Jump Start on 2013 Spring Cleanse

On their way to becoming hummus - thanks for the lemon Dad!

Yoganiche's 2013 Spring Cleanse isn't starting until June this year - a little later than it has in year's past.  While I've been eating better since the holidays - I'm still not up to "spring cleanse" form yet and feel the call to jump start my cleaner eating habits already now - especially as the weather warms and clothing layers lighten.  I feel in my bones a natural desire to "lighten" the foods I'm eating and to enjoy the seasonal veggies and delights that Spring has to offer.  

To answer the call - I spent a few hours last Sunday prepping a few cleaner eating snacks and meals for the week ahead.  This way - during the week - all I had to do to eat well was assemble, or boil water, or peel, or toss a few greens in order to have a healthy snack or meal in minutes.  

Hummus and veggie snack - radishes are supposedly fat melters!

Hard boiled eggs

Fixings for a kale basil pesto that goes great on grains, or quinoa pasta, or used as a bruschetta with a sunflower sprout topping.  Yum!

I find thinking ahead and planning and preparing are keys to my success when it comes to eating clean and well during the week.  It doesn't take long to whip up a batch of hummus, boil a few eggs, or blend up some yummy and versatile pesto.  I am also reminded of what Julie of Yoganiche says at the start of every cleanse - that the enjoyment and nourishment of a meal doesn't begin when you start to eat it - it begins the moment you see the ingredients that you are going to use to make it.  How fun is that!

I'm a little hungry now, time for a healthy spring clean meal!

How about you?  Are you relishing your spring nourishment too?

Messing Around: 2013 Seasons of Filoli Spring Photography Class

Sadness abounds this week following the Boston Marathon bombings.  Unfortunately, this kind of carnage happens daily around the globe.  In fact - 55 lives were claimed in a street bombing in Iraq that very same day.  So today's post goes out to all those impacted and adversely affected by those who would do others harm.  To those heroes amongst us - doctors, nurses, keepers of the peace, simple citizens - who sprang into action to help.  To the family's of the victims and the injured.  And especially to the victims and injured themselves. You are all in my thoughts.  

I send you much LOVE.

Last weekend was the third of the four seasons photography classes at Filoli's gardens.  I so love taking a class that follows the seasons - taking into account both lighting and composition - and how to leverage the natural beauty of the season into one's art.  I was going to say "photography" - but at the end of the day, it's really about creating something of beauty that somehow speaks to me - and maybe to others too.  And that's what art is all about  - no?

Spring is all about color; about new foliage, buds and flowers; lengthening days - so composition can be a tricky thing.  So much to focus on!  A tripod, one of the tools of photography I have yet to add to my "tool kit, would have come in handy for the class - as we learned about "stitching" and "stacking" and taking panoramic shots - all which benefit  from using one.  My husband, bless his heart, did gift me with a tripod about a year ago.  It's a lovely beast of a thing - but it is not designed to be carried around the garden of a large estate.  It's a bit too heavy for that.  What it is great for though is taking shots at home.  Where it can stand solid and secure against the inevitable knock of a curious cat or the flow of feline play.  

As our photo session began, I wandered through the garden and asked my inner wisdom for guidance.  If not playing with new techniques and snapping photos better taken with tripod - what could I do?  Well - I could play with aperture and depth of field (f.4-f.5, f.8, and f.16).   I could play around with a balance of macro and wide angle landscape shots (as I have a tendency to lean more toward macro); and I could try on different vantage points (a technique that Susan our instructor shared with us that day.)  Since my inner wisdom is seldom (make that never) wrong - this is exactly what I then did.  

Meandering through the property, "listening" with ever fiber of my being to "spot" the next shot, I couldn't stop thinking about  "mess around" a lindy hop dance my husband and I learned years ago.  Messing around is exactly what I found myself doing in that garden that day -  following my gut, heart and head - flowing with the moment - snapping pictures here and there - crouching low - stretching high - trusting the new learning, insights and growth flooding my way - and having a heck of a lot of fun too!

I invite you now to take a break from your (most likely) very busy day.  An opportunity - if you want - to put your feet up, let your hair down, brew and drink a yummy cup of tea, eat a nutritious snack, take some nice deep breaths in, to exhale - and to take a moment to wander through Filoli with me and experience the refreshing recharging energy that being in nature and exploring a beautiful garden can provide.  

Enjoy!

Wide Angle

Cute Critters!

 Macro & Different Shooting Angles / Distances & Some Fun "Messing Around" in Editing

 

Reflection in a classmates sunglasses

  

Hope you enjoyed your nature break!  

Come back any time.

Breathing in a Little Love Today

Today's to-do list is longer than the day is wide.  "Thump thump thump" says my heart quickening in response.  Between business remodel and bathroom remodel (demo day for the latter is next Monday); a two day photography class at Filoli later this week; and regular weekly maintenance activities for business, home, health and family - there is much "to-do" today to keep the engines running, to keep moving forward, to keep living and manifesting our dreams.

