Yoga

I tried something new this week. I took a yoga class. I have talked about trying yoga before but it never has happen. So this week when an introductory class was offered at Belmont I decided it was time to get a mat and give it a try. The class was taught by the wife of a classmate of Steve's from high school. I had met Kathy on several occasions and felt she would teach a good class. She began to practice yoga in her 50's and can appreciate that not all of us are as flexible as we used to be. It was an hour of self affirmation and stretching; some traditional poses and lots of emphasis on listening to your body. I enjoyed the class.
Today I went to the library to get a book on yoga and a couple of tapes. Much like Kathy had instructed on Tuesday the emphasis from the library information is body awareness, stretching and meditation. It makes me think that yoga was started by the last kid picked for every team in grade school. I liked the yoga routine but it is not something that some people are good at and others struggle with. With practice everyone could be a yoga master. There are no yoga Olympics. Maybe that is the attraction of yoga. It does make you feel good after completion and I am sure there are going to be some good physical changes from practicing the core strengthening poses. I will need to work on the non competitiveness of it." No judgement" was a term thrown around during the class. Don't judge yourself or others. Do a pose until your body says stop. Stretch as far as you can. Use a wall to steady yourself. Every other activity I have ever participated in stresses getting to be the best you can be. In golf you are better than people with a higher handicap than you. In tennis your have a ranking.  I will struggle with this in yoga. I think as you progress in yoga you must get "in tune" with your body and that is the ultimate goal. Self awareness and calm acceptance of yourself. Hmmm.... Will continue the posts on Yoga.

Happy Birthday Mike. # 30 November 14

Yes it is hard to believe that Mike is turning thirty years old today.  He has done well in those years and hopefully will continue that trend. He celebrated 5 years on his job as a custodian at the group homes in Bowling Green. He maintains his apartment in BG and has paid off his car. He is an accomplished Special Olympian in swimming, basketball, track and field, and golf.  He enjoys going to Quarters Bar on Friday nights and having a beer or two and in fact that was his choice today instead of coming home for a birthday dinner with mom and dad.

Congratulations Mike and Happy Birthday. We love you!

The "g's" of summer

That would be "Golfing" and "Gardening". My g's are really winding down for the year. We played golf on Sunday with a high of 48 and 10-15 mile an hour winds. Being dressed for the weather makes it comfortable to be outside but I still haven't found the combination of clothes for the temperature and clothes that you can make a good full golf swing in. I've got my November golf in now and I don't think I'll play again until the temperatures are in the fifties. Unless of course we go out Christmas morning to play 18. Number 18 that is.

So on the the other "g" of summer. Gardening is about finished too. After riding around with the trash can in my Jeep for a month I think my accumulation of leaf top dressing for the new gardens is about complete. I added several new plants from the 75% off sales at the end of the year clearances and I am now finishing my drawings of where these new plants are located. I learned last year that by spring I had forgotten where and what I quickly threw into the ground the previous fall. My American Dream coreopsis came up but I kept pulling it out in the spring because I thought it was grass.  It wasn't until I found a tag from one of the plants that I remembered where I put it and realized my mistake. Also last fall my garden mentor Kathy was in the process of moving and there were rootings of several plants she wanted me to have from her garden. Some of these got put into the ground quickly in a fertile location with the intention of finding a good home in the spring. By summer when they came up I was struggling with identification and so moving never happen.  My learning process of gardening is evolving. I love the perfect gardens in the magazines but I really am enjoying the scattered approach.  A garden changes every year as things grow and mature. It is okay to move things for many reasons. Sunlight changes as trees get bigger, soil conditions are different too. I have a wet area that is always going to be a challenge. I am looking forward next summer to adding some of the zinna color from my neighbor Renee. I have a box of zinna seeds I collected this year to scatter around some of my new gardens next year. It was fun to dry the flowers and save the seeds. A great garden frugalista activity.

Big birthday coming up for Mike this week. He will be 30 on Friday. WOW!

As we start the month of November I am reminded that the first snowfall last year was November 12. My garden pictures are an unpleasant reminder. Today was beautiful though and the gardens are being readied for the annual layer of snow.