Try Something Tuesday – Take a Walk !

I have been attending Monday Meditation class at Full Spectrum Wellness for over three years now.

I have to honestly say that there are very few beneficial practices that I have adopted that I have been so dedicated to and been able to really stick to.

There is something about being in a group of people who are all present and wanting to live in the moment for an entire hour that feels so very, very good to my Soul.

My wonderful instructor and friend, Deb, sets a casual tone in the class.

Move if you need to, breathe however your body works best, sit on the floor with a back jack or on a chair.  The most important thing is to have compassion for yourself and know that there is no such thing as a wrong way to meditate. That you are taking this precious time for yourself (and the world) is the key.

Occasionally, Deb switches things up. Last night we were a small group, only 4 participants. Upon request, Deb began our evening with a walking meditation.

For about 15 minutes, we all walked in a large circle around the room, slowly, mindfully, paying great attention to our feet and our stride, and all of the sensations this activity brought with it.

While I have done this meditation before, last night something totally clicked in me. I really reached a beautiful state of relaxation and came fully present in my body. Man, did it feel good !

And when we sat down to continue the rest of our meditation, I was so comfortable and centered that I really got to experience some deep and powerful present moment thought.

Last night was the best night of meditation that I have ever experienced. And I really believe that preparing my body with the walking meditation was the key.

Walking meditation doesn’t have to take place in a class or indoors. It is an activity that anyone who can walk can do and can be practiced anywhere in our day to day lives.

I found this great link to instructions on how to begin a walking meditation instruction, from a site called WildMind.org. It is Buddhist in nature but completely non-religious. Not only does the author explain what some of the benefits of this practice are, but it is also all about adapting the walking meditation to your own needs. 

So it’s Try Something Tuesday, Beautiful Ones.

Are you ready to walk this way ?  

See you on the trail !

Sweet Spring Weekend

Busy weekends sometimes mean no time for hair primping.

That’s when a good hat can be a Queen’s best friend !

Like this great one I ordered for myself recently from a fundraiser that Kal Baretski ([i] love life blog) did for the Live Out Loud Adoption Project. Cute hat, great artist, a word that so works for me on it,  and giving some $$ to a great family and a great cause.

A win win win, right ?

And it means that I can be lazy once in awhile, and cover up bed head, instead of having to blow dry every day!

My fun and busy weekend started on Friday.

I was lucky enough to head over to Ink About It in Westford, MA for a class with my friends Patti and Colleen.

It was a workshop on how to use Gelli Arts Gel Printing Plates ! Fun and messy ! My kind of art !

We had lots of fun with our great teacher, Ursula Smith, slapping paint around, and creating some great background papers with this fun tool !

These are some of the awesome pieces of paper that came home with me. Yummy stuff for the journal !

My favorite technique was the one using stencils and the Gelli plate. It also gave me an excuse to buy a few more new stencils from Crafter’s Workshop that I had been coveting !

I really enjoyed the class. I think my favorite piece was actually my scrap paper used to roll excess paint off of my brayer and the stamps. How cool is this ?

Saturday was spent mostly outside in the back yard. Poop patrol, picking up branches and ball throwing for the sweet pooch filled a lot of the day !

Plus the customary, and so very lovely Saturday afternoon nap with my Honey.

Sunday was unexpectedly beautiful here in NH.

They were calling for rain but it was a sunny, warm day instead.

What could we do but pack up the beach chairs, a bucket for some rocks, stop by and pick up Colleen and head to the beach for the afternoon?

North Beach in Hampton was pretty quiet.

It was Mother’s Day after all and I guess that’s where the people were.

Perfect for the three us !

While walking along the surf, Colleen and I saw quiet a few of these little butterflies struggling in the sand and water.

Strange !

Colleen rescued a couple of them, picking them up and bringing them to the dry, warm rocks to sit in sun and dry out.

I think I am going to have to start calling her “The Butterfly Whisperer.”

All in all, a super nice weekend.

The week ahead is a busy one.

Lots of rock orders to fill, house cleaning and getting ready for my Mom’s visit on Friday., and I am feeling itchy with a few creative ideas in my head that need to be put into action.

And of course, I also want to remember to take the time to enjoy the sweetness of Spring time whenever possible.

Happy Monday, Beautiful Ones !

I hope your week is filled with sweets !

Share the Joy Thursday–Groovy Kind of Joy

So what brought you JOY this week, Momma ?

Well, Boo, of course, there was you snuggling in my lap during tv time, Pretty Black Brat.

And seeing handsome Azzy perched like a prince on his pillow.

And this green-eyed Pumpkin-love who sleeps on my pillow with me at night.

Oh, yes, and you too, Beautiful Chica-Dog, ball catcher extraordinaire !

And then there is this guy :

who may or may not have danced the slow-motion chicken dance with me in the kitchen this morning.

(Baby, you and me got a groovy kind of love. <3 )

Then there are some other little things like wrapping up a giftie for a friend who is having a rough day…

and giving yourself a matching pair !

(Note to Self Socks are soooo cute ! Thanks to Bacon, who shared them on her blog and inspired me to get a pair for both Colleeny and me ! Love them !!!)

