Day 4 Rodney Yee Is In The House

As you can tell by now, the change I have decided to work on first is to rededicate myself to my yoga practice. So far so good. 4 days running I have managed around an hour practice, give or take a few minutes. I am so pleased with the way things have been going. The body has a memory to be sure. In some ways its like I never left the mat. In others, I feel like a complete beginner. My muscles are still very sore, especially the triceps from the dreaded yoga push up. I still feel a lot of tightness where before there was none. I am beginning to be more aware of my body and how it feels. I notice some progress already. So all in all the first step is going well.

I got my DVD set in the mail today. Naturally I opened it right away and got to it. I opted for the Core Yoga Workout section. I was very disappointed. I got the Yoga Now set with Mariel Hemingway and Rodney Yee. I guess I should have expected it with an actress involved . Mariel talked about how you can achieve a beautiful body and lose weight. Not impressed.



Don't get me wrong. I know I decidedly do not have a beautiful body (unless you ask my husband then I have THE most beautiful one) and I could stand to lose some weight but this is not my reason for doing yoga. I am more about the Body/Mind/Spirit connection than about the six pack abs and yoga butt. The workout was a little odd as well. Arm swinging, jumping etc... I am hoping the other two DVDs in the set are better. I really wish I could get my hands on one of those small TVs with the VHS player attached. They only make them with DVD now. I have so many great yoga tapes but they are on VHS. Anyway, on to other things.



The garden is doing well. I thinned my beets and got a whole load of greens. Nice tender greens. Paul asked if I would make Borscht, which of course I will. I really enjoy leftover borscht cold the next day. Yummy lunch on the deck with a nice piece of crusty bread. Can't forget a dollop of sour cream.

I put in a climbing rose last year and although it is little, it flowered profusely. In fact, most things are doing well this year despite some disappointing losses.

On a funny note, all my girls and their families were over for a Mexican feast a few weeks back and of course I made Mojitos. Everyone enjoyed them. This week I went out to the herb garden only to discover to my shock that I used... OREGANO for the mint portion. Can you believe it. Funny thing was, nobody noticed. I never mix up herbs. I was obviously totally distracted. We now have a new summer drink. Oregojitos. Try one for yourself. :)

How Does Your Garden Grow? (Edited)

As you can tell, I just read The Secret Garden. I have still yet to find out if the Nursery Rhyme was written before the book or if the book inspired the Nursery rhyme.

Mistress Mary

Quite contrary,

How does your garden grow?

With silver bells and cockle shells and

Pretty maids all in a row.

Like many nursery rhymes, it has acquired various historical explanations. These include:
That it is a religious allegory of Catholicism, with bells representing the sanctus bells, the cockleshells the badges of the pilgrims to the shrine of Saint James in Spain (Santiago de Compostela) and pretty maids are nuns, but even within this strand of thought there are differences of opinion as to whether it is lament for the reinstatement of Catholicism or for its persecution.[1]
Another theory sees the rhyme as connected to Mary I of Scotland, with "how does your garden grow" referring to her reign over her realm, "silver bells" referring to (Catholic) cathedral bells, "cockle shells" insinuating that her husband was not faithful to her, and "pretty maids all in a row" referring to her ladies-in-waiting - "The four Maries".[1]

My garden has been growing well. Finally. More pictures to follow.

The flowers are blooming. The vegetables are getting taller by the day.

And today, oh joy, the first Morning Glory bloomed.

Moon flowers are sure to follow soon.

But to me, summer is not summer until I smell the fragrance of Stock, evening scented and otherwise, wafting on the evening breeze.

Ah, sweet summer.

Waiting on the Weather

It is the May long weekend in Canada. Victoria Day is on Monday.
It is the traditional weekend when we Canadians plant our gardens and set out our bedding plants. But my oh my it is cold. I will plant my seeds this weekend anyway.


My plants await their summer homes. They gaze longingly out the patio door windows. The seeds are getting restless. They tremble and rattle against each other. They yearn for the dark rich soil. They ache for the warm sun. They have things to do. They have waited long enough.



So have I.