Things that brought me joy this weekend

*My Saturday morning level 1/2 class. I love teaching this class. It's the weekend, people are happy and energetic....just a good fun time.

*After class I picked up yummy doughnuts and coffee. My fave is chocolate kreme filled.

*Friday night I took a sewing class at Sew-A-Lot, Super Simple Skirts. I chose this pretty vintage inspired fabric, part of the Girlfriends collection by Sis Boom. I'm ready to wear my cute little A Line skirt with some flip flops.

*I picked out paint from Lowes this weekend. I picked up three "auditions", the teeny tiny cans of paint that you can sample. So glad I chose three, as I really didn't like two of them. Such a genius idea. Andy and I are planning to paint (lots) during his spring break.

*Loved watching basketball Saturday and Sunday. Too bad all the KY teams are out of it. I'm cheering on TN now. The last couple weekends I've been very content, just hanging out at the house...working out in the yard, puttering around the house, reading on the couch, and surfing the net.

*Someone has commissioned me to create a piece of pottery! That was quite exciting

*Oh and I met with Mr. TaxMAn! I'm so glad to have that off of my "to do list". Really, does anyone look forward to seeing their accountant?

Love this time of year

I love college basketball and for basketball fans, there is no other time more exciting than March Madness. I got a phone call from my brother on Thursday. He was on his way to Lexington to go to the Louisville game at Rupp and had an extra ticket, he wanted to know if I wanted it. I of course, jumped at the chance to attend a game for the tournament. My brother Joel, is a big U of L fan. Everybody else in my family, they bleed blue. Now, I'm a fan of any team that plays in Kentucky. UK, Louisville, Eastern, I watch them all and I cheer all of them on.

Wow, when we got to that game and saw all the Cards fan, now that was a sight. The Cards had officially taken over Rupp Arena. It was so fascinating. And the energy that you could feel in that arena was just so awesome. I suppose that it's the same as being at a great concert, or a rally for peace, or a church where you feel truly connected, or a great yoga class. There is something great about a group of people that come together with a common interest or a common passion. The energy is there. It has it's own presence and it's swirling all around you. And that's how it felt Thursday at this game. It was truly amazing. And it's a reminder of the power that we have when we gather collectively with a common interest/passion.

Check this fun stuff out....

This amazing day

I thank you God for most this amazing day

For the leaping greenly spirits of trees

And a true blue dream of a sky

For everything which is natural which is infinite which is yes. -E.E. Cummings

I tried to post this last night after we had an "amazing day" here in central KY, but blogger was down. Days like yesterday make me want to do what I can to preserve this very beautiful planet that we all call home. Here are a few links to some eco chic blogs. Enjoy.

Ideal Bite

Eco-Chick

Simply Green

Your calling

Last night I pulled a book off my shelf to re-read. The book is titled "The Circle of Simplicity" and I highly recommend it. As I was browsing through the pages I found a folded article that I had torn out of a magazine in 2004. It was my horoscope for 2004. As I read it I thought, "Hey, I'm doing this...all of this." And it was just a really great feeling. It read, "The real reason you're feeling psychically fatigued, whether you realize it or not, is that you are making big changes, leaving behind what isn't working and finally learning to take risks. Now you're ready for a real life adventure. Cosmic patterns forecast a work project that will make dreams come true and put your name in lights (so this is a stretch, do you think being on channel 18 with Lee Cruse counts). And, having learned that living by other people's opinions never works for you, you'll live by your own rules." Later that year, I attended my first yoga teacher training.

Today was my last class of a 10 week session with a local high school football team. I loved that at the end of the class the coach asked, "How many of you feel more flexible? How many of you feel stronger? How many of you have been able to squat with more weight? And bench press more weight? And how many of you saw your numbers for vertical jump go way up?" And all across the cafeteria, hands just kept going up. It was really great that they've done pre and posts testing with the players and feel 100% that yoga was the training that made the difference. And look at them in tree pose! They rocked the balancing poses.

