2011

2011-07-30T22:34:00.001-03:00

Saulnierville, Nova Scotia

Near the end of the general class today at David's new yoga studio, as I rested on the floor briefly before giving my full attention to the next pose, setubundha sarvanghasana, I heard one of the other students who was already in the pose ask a question. She said, "Is this supposed to be relaxing?" Perhaps it was because I found this class quite challenging at times, or perhaps it was because I was generally tired, but I instantly laughed right out loud and declared that this should be the mantra for all Iyengar yoga classes, "is this supposed to be relaxing?"

It struck me as so funny because many people think that doing yoga IS very relaxing. In one way they are right, but in most Iyengar yoga classes this relaxation is the hard won fruit of serious, physically demanding work. The harder you work the deeper your relaxation at the end of class. This "hard work" involves sweat, increased heart rate, trembling muscles if you push yourself too much, uncertainty, balance, confronting some of your own fears about what your body is capable of doing, and most of all strength. As David sometimes says, yoga has nothing to do with what is comfortable. You are rarely comfortable, rather you attempt to retrain your nervous system by moving in ways that feel unusual, and all of this increases your joints' range of motion and undoes "desk disease", that condition so many people experience from too many hours at a desk. If you are very tight in one part of your body, that part will be asked to open and stretch. If you are very weak in one part, that part will be asked to become strong.

That was a rather long winded explanation about why this remark, "is this supposed to be relaxing?", was so funny today. Do you get it? What others think is easy sometimes really isn't. I hope you had a good laugh today too :)

namaste.

Day 359 July 29, 2011

2011-07-29T21:34:00.001-03:00

Black Currants

My dear friend Denise, of the blog 365 days of yoga and daily routine, said today, "Being in nature is healing and has refreshed my spirit." I agree. I think that is why David and I both dove into the garden today, for hours and hours. I finished picking the black currants and processed them in two batches. Boiling water bath. One batch unsweetened puree. One batch sweetened with honey puree. Did I remember to mention our garden is organically grown?

David harvested three rows of garlic and hung them in the shed. I staked tomatoes with old strapping boards and strips of ripped up pillowcases for ties. David also turned over a large patch in the garden, a location that we are doing our best to rid of bindweed, through natural means. The freshly turned soil is puffy and gorgeous.

I hope you too found solace and healing in nature today, even if you only saw a photo of nature in a magazine, or gazed out of a window from your bed or chair to observe the weather in your neighbourhood. Perhaps you sat under a tree? Noticed a meandering river?

Perhaps after a long day of work in the city you closed your eyes briefly on the subway on your ride home and imagined a beach with rolling green waves and a light grey sky. You were standing in the water watching it rise over your feet and then recede. Ah........ nature, yes, it heals.

Namaste.

Day 358 July 28, 2011

2011-07-28T21:24:00.000-03:00

Havanna, Cuba

Another hot day at home in Nova Scotia, but I think farther afield to distant locations. David and I drove into the city today to attend an Irish wake for one of David's oldest friends, Tom C. who died suddenly on Saturday. David and Tom met in grade 3, quite a few year's ago.

Tom had the ability to make lifelong friends for he always treated everyone he met as someone special and worth knowing. He and his wife Judy sailed the world for two years, all the way to South America. Tom recently went to Havanna, Cuba last winter with two other boyhood friends. He just loved travel, and that is why I think of Cuba tonight, and remember Tom.

His friends toasted his memory countless times. His wife hugged everyone. Several funny stories about Tom were told which made everyone laugh out loud. David and I gazed out on the water and watched the boaters as we listened to the Irish music. David laughed and laughed with his old friends, as Tom would have wanted him to do.

Yes, in tribute to a fine person, there is nothing better than laughing over the countless funny experiences you shared with them.

Namaste.

Day 357 July 27, 2011

2011-07-27T17:53:00.001-03:00

Day 357 grapes, year two in Nova Scotia

So today was a wet, warm gardening day. The grapes, as you can see, were starting to produce a few clusters so David and I gave them strong posts and a wire and I tied them to the wire. The branches were touching the ground this morning, so we knew they needed help. Then the weeding began, followed by removing a few potato beetles, pruning tomatoes. picking blueberries and finally, picking black currants. Phew, but what fun!

What was your day like?

Day 356 July 26, 2011

2011-07-26T22:21:00.000-03:00

stoneware tiles decorated with black stain, reduction fired

Day 355 July 25, 2011

2011-07-26T22:19:00.000-03:00

Day 355 doggies in Cape Breton

A lovely full day of sunshine in Glenville, made more cheerful by these furry boys. Totally sunny day. Yes it is possible, but this summer in Nova Scotia it is rare.

My dear friends Holly Jane and Carolyn spent the day with me on a quiet stretch of warm sand in the inner harbour of Inverness. Visualize cormorants gliding by, horses getting washed down with salt water, brilliantly painted fishing boats, a few dogs and people wandering by..... Ah...... summer :)

Namaste.

Day 354 July 24, 2011

2011-07-24T13:29:00.000-03:00

Today I am in Cape Breton with two wonderful friends. The ocean is nearby where we are staying and our aim is to take it very easy for a day or two together and visit pristine beaches and soak in the cold, green salty water. Drink in the glorious spaces of air and water, pasture and cliffs, drink in and restore our calmness. Laugh a lot. Watch a movie. Enjoy our time together.

Friends. You've got to make time for your friends. That is my advice for the day. And remember, sometimes you are your own best friend, so whether or not you are alone or with another, drink it all in, soothe yourself. It's summer and here in Nova Scotia it goes by rather quickly, so make sure to notice how lovely it really is. Enjoy.

Day 353 July 23, 2011

2011-07-23T20:28:00.000-03:00

Are you busy? Like many people, I too am busy, busy with countless projects, ideas and just busy taking care of my life, my yoga practice, my family, etc. Usually we don't realize our own busy behaviour.

Today I realized just how busy I usually am. The phone rang for my husband David and he learned that his longest known friend died suddenly today. His friend Tom had retired rather early, travelled the world with his beautiful wife, and they were both in his home town for a friend's 60th birthday party. On a beautiful sunny day such as today Tom drove to the ocean alone when he suddenly died.

That news stopped me in my tracks, and naturally, David as well. Tom was younger than my David by several years. Now that we've had a bit of time to absorb this loss David said, "Tom lived a full life." For Tom to die today made me see just how busy a person I can be. Tom helped me realize that we should make our days precious and not just busy.

I hope that you may each find the preciousness of your day today.

Day 352 July 22, 2011

2011-07-23T08:34:00.000-03:00

Another hot day in Nova Scotia. This morning David was asked to teach at a good friend's cottage, on a lake. What a way to start the day. An expansive yoga practice, filled with fresh cool air coming off the lake, on a wooden platform under the shade of huge trees, that's right my friends, it was Heavenly.

Of course a flock of ten tiny wild ducks shepherded by their momma duck greeted us at the wharf. Cute beyond belief.

After only 5 hours of sleep the night before, this day felt special. I cooled myself off after the hard work of yoga class in the deep cool lake.

Ahh................... On a day like today, yes, there is paradise. If you haven't visited a lake recently, I highly recommend it :)

Day 351 July 21, 2011

2011-07-21T20:45:00.000-03:00

Havanna, Cuba

Tonight it is so warm it almost feels like Havanna, Cuba here at home. Finally the heat wave has hit little Nova Scotia. If it is really hot where you are tonight, remember to drink lots of water and rest. Last night in the yoga studio sweat was running down my face and neck despite the air conditioning. From the news front it seems all of North America is experiencing a heat wave.

Yeah for heat! After a long, cold winter and a wet, gray May and June I'm ready for some heat.

Namaste.

Day 350 July 20, 2011

2011-07-20T21:32:00.000-03:00

Aunt Grace B.'s childhood sampler

Today I cherished a few quiet hours at home. My life is getting very busy soon with tons of travel, so to have a day where I did precious little other than stay home all morning was a real treat. Just as my Aunt Grace's childhood sampler says, "Dear Little House, Dear Shabby Street, Books and beds and food to eat, how feeble words are to express the facets of your tenderness".

