The Ducks are Back!

I had to post that I spotted the ducks this afternoon taking a leisurely swim. What a wonderful surprise on this beautiful sunny Friday. 

Have a great long-weekend everyone!

Planting Seeds

There is something so magical about nature. A seed gets planted—add sunlight and water and you get flower and fruit. This year we are excited to share some garden space in the backyard of a family up the street. We started prepping the garden last weekend. I can hardly wait to grow ingredients to make a fresh salad. Did you know that planting broccoli attracts butterflies? 

I am now starting to see some results of the seeds I planted with my yoga training. I now have a growing group of yogis at my work that I teach every Tuesday. I have also been teaching donation classes at studios around town. I am starting to feel more comfortable instructing and helping students with their alignment. 

Planting seeds—as in nature so in life. Plant the seeds today to create the life you want to lead tomorrow and with some patience, you might see the results of your past efforts. 

Here are some photos of our garden space:

Veggie Cam View

Big Red

The beginnings of the bean stalk

A nice assortment of veggies

The view from the garden—our veggies will have a better view than us!

Prepped and ready for planting.

P.S. I hope we get some veggies like the one's at this farmer's market.

Creative Inspiration

Last weekend, through sleepy eyes and maybe a slight hangover, I awoke in the guest bedroom of friend, Nantanarran. N is one of those people that has an artistic spirit—she always has a creative project in the works—whether it's an idea unfolding on the right side of her mind or a unique work of art that takes on the form of a light fixture, a painting or a magnet!

As a new mom, N's projects have taken a side-step to inspiring the imagination of a very cute and very active little boy. Lying there, in my morning haze, I decided to take a few pictures of some of the things I found in the room. 

Mad Men Wedding

Last Saturday, we went back in time to the 50's and 60's—where men sported fedoras and ladies wore pearls—to celebrate our friends Mad Men themed wedding. 

Close-up of me at the front entrance and welcome sign.

The lovely bride and dashing groom.

Dressed to fit the times.

Check out those pin curls. See the how to below.

My handsome date.

Cool ad poster that was used for decoration.

Fun on the dance floor. Is that the monster mash?

The bride letting loose!

What a fun time! 

If you want to try out a fun 50's hairstyle check out this video.

Photos: A mix of my own and Fatherazz 

Keep it Simple

When I thought about posting a recipe and sending it out to the world I thought—it needs to be creative and really have a wow factor. I flipped through cookbooks and searched online for inspiration. Then it hit me—well actually it was served to me by my husband after a long day at work—it was a grilled cheese sandwich. 

Although the ingredients are few and the technique not overly complicated the outcome delivers high satisfaction. And creativity, well, that comes in the presentation. The sandwich emulates a heart and the side of ketchup adds some colour and doubles as a flavour enhancer. So simple. So tasty. So then, here it is folks. Enjoy!

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

1. Slice a baguette in diagonal slices. This will give you more surface area and a good foundation for the cheese.

2. Slice up your favourite cheese—I suggest an aged cheddar with some grated parmesan but this is where you can add your own unique touch. 

3. Heat up a frying pan to medium-high heat. A non-stick pan is best.

4. Butter one side of a baguette slice and place it butter side down in the pan.

5. Layer the cheese on the baguette slice.

6. Butter another baguette slice and place it butter side up on top of the cheese.

7. Using a spatula, press down on the mini sandwiches, use just enough force to assist with bread to cheese fusion.

8. When the bottom slice turns a nice golden brown, mindfully flip the sandwich over to the other side. It's all about balance here.

9. When both sides are equally grilled to perfection and the cheese filler is oozing out the side—your sandwich is done. Remove from heat.

10. Cut the sandwich diagonally—flip one of the halves over and place both cut ends together to create the heart shape. Place the sandwich on a plate with a side of ketchup and serve immediately.

This post was inspired by the teachings and feedback of my yoga teacher Chris Chavez—teach what you know and keep it simple. You don't want to burn the onions!

Quieting the Mind

They call it the monkey. It is the ever present noise-maker in the mind, reminding us of what we need to do, what we forgot to do, replaying past events, scripting future conversations, and so on.

Lately my monkey is working overtime and short of a vacation, I am looking to create a little space between my thoughts or 'clear my cache'. I have tried to meditate on my own in the past and the results have been mixed. I fidget and get distracted easily but there have been times where I have been able to create some space, quiet the noise and feel a sense of calm.

Like most things, mastering the art of blissfulness will have to come with some practice. My self-challenge for the next month is to try to take at least five to ten minutes each day and just, well, sit still. 

Here is a link to 100 benefits to meditation. 

Namaste.

Image found here.

The Extra Effort

It seems so simple. If I put forward a little extra effort—in my job, my relationships and my life goals—I will be rewarded with positive change. Talk to me after having a restless nights sleep and a long list of tasks to complete and the simplicity starts to fade and the effort seems insurmountable. C'est la vie, non?

I have been looking at how I can put in some extra effort in all areas of my life— whether it's picking up the phone more often to connect with family and friends or doing a really great job on a work project. I notice that sometimes I have to fight off a feeling that I am sacrificing something or that it's just too much work—but really, is it?

As I pondered this thought, I looked for some inspiration to motivate me and this is what I found:

The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems. - Mahatma Gandhi 

10-4 Gandhi.

Photo: Putting in some extra effort for a delicious backbend.