Time

"You may delay, but time will not." Benjamin Franklin

Daylight savings time begins tomorrow (or late tonight)! What should I do with the extra hour of daylight? I'm hoping to plant some flowers and continue digging up an area that I plan to plant some veggies. Andy and I were at Lowe's this evening and I got so excited looking at the packets of seeds. They looked so pretty and tasty. We came home and did some work outside. I started digging an area where I'll plant and tenderly care for my veggies. Last year I successfully grew squash and tomatoes, so this year I'm planting those plus others. I remember how much fun it was this summer coming home and seeing my plants living and thriving. And it was so gratifying (and convenient) to walk outside and snag a squash and make a casserole. It's been said that gardening is good for the soul, and I think that I'm beginning to agree.

Check the clock on the photo. I thought this would be very fitting!

Raku firing....how it all went down

These four are my very first pieces that I've created!

It was a perfect day for my very first raku firing with Wyman. Raku is a form of Japanese pottery. You remove the piece from the kiln while its literally glowing hot. The pieces are at such a beautiful stage here. They look almost translucent. Then they cool for just a moment (we actually fanned them for just about a minute), then they're placed in a "reduction chamber" with shredded paper where they catch fire, but only for a moment. This was the most fascinating and exciting thing I've done in a while. There really is nothing quite like creating something entirely from clay, seeing it take on this beautiful form that you sculpted with your own hands, and sticking it in a burning hot oven (or kiln) of 1800 degrees and patiently waiting to see the end result. This firing process is known for its unpredictability, and I love the whole mystery part. And I learned today that raku is the traditional method for creating bowls for Japanese tea ceremonies. How cool is that?! Here are some pics of the process.

Blogs

Yes, I love them....I go to some of them for the photos and others I just find fun. Here are a few of my most recent finds that I'm entertained and amused by. Let me know if you have any favorites to add to the list.

Bits and Pieces

Self Portrait Challenge

Anna Kuperberg

Scent of Water

Happy Things

Tomorrow I get to fire my pottery pieces! I'm so excited to see the end result. And of course, I'll be taking photos to share. I love Fridays. It's supposed to be a great weather day here in KY...enjoy the sun. I'm hoping to play outside this weekend.

Imagine a woman

This is what I hope for my beautiful little nieces..

"Imagine a woman who follows her creative impulses.

A woman who produces original creation.

Who refuses to color inside someone else's lines.

Imagine a woman who names her own gods.

A woman who imagines the divine in her image and likeness.

Who designs a personal spirituality to inform her daily life.

Imagine a woman who authors her own life.

A woman who trusts her inner sense of what is right for her.

Who refuses to twist her life out of shape to meet the expectations of others.

A couple of stanzas of the poem Imagine A Woman In Love With Herself by Patricia Walden.

Integration

Yesterday Andy was taking some yoga pics of me for a sequence I developed for a student. My yoga room is a bit too small to get full body yoga pics, so I opted to use our entry way instead. As soon as I rolled my mat out, both of my dogs (especially the wild one, Remy) thought this was an open invitation to romp around and play. I wasn't ready to play and found myself getting frustrated. In fact, for the longest time I could barely practice at home because my dogs would just go crazy. Thankfully, I can just go upstairs and close my door to practice. And this drives them crazy. Sometimes they cry at the door and other times I can hear them walking around, toenails clicking on the hardwood floor. Since yoga really does mean union or integration, I wonder if there's a better way to incorporate dogs, kids, or our spouses into our yoga practice?

I dream...

I dream of the day when there are as many yoga studio as there are karate schools. It will happen. Just wait and see.

To the dance

We had a fabulous couples massage workshop at the studio yesterday from 2:00 till 6:00. Massage tables, soft music, yummy treats and perfectly pleasant couples made this workshop a big success. Eric, our leader for the day, is a massage therapist and student at the studio. I loved how so many of the things he spoke of also related to yoga...being (more than physically)present with your partner, using your breath to keep you grounded and present, and letting your intuition guide you.