As much as my little house and property can seem almost too much for me sometimes, today it felt just perfect. I hope you too get a few hours at your home today and find the reward of just being in your own space. Or if you are travelling, just be quiet and look within, there too you will find your home.

Day 349 July 19, 2011

2011-07-19T22:16:00.002-03:00

Day 349 poppy

Poppy

so fragile
ragged edged
and preposterous in its
beauty

steadfast for one day
till a strong wind
dismantles its array

no matter
this is the nature of our time here
brief
but exquisite

rejoice,
dance, celebrate
and if an apple
falls into your hand
take a really large bite.

Day 348 July 18, 2011

2011-07-19T00:18:00.000-03:00

Soon I will go to the beach. Because I live in Nova Scotia the water will be quite cold, but crystal clear, greenish and breathtakingly beautiful. My ears will ache a bit and maybe even my forehead from dunking into such coldness.

Tonight, after the sweat lodge ceremony, we dunked in a pool and instantly cooled off our steaming bodies. I dove under many times, just to cool my head.

Water. The light on the surface of the water in the pool was indescribable. Such beauty. May you all enjoy a glass of fresh, pure water to drink today and feel gratitude for it.

Namaste.

Day 347 July 17, 2011

2011-07-17T10:14:00.000-03:00

2nd class on Saturday in Davis St. studio

Yesterday marked the first classes in the Davis St. studio for David. His large Barrington St. location is now closed and this new, smaller location is splendid in many ways. The floor is beautiful. The neigbourhood is quiet and the windows look out on greenery. It was a lot of work to move out of a large space to somewhere else, make some renovations, re-organize the props and get settled in the newness of it all. There are still some renovations to complete, but enough of the studio is done to hold classes. We were so happy to be there that in the first general level class when we chanted the Ode to Patanjali we sounded like a joyous choir, the acoustics and harmony of our voices was amazing.

I noticed how tiring it is to move, to make such changes. We are such creatures of habit it is difficult for us to learn something new. We resist change, and even good change is challenging only because it is change.

In Iyengar yoga you learn to recognize your habitual postural patterns and change them and align yourself evenly from one side of your body to the other. You confront needed change in your very own self, in your body. That is also challenging. But once you begin to embrace that change, that alignment, your body begins to sing in gratitude. Yes, it is hard, physical work and sometimes hard, emotional work too. At the end of your class or your practice, your savasana is quiet, and as David says, if you have a deep, penetrating class [or practice], you have a deep, penetrating savasana.

Namaste.

Day 346 July 16, 2011

2011-07-16T22:05:00.001-03:00

Jenny and I in Glencoe Station

Here is another old photo from a visit to our friend's house in Glencoe Station in Cape Breton. Jenny looks about 4 year's old here so I guess this photo is about 30 year's old. I believe Jenny is carrying a peach kuchen. Ah summertime, what a glorious time of year. Fresh food galore.

Yesterday I made a salad from our own garden's ingredients. Well, I added store bought tomatoes and salad dressing but the beet greens, tiny kale leaves and pak choi leaves were from our own organically grown veggie garden. We've been eating sugar snap peas for a week or two now also.

I used to always say that we'd crossed the equator before arriving at our friend's house in Glencoe Station for this friend of ours is an amazing gardener. She has a greenhouse now and grows immense basil plants, tomatoes and a huge variety of other vegetables. It takes a love of fresh veggies and lots of dedication to grow food in Cape Breton. It is much easier to grow veggies where I now live for it is warmer.

Perseverance furthers though, and I've even read that some folks grow fresh veggies up North in greenhouses. It is hard to resist growing a few vegetables or flowers. Do you garden? Or perhaps you just enjoy going to a farmer's market and buying very fresh veggies or flowers? You'll know what I mean then. It is part of the joy of this season, getting in touch with nature.

In a way, gardening is like a daily yoga practice. Every day you attend to something new. One day you water, the next weed, the next transplant, the next harvest. In yoga asana practice one day you do inversions, the next standing poses, the next sitting poses, the next therapeutic supported poses. Each day is a new journey, both in the garden and on the mat.

Namaste.

Day 345 July 15, 2011

2011-07-15T20:06:00.000-03:00

Tai and I in Glencoe Station

Do you like looking at old family pictures, like I do? My eldest daughter, Tai, looks about 4 year's old in this photo I posted, so that means this photo is about 35 years old. In the photo we are walking up a beautiful stone path to our friend's house in Glencoe Station, Cape Breton.

In a week or two I'll walk up that same stone path to see the same friend. Old friends make life worth living. Old friends make you feel just as comfortable as a good, broken in pair of walking boots. They fit. You can be yourself around them.

Family is just like old friends too. The more you stick around with your family, the more comfortable you feel with them. You know these people and they know all about you. One strange part is noticing how old everyone looks, including yourself. It's like time travel. You remember being a little kid and now, all of a sudden it seems, you're ancient. Such are the blessings of growing older.

I hope that all of you grow old enough to appreciate this feeling of closeness to your family and your friends. Maybe if you just see what is really right in front of you, people that love you, you won't need to grow old in order to appreciate it after all.

Day 344 July 14, 2011

2011-07-14T22:04:00.000-03:00

Roma Tomato

As a gardener, is their one plant you feel an affinity for; one for which you find yourself drawn to more than to other plants? For me it is the tomato. Yes, I love basil too, but mostly when it has just formed its first leaves; after that early phase it just falls into the same category as every other vegetable. Wonderful but ordinary. But when it comes to tomatoes I love them all the way through their growth cycle: for their smell, for their need of pruning, for staking, for protecting from the cold, and of course, for their fruit. Beefsteak, Roma, Tiny Tim and Scotia - all wonderful varieties of tomato plants.

As an artist I thank Georgia O'Keefe for showing me how the plants she loved, flowers, can assault the senses in a glorious way. Her flower paintings saturate your eyes with colour and abstraction. You can dive right into the center of the flowers in her work. Emily Carr shows me how to dive into the forest in her work. Her treatment of light as it filters through the leaves is like no other. Van Gogh is the master of the sky in his work; his wild and swirling skies leave me breathless. Monet's large painting Water Lilies, the one that hangs in MOMA in New York city, definitely is one of my favourite paintings, for its size and its impressive treatment of the soft, indefinite shapes reflected in water. Do you notice that the artists that I mention here, are all known for their work about nature?

As a yoga practitioner, is there one pose where you feel most at home, most in touch with your nature? It's your favourite asana, right now, the one you love to do. Pay attention to which pose is your favourite. At one point in my life my favourite pose was a supported headstand hanging on the wall. I needed the benefit of the inversion, but I didn't have the strength needed to do such a pose unassisted in the center of the room. I was that tired.

Namaste my friends.

Day 343 July 13, 2011

2011-07-13T20:57:00.000-03:00

forest path Tofino, BC

Today I tried to simplify everything. I was tired and so I listened to my body and its request for rest.

The leaves were gorgeous as I gazed at them from a reclining position in the backyard. In our yoga room I rested on a prop that opens your chest; after enough rest my body finally responded and I approached my more normal, perky energy level.

Sometimes when we do inversions in Iyengar yoga, which are very restorative, up seems like down, and down seems like up. It's like this photo I've posted. At first glance you might think the wood is the trunk of a tree, but then you notice the puddle of water and realize you are looking at the roots of a tree on the ground.

What was up and what was down in your day today?

Day 342 July 12, 2011

2011-07-12T19:58:00.000-03:00

Alexis' courtyard garden

So you live in a city, you say, like most of the world. Well if you are fortunate enough to have a balcony or a courtyard, use Alexis' garden as inspiration. She lives in the city and as you can see, she loves to garden. If you don't have your own garden space, perhaps your city has a community garden where you can rent a small portion of the garden. Some towns and cities also have a program where you can garden in someone's back yard because they aren't doing it themselves this year. Share a backyard, perhaps that's the name of this program.

When I saw Alexis' courtyard garden today it totally inspired me to go home and work in my own garden. It poured rain today so it is a perfect day for transplanting. I transplanted kale babies because every kale seed I planted sprouted and I seeded the row really thickly. I'm going to continue tomorrow and just spread my kale babies all around my veggie garden wherever I can find a spot.

