dolores river canyon daytoday i went to my happy place; a beautiful dusty canyon near my home which i've yet to see any other person in. it's the kind of place that makes you feel humble, and small, but thankful to be part of such a world. a world where winds now blow through a red rock desert that used to be the bottom of a prehistoric ocean. we found fragments of bones, hundreds of millions of years old; bits of teeth and proof of aquatic life here, in the driest of places. we hiked through stone and sand and sage, following the river and the same trail that carried cowboys and outlaws and ranchers and indians. indians who left record of their comings and goings on stones along the trail, mysterious markings whose meanings are clear and murky at the same time. and now us. adding to the layers of time in this place that keeps records. adding to the wonder, the quiet conversation, adding to the echos, and remnants, and proof of existence that this valley holds in silence. forever.
i'm posting more photos today, click below:
open your shoulders open your practice: it's been a while since i posted a shoulder opener, here is my personal favorite; pashchima namaskarasana, or reverse namaste. this is a fantastic shoulder opener that stretches your wrists, opens your chest, stretches your arms and reverses that nasty hunching shape we all assume over computers or smart phones. learn how to get into the posture here.
(if you want to see all the shoulder opening poses together just click on open your shoulders open your practice, below in my label section.)
"it's not the prettiest of seasons here right now - the tail end of winter with only the very first idea it might be spring. the woods are silent and the air is bright, the mountains in the distance are still white with snow, but if you look closely, each bough is tipped with buds."
- my journal
we came across a rookery of herons today. i'd never seen this before. they are usually lone animals, only coming together in a fairly large group when it's time to nest. you can't see in the photo but there were so many nests - dozens! it was still and peaceful and otherworldly - just a bunch of introverts sitting in a tree.
the aged barolo was the best.
new new home number 29
i'm remembering the simple joys of looking at a blank space, or a badly decorated space and picturing how much better it could be with a little of this, or a little of that. many things about my life are still scattered and uncertain, but using what is here and now, this little bird is nesting, and feeling satisfied with the results.
"The world is changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air."
- JRR Tolkien
i don't usually enjoy posting photos of poses i haven't totally mastered. so in the spirit of conquering my ego here is my standing split photo. this pose is super hard. and even with help from the tree my form makes me cringe. let's see though, where i am in a year.
look at this little dummy.
even though it is spring elsewhere, here it is colorado. so it's stills snowing. today i wanted something warm and comforting and busted out my carrot soup. i do not like carrots and i'm not even crazy about soup. but i love this recipe and i make it alot. every time i eat it i think to myself,
"i cannot believe how many carrots i'm eating right now."
this time russ said, "it's like ice cream; except hot, and not."
i don't know about that but it is good. here's the recipe:
this is just a reminder: we are defined by our reactions to turmoil, hardship, fear, and pain. stay classy, stay kind, and don't let the bad times get you down. namaste bitches.xx
radical health challenge: ardha chandrasana! this one is obviously great for balance and strength, but did you know it also combats stress and helps with anxiety while improving your digestion? i recommend hanging out in it for a while.
mayan day
no trip to my dad's house is complete without some taxidermy photos.
"the foot feels the foot when it feels the ground."
- buddha
ok full disclosure there wasn't really that much snow - we were just too cold to go out.
look at my costa rican dog, embracing his colorado lifestyle.
snow makes everything magical.
once he realized it wasn't dangerous, zephyr actually liked playing in the snow. but his favorite part was coming back in by the fire. that made him really happy.
it's a bit hard, but i'm trying to find the beauty in dead things again. i'm out of practice.
