March 31 - Yoga Retreat No. 2 for 2012

Can't believe it's been 9 days since I blogged. Where does all the time go? It has been a very busy time and still is - but I must this morning get back in touch. First, a photo of the row of daffodils in front of the Yogatorium. What a nice touch. .....There were two females visiting my two male ducks - but when I opened the door to double check, they flew away to the east, probably to the pond nearby. I pray they'll come back. My two males have been alone for a very long time now. ......It's hard to believe, but the high temperature predicted for tomorrow is 77! We've had the warmest January on record and I'll bet the warmest February, too. It has been so warm, the propane company called me to sell gas at the cheapest rate in the last three years. .... now for the newest news - I've scheduled Yoga Retreat No. 2 for this year for March 31. Saturday, from 10 to 4:00 with wine and cheese following. The first one was a rip-roaring success for all of us. Come join us - send your $10 to me quickly to guarantee your spot and look forward to a lovely quiet day bonding with nine others in yoga asanas, meditation, journaling, and just being. The theme this time is gratitude.

Daffodils 2012

Spring is springing! My first blooming daffodil at the Yogatorium. THANKS to Ray for planting them one day when I wasn't even here and didn't know where they were till they began peeking above the ground level - they are all along the front of the Yogatorium - others about to bloom. The ones at the center of the labyrinth just peeking out. I guess we'll skip winter this year. Or maybe he will arrive in March?......Today I will return to book writing. I've had a nice long break and am eager to get back to it now. I did finally realize that I needed a break even if it meant no more writing ever - and now I'm ready. I've also accepted that it may take many years, not just one, to write a book. Somehow it's not the same as other writing I've done. This may be a lifelong adventure!

Here's the hammock and Kathy. Just got hung last week - a Christmas gift from sons and their wives. Also, another shot of some of my Pod Sisters.\: Kathy, Faye, JacqueB and Nancy. Sara had already left for Wilmington when the camera came out of hiding. Just for sheer pleasure and longing on your part, here's another shot of the hammock. (These are in reverse order, of course. Still can't remember how this blog stuff works.) .......Come this Sunday afternoon to the 4th Sunday at 4:00 silent meditation hour and you, too, can try out the hammock!

Connection

Another foggy day. But, JacqueB and Sara will be arriving so excitement is in the air. What a joy to have five women friends visit three times each year here and again in the spring at Folly Beach - we've grown very close since we met in August of 2005 and held our first private gathering that fall in Clemson. Much water has gone under the bridge for each one of us. One of the principles I've been writing about this year is connection. Maybe one has to be over 70 to appreciate fully the importance of connecting to other human beings. Is there really anything more important for our happiness? I don't think so. While I love my times in solitude here at the Pond, they would be unbearable if unbroken by connections to friends and family. Over the past few weeks I've recovered a friend, Bill, from sixty years ago. What a blessing! I'll think on this principle of connection a bit more today. Have a happy one!

Ramblings

FOG - can hardly see the cedar tree on the other side of the Pond. Glad this is a morning at home. The Pawleys Island rope hammock the kids gave me for Christmas got put up yesterday! Can hardly wait for a bit of sunshine to try it out. It was too cold yesterday. Mike used a piece of the power pole that has been lying on the ground for 6 years now for one post and a red maple at the edge of the Pond for the other. Will get a photo this weekend so you can dream of using it!.......Pod sisters (group of six of us who met at Claritas Interspiritual Mentor training a few years ago in Boulder) begin arriving tomorrow for our quarterly weekend retreat. We do three here and one at Folly Beach in April. What a blessing for me these sisters are. Always eager to see them and sorry to see them leave.....Finally got my exercise ball blown up - thanks to Joanne lending me her foot pump. I think I'll find myself using it pretty often as I learn more about how to use it. Jan, my trainer, is working with me at Wellness Works with one. I'll get my third session with her this afternoon. As you can see, my mind is scattered this morning. A day of jumping from one thing to the other. Perhaps my next post will be more focused - maybe.