Following the workshop, Andy and I met Eric and his partner Debra at Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner and drinks and to watch EKU play in the OVC championship game. Andy and I being EKU alumni, were quiet excited to see Eastern play. We had a nice long dinner, spoke of yoga and massage, and 80's hair bands. We ended up leaving before the game was over, choosing to listen to the game on the radio. EKU won on a last second shot and Andy and I had a celebration in my box car...horn honking, fist waving, high fiving, and more than one "yeah baby yeah" on my part. EKU is going to the big dance...woohoo!

Later that night I had some sort of crazy dream about getting into a car accident because I was doing eagle arms. Bizarre. Maybe it had something to do with the fist waving.

Sweat hog or swami...

I found this quiz on yoga journal that I found pretty entertaining. They've divided up the yoga world into "the Kickbutt Workout; the God-is-in-the-details Approach; the Therapeutic Regime; and the Nirvana Express". Which one are you? My practice varies from day to day, depending on how I feel. Some days I want nothing more than to flow for a good hour, gliding from one pose to the next. And the next day I may sit on the floor and do yin yoga for up to an hour. But I definitely consider myself a vinyasa gal. It's a practice that I find motivating, challenging, and satisfying. I also find that it's good for my creative juices. I love coming up with fun, creative sequences to practice and teach in class. I'm actually planning a good sequence for a student that she can practice and home and while traveling. That's a project on the agenda for tomorrow.

Love this...

I got the sweetest email this week from a newbie to the studio. She said she wouldn't mind if I shared on the blog. It's just the kindest email. I'm collecting these emails and cards that I receive from students. At some point I'll put them all in a pretty notebook or journal of some sort. Use it as a reminder for why I'm a yoga teacher. It really is the best "job" I can think of!

"I just wanted to tell you how happy I am that I found your studio. Flow yoga isn't my favorite but I am enjoying your method, your friendliness, the warmth and openness of your studio and students. You have a wonderful atmosphere that is important for yoga studios to attract people who have limitations (excess weight, injuries, the almost elderly). The other reason why I am writing is that I would love it if you give me as much feedback about how I am doing as you feel comfortable doing. I don't mind if you adjust me, it will only help me be a better teacher when I get my own certification.
I have been taking yoga for several years and you are thus far the best teacher I have had. Your style is quite a bit different then others I have had and I have never really had a good fit no matter what the style. So I value your teaching and opinion and want to emulate that when I get on my own way.
Your card was a wonderful and sweet touch that is just what I needed...to feel welcome."

Believe

And for all those dreamers who have come and gone

Who have reached for the stars who have overcome

You're the hope, you're the wish, you're the truth

Baby here's the proof...

Baby's born in the ghetto

Baby's born with a silverspoon

One tells his mama, "I have a dream."

One tells his mama, "I'll walk the moon."

-Jennifer Nettles (Sugarland)

The photo is of Jennifer Nettles and on her wrist she has a tattoo of the word "Believe". I've had some sort of weird obsession (maybe that's a bit of an extreme word) with this word for the last few years. It's sprinkled about my life, written on t-shirts, a small sign sitting at the top of one of my doors, and other random places. There is really something wonderful about the fact that we can do anything and be anybody that we wish, by believing...and working hard of course. Here's to all the believers.

Images & Text

That's it, that's my theme for the month of March! It feels perfect for me. I am such a lover of any sort of text (words are so powerful) and obviously I am a lover of images. And of course, I'll be throwing in yoga sequences and such and other random bits of information (which is what I essentially do now). I plan to use all new images that I'll be taking the month of March. Thought this may keep me on my toes and make it more interesting and challenging for myself.

I got this idea from Keri Smith. She has a great blog and for the whole month of February, she's been creating something different each day. She's quite fun and creative. Check her out. On day 17 she did drawings of other people with the same name as her.

It's almost March!

"Let us learn to appreciate there will be times when the trees will be bare, and look forward to the time when we may pick the fruit." Anton Chekhov

So I have to admit that I can't recall another year is which I've been so excited to greet spring. In fact I may throw a mini celebration this Thursday on the first day of March...and have a big celebration March 21, the first official day of Spring. I know, I know...it's not very yogic.