Happy gardening :)

Day 341 July 11, 2011

2011-07-11T17:47:00.000-03:00

red onion

Do you ever feel like you are going around in circles? Well, circles are a pattern found in nature, as evidenced by this slice of red onion, and since we are part of nature it is natural for us to go around in circles. There are times though, when I get a bit too much circling in my life. I feel like I've been on a carousel ride too long. Do you ever get that way?

At a time like that it is a good idea to limit your sensory input. I close my eyes since vision is a huge part of our sensory life. That helps to ramp down my feeling of being overwhelmed. Other times I look into the distance, gaze across the valley, or into the fields. Sometimes I also rest in a supported yoga posture, even for a few minutes helps quite a bit.

Try it yourself and see.

Namaste.

Day 340 July 10, 2011

2011-07-10T19:32:00.000-03:00

white sculpture clay, glaze, acrylic paint

Today is a hot one. May a cool breeze blow your way on such a hot day as today.

David and I spent many hours of quiet today in the new yoga studio, preparing it for its first class this Saturday. At times I lay on my side, painting near the floor, or you'd find David removing the front door for painting, and then using the roller to freshen up the rope walls. We placed props on shelves and then covered them to keep the dust off because some gyproc still needs installation in the entranceway.

This new space is leafy due to tall trees looming nearby and the neighborhood is quiet. The studio windows face a wealth of greenery, so on a hot day like today we were blessed to have a cool space to prepare for our yoga community. We feel so much gratitude, for a day such as today.

How was your day? I hope you felt blessed.

Day 339 July 9, 2011

2011-07-09T19:01:00.000-03:00

sugar snap peas

Tonight I picked my first sugar snap peas for a meal. I've munched on a few over the last week, but today there was an entire colander filled to the brim with fresh, organically grown sugar snap peas.
Yummy. Yummy. Yummy. When these peas are freshly picked and eaten they are so sweet I call them candy bar peas.

The air tonight has a freshly washed feeling because it rained all day. My little broccoli transplants are very happy with this turn of events. Tomorrow the sunshine is supposed to return so I think the garden will jump again in gratitude for the rain and heat.

Heat. That is a lovely concept. These old bones of mine love heat. What do your bones love?

Day 338 July 8, 2011

2011-07-08T21:57:00.002-03:00

detail of acrylic painting

Did I remember to tell you I painted my first canvas this spring? With my daughter Jen's encouragement I just went for it. She was buying a large canvas and paints and she just turned to me and asked, Have you painted a canvas yet mom? That question and the teasing smile on her face were all the encouragement I needed.

I did some sketching, some creative dreaming and a loose water colour treatment before I tackled the canvas. I read a book on how to complete an acrylic painting after I'd started. Then there were the changes I made to the design as I worked from with my original idea.

Repainting some areas several times, standing back to see how it looked from ten feet away, just looking at it for a week or so to see how it looked on each new day, I finally felt satisfied. Now I plan to make a series of paintings based on small parts of this canvas. Simplify each one. Nothing extra. Minimize the design elements.

Have you done anything brand new, for the first time, this year? Was it fun?

Day 337 July 7, 2011

2011-07-07T20:12:00.001-03:00

green bean leaves

Yesterday my dear friend Denise, author of the blog 365 days of yoga and daily routine, decided to practise her five most challenging poses each day for the last month of her blog, so I followed her lead and decided to do the same. Today I talked to David about this plan. That was a good idea.

Once he saw my five poses he suggested I do one pose each day. The poses are so difficult for me that I'll be doing preparatory poses that lead up to the final difficult pose. Today he showed me how to work with padmasana. Wow. That was enlightening. Deep work.

Thank goodness we have teachers :)

Day 336 July 6, 2011

2011-07-06T20:23:00.000-03:00

footed vase inspired by Marguerite Wildenhain

August 4th is coming up, my last day to blog for this project. It seems impossible to realize that my blog will end, but something else wonderful must surely be taking its place :) [that's the eternal optimist in me talking]

My fellow blogger Denise has listed her five most challenging yoga asanas and she realizes that one way to improve is to practice them, versus avoiding them. I was such a silly person at one point. I would intentionally show up late to yoga class just to avoid my most challenging pose that we always practiced at the start of the Saturday morning classes. It really hurt my shoulder too much. I had such pain somedays I would cry. Slowly, slowly that shoulder has improved and now the discomfort is lessened significantly. My tight upper back was part of the problem and the rest of it was a protective posture I'd learned after dislocating that shoulder. So practice does help, and lots of patience.

My five most challenging poses at this point are tadasana [mountain pose], virabradhasana 3 [warrior 3], padmasana [lotus], pinchamayurasana [elbow balance], and parvritta trikonasana [revolved triangle pose]. I think Denise is right. I too will practise each of these poses for the next 30 days.

Namaste.

Day 335 July 5, 2011

2011-07-05T20:43:00.000-03:00

Heat. I was feeling it today. At least ten watering cans of cold water to quench the thirsty plants in the garden, one long dip in the Avon River to cool off my sweated self and air conditioning became a blessing.

What was the weather like in your part of the world? Steamy? Chilly? Foggy? Arid? Smoggy? Frosty?

Day 334 July 4, 2011

2011-07-04T23:38:00.000-03:00

Lincoln teeing off

My dad loved to golf. He did sport fishing too. This photo is of my dad teeing off and from my best estimate, he appears to be in his early thirties. I know lots of people who love to golf, I am just not one of them. To each his own, right? I prefer standing on my head, rolling around on a yoga mat, doing standing poses, and yes, I also love to swim. I had my first swim of this summer yesterday morning in a chilly lake. The sky was gorgeous and so was the lake. What do you love to do on a fine summer's day?

Day 333 July 3, 2011

2011-07-03T22:58:00.001-03:00

Chake's Crepes

If you are anywhere in the vicinity of Windsor, Nova Scotia (about one hour from Halifax) on a Friday or a Sunday, mid morning to early afternoon, drop by, run, walk, bike, or swim to this cafe / convenience store, to taste their delectable crepes Chake's Crepe's at Chaker's Rite Stop. Pictured here is the luscious fresh strawberry crepe I ate today. It is a chocolate crepe with artfully sliced fresh strawberries, whipped cream, a dusting of powdered sugar, a swirl of nutella and a drizzle of homemade strawberry sauce. In a word, yum :)

There are also many savoury crepe selections too with fresh cooked veggies, meats and cheeses! Check out the Facebook page about Chake's Crepes too. Hands down, best crepe I've ever eaten, anywhere. Spread the word.

There is outdoor or indoor seating, ample parking is available next to the store, and the friendly staff treat you like family.

Day 332 July 2, 2011

2011-07-02T19:45:00.000-03:00

creating a yoga studio space

So how do you create a yoga studio space? Well in this case you have very good people involved in the study of Iyengar yoga. They are serious about embodying the good intentions of the eight limbs of yoga. When it is time to move out of a large expensive yoga studio space, a new, beautiful, more compact space is pretty much instantly made available to the yoga community's teacher. Then when the teacher asks for help with the move, handfuls of students immediately volunteer to help. A dedicated group of students continue to remodel and build the yoga studio space anew where they will soon continue in their study. In the meantime, people practice at home until the new studio is ready to welcome them.

How can this happen, you say? Well when you've known people who study Iyengar yoga for about twenty years in some cases, a feeling of trust binds you together. You are willing to help each other. In some cases these people also share their lives together beyond the studio walls. The very best side of people shines in a situation like this. Actually, in many other cases in life too, when you've worked together with someone for a long time you trust the connections between you. Then the magic can unfold.

Namaste.

Day 331 July 1, 2011

2011-07-01T18:38:00.000-03:00

Canada Day in Ottawa

Happy Canada Day everyone!

Here in Nova Scotia we are having a glorious sunny day. David and I indulged in an ice cream cone today, the first of this summer season. It certainly was good. The doggies swam in the Avon River which made them happy. On our drive to town I was impressed with the abundance of wild flowers of nearly every description by the roadside. Some hayfields in our neighbourhood are stripped bare while others are waiting for their turns. With good luck, the farmers will have a second crop of hay later on this summer.

