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"There is a saying in Tibetan, 'Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength.'
No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful experience is, if we lose our hope, that's our real disaster."    ~ Dalai Lama




So maybe you've been wondering where I've been? Maybe not.  Maybe you're getting used to me being gone for periods of time and don't think a thing about it?  Well.  Here I am, none the worse for wear.  It's been a long and crazy week and a half, so I'm here to update you on the goings-on around here.

I've had some time on my hands (more about that later), so we finally got this done:

The gate was done a few months ago, but we just now finished the lattice fence on each side.

Can you see the wine bottle "fence" there on the left?  We drink wine fairly regularly, but it took over a year to save up all those bottles!

The raised beds we put in for the veggie garden seem to be doing the trick - we have a stellar harvest in store for us this year:

Three tomato plants.  Right now they each have about three dozen tomatoes on them - and that doesn't include the flowers.

Swiss Chard.  Two more weeks for the first harvest, then there should be another harvest 2 months later!

Yep.  That's a baby sized zuchini right there.  I'm doing a happy dance, because this is the first year, in this house, that I've been able to get anything from my zuchini.

Peppers.  Lots of them.  Lots of different kinds.

We had a toad orgy in the pond and the first Water Lily bloom - both on the same day:

You can't see the toads in this picture and you should be happy about that.  It's pretty gross.  There are hundreds of them with  lots of 3 on 1 action, and they make a horrible racket.  I don't think the fish approve, either.

And probably most importantly, but far and away not the best thing to happen recently - I got laid off.  I guess technically I'm not laid off, because I worked freelance (under contract - therefore no unemployment - sad face), but it was completely economically driven.  The company hit a real, big bump in the road, in terms of sales, about six months ago and they haven't recovered yet.  My boss thought he'd be able to get it righted, but it will take months (maybe longer), and I can't wait that long.  Yep, it's kinda scary.  But a couple of good things have happened because of it - my friends have circled around me, filling me with love, and caring, and positive thinking.  I've always known I have these fabulous friends, but sometimes it takes something like this to remind me of just how wonderful they really are. And how lucky I am.  I got a bit of a severence package, so I have a small amount of time to find something, but it's tough out there.  Wish me luck on that, would ya?

The other good thing is I've had more time for all the things I love to do, including this:

This pose is good for self confidence.  There are times when I could definitely use more self confidence (now).

Seriously - there is nothing better than an inversion to clear your head.

So, I'm spending my mornings online, connecting with people and looking for new opportunities, then from late afternoon on I'm in the garden or on my mat in class, clearing my head.  I haven't actually looked for a job in a very long time.  Most of the jobs I've had in my lifetime have been with or through people I know.  By the way - were you all aware that 99% of jobs posted on Craigslist are scams?  I found that out quickly.

I'll keep y'all posted!

Yoga Love

"What is behind your eyes is more powerful than what is in front of them." Lorrie, my yoga teacher in class last night.

I am passionate about yoga.   I'm not what most people would call the passionate type.  I'm sort of the calm, cool and collected type - detached, almost.  So for me to say I'm passionate about something is really saying something.  Among all the other benefits I receive from it, yoga makes me feel empowered.  The idea that I can change something in my life just by how I look at it or think about it is awesome to me. A big part of yoga practice is spiritual.  I don't mean religious. The philosophy behind the spirituality in yoga is simple: you have everything you need for happiness in life inside you; have compassion for yoursef and for every other living thing on earth and remember that you may not be able to see their struggles; and alway strive to treat others as you would like to be treated by them.  Pretty simple right? I don't know how that belief system could be offensive to anyone.  But earlier this week I picked up a small local "lifestyle" magazine that showed a woman in a yoga pose.  I looked forward to the possibility to an article about yoga.  Instead I found an editorial, written by the editor, proclaiming that while yoga is good for the body, "good Christrians should be careful in any yoga 'spirituality' that might turn one's eyes away from God." Really?  I don't get that.  The word yoga means "a yoking" or "a union" of the body, mind and spirit (soul). I can't imagine a yoga class without the soul.  But it inspired me to do something I've never done before - write a letter to the editor.  I'll spare you all the details, but I tried to (calmly and politely) share the yogic belief system and show her the similarities to Christian teachings. I ended the letter by telling her that if she and other Christians who agreed with her wanted yoga classes without any fear of spirituality they should have them - but they should call it by the correct name : a stretching class. 


And this is what we worked on in class today (this is not me - I don't usually take my camera to class!  However, that is me in headstand in the sidebar!):



Scorpion pose!
photo from google images

 Namaste y'all!

tied up...

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.  ~Confucius

This is sort of how I feel at the moment.

I am trying to keep my life simple.  Really I am.  But this week I am blessed with an overabundance of  things like work, friends who have birthdays at this time of year and want to party, the heat going out on what will be the coldest day of the next few weeks and dealing with the repair men, and trying to plan and execute the Office Holiday Extravaganza (it's not really, we just call it that), that are all conspiring against me.  Lots of things going on and that's not even including the impending holidays - I'll tackle those next week.   All I can do is breath.  And then breath again.


Hopefully all will be calm once again by tomorrow.  Keep your fingers crossed for me and I'll back here real soon!

This is how I'd like to feel!

And for those of you who don't know me in person...neither of these pictures are me!

back to earth...



Joshua Tree National Park
Not one of my photos - I'll post some of mine when I get home.



Our yoga retreat is over.  For this year, anyway.  Four days of hard work and bliss with three of the most amazing women on earth (and maybe a thousand other amazing people).  I learned a lot, mostly I learned how much I have to learn.  About life, as well as about yoga.  I was so inspired by what I saw and heard.  I'm encouraged by the thought that each one of us can do something to improve the world. And I loved learning about the different types of yoga around the world, some of which I'd never seen before.  And Joshua Tree! Beautiful. Would love to have tried some hiking out there, but no time and it was hot.  For the next two days I'll be visiting family, but I'll be back when I get home.

*namaste y'all...

*Namaste, loosely translated, means "I bow to you".  It is often said at the end of a class, by the teacher to the students, students to the teacher and student to student, as a way of recognizing others and saying thank you for being part of my practice.

I'm leaving for California on Wednesday.  Mostly to visit my mom and family.  But the first four days of the trip will be to Joshua Tree for Bhakti Fest!  Bhakti Fest will be four days of yoga, music, hiking and vegetarian/vegan feasting with one of my (biological) sisters, my ex-sister-in-law (who I consider a sister), and a very dear friend who is coming with me from NC.  I am so excited!  Yoga is my passion.  For those of you who don't practice (but maybe you're curious?), yoga can be so much more than just exercising or stretching.  If you let it, and become open to it, yoga can be a way to learn about who you are and how you belong to the universe.  Yoga can be a way to learn about loving yourself and every other being (human or not) on earth, to learn gratitude and how to recognize pure joy, and how to live in the moment - this moment - and not to wallow in the past or worry about the future.  My life has changed in so many wonderful ways since I started practicing eight or nine years ago.  And it's all because my attitude about life has changed.  Oh, and my biceps are loving it, too!  Namaste.