Fall

Before my husband left to pick up our CSA share this week we had a conversation about what vegetables he might come home with.  I love the CSA.  I love the element of surprise.  We agreed that we would probably get lots of squash.  We were happily surprised by what is probably our last round of tomatoes, some gorgeous purple, yellow and orange carrots, eggplant, potatoes, beets, lettuce, bok choy, red onions, garlic, kale and winter squash.

There isn't a farmer's market near us, so we decided to join a CSA.  Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a system where you sign up for a farm share before the growing season.  The fees help the farmer pay for seeds, supplies and equipment for the season.  As vegetables are harvested, once a week the farmer delivers vegetables to the city and you go collect your share of fresh, local, organic produce.  The amount of food and what kind is dependent on what is ripe and how the growing season is going.  We've been CSA members for two years now and have really enjoyed it.

One of my major goals is to simplify my life, home, schedule, commitments, diet, etc..  It's a big task!  But being a part of the CSA has really been a no brainer .  We keep our food staples on hand and know that every Tuesday we're going to be collecting some delicious, fresh, organic goods.  As the seasons change and our vegetables lean more toward roots and squash, rather than the corn, leafy greens and varieties of gorgeous heirloom tomatoes we've enjoyed so far this year, I find myself anticipating a long winter.  As the days get shorter I need to keep focused!  So I think we're going to branch out into the winter produce share, frozen fruit and vegetable share and special order local goods.  At least that way I can move ahead knowing my diet won't suffer in the coming months.  And next summer we'll go visit the farm!

In the clear

The last few days I've had a cold.  It has been so frustrating!  Not only am I tired and uncomfortable, I've also been cranky that this has slowed down the momentum of my October Yoga Challenge!  Over the last few days I have had to listen to my body, respect my limits, and come to peace with the fact that I simply needed to rest.  Baby A has been teething really badly, poor little guy, which means that I'm stretched a little thin tending to his needs, work, and trying to get myself on the fast track back to feeling well.

I've been drinking lots of tea and doing a slow and restorative practice during his shorter than usual naps.  This article in Yoga Journal shows some poses that help to relieve a cold.  I am hoping that tomorrow my energy levels will be on their way back to normal so I can go out to a class!  We'll see how I feel.  If not tomorrow, there's always Thursday...

The longing

Last Wednesday I went to an open level class at Virayoga.  I loved it!  The teacher, Zhenja, was amazing.  I've never taken a class with her, so before class started she came and visited with me for a few minutes.  At one point she asked where I practice yoga, and I said "I'm here now."  And I think it's the right place for me to be!  I've decided to make this Wednesday evening class a regular part of my week. 

Zhenja talked about many things throughout that class, but one that really resonated with me was something her teacher Dr. Douglas Brooks says.  "If you make a mistake, don't do it again.  And then if you do it again, don't do it again."  It's a reminder that we're human and we do make mistakes.  But it's important to try to become a better person, and not to focus on or get hung up on past errors or situations.  We should have the longing for more, and sometimes that's enough.  It's a good reminder that I don't have to always have a perfect practice.  I just have to do what I can, be present and strive for more.

October Yoga Challenge: Day 4

Day 4 and going strong.  My shoulders are tired from Chaturanga and I'm more aware of my abs than I have been since before Baby A was born.  Success!  :)  So far I am feeling strong and dedicated, and happy with my yoga plans.  I actually started 2 days early, so I've been doing an hour + of home practice for nearly a week now.  I'm going to take a class at Virayoga on Wednesday evening. 

Today was a difficult day.  My babe only napped for half of an hour (!!!!!!!) so he was super crabby.  Normally I get all my work done and practice during his naps.  I was incredibly frustrated by the time I realized he wasn't taking another nap this afternoon.  Luckily my darling husband came home from work full of energy, ready to wrangle, play like crazy, bathe and prepare our baby for bed while I took some much needed time to stretch, twist and breathe my way through a yoga sequence.  Aaaaaaaah.

my October Yoga Challenge!

I've decided to embark on an October Yoga Challenge.  This month I will do at least an hour of yoga 6 days a week.  I will allow myself a pass the days I am out of town, or if I am sick.

getting there is half the fun

There was an article about Little Dog Orchard in my CSA's newsletter this summer.  The owners of Little Dog Orchard are Manhattan transplants who moved upstate a few years ago and are in the process of converting the orchard from conventional to natural growing methods.  If you lease a tree, one is assigned to you and is cared for during the growing season.  When the apples are ready to be picked, you can go spend a day upstate and collect apples from your tree.  My husband and I decided to lease an Empire apple tree.  I liked the idea of local, spray-free apples, going directly from the tree to my kitchen.  Not to mention that leasing a tree guaranteed me an autumn day upstate picking apples!

This past Saturday we went upstate for a lovely afternoon of apple picking. We may have gotten a little carried away, because we came home with 6 huge (huge!) bags of apples. After giving away as many apples as we could, we still had more than we knew what to do with. Applesauce, apple butter, apple pie, apple apple apple...?

After standing in the kitchen peeling apples for what felt like a very long time, I decided to get comfy on the floor with a bowl for my peels.  I started cooking and kept peeling apples until I had a blister on my finger.  As that blister grew I became increasingly grouchy.  Luckily it wasn't long before my baby woke up from his nap, so it was time for a break.  :)

Soon our apartment was filled with the scent of warm apples and cinnamon, and my mind was racing into the future.  I thought about apple picking when Baby A is older.  As an urban baby (urban child) I want to make sure he knows where his food comes from.  Picking apples, bringing them home and then creating all sorts of delicious edibles out of them is one great way to help him understand that.  Next year I'm definitely getting one of those apple peeler/corer/slicers though!

back to the mat

My yoga mat has not been entirely neglected. I unroll it every day and keep it out all day. Sometimes I have 15 minutes on the mat, sometimes an hour, and other days I only manage to squeeze in one sun salutation.


Working from home (on call full time) and taking care of a toddler doesn't leave much time for those luxurious, relaxing yoga breaks I remember from days passed. But despite some ebbs and flows, yoga has been a constant in my life since 1998. I want to do a yoga immersion this spring. It's time to become more serious about yoga and to devote myself to this thing that is so important to my health and happiness, and which will in the long run, only make me a better person and a better mother. A plan is brewing...

be here now

I have studied yoga and meditation, but I have never been more present in my body and in my life than I am and have been during the different stages of growing, birthing and nourishing a baby. I love him, my babe, in a way I never knew existed. He is constantly changing and I am constantly working on being present in my life, for this too shall pass. This time is precious and fleeting.

Be Here Now has been sitting on my shelves for months. I pulled it down today and started to look through it. My 13 month old baby crawled into my lap. I read "Don't think about the past. Be here now... Don't think about the future. Be here now." He started turning the pages faster than I could read them. With that thought fresh in my mind I laughed and tickled him and we rolled around and went into the other room to play.