With good luck... Good luck to you today, wherever you are on this lovely spinning planet we call our home.

Day 330 June 30, 2011

2011-06-30T23:20:00.001-03:00

Jen and Tai

It's hard to remember your own early childhood. I have one memory from my own early childhood of being at the breakfast table and staring at the plate of french toast before me. My nanny reached over my shoulders and cut my bread up for me. She was so quick and efficient. She made it easy for me. I was a bit slow and was lost in admiration for all that eggy looking bread, soft butter and maple syrup. My nanny just wanted me to hurry up and eat.

I also remember loving to play outdoors, even in the winter. I'd come home and peel off my snowsuit in the basement and be amazed to discover that the suit was completely drenched with water. All that sledding and playing in the deep snow had soaked me right through. I'd been oblivious to everything except how much fun I was having in the snow.

The innocent moments from our early childhood were filled with the joys of play. What is your favourite childhood memory?

Day 329 June 29, 2011

2011-06-29T22:55:00.000-03:00

Anne and Francine

In summer we seem to travel more. Travelling can be lots of fun. It can also make you appreciate your own home.

In my family there are four weddings this summer. Four. The first was in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The second is on an island in Maine. The third is in Syracuse, NY. The fourth is in Nova Scotia, and my youngest daughter is the bride. There is also a family reunion this summer, just like every other year for the last 39 years. This year it is in Vermont. There is another family wedding in Washington, DC in March of next year. At this point you probably are saying to yourself, wow that is one crazy family.

Okay, I agree. We are just a little bit crazy, but it's a good kind of crazy. What is your family like?

Day 328 June 28, 2011

2011-06-28T19:34:00.000-03:00

Today was a gorgeous summer day. It hit 83 degrees. Finally. That is what so many people in Nova Scotia say when we discuss a day like today. We've paid our dues and feel so overdue for some summer weather. It's been a very wet and gray spring.

That is in the past now. Today is today. Warm, sunny, still. Farmers are baling hay as fast as possible and removing it from the fields in our neighborhood. What's happening in your neighborhood today?

David and I spent the day in the city, finishing the move out of his large yoga studio; well, we're almost finished. Maybe 15% left to move out and 80% more to do in the new space. Busy busy bees.

Good luck to you all in your busy bee pursuits today.

Day 327 June 27, 2011

2011-06-27T23:07:00.000-03:00

Today it turned beautifully sunny right around supper time. The sun came out and so did the mosquitos. I didn't miss the bugs on my morning walk with the dogs to the river. It was too cool for them that early in the day. Supper was special tonight because I shared it with a great friend. Charlotte and I parked ourselves on chairs in the backyard and gazed out on the farmer's fields across the distance. A riot of green greeted our gazes.

And how was your day today my friends?

Day 326 June 326, 2011

2011-06-26T20:41:00.000-03:00

So what do you do the day after the last yoga classes are taught in a yoga studio? Get up early the next day and start to move into the new to you studio, with the volunteer help of your yoga students.

Ten keen students volunteered to help David and I move a lot of the yoga props today, including two rope walls. We dismantled shelving, folded blankets, packed artwork, removed curtains, emptied closets, and erected a new free standing wall in the new studio. At one moment there was a yoga fleet of vehicles loaded curbside packed to the gills.

It was a tiring and exciting day. So much got done it was very rewarding. A big thank you is what is needed after a day like today, a thank you to all the volunteers around the globe that help keep our planet going.

namaste.

Day 325 June 25, 2011

2011-06-25T22:15:00.000-03:00

Forty days left to blog. Daily.

A day. A day in my life. All those days do run together sometimes. They blur. But it helps when you have made a decision to do something every single day. Something important.

I'm not saying it is easy every day to blog. It certainly isn't. There are days when it is lovely beyond compare to just write. There are days when it helps me accept difficult parts of life. Hopefully, there are days when I help someone else in some way.

That is one of the reasons, certainly, for why we are here on the planet, to help each other. I'm sure of that. And if we share our stories with each other, sometimes just to listen is helpful in itself. Forget that you may not know what to really say to someone who is in need. Just listen. For I have learned over the years from being a teacher that the very act of listening to someone helps them. That is how important our fellow humans are to us. It soothes us just to tell our stories and be heard. We share our experiences, so that we do not feel completely alone. The support we give each other is much needed.

Share your story. And listen.

Day 324 June 24, 2011

2011-06-24T22:20:00.000-03:00

white sculpture clay tiles, glaze and stain

One of the best parts of my day today was working on a painting. My yoga practice also felt so good. I was glad to have the time to work on a few things I am trying to learn about sitting poses. It's comfort of a different kind when you work on your yoga asanas. It is food, but food for the soul instead of food for the mouth and tummy.

Speaking of food, my tiny rows in the garden are now sporting little seedlings. They are maybe one inch tall. So cute actually. Now I hope I don't sound too crazy here, but somehow these vegetables I'm growing seem like friends to me. I nourish them along. I visit them pretty much daily, bring them food [soil amendments], offer them a drink [water] and I discourage troublesome neighbours from crowding them [weeds]. Then in a while, after they are full grown I'll bring them inside the house and they'll feed me instead of me going outside of the house and feeding them. We have quite the relationship.

So how are you and your friends doing? Let me know.

Day 323 June 23, 2011

2011-06-23T19:02:00.000-03:00

Day 322 June 22, 2011

2011-06-22T15:58:00.000-03:00

garlic buds

The way these garlic buds circle around themselves inspires me. If you watched a garlic plant growing at this stage of its development with a time release camera this part of the plant would be doing a twirl. How many other plants do you know that can twirl? Well, okay, you cannot really see this twirl except in your mind's eye, but hey, that is what our minds are for, correct? Imagining what we cannot see before us, imagining our lives in the future, imagining all kinds of stuff?

As I dive into the garden each day I realize I am meditating. Caring for my tiny crops, yes, but also being silent and moving with great awareness. Sounds like yoga, doesn't it?

Did I remember to tell you I made a plate dedicated to garlic buds, with a poem along the edge?

namaste.

Day 321 June 21, 2011

2011-06-21T22:33:00.000-03:00

Soomin, Mrs. K., HJ

Special time in Halifax tonight, sharing a meal with a family I've known for many years. I do have two wonderful daughters, but if I had sons, these young men are the kind of sons I'd want. Sincere, polite, funny and hard working. Soomin and HJ. They are both off to study in the fall, one to the United States at Purdue and the other to London at the London College of Fashion.

What a great feeling to know such friends! I wish you all the same pleasure of good friendship.

Namaste.

Day 320 June 20, 2011

2011-06-20T20:26:00.001-03:00

Flying at dusk, I glance out the window in curiosity. Everything appears so orderly from this height, cities, fields, forests, but after a long stretch of endless forest I see a meandering river of great length and pause to consider the rivers’ patterns. Then I notice almost as an afterthought for it is so tiny and off to the side, there, right there amidst all that green forest, I see a human settlement and think, "Ah, we are so small."

Burtynsky, the current Canadian photography darling, shows us up close how our dirty jobs mark the planet but he misses the vastness of the Canadian raw earth spaces, the rough and soft flow of our untouched forests and the folly of our own importance compared to the planet's big pictures from this vantage point of the sky. Photograph the rivers, Burtynsky, I think, photograph their size and shapes and then compare what "we" have accomplished. We wreck havoc you say? Thank god we are so small then and the earth is so large for our marks are quite small in comparison, that is at least here in Canada, my wild and beautiful home.

Day 319 June 19, 2011

2011-06-19T13:40:00.001-03:00

I'm thinking of everyone who is travelling today. There are days when it feels like all I do is travel. But really, that is just one way to look at our entire experience here on the planet. We are always on our way somewhere.

Happy travels to you all.

namaste.

Day 318 June 18, 2011

2011-06-18T13:25:00.003-03:00

Garlic to the left of us. Tomatoes to the right. At this time of year if you are a gardener, you are knee deep in rotted manure and mulch, willingly.