"Breathe" says my head.  "Remember, there's time enough for everything, one thing at a time", a mantra that has always served you well".   My heart joins in willingly to the conversation  - thump thumping slower as a I focus awareness on my breath - deeply inhaling anaaanndddd exhaling - and as I focus only on what's in front of me in this moment, before moving on mentally and physically to the next.  My gut - however - still struggles.  I feel the tightening throat signal it sends -  when it's feeling pinched and disregarded - upset with having to approach the day in what feels like a "check-the-box" surface kind of way.  Squeezing out the joy and color of life.  Feeling fearful - though of what I do not yet know.

I note it's discomfort, and send my gut a dose of love.  Ahh - that's a little better.  Just visualizing compassionate energy flowing from my heart to my gut - I feel my throat loosen.  

Consciously working with the signals and wisdom from my gut brain though is a fairly new process for me - (and different from the intuition development work I have done in the past.)   The throat tightness comes back far too easily - and probably will keep coming and going - as I go about my life and day.  So my job is to notice, and breathe, and send my gut as much love and compassion as I possibly can. To signal back that I am listening.        

Remembering that just because there's a lot "to-do" on the list - doesn't mean we have to squeeze out the luscious beauty of the day. No?

So should you find yourself with a to-do list longer than the day is wide - remember:

There is time enough for everything - one thing at a time.  

&

BREATHE

Spring Gardens: Great and Small

A good friend of mine asked me recently how my "garden blog" is coming along.  I had to laugh because that's not really what this blog is about, but upon reflection, I must admit - she has a point.  Being in nature -  in gardens, parks, at the coast, the hills of California - has always been a source of nourishment, companionship, and creative inspiration for me ever since I was a kid.  (And that's in part what this blog is about.  Helping myself and others consciously plan and invest time and resources in a way that maximizes ones ROI - ones return on that investment.)  

I still remember summer weekends "working" with my dad in the backyard - him mowing the lawn (back when homeowners still did that themselves) - me cutting the edges by hand (does anyone else remember doing that?), or deadheading marigolds in Summer.  All my life - I've always preferred being and exercising outside - first running, then walking and hiking, recently even lifting weights - and now that I've picked up photography - I find myself once again drawn to learn and practice this craft in a setting that makes my soul sing. 

Daffodil field

THE GREAT

We missed Filoli's "tulip show" last year - probably because of my back.  They plant a ridiculous amount of Spring bulbs throughout the garden and it's really an experience not to be missed if you can fit it into your schedule.  We went two weekends ago with friends and their 8 year old, and joined with the masses to ooo and ahhh.  (Don't let the large number of people, or getting one of the last spots in their overflow parking lot like we did - deter you.  Once in - people tend to spread out between the gardens, the house, the gift store and the cafe - and as you can see above - if you linger until right before closing time - you'll be able to get a sense of the space as it was when privately owned.)

Filoli's volunteer gardeners do an amazing job - all year round - and I'm so grateful for their efforts.  And I suppose security - who herded us, the last stragglers of the day, gently out of the garden with a smile - deserve a friendly shout out too.

THE SMALL

Gardens come in all shapes and sizes and I'm always impressed with what some people - born with the proverbial green thumb (I'm talking about you EL) - can do with the smallest of spaces.  I love nothing more than spending a warm Saturday afternoon - productively putzing in our small garden.  Weeding, planting, pruning, watering, fertilizing, admiring,....you name it.   While we have so much still to do to make it Gamble Garden worthy - it's come a long way from when we moved in 10 plus years ago.

Last week, taking advantage of an overcast (but great lighting!) day, I took a "MeDay" lunch break to capture some images of our  "little Filoli".  (No - we don't have a name for our garden - yet - though coming up with one isn't a bad idea. )  It was pretty fun to treat that hour like I would a morning photo shoot for a Filoli class.   And to appreciate the fulfilled promise of Spring bulbs planted earlier this year.

I'm pretty pleased with this year's display - especially after last year's dismal experience because of back issues which clouded the start of 2012.  One of these years, I'll go "fancy" and order bulbs from a catalog.  Or not - as I have to say - these Costco and Home Depot bulbs are looking mighty fine!

         

We are also pretty excited about how well our apricot tree is doing.  (Homegrown apricots are heaven!)  I think it's in it's third year (really must start a garden journal / scrapbook to keep track of these things) and this is the first year where it's had such a proliferation of fruit.  We'll "share"  these with the local squirrels (a.k.a. robber barons, locusts, ...) by netting off some of it's branches - and leaving a few branches free for them.

It's pretty fun what you can "see" when you change your perspective.  This shot - taken lying on my tummy on the lawn - makes me think of some kind of Alice in Wonder and/or magical hobbit land.  And just to think - it's in our very own back yard!

           

Even the spiders are feeling fertility frisky too!  (on the left at Filoli - on the right at home.)  

Whether a garden or a deck or a pot of herbs on your kitchen sill - I hope you're investing in what makes your soul sing, and savoring Spring gardens - great and small - too.