I'm planning on having some sort of March theme for my blog. I'll post every single day in March. Still haven't figured out exactly what it's gonna be, but I still have a day and a half left. I'll let you know in a couple more days.

An authentic life..

There's a great interview with Grace Paley in this month's Oprah magazine. Grace was asked about her beliefs on living an authentic life and what is means. This is her response, "I guess a life that's truthful, where you don't bullshit. You're alive. You don't do work that you hate. You do things you believe in. That's authentic. It's just being yourself, that's all." Perfectly said...

Here are a couple of my favorite things I've been checking out on the web:

*Take a look at this site and check out the photos in portfolio 1 for the brightest, most magnificent colors that you can imagine.

*And 3191 - this is a fantastic photoblog. On the homepage it says, "we are stephanie and mav. we live 3191 miles apart. we like to get up early". I love the simplicity of the whole thing...the site, the photos that are so simple and basic, yet so moving. This site has inspired me to take more still life photos, like my chocolate chip pancakes that I made for breakfast Friday morning.

Yoga in bed

I had the best intentions of sleeping in late this morning, but it just didn't happen. So instead of getting up and greeting the day, I stayed in bed for a bit of yoga (asana), breathing exercises (pranayama) and meditation. I started with reclined bound angle pose (supta baddha konasana) followed by a gentle twist to the right then to the left. For my twist, I pulled my knees into my chest then simply released the feet and knees to the side. I held each pose for about 4 minutes.

I followed this by stretching my legs forward for corpse pose (savasana) and following a 3 part breath. I started with my hands on my tummy inhaling to feel the breath fill my tummy. I stayed her for 10 deep breaths. Then I moved my hands to my ribcage, feeling the ribcage rise and fall with the inhalation and exhalation. Then on up to the area by my collarbones, repeating the same process. The breath moves from the stomach all the way up to the collarbones, then from the collarbones back down to the tummy, moving in a wavelike pattern.

And last, I simply laid in bed and did a 10 minute meditation. I didn't plan my breakfast, what I would do today, or even what I plan to make in my pottery class. I just laid here, letting my body and mind rest and be very quiet. I love doing breath work and meditation first thing in the morning, before we feel the effects of our day.

If you don't have plans for tonight, come by the studio for potluck dinner and viewing of The Secret. Everybody has been talking about this film. Come see what it's all about!

The quilt in the above photo and made by my great, great friend Liz. It was my first quilt ever, I guess I've had it for about 11 years. This is the quilt I used for most of my college days. Ahh, fun days!

Anybody else ready for the beach?

It's like a heat wave outside compared to the last month! Temps are what, 45 degrees....it feels like spring compared to 2 degrees that we've been having. I'm so ready for spring. Ready to pull the tank tops and flip flops out of the closet. If your achin' for the beach like I am, you should consider signing up for our most wonderful yoga retreat in Tulum, Mexico. We'll spend the week at Maya Tulum, which is a seaside wellness resort on the beautiful Yucatan Peninsula. Lots of sand, sun, and serenity. This will truly be a week of inspiration, exploration, connection, and recreation. Very good for your soul :-)

The above photo was taken in the Dominican Republic. I like to make it to the beach (or some big body of water) at least twice a year. If I don't, I get cranky and go into some sort of water withdrawal. It's not pretty.

Family fun and yoga at Carnegie Center

I'll be at the Carnegie Center this Thursday at 5:30 leading a little family yoga session. The yoga session is part of their heart healthy celebration, which also includes pilates and creative (healthy) snacks. It's an evening of fun, free dinner and activities for the whole family! Registration is required. Call 859.254.4175 if you would like to attend.

Simple pleasures

"You can observe a lot just by watching." Yogi Berra

We went to Holly Hill Inn today for brunch to celebrate a friend's birthday. This was the table that we sat at. Isn't it just beautiful? I was so excited that Andy and I were the first to arrive and there really wasn't anyone else at the Inn at this time. So I had a couple moments to roam around and take a few photos. It seems that the thing for me to photograph lately has been windows and sunlight (I just realized that I mention the sunlight at the coffee shop from Fridays post). These are the things that I notice...how the sunlight streaming through a window can create such a dreamy mood. And my fave is old windows in old houses. I roam around my house at different times of the day taking photos of windows and the rooms. This giant window at Holly Hill Inn was just gorgeous. I also love the sheer curtains and how they allow just enough sunlight to filter in and if you look closely, you can see the shadow of a tree on the wall hangings.