It's the food that makes me such a crazed gardener. I just love the taste of fresh produce. Sugar snap peas are my very favourite. They taste like green pea candy bars, they are so sweet. Juicy, sweet and luscious. Next favourite are the red, ripe sweet and salty tomatoes, still warm from the sun.

Speaking of sweet, now don't get me started on fresh fruit. That is in a category all by itself.

Whether your garden is a potted geranium or a silk plant [with no watering needed], or a 7 acre spread of organically grown vegetables, or maybe your garden is a piece of art work that expresses your connection to the natural part of our gorgeous planet earth, happy gardening to you one and all!

Day 317 June 17, 2011

2011-06-17T13:06:00.002-03:00

The Geometry of Light by Alyson Shotz at Mass Moca 2010

Where will today take you? It's Friday and for many this signals the end of the work week. For years I worked in recreation in aquatic settings so at this point of the end of the week I knew I worked while others played. Once I started to teach in the school system this all changed. No more working on the beach during the summers or at the pool in the winter.

What is your work schedule like? And remember that work isn't just work for which you receive a paycheck. Work is making dinner, vacuuming, doing laundry and for some, yes, it is going out of the home to a workplace for a prescribed number of hours for which you are paid.

Work gives meaning and a sense of purpose to our lives, but work isn't our only purpose [I know sometimes it feels that way]. Our purpose is to find some personal joy and to share this joy with others. At least that is what I think. What do you think?

Day 316 June 16, 2011

2011-06-16T22:43:00.000-03:00

stoneware footed vase

I'm hopping everywhere, as I managed to sprain or break part of my right foot today. Hopping is harder than you'd think. What was your day like? Mine was pretty great until my foot started hurting like gangbusters. Hope your day was superb.

Day 315 June 15, 2011

2011-06-15T20:39:00.000-03:00

While my friend Denise in California writes about all the sunshine there I will now write about the nearly 24 hours straight of rainfall here in Falmouth, N.S. A deluge.

So much for my freshly planted little seed beds and 300 onion sets. Some of the onions are washed right out of the ground and for many hours today their bed was more like a lake than a bed. I'll replant much of the seeded bed for the last time I looked a stream was running through it.

In yoga class tonight David lead us through gentle inversions which lifted all of our spirits. Yeah for yoga.

namaste.

Day 314 June 14, 2011

2011-06-14T20:23:00.000-03:00

rosa rugosa

We are in the middle of a few days of rain. Before it started raining today I planted 300 onion sets that I'd forgotten to plant last month. Even if we only have small onions, at least we'll have some small onions.

It is so cool and wet today it feels like fall and the grass is lush and very green. The cows in the neighborhood are delirious with all this green grass in their pastures.

I'm a bit delirious myself. All the growth. I just love this time of year. How about you? What is your favourite time of year?

Day 313 June 13, 2011

2011-06-13T15:51:00.000-03:00

basil

The weather forecast is for three days of wet grayness and some rain. Yesterday I was on forced rest pretty much all day, but I was thinking of my carrot seeds out there in the garden and hoping they would germinate in the next few days. Then I thought about the luscious little patch of dirt I'd prepared that was patiently waiting for me to seed it.

I had plans for that little patch. So today I got on my winter socks, winter waterproof pants, an old raincoat and I spent a busy hour seeding that little patch. There are now tiny rows of lettuce, beets, green beans, fennel, kale, rutabaga, pak choi, basil and broccoli and two half rows of carrots that are maybe 12 feet long. I'm going small this summer in the garden, in the hopes that I can take better care of the garden than I usually do. Then I came inside and rested for nearly an hour. That hour in the garden felt like 4 hours, but it was a really wonderful 4 hours.

That gardening time was as wonderful as a long swim in the crystal clear ocean, as wonderful as the deepest savasana after a penetrating yoga asana class, as wonderful as a finished piece of art work that has been your focus for the last month. When we say yes to ourselves we can feel it deeply resound within us. Or the opposite, when we are in fear or discomfort about what we are doing, we know. Our body never forgets the reality. Do you know what I mean? Have you experienced this?

namaste.

Day 312 June 12, 2011

2011-06-12T20:56:00.000-03:00

stoneware plate

Sometimes we need to stop and let ourselves catch our breath. I am the kind of person who loves to "do". I am busy. Lots of lists. Projects galore. How about you? What kind of person are you?

Today my body let me know in no uncertain terms that it was pretty darn tired of all my "doing". I listened. Lots of time in bed, lots of water and lots of, "David, would you mind bringing me __________ ? [fill in the blank]" Yes, I had a thick newspaper, piles of books and a laptop nearby, but I also spent time gazing out at the leaves, the lovely green leaves on the trees. I rested. I thought about what I had read and what I had watched on youtube.

Does this pattern of "doing" and a "forced rest" sound familiar to anyone? Are there any other "doers" out there? Somehow, I don't think I'm the only one.

The good news is, I listened. My body is acting much nicer now too.

Day 311 June 11, 2011

2011-06-11T20:42:00.000-03:00

Another day of mostly sunshine. Finally. You forget how much the weather affects you. I must admit that by the middle of our week 4 or 5 of mainly cloudy skies and rain that ended about a week ago, I too was a bit depressed; however, that is all changed now.

Gardens are planted or are nearly planted, the memory of ice and snow is now so distant to seem like another lifetime. Weeds are everywhere in my gardens and I'm so happy to see the colour green I don't care.

Happy spring and nearly summer to everyone :)

Day 310 June 10, 2011

2011-06-10T23:09:00.001-03:00

Today was a glorious day with intermittent sunshine and cool breezes. I planted a few more tomato plants and used the plants I started myself from seed. The tiller worked like a charm. The soil amendments are incorporated into the row and now all we need is some heat, sun and rain. Vegetable gardening makes me deliriously happy. I think it is all that sunshine and looking forward to yummy food.

Yoga practice today was like ringing a bell you loved to hear. Wow, I just cannot believe my good fortune sometimes. Tonight the sweat lodge ceremony helped to ground me thoroughly in this new season of greenness and light. Happy almost summer! Enjoy the long days and the rising temperatures.

Namaste.

Day 309 June 9, 2011

2011-06-09T20:50:00.001-03:00

Comfort food. Do you find yourself needing comfort food from time to time? I do. My comfort food often involves some dark chocolate. Right now I've finally gotten over a spell of losing interest in cooking by breaking down and making a new recipe for Black Bean Brownies. The brownies are in the oven as I write.

The recipe for these brownies is on Kris Carr's website today. Kris is known for her down to earth, no holds barred approach to maintaining her own health. She eats highly nutritious foods and drinks, including freshly made green drinks. She is also an author and motivational speaker. Check out her book, Crazy, Sexy Cancer Tips. Kris has remade her life after learning she had a rare kind of stage 4 cancer. Her approach to life now includes living to the fullest each moment. Sounds like good advice, doesn't it?

Ah, life, you crazy, sexy walk in the park. Hey everyone, welcome to the planet :)

Day 308 June 8, 2011

2011-06-08T22:32:00.001-03:00

stoneware tiles, reduction fired

These tiles remind me of the dry, wintery colours of California. Brown, tan, more brown. At this time of year though California is bursting with produce that feeds much of North America. I love California avocados and nuts and still remember seeing my first walnut tree in Guerneville, California. We are currently enjoying at home luscious navel oranges grown in California. I remember being astounded in a grocery store in California; it was summer and the green peppers for sale were truly gigantic and cost hardly anything. Peak season. Watsonville, California is the heart of artichoke country. Once as I drove the coastal route, I passed fields and fields of huge craggy looking artichoke plants that soared towards the sky.

So interestingly enough, as Denise longs for the wide blue skies of the Bay of Fundy and its pure, moist air, I dream of the lush fields and achingly beautiful coastline of California. The water is pulling both of us. North America is a beautiful continent. And for a country woman, like myself, I feel so very fortunate to have crossed its width many times and seen its breath-taking beauty. Now of course, Chicago and Los Angeles had air quality issues that dampened my spirits and the Great Salt Lake Desert was so hot I basically passed out in the car from the heat; the drive across that desert was just too much for me. But the Rocky Mountains, and Alberta, Clayoquot Sound in British Columbia, the Prairies, the St. Lawrence River through Quebec, Shediac beach in New Brunswick, and of course, the captivating rawness of Cape Breton Island, all these places to just name a few, are evidence of the natural beauty of this continent.