 

I hope your Thursday is filled with simple joys, Beautiful Ones !

Big Love !

For more joy, go see the gang at Meri’s Musings.

Semi-Wordless Wednesday, May 9, 2012

 

 

 

Happy Wednesday, Beautiful Ones !

Today’s Post is brought to you by the Letter B !

So did anyone notice that I did a “Try Something Tuesday” post on Monday ?

My always very observant hubby did.

I only realized it at around 7:00pm when he mentioned it to me.

We had a good laugh about that !

I had gone the whole day without noticing !!!

I am such a weirdo sometimes !

 

I have to say that though I was encouraging all of you to try something new yesterday, I was also struggling with staying away from an icky place.

Savoring my mango for breakfast was one of the steps I was taking to Be in the present moment and get the f**k out of my head!

It helped a bit but what worked way better was

my  unexpected “Be” Day with Colleen !

My beautiful bestie dressed in blue and I walked to the babbling brook in the woods behind her house.

The sky was the same blue as Colleen’s t-shirt!

We sat on a big boulder and blabbed a bit as the bugs buzzed and the brook bubbled.

Then we walked on and were given a beautiful gift !

Behold ! A big fat beaver walking across a log bridge over the brook !!!

(The beaver walking by was so breathtaking that neither one of us stopped to get a photo,

but you can image him walking on that horizontal log in this pic taken after he was gone.)

We giggled and shared our bountiful excitement, giving one another a big bear hug right there in the woods !

Then as we ended our walk, we were blessed with this baby !

There, on the dirt road, a brand new butterfly !

I had to move in a bit to get this amazing portrait of this bold and beautiful being!

A Tiger Swallowtail basking in the sun on this brand new day.

 

Colleen and I noticed all the “B”s that were popping into our day.

We decided to keep it going by heading the the “Brick House” for lunch,

a local greasy spoon, drive-up place, famous for its burgers.

We decided to be BAD !

Colleen had a burger, I had 2 burpers (hotdogs) and we shared some yummy fries !

A big old hug in the Brick House parking lot ended out time together and I have to say,

my “Be” Day  with my Colleen-y pretty much banished the ickies from my brain !

Love you, Girl Friend !

 

be…………………………….Be

Oh, ya.

Taking time to make art is another way that I try and banish the ickies!

Here’s what’s been popping up lately…

A 6X6” canvas, paint and collage bits.

I was just trying to let whatever wanted to come spill out.

Not sure it is finished or if I like it, though I do like the expression in my butterfly queen.

This bit of writing in actually a piece of my Dad’s handwriting.

I found a whole bunch of his journal pages in a box in the basement last weekend.

This was all that was written on a sheet of loose leaf paper.

I cut it up and glued it here.

Feels powerful somehow…

“The story continues.”

A page in my Strathmore Visual Journal book.

I asked the Universe to give me a day without self-criticism and self-inflicted hurt.

The Angel said “It’s all yours, Baby !”

I’m gonna take it !!!

 

be………………………………Be

 

Phew, that was a long post !

Well, if you are still with me,

I am sending out big waves of love and light today,

and working on giving myself plenty of the same !

Happy TUESDAY, Beautiful Ones !

Try Something Tuesday : Go, Man, Go !

“Things to Try:
Lie down in tall grass. Sink in and forget where you are. Then forget your name. Gather gifts from the natural world and let the stones you collect in your pockets start to pull your pants down. Write a love letter to your best friend on a big leaf.
Find a glorious spot. Sit there and breathe.”

—Sark, Eat Mangos Naked

 

***************

Have you ever eaten a really ripe mango,

peeled it with a knife and eaten it with abandon,

letting the juice run down your chin, down your hand, your arms…

and savored the treat that is that delicious orange on the inside fruit ?

Well, whatcha waiting for ?

 

I’m calling it Try Something Tuesday.

Get thee a mango, or some other something, and TRY IT !

Big love to you, Beautiful Brave Ones !

And the Winners Are …

Chica the Yellow Lab asks :

“So who are the winners of your 700th Post Giveaway, Momma ?”

Well, sweet Chica of mine, with help from the Random Number Generator, the following three people have been chose to win :

Prize Package #1 goes to

Comment # 40, Andrea of Falling Ladies !

Prize package #2 goes to

Lynn (and Henry the beautiful Cat) of Getting My Feet Wet!

And the final Prize Package #3 goes to

Lynne Hoppe !

I will have fun packaging up your prizes and sending them off to you early this week

with lots of Queen of Arts Love!

*************

Speaking of Momma and big LOVE,

I want to send a big Happy Birthday Shout Out to my Beautiful Mommy, Nadeja,(pronounced Nadia) today !

It looks like it will be a Nadeja festival for my Mom’s birthday this year !

Today is the official day but we will continue the celebration in two weeks when she comes down here for a visit ! Yay !

I love you so much, Mommy and wish you healthy, joy-filled, peaceful and life-loving moments in each and every day !

Congrats to the winners ! I will send you off an email to get your mailing addresses today !

Happy Spring Sunday !