This has been one of my simple pleasures lately. What's yours?

Things that made me happy today

I downloaded Lucinda Williams new cd "West" from iTunes. Lucinda has been a fave of mine since she released "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road" in 1998. Her voice is like no other....she's soulful, sultry and subtle all at the same time. Her lyrics and music are "hauntingly beautiful". She's totally amazing.

I came home from the studio last night and Andy and I had received the most awesome postcard ever from my friend Jen. You flip the card over and it read "You Rock Our World". She goes to wish a year full of "passion and purpose". It was the greatest surprise ever and it was the most perfect timing. So much better than a bill or credit card application.

Liz and I had a lunch/coffee date at Coffee Times. We sat by a window and enjoyed the sunshine, yummy drinks and tasty sandwiches. I love spending time here on Fridays.

Spending my morning with Wyman creating this vase. I decided to leave the piece more textured and rough, choosing to reveal the imperfections. I can't wait till we glaze and fire the pieces!

I hope...

I hope,

for more love, more joy and laughter.

I hope,

we'll have more than we'll ever need.

I hope,

we'll have more happy ever after.

I hope,

we can all live more fearlessly.

And we can lose all the pain and misery

I hope, I hope...

-Dixie Chicks

As many of you know, my aunt has been in the hospital. I've been traveling to and from Louisville the last three weeks spending time with her. She passed away early this morning. She was in need of a heart transplant.

I want to thank those of you that have asked about her and about me. Your hugs and kind words have been the best thing I could ever wish and hope for. I was so touched when Teresa told me that at the end of class this past Tuesday, you all sent well wishes and positive thoughts to me and my aunt. That meant so very much to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Mommies do yoga everyday!

This is a sequence/flyer I came up with for my moms day out gals. They came to the studio Friday night for a lovely two hour yoga workshop that ended with lively conversation and homemade chocolate chip cookies. Yummy. I did weave a little story into the sequence as I felt it was most appropriate. Enjoy....

1. Begin in mountain pose, standing tall and strong. Not even an explosive temper tantrum could knock you off course. Take 5 deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling through your nose.

2. Inhale and lift your arms overhead, take the palms together and tilt your head back. That temper tantrum continues and you lift your hands asking for strength and patience from above. Maybe an oreo cookie will do the trick.3. Exhale and fold forward, release your hands towards the ground. Imagine picking up crumbs from that cookie with your legs straight and spine lengthened.


4. Inhale and take a big step back with your right leg, you're in prime position for a sprint. A sprint to get those cookie crumbs to the garbage can. From there, onto the laundry room. Piles of clothes await you.

5. Release the right knee straight down to rest on the ground. Inhale and lift your arms overhead. You're lifting clean clothes from the dryer, your husband stands there graciously taking the clothes where he continues to fold. Of course you're smiling.

6. Bring the fingertips to the floor, step forward and balance on your left leg. This is where it gets tricky. You've just closed the dryer door with your back leg and you're balancing little Emma on your back, she wants to play after all.

7. Drop the right leg down to meet the left, standing forward fold. Little Emma lies on the floor and you tickle her tummy. That temper tantrum feels like it happened months ago. You realize you've been doing yoga for years. Return to mountain pose and repeat sequence with the left leg.

Sequence created by Sharon Tessandori. She doesn't have any children, but imagines this is what her yoga practice might be like if she did.

I'm a little teapot...

This is my creation from week 2 of my pottery class! I get so excited to think that I made this from clay, with my very own two hands! This piece took a bit longer than the pot I made last time (three hours), as it had a few more elements. Lots more coils, a technique in which you roll the clay with your hands (I think of coils as snakes and worms). I think I can really get into this pottery stuff. I may have to convert my craft room into my very own little pottery studio.