What is the lesson here? Sometimes we long for what we miss. We need to embrace the natural beauty that is all around us.

Day 307 June 7, 2011

2011-06-07T15:35:00.000-03:00

Japanese silk kimono detail

Silk. All right, I'll tell you. Silk really is my favourite. Yesterday I said that silk and cotton were my favourite fibres, but today I am going to be totally honest. It's silk. Silk is the one. Perhaps I felt like I'd be too elitist if I proclaimed that silk was my favourite. Today I realize that honesty is the only way to go.

Silk feels like no other fibre. Silk chiffon is so smooth and so thin that it floats away like a cloud. Raw silk is rough and heavy in feel but not too heavy to wear as a comfortable garment. I wear silk long underwear in the winter and it is instrumental in keeping my little body warm and snug in our Canadian winters. Silk can be preposterous in its splendour and sumptuousness. Silk is wildly luxurious. Silk holds colour like no other fabric.

For a while in my twenties when I lived in San Francisco, I made batiked silk scarves and batiked cotton clothing. I just did a bit of research and learned that beyond being used for garments silk is also used for medical sutures and prosthetic arteries. Okay, call me crazy but I want to thank all the silk worms that produce this amazing filament and of course thank the Chinese people who discovered how to use these silkworm filaments. Hallelujah for silk.

Day 306 June 6, 2011

2011-06-06T22:57:00.001-03:00

Indian silk scarf and cotton kurta with sequins

Colour Texture Pattern Design Weight Fibre

Do you enjoy cloth as much as I do? Silk and cotton are definitely my favourite fibres but wool is up there in the running too. Natural fibers just take dye so brilliantly. That's why I love them, because of their brilliance, but even undyed silk, cotton and wool are also gorgeous. Do you agree?

Day 305 June 5, 2011

2011-06-05T16:54:00.000-03:00

Denise and her baby raccoon

Today this raccoon story has a happy ending. Denise has been challenged by an invasion of a mother raccoon in her house recently, between the walls. There have been screaming babies, a hissing mother and then the turmoil of what to do! Cages, baiting the live traps and wondering if it will work out all right for everyone involved, such concerns! Well momma was caught two days ago and finally, finally the babies were so hungry they appeared too. Today Denise, thanks to her helpful neighbour, has two live and hungry babies. This baby looks happy to receive such tender loving care in Denise's arms. I wish you all a happy ending to your story today too.

Day 304 June 4, 2011

2011-06-04T21:26:00.000-03:00

Morrisville, NY

Some things we just cannot rush. For example, our understanding of ourselves, that takes time. It helps if we are patient with ourselves. It helps to treat oneself with kindness, especially when we are tired or recovering from an illness. Actually I can hardly think of a time when it isn't a good idea to treat oneself with kindness.

Today I am going to make a point of being kind to myself. Will you consider trying this too? See how it makes you feel. Of course challenging oneself is also an act of kindness. I'm not suggesting that being a couch potato is kindness.

If you have difficulty with this concept of being kind to yourself, just remember that some things we just cannot rush.

Day 303 June 3, 2011

2011-06-03T22:07:00.000-03:00

stoneware vase, reduction fired

Tonight I enjoyed a delicious Chinese meal with David and Denise after an evening session of yoga in Halifax. We talked and talked about yoga as we savoured the flavourful dishes: shrimp stuffed eggplant in black bean sauce, stir fried rice with vegetables and shrimp, lemon chicken and braised bean curd in black bean sauce. It was a delicious evening in many ways.

The vase that I show here tonight was inspired by Chinese ceramics. I remember visiting a large collection of Chinese art in a San Francisco museum years ago and that visit inspired this vase.

Did something you experienced today inspire you? I hope so.

namaste.

Day 302 June 2, 2011

2011-06-02T23:02:00.000-03:00

acrylic paint on white sculpture clay

Sometimes we just need to shout, whether that be with words or colours or our sense of fashion. We need to explode a bit with our take on life in a certain, exacting moment. Sometimes pastel colours, or worse yet, the colour beige, just doesn't do it. Or the olive brown, gray, green palette. No way. We need bright red. We need loud. We need vibrant. Do you know what I mean?

Day 301 June 1, 2011

2011-06-01T21:22:00.000-03:00

stoneware plate with stains and glazes

The image I post today is of a plate that is decorated with a design reminiscent of eyes. Today one of my dogs nearly jumped on top of me as I sat at the computer; his front paws were suddenly on my shoulders and he looked at me with great excitement and focus. He wanted an apple and he certainly let me know; it was his eyes, his bright, happy eyes that stared at me and captivated my heart.

Were your eyes open today? What did you see?

Day 300 May 31, 2011

2011-05-31T19:50:00.000-03:00

Well, well, well. Day 300. Who would have thought? Certainly not me. Having arrived at day 300 I can now heartily recommend that making such a commitment, to both practice yoga asana and participate in an art practice every day for one year is worthwhile. Does this make you laugh? It almost made me laugh out loud as I wrote that sentence with the "worthwhile" comment. Of course this is a good thing to do, you might say.

Well, it's not for everyone. I guess the point for me is to create a new pattern in my life that includes yoga and art in a big way. This year long task is helping me do that.

Sometimes we just have to tell ourselves what we need. Our friends and loved ones help us too. Like Denise, who suggested to me to do the yoga asana practice for a year, and my other friend Charlotte who told me not to forget about art!

I wish you all well, on day 300.

Day 299 May 30, 2011

2011-05-30T10:04:00.000-03:00

grow v. verb 1. to increase naturally..... 2. to expand.... 3. to develop and reach maturity 4. to be capable of growth, thrive, flourish.... 5. to develop by a gradual process..... 6. to come into existence.... 7. cultivate

grow - sounds a bit like learning yoga, sounds a bit like making art, doesn't it?

Day 298 May 29, 2011

2011-05-29T20:55:00.000-03:00

Nourish
Celebrate
Ponder
Laugh
Sink
Drift
Cleanse
Look
Evaluate
Pause
Renew
Touch
Accept

Day 297 May 28, 2011

2011-05-28T19:03:00.001-03:00

Focus

Breathe

Trust

Move

Ascend

Act

See

Listen

Touch

Expand

Rest

Watch

Concentrate

Consider

Stretch

Descend

Activate

Relax

Balance

Visualize

Contemplate

Compare

Experiment

Redo

Internalize

Contract

Embrace

Soften

Lengthen

Welcome

Release

Day 296 May 27, 2011

2011-05-27T20:50:00.000-03:00

Tomorrow morning David, Denise and I will travel all the way to the city of Halifax for the Saturday morning classes. Yes, my dear friend from California is home for a bit. Three hours of yoga asana will make our morning complete. Then lunch, a bit of shopping and back home to the country. Country living, it is beautiful in many ways. There are also challenges, like when a mother raccoon decides to use your home as its home, with a few raccoon babies thrown into the bargain too.

Or the black flies, now they are no one's favourite part of country living. The smell of manure has been wafting through my neighbourhood for the last two days. The farmers are making good use of their time by enriching the pastures across from my home with this strong smelling natural fertilizer.

There is always something that needs fixing too when you live in the country on your own property. But with all the issues of country living come the perks, like watching the hostas unfold right before your eyes. I wish that you too will have the joy of watching something beautiful unfold right in front of you today.

Day 295 May 26, 2011

2011-05-26T22:52:00.000-03:00

Enjoy the curves in your life. There is no sense in trying to straighten out what naturally follows a curve.

"Accept yourself, just the way you are. Accept everything else, just the way it is." from Savasana meditation.

Day 294 May 25, 2011

2011-05-25T20:57:00.000-03:00

Ring of Kerry, Ireland photo by Jim S.

How do you start to find the path, your path in this life? You can begin by noticing what you love doing, where you feel comfortable. Where you can focus to such an extent that you might even forget to eat lunch one day because you are so entranced, so intent on doing what you're doing you forget to eat. Then suddenly you look up from your focus and realize a lot of time has passed and you must be hungry. In this way you almost get lost, only in that you lose track of time, once you find your path.

