I'm back

I forgot how to get into my blog since it became part of a Google account. But I finally had the time to figure it out!

Life has been full. The yogi part has been busy creating kids classes. This has been a lot of fun and a lot of work. I have for a long time had the idea of combining yoga with wisdom tradition stories.

About three years ago I became very interested in storytelling. My sister, who was moving West across the country at the time, bought me this storyteller figure as a gift. I keep her in my study for inspiration. I have started teaching more kids yoga classes and it has inspired me to create a curriculum. These stories are wonderful ways to teach about peace, hope, kindness, compassion. Combining these stories with yoga practices that teach us to cultivate and honor our inner wisdom makes for engaging and life affirming practices. My favorite books so far are: Spinning Tales, Weaving Hope, edited by a number of storytellers, Peace Tales, by Margaret Read MacDonald, and Wisdom Tales from Around the World, by Heather Forest.

Of course as I researched and pulled together my classes I found a woman in Colorado with the same idea and a trade marked program teaching these stories and yoga to kids. So, kudos to her. I bought her book, Storytime Yoga, which is really good.

The real blessing in all of this has been Rebecca's blossoming as a yogini. She has really embraced these stories and yoga practices. She is often my assistant at the kids classes and is usually a wonderful role model. Because she is learning these practices, she teaches me too. And there is nothing cooler than your child telling you, "this isn't a big problem, it will be okay," when you really need to hear it.

Lisa's scarf

I finished a scarf for my friend and fellow yogi Lisa. For such a simple scarf it was very long in process- which is fine since it's all about the process, right??!!

It's Mango Moon Recycled Sari Silk and Kiddie Print mohair blend. Early on the Mango Moon tangled badly. It took a seriously long time untangling, all the while telling myself that this was my meditation practice. By the time I had untangled it I had purchased a yarn winder. Even wound it was surprizingly tangley (I know this may not be a word)

Lisa has a website and a fabulous Yoga Nidra CD.

Happy Holidaze!

We are tree huggers and tree worshippers all. I am only beginning to learn about the Green Man. Here's to more of that in 2007!

More knitting, less reading

I have actually finished some kniting projects! They are both from knitalongs that have kept me going.

The scarf, Diamond Fantasy, modeled by Rebecca, is from Sivia Harding Knits. The yarn is Claudia hand painted merino wool in a fingering weight on size 5 (US) bamboo needles. It was SO SOFT to work with and I am sure that knitting my first lace project with a fingering weight was way easier than knitting with a lace weight. It also only took me a mere 8 months to complete it. I cast off on election day, November 7, giving me lots to celebrate!!!

With this project I learned about blocking. I found out it really wasn't too hard once I quit reading about it and tried it. And I did it without the fancy blocking wires that Knitpicks sells and I kept thinking I would purchase and try.

I also finished some socks from a Nancy Bush Knitting on the Road KAL. These were the July/ August socks that I finished at the end of October. They were done in a Mountain Colors, Mountain Goat, Sagebrush. It is a wool, mohair blend. I love these socks except they are thick and do not fit well with most of my shoes.

SO now on to some Christmas gifts: long-promised socks for my sister and a silk/mohair scarf for a friend. I am also knitting socks for John and I think he's resigned to receiving them after Christmas. Some day maybe I'll be a fast knitter.

Sam Dog: In Memoriam

Our dog Sam died two weeks ago. She would have been 15 this month. She lived a long and happy life. But I am still sad. I always joked that our dogs were part of our marriage contract. I wanted to have dogs (children too, but later) and I told John that after we were married I wanted a dog . So we were married in June 1991 and adopted Sam from the Humane Society in Tucson that December. So Sam had always been a part of our life together. Six months later Connie came along. She was a stray, probably from the Tohono O'odham Indian Reservation. She and Sam were always together and she probably misses Sam even more than we do.

Sam was a mix of lab, spaniel and probably Australian shepherd. We always said she was 1/2 goof dog as well. Until the last year or so she loved to lick you, especially your face. Our friend Kelly who is pictured being licked by Sam would sometime take care of her and take her on walks when we were away.

We had a ceremony saying good-by to Sam which went something like this:
We decide to have the ceremony outside; it's dark. While John and I mourn inside, Rebecca says, 10 X, "I'm carrying the flashlight remember. Can I have the flashlight. Remember I'm carrying the flashlight."

Rebecca and Alex head outside with the flashlight. John, not yet recovered from bronchitis follows carrying Sam. Alex and Rebecca start arguing about who knows what. Rebecca is yelling. The light from the flashlight dances everywhere except along the dark path John needs to walk. Alex trips over a small trampoline and lays spawled on the ground screaming. John stands there holding our dead beloved dog, unable to see where to walk. Fortunately Alex recovers quickly.
We each hold a flower and say something we remember or will miss about Sam. Rebecca says to me, "Why are you crying Mama, you didn't cry when Nana died..." (I did)

Aren't kids great!? Sam would have loved it.

Summer on Skye

I have been away from this for a while. Summer flew by. One of the highlights for us was visiting Scotland. I have lots of family there and we visited the Isle of Skye where my grandfather was from. For me, it was the most beautiful, relaxing part of the trip. We travelled by train from Glasgow to Mallaig and took a ferry across the water to Skye.

We lucked out in that the weather was unusually warm and sunny. Of course I packed for cool rainy weather but I am not complaining!

I am including photos from Skye. The Cullins Mountains- said to be often hidden in the mist- is the second to last photo. (It's suppose to be the first photo, but.... there are many things I have still to learn about working this blog...)The Cullins are viewed from Elgol where we were preparing to get a boat to travel to Loch Coruisk. The next photo above the Cullins photo is the view just off the landing stage in Loch na Cuilce. The sea approach was awe inspiring- the mountains, sea birds, and seals! The bottom photo is Loch Coruisk with Alex and Rebecca enjoying a dip. The temparature was in the low 80's! The final photo (at the top) is a spectacular hike we took in Portree, the largest town further north in Skye along the east coast.

For Jessica

These are the delphiniums that Jessica sent to England for and started from seed four years ago. I planted them in the front of the house where I learned they need more SUN. I also learned that delphinium stems are hollow and break easily in wind and rain which we had a lot of this season.
They still bloomed big beautiful blooms, but with all the rain and wind and because I did not stake them high enough, the blooms broke. So I cut them and brought them inside.
Pictures never do nature justice. They are such a beautiful blue and purple color. The flower that is shown cut is over two feet tall. Alex, for the record is 5 foot 3 1/2inches.