I'm busy taking care of some last minute details for my yoga workshop with the "moms day out" gals. I've baked some yummy chocolate chip cookies for an after workshop treat, made copies of the special sequence I came up with, "Mommies Do Yoga Everyday", and the yoga blankets are all freshly laundered. I need to get to the studio soon to get it tidied up, light some candles and get things ready. I want to make the studio extra cozy for this special group of moms and offer them a wonderfully relaxing evening of yoga and girl time.

Isn't she lovely?!

This is Liz, some of you know her from Tuesday and Saturday classes. She always has a smile on her face and she does this great pigeon pose. And she's just one of the funniest people. After cancelling class on Tuesday, I got an email from her and she said she would have put chains on the super mom minivan and trudged through the snow to get to class.

Liz came to the studio this afternoon to be my "mommy yoga model" (thanks Liz, you were perfect). I'm leading a yoga workshop tomorrow night for a mom's day out group so I wanted to come up with a sequence to send them home with. Liz was my model for the poses I included in the sequence. I put it all together in one cute little flyer. I'll post the sequence here on the blog soon. Have a fabulousThursday!

Here I Sit...

It's 7:40 and normally I would be teaching my level 1 class. We, or should I say you, would be all warm from flowing through some sun salutations...we've covered the basics, moved from warrior 1 to warrior 2 and maybe even warrior 3, done our fair share of downward facing dog, and you're breathing your way toward bliss like all good yogi's do ;-) However, the snow came in earlier in the afternoon and we were expecting anywhere from 3 to 8 inches. I decided to play it safe and cancel the evening yoga classes. I hope that you all are warm and cozy and sipping some hot cocoa (with marshmallows), getting in some down time.

I'm sitting here in a snow covered "big blue" house continuing to do work, even if I'm not teaching. But I'm not complaining, really I'm not. I have lots of exciting things that I'm planning. One of them involving yoga and a tropical beach. I'll keep you posted! I think I'll make myself a toasty drink of some sort. Be safe and keep warm!

The Perfect Valentines Gift

We're having a couple massage workshop at Barefoot Works on Saturday, March 3 from 2:00 till 6:00 pm. Join us to soothe away the stresses and pressures of everyday life by learning simple massage techniques. We'll begin by discussing the benefits of massage and basic massage terminology and techniques. The remainder of the workshop will be spent learning how to give a massage using effective techniques and strokes. You'll also learn ways to do massage in a chair, table and on a bed.

We'll even give you the cutest gift certificate ever to give to your loved one on Valentines Day. Sign up and treat yourself and your partner to this wonderful gift that will keep on giving!

Sign up soon as space is limited!

A Winter Walk

"Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather." John Ruskin

I braved the cold this morning (think cold like 15 degrees) to go out and take some shots of the snow. I'm not a fan of cold, 15 is just not an appropriate number for the temperature. My original plan was to hop into my little box car and drive over to the park and take some pictures. I had keys in hand and everything, but then I started to feel a bit (or a lot) lazy. I mean, the park is probably one a third of a mile away from my house. I convinced myself that the cold would be "exhilarating", just as the above quote states. So off I went, trudging down the sidewalk with my furry boots on. Quite quickly I came across this beautiful bird perched in a tree. Luckily I had my super lens on and what able to get a good close shot of him. I was immediately happy that I'd decided to walk instead of drive, as I would have missed this darling little gal. Makes me wonder how many more things I've missed out on, just because I've taken the easy or most convenient route....hmmm, something to ponder.

On another note, I'm going to make these chili cheese fries and macho nachos for a super bowl gathering today. Wishing you all a super, super bowl Sunday :-)

Yoga for Football Players

Click here to read an article about the West Jessamine Colts, the team that I'm visiting once a week to do yoga with. It's a great group of 50 football players and about 10 teachers. All of them are doing such an awesome job...nothing like looking out and seeing 50 strong boys standing in Warrior. I plan to take some pictures of the class at some point and I'll share some of those. For now, this cute little shot of Zack (future football player) and Jonah will have to do.