Day 293 May 24, 2011

2011-05-24T21:40:00.000-03:00

acrylic paint on white sculpture clay

Where do you get your inspiration? Your support when times get tough? Or your personal cheerleaders when what you really need is a lot of encouragement?

From nature? From the fast beat of a large city? From music? From sporting events? From a hard run? From your pet? From spending time as a volunteer? From your family or your best friend?

We all get inspired in our own ways. I personally love that song, "Lean on Me." Do you know it?

Day 292 May 23, 2011

2011-05-23T19:18:00.001-03:00

porcelain slab built and thrown bottles with glaze

Day 291 May 22, 2011

2011-05-22T21:14:00.000-03:00

stoneware tiles

Thank goodness for friends. They make us feel appreciated.

"I always feel better after I've talked to you", that's what a friend told me today. That made my day! Sometimes I feel like I am a cranky brat who needs everything perfect. When things don't feel perfect then I get cranky. These feelings don't last long, but they certainly feel real.

Spoken like a needy "it's all about me" kind of person, I do go over the top sometimes and neglect to think of others and their needs. But today, after a lunch time filled with moments of reflection like "good grief, what have I done now..." kind of feelings associated with my family's wedding fever season and how I'm making a nuisance of myself over details, I had this refreshing phone call from my dear friend Denise in California and she made me feel fabulous. I cheered her up by reminding her of what a wonderful, well meaning person she is. She just needed some words of encouragement.

I need to tell my family the same things, how wonderful they all are. Wedding fever or not, which can make any family a bit crazy it seems, my family is the BEST. We help each other so much. I can count on my family when I really need them. It's like I said at the start. Thank goodness for friends and family. They make us feel appreciated.

Tell someone today how much they mean to you; it will make you feel wonderful.

Day 290 May 21, 2011

2011-05-21T20:18:00.000-03:00

stoneware plate

This morning I experienced the 'no coffee' effect. I fell asleep in the passenger seat on the way to my Saturday morning yoga class in Halifax. Green tea, especially brown rice green tea, now there's a wonderful drink. I still prefer the way coffee smells to the way it tastes, but its flavour is starting to grow on me.

Do you notice that your tastes change as you yourself change in years? Do you still like to eat the same things you ate with great relish as a young child? I still have a few comfort foods from my youth, but most of my favourite tastes are now vastly different than the ones I enjoyed as a kid. How about you?

Day 289 May 20, 2011

2011-05-20T21:33:00.000-03:00

white sculpture clay, glaze, acrylic paint

cool breezes, weeds, bug bites, technicolour outdoors ..... ah spring!

Day 288 May 19, 2011

2011-05-19T21:44:00.000-03:00

Today was the nicest day of this year, at least according to me. Sunshine streamed softly all day long until just before sunset; then the clouds moved in again. More rain tomorrow. Today the air was humid and warm, the grass green and thick. Thinking back to a harsh winter day of snow and ice seems a bit preposterous on a day such as today.

You caught me though; I got a bit manic today from all that natural light. Yes, I did read a lot, caught up on some photography and writing about my art work, but I also cruised databases and websites, washed some windows, washed some dishes, did tons of laundry and hung it outdoors, mowed the lawn, moved my boxes of seedlings outdoors to an improvised cold frame and returned them indoors at dusk, made a huge pot of tomato sauce and played with the dogs. Phew! Only a bit of yoga mat time today but I am still sore from yesterday's mat work. Tomorrow my big yoga energy will return.

I pace my energetic yoga practice with a more therapeutic practice the following day. This way my sore muscles and joints have a bit of recovery time. You've got to make time for recovery! We all need to take notice of our natural pace for doing things. One of my colleagues at work once teased me and said, I finally figured you out Muriel, your favourite speed of operation is slow.

Oh yes, that recovery time, I just love that quiet and slow movement. My friend was right. Slow is my favourite speed of operation. What is your favourite speed?

Day 287 May 18, 2011

2011-05-18T18:51:00.000-03:00

Yes my friends, we have sunshine :) For those of you in Nova Scotia, no more whining now about feeling depressed. It's time to run outside and bask in the cool sunshine and embrace the sight of all the flowering weeds, like these gorgeous dandelions. That is unless you are bothered by spring pollen allergies.

The school children of Nova Scotia, among many others, felt a real lift from the brightening of our skies today. Yes, apparently these little children who had long stayed inside due to the persistent pouring rain came in from recess today happy, and yes with a few black fly bites, but hey, you can't have it all. Can you?

Well maybe there is a planet where you can have it all, but here on earth we take what we can get and we are happy for it. I hope that you saw some sunshine today!

Day 286 May 17, 2011

2011-05-17T21:16:00.000-03:00

Grace. There are times in life when we need to breathe in, square our shoulders and walk without fear. If such a time comes to you, I wish that you find grace under pressure, calmness and patience. It is easy to feel grace when things are going well. In more challenging times we need to dig deeply to find that grace. But we do find it. Namaste.

Porcelain vase copper red reduction fired

Day 285 May 16, 2011

2011-05-16T17:58:00.000-03:00

stoneware covered jar reduction fired

Today I called a friend and learned that her high school aged son just had surgery on Sunday morning. His jaw was broken in three places. He is okay though and will eat pureed food for the next six weeks. No chewing allowed. So much for the rest of the rugby season for him, that’s right, he didn’t break his jaw in a fight, which could have explained such an injury, but in a rugby match.

The rest of our conversation revolved around feeling grateful that he hadn’t had a concussion or a spinal injury, which would have been a lot worse than a broken jaw. Yes, when things like this happen it is time to be grateful for what we have to experience, even though it is frightening. Grateful that surgery was there to help him. Grateful that he is strong and will recover.

Sometimes it is hard to feel grateful. Surely it might take a long time to feel grateful for some life experiences. Never having lived through a war makes me think that what I’ve experienced in my own life is pretty sweet compared to what some other people have experienced in their lives. Yes, living in a peaceful country makes me very grateful.

What are you grateful for today?

Day 284 May 15, 2011

2011-05-15T17:38:00.000-03:00

detail of acrylic painting

A long article in yesterday's Globe and Mail recounted the importance of getting enough sleep. It listed many repercussions of trying to manage your life, or your job, with inadequate rest. Someone please tell this to infants so that they'll lighten up and let their parents sleep. Or tell this to employers.

One cost cutting measure for employers is their attempt to maximize the work their employees can produce by giving them long shifts, way too long. According to the article, this approach really fails due to reduced performance by overtired workers.

Okay, it's nap time.

The best approach is to try to keep your circadian rhythms happy by getting up and going to bed at the same time each day. Pleasant dreams :)

Day 283 May 14, 2011

2011-05-14T20:33:00.000-03:00

Tai's birthday photo by Chris Z.

Happy Birthday to my eldest daughter Tai! I hope your birthday today is as joyful as can be.

For the rest of us, even though it is just an ordinary day, I hope that you experienced some joy today too :)

Day 281 May 12, 2011

2011-05-14T19:15:00.003-03:00

Today brings another day of gray skies. The puddles on top of my garden are still there. In looking at the 14 day trend for the upcoming weather pattern in Nova Scotia I see that we are expecting more of the same. If that is true, we will have had about one month of gray skies with a few intermittent hours of sunshine.

Am I really in Ireland and not Nova Scotia? A few years back I really was in Ireland and was told that in early July, the first days of my arrival, they were happy to see the sun for it hadn't appeared in 53 days. Oh my.

The deep wheelbarrow that I left outside near the garden is now half full of rainwater. Nova Scotians are beginning to joke about this weather. Sorry I'm late arriving, but it was a rather long swim over here. Or, certainly this is planet Water and not planet Earth. The weather person on the news recently mentioned that if a shining, red orb appeared in the skies we should not be alarmed. It was only the sun.

To help deal with this gray and wetness I am currently reading books about Africa. The dryness of the soil, the dust that flies in the air, the singing of the insects, the lushness of the flowers and grass when it does rain suddenly. I do love living here in Nova Scotia, but I will be happy to feel the sun, when it does put in a return performance.