A Valentine Gift for Yourself

Happy Valentine's Day --- what a great morning to be inside warm, drinking my new tea ("Vitality") a delightful blend of orange peel, cinnamon, licorice root, green mate (had to google that one), lemon peel and allspice. I've tried a number of different herbal teas, and this one is the best by far! A lovely gift from SusanB.....Yesterday I introduced my yoga students to a new situp - my invention: Begin lying on your back with arms extended alongside your body, raise your head and shoulders as far as you can, hold and breathe, ease your way up a bit higher, hold and breathe, and continue until your straight back is at about a 60 degree angle with the floor, hold and breathe, then begin lowering your body back down inch by inch, holding and breathing, etc. It's fun. And, you can always use your hands against your legs to help you inch your way up or down. It's a lot more fun than slinging your head forward and trying to throw your upper body forward. It's the slow, smooth and easy that makes it fun. Try it. I'll bet you'll find yourself laughing! Happy Valentine's Day! Oh, the photo is the living area of the Hilton Head Yacht Club villa Bill and I shared this weekend and the harbor view shows Jim's penthouse apartment in the center of the photo.

Watching the Water on the Harbor

It's windy this morning so the surface of the harbor water is moving rapidly as the tide comes in and the wind assists - seems as if they are working together this morning. Do they always? Predicted 23mph winds today so it's going to be a good day to just sit and be in this beautiful setting. I've been awake quie a while and it's fun to watch lights come on in the buildings across the way as people awaken. Of couse, brother Jim's was one of the first to light up. They are early risers. Even now, only a few have come on. I doubt if there will be much activity among the boats today with the high wind. Probably most will stay right where they are - snug in their slips in this protected harbor.

Hilton Head Friday Social Hour

I'm showing Bill how a blog works.

Your Authentic Self is Incomparable

In my reading this morning this phrase jumped out at me - your authentic self is incomparable. If that is the case, and I accept that it is, then why do I spend so much of my time working on being comparable to those I'm trying to impress. Why? From now on, or at least for today, I'm going to live knowing my real Self is incomparable. Not just knowing it, but being it, acting like it.

Living life at full throttle.

Can't believe it's gonna be almost 20 degrees colder tomorrow than today! What crazy weather we're having this year. 71 today, 54 tomorrow for highs. And still, no truly cold weather in the forecast. But that's OK. Means I walk many days on the roadside. I have two different places I can walk a treadmill indoors, but always take the option to walk outside down my country road whenever I can. How blessed I am to live in this beautiful environment.....Sara Ban Breathnach writes today about "living life at full throttle." I love that. I try to do that. I even accept that in order to live life at full throttle I have to take naps occasionally. Actually, almost daily. Living life at full throttle means taking advantage of every opportunity that arises which might expand my understanding, my abilities, or my pleasure. It means saying "Yes" and then deciding if that's the right answer. It means smiling until I have a very good reason for frowning. It means paying attention to what is right in front of me and not letting it slide away. It means being awake.....really awake.... to myself and others.

Yoga Eagle Pose

A couple photos from the Yogatorium: Diana and Sheryl, Sheryl in Eagle pose. Notice her right foot behind her left calf- that's the hardest part to achieve - at least for me. She also has her eyes closed, which often makes it more difficult to balance. Sheryl's a newcomer and doing nicely, as you can see. What a joy to introduce newcomers to yoga and see their enjoyment. My mission in life now! And, Sheryl wouldn't even be in yoga if it weren't for Diana getting her to come to classes! Wonderful friendships develop in yoga classes......What a wonderful life I'm living!

Body fat news

First, here's a photo of Tate, Walker, Kelsey and Sydney while we were shopping for Wendy's gift on Christmas Eve. Often all of them are wearing orange, but not that day. I promised a photo of Walker in my blog yesterday and this is my most recent one........Today is errand day - dentist this morning, invited to lunch with a new group - Greenwood Women's Forum - ..by the drugstore to pick up thyroid supplement... yoga class at Yogatorium tonight. Just a pretty ordinary Wednesday..... Had my first strength training session last evening with Jan. She's designed a good program that should make a big difference with a few months of dedication on my part. But I may have to switch to another day - two yoga classes followed by strength training left me with leg cramps most of the night.....As my grandmother used to say, "It's no sin getting old, but it sure is inconvenient." First time to try using one of the big balls - looks like enough fun to have one here to work with so I'll make a quick stop to pick up one while I'm in town...... By the way, my body fat number came up at 34% which shocked both me and Jan. The manager says that's not unusual - they get it often with teens who are skinny as rails - and have no muscle, which unfortunately is just what has happened to me. I think the term "skinny fat" is what she used. So, that's why I'm at the GYM! Yes, the yoga pays off big time as far as flexibility is concerned, but it is not building much muscle - not in my gentle flow yoga class. A Power Yoga class would be more likely to, but that's just not my style now.