Day 268 April 29, 2011

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

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

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

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 :)

Day 264 April 25, 2011

1. Our ancient Troy Built tiller still works.
2. Peas are planted in a 21 foot long row.
3. Half the onions are planted, 250 still to plant.
4. As I finished planting, I started singing to myself outdoors.

Hallelujah!  Spring is definitely here.  I hope you did some singing today too :)

Day 263 April 24, 2011

Add caption

ahh magnolia  photo by Jen Z.

I know. I know.  I already used this photo earlier in my blog but it is just so darn gorgeous I couldn't contain myself.  I had to use it again.

What a lovely spring day, our warmest yet!  The sun co-operated and we had summer like weather for all morning and afternoon.  I chopped down a scraggly looking rose bush that had a lonely mid lawn location that just didn't work (and yes there are more in the back yard), trimmed away old sedum flower stalks from many locations, weeded, pruned here and there and seeded two dozen beefsteak tomatoes in peat pots in the house.  It might be too late, but I'm trying anyway.  Actually we are about 7- 8 weeks away from the time I usually plant out tomatoes in the big garden, so maybe I'm not too late.  Don't have a greenhouse though, so we'll see.

Yoga practice is starting to rock.  I'm still working on my hardest poses but in small doses.  If I keep working at it my body just might get the message that it is okay to loosen up, or in some cases, get stronger in new ways.

Ah spring, I just feel a new lease on life!  I hope you are having a great Easter weekend too!

Day 262 April 23, 2011

Go ahead.  Stretch yourself.  As I told my doggies today in the middle of their walk, you are both very good dogs, as long as I remember to let you move.   


We need to let our animals move, and that includes the one we see when we look in the mirror too.

Day 261 April 22, 2011

Ms. Maddie and Mr. Bear

The sun is blasting away, the grass is getting green.  Now if we could just get some heat!  Of course I realize that I am a needy diva who will only be happy when the weather co-operates and gives me an exactly perfect day.  Too bad, says the planet.  This girl needs to learn some patience.

I do.  I do.  And I'm probably not alone.  Dare I say that it seems like human nature to be impatient?  Now that I'm getting older I am gaining some insights that agree with this generalization.  You can clearly see this impatience in small children.  They want everything RIGHT NOW.  Parents help their children learn "that good things are worth waiting for."

So...... when you feel like your best effort in any endeavor is still falling way short of your self described minimal acceptable behaviour, cut yourself some slack and just BE for a moment.  Take a breather.  Inhale.  Exhale.  Again.

Look into the distance.  Then examine what is right in front of you.  Try the distance again.  Is a bird singing?  A child crying? A car revving?  A person breathing?  Yes, that person is you.  Now pat yourself on the back, tell yourself to be a little more patient and resume.  Your life.

Day 260 April 21, 2011

I'm starting a new book about three of my favourite artists, Carr, O'Keeffe, Kahlo: Places of Their Own by Sharyn Rohlfsen Udall.  Here is a quote from the Introduction:

"Each artist was vitally interested in the native cultures of her area.  However romantically tinged, the perceived authenticity of indigenous peoples helped these artists measure their own.  Indigenous peoples seemed to hold keys to the primordial spirits of place and nature, and all three artists explored the healing power of native myth as an antidote to personal fragmentation in the modern world."

I know it isn't just artists who sometimes feel fragmented by the experiences of this modern world.  That is why we need to reconnect to what is important in life.

Namaste.

Day 259 April 20, 2011

Spring in Nova Scotia

Another gray rainy day here.  All this moisture helps to awaken the winter dormant plants.  They've had a long sleep for many months.  In another few weeks it will be May and much warmer.

How fortunate it is to call Nova Scotia home.  This is a pretty special corner of the world.  If you've never been here it might surprise you to learn how quiet life can be here.  The quiet unravels and it gives you the time to really hear what your inner heart is telling you.

It's always good to listen to your inner heart.  namaste.