What is your weather like?

Day 280 May 11, 2011

2011-05-14T19:15:00.002-03:00

Patience. It is a great feat to remember to be patient in the midst of adversity. Especially today, with the instantaneous feedback that technology brings to the table, we seem to want everything not today, but yesterday.

Ah yes... wants. desires. expectations. How complicated our lives are.

Take a breath. or two or three.

Think of someone other than yourself, someone less fortunate. Sometimes this helps you realize that you really have a lot to be grateful for...

namaste.

Day 282 May 13, 2011

2011-05-13T14:56:00.002-03:00

The last two posts I wrote vanished into thin air. Hmmnnn... I remember writing them and posting them, and got some feedback too, but didn't save them to my backup file so they are really gone.

Oh well, that's life. I think all I wrote about was all the gray weather and rain we've had and are still forecast to have for another week. Of course, the sun is now trying to break through the clouds!!!!! So much for a forecast.

Tulips are finally starting to bloom here.

Yoga asana practice definitely helped me stay level headed throughout this gray spell (we are in week three now). And painting. Hurrah!

What helps you through a challenging time?

P.S. Several hours later today I see that my last two day's worth of posts ARE BACK. The mystery was just too much I guess. Curiouser and curiouser.

Day 279 May 10, 2011

2011-05-10T20:48:00.001-03:00

Dear Class poem plate white sculpture clay

Day 278 May 9, 2011

2011-05-09T15:38:00.001-03:00

cherry tree in Vancouver photo by Jen Z.

Are you ready to bloom? Get ready. We all have our moments in the sun.

Day 277 May 8, 2011

2011-05-09T15:34:00.001-03:00

We don't have to take the first step on this earth. Others have come before us to help lead us on our way. Listen to the elders. Learn from their experience.

Observe nature, how she changes. If nature can change, this means you too are capable of change.

Day 276 May 7, 2011

2011-05-07T23:52:00.001-03:00

detail of acrylic painting

I learn to trust in Iyengar yoga classes. Trust my teacher. Trust myself. Try new things that I've never done before within my own body, move in entirely new ways. The students who come to class come from many walks in life: teachers, artists, counsellors, acupuncturists, finanacial planners, dentists, mothers, cooks, comedians, contractors, business people, students, etc. Why they return is that they learn to see how to approach the yoga asanas with clarity.

The teacher demonstrates the pose and then you try. Then the teacher demonstrates the common problems we encounter in the pose. A student tries the pose and the class is asked to watch and learn how to adjust, to make a closer approximation towards the classic pose with these adjustments. And when you watch the teacher make adjustments and move the student who is demonstrating, then you see how the student trusts the teacher. You feel it yourself when it is your turn to be adjusted.

It can be a lot, the adjustments. You don't realize just how far you actually can move until the teacher adjusts you. It is a lightbulb moment to feel yourself move into a pose where you didn't think you could go. It involves trust.

I try to explain it this way sometimes. Studying Iyengar yoga is like learning how to go on vacation within your own body. You go somewhere new where you've never been before and you come back changed.

Day 275 May 6, 2011

2011-05-06T21:26:00.004-03:00

Honor someone today. Look them in the eye and wish them well. It can even be the person you see in your own mirror. It just makes me feel like I've done a good job of being a human being when I honor someone.

What is it that you've done that makes you feel like you've done a good job of being a human being?

Day 274, May 5, 2011

2011-05-06T10:49:00.002-03:00

Today offered me another opportunity to heal. I woke up and felt ill. Got up to drink three glasses of water cause I felt very dry and then I went back to bed. Call in sick day. An hour later I did get up and moved slowly. With the help of some homeopathic medications, lots of fluids and light food I made my way through the late morning.

After 4 hours of art practice I was feeling stronger. Not much lunch and a lot of fluids had helped. Around 4:45 I could feel myself sinking. The sofa didn't help much. I closed my eyes. That helped, but only for a few minutes. I realized my spine my pushing out of my body as I curled up in an effort to rest. But my chest was heavy and my throat too. It was yoga I needed, to move the muscles down my back and the spine back into the body.

The yoga mat brought the relief I needed. Yes, the practice was therapeutic, with supports. After a supported dog pose, brief headstand, longer shoulder stand, I was back to my old body, the healthy one. The rest and rejuvenation was from encouraging my body back into a healthy shape. My chest was open, the back muscles descended away from my ears.

What a relief.

I hope you found some relief today too:)

Day 273 May 4, 2011

2011-05-04T20:37:00.003-03:00

How do you react to change? Even good change? I know I can get a bit cranky and nervous when change is afoot. One of my favourite sayings is, one of the things in life you can depend upon is change. Yes, I know this is paradoxical. How can you depend on something that is in flux?

Well, you can do your best to embrace the inevitable, that's one thing you can do. Life is change. But notice for yourself, how do you react to change?

Ms. Windy with ears a flying

Day 271 May 2, 2011

2011-05-03T14:52:00.002-03:00

detail of acrylic painting

On my way upstairs to do a short yoga practice before I go to yoga class I think, oh..., time for a short blog. Here is an image of a small portion of a painting I'm working on, my first canvas.

Today I baked an angel food cake for David cause it's his birthday. Low cholesterol (no egg yolks or butter). Next to make is the raspberry sauce and fortunately we also have some vanilla frozen yoghurt. I'll forgo the cake as the wheat makes me itchy but I'm looking forward to the raspberries and yoghurt combo.

What are you looking forward to today? I hope it brings a smile to your face, whatever it is.

Namaste.

Day 270 May 1, 2011

2011-05-02T14:00:00.002-03:00

Namaste. I see and honor in you the place where the universe resides. When I see this place we are both one.

Day 269 April 30, 2011

2011-05-01T22:34:00.002-03:00

Porcelain vase detail SS Fish vase

that wind is cold, hard against the face

the green grass thick and easy on the eyes

an Irish day, gray clouds, wet air, whiskey

and warm hearted people

Day 268 April 29, 2011

2011-04-30T18:08:00.002-03:00

The time of colour is here. Plants in all their glory.

It's definitely time to do the dance of joy, outdoors.

Day 267 April 28, 2011

2011-04-28T20:28:00.002-03:00

Spring is sprung.

I walk the doggies late today. A large rainbow faces me as I get ready my rain gear, coyote whistle, Iphone, camera, juice pack, glasses, fake vomit (haha), hiking boots, leashes and gloves.

We walk to the river. Half way there it rains. Who cares? Nary a soul. The hot air embraces my skin like a hot bath. The rain patters softly on my jacket and as it lessens I remove my hood to feel the rain hit my face and head. Luscious. I am in water world.

This branch with tiny exploding flowers makes me stop and grab the camera. Yes flowers are back and ice is gone. Colours emblazon the green pastures here on the dyke lands.

I can breathe again.

Day 266 April 27, 2011

2011-04-27T22:01:00.002-03:00

Today I chatted with a person in a greenhouse where we both happened to be shopping for seeds. Standing amidst the lush trays of vegetable transplants, we shared our favourite approaches to growing tomatoes and it seemed that we both had something to learn from each other. Just sharing a passion for growing vegetables with a complete stranger proved to be very satisfying. And so a rural encounter happens where the kindness of a stranger brightens your day.

I hope that you encounter something that brightens your day today :)

Day 265 April 26, 2011

2011-04-26T20:04:00.002-03:00

This just in from my daughter,
confirmation from MRI scans in a research study at Boston University that three one hour classes of Iyengar yoga a week help to treat depression.

Of course. If you stick with three one hour classes of Iyengar yoga a week, I guarantee that even more will happen. It is like putting money in the bank, to take such good care of yourself that you are willing to work hard for three hours a week to take care of your whole health. If you are depressed it will help with that. If you are inflexible it will help with that. If you are weak it will help with that. If you are tired of the noisy gym but still want to feel like you have spoken to many muscles that you've forgotten to speak to for a long while it will help with that. If you want to slow down the crazy pace of modern life and stop obsessing about your to do list it will help with that.

It helps with a lot. Try it :)