Treasure Hunting

Yesterday was a holiday and my mom, my sister and I went on a treasure hunt. There’s a farm close to my sister’s house where the owner collects and buys all sorts of goodies. Antiques, not-so-antiques, windows, bottles, books and teacups. If you’re looking for it, chances are, he’s got it. This weekend was the last time he was open until spring. However, he did say that if we decided we wanted something, we could go back and see him.

I really wasn’t sure what to expect. My mom and my sister had been there before, but not me. There were two huge barns filled top to bottom with treasures! We looked around for a couple of hours and could have stayed even longer, but it was getting a little chilly.

See anything you like? I love how there are helmets mixed in with the tables and chairs.

I spy a pretty blue teacup.

Oohh, teapots!

Getting directions on how to navigate the second barn.

Can I interest you in a purple dresser? Or maybe some snowshoes?

May I offer you a chair?

See that one teacup that looks like it might be blue under the dust? One of my treasures! No extra charge for dirt.

I wasn’t looking for books this time, but these were fantastic. I should have bought that pink one because, hello, pink book!

This is a duck cookie jar. How awesome is that?! I can’t believe I didn’t buy this. I should have. Look at her eyes. Plus, she’s wearing an apron. I feel like she would never judge me for eating all the cookies. I have the perfect spot for her too. This would make a fantastic Christmas gift (hint hint mom).

Need a milk pail?

Or maybe a milk bottle?

My mom bought one of these old crockery jars for her new kitchen. Old and new are perfect together.

Need to do some 70’s style entertaining? (I wasn’t actually around in the 70’s, so I’m not sure if this type of glass is from then or not, that’s just the image that comes to mind.)

If I’m ever in the market for a new license plate, I know just where to go.

My mom got a few things for her kitchen, and my sister bought two pieces of furniture with tons of character. I found amazing treasures! A new (to me) teapot and four beautiful vintage teacups. I couldn’t be happier! (Well, maybe a little happier, if I had the duck cookie jar.)

My teapot found a home on a shelf above my stove. I just put the shelf up a few days ago, and I was happy to add this rosebud teapot. I might need another shelf, because several of my teapots are still in the cupoard.

There’s an ugly (but useful) fan on the wall. It was interfering with my teapot vibe, so I covered it up with my Cat Stevens Tea for the Tillerman album. How perfect, right?

And of course, my teacups!!

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to drink some tea from a fancy teacup!

Thankfulness

Today is Thanksgivings. I have so much to be thankful for.

On Friday, I went to Montreal for a work conference. It was so-so, not worth getting up at 5 am. However, afterwards, six of us went shopping. We had a blast trying on clothes, finding things for each other, driving two hours there and back. We sang, laughed and acted like a bunch of little girls. I love days like this, be it with my work friends, my yoga friends, my forever friends or my new friends. I am thankful for my friends.

On Saturday, I went to a yoga class that was much too difficult for me, because of my ever-present glute injury and very low energy level. However, just before class started, the teacher asked us to think of three things that we were thankful for. The first thing that came to mind, no doubt because I was on my mat, was my ability to practice yoga. I may be temporarily injured, but I am still strong, healthy and free to practice whenever I want to. I am thankful for yoga.

In my family, we celebrate Thanksgivings on Sunday instead of Monday. It’s all about being together, enjoying each other’s company. In the middle of nowhere. That’s right. We celebrate Thanksgivings in a cabin in the woods with no electricty or running water. About 60 of us cram ourselves inside the small cabin, spilling out onto the porch and under a tent, to be thankful we are a family. This is not some weird Canadian thing. I don’t know any other family that does this. This is just us. I am thankful for my family.

This is the middle of nowhere.

Me and my momma. Everyday, I am more and more like her, for which I am thankful.

I am thankful for a family full of kids.

I love fall.

Tree pose. In the forest. Get it?!

Yoga with Elizabeth, one of my most favourite people ever.

The frog is like this.

Thnaskgiving dinner is about to happen.

So much to be thankful for. I am one very blessed girl. What are you thankful for?

Goldilocks does yoga

It’s not easy to find that perfect yoga class. When you’re a yoga lover, a lot of classes will count as great, because hey, you’re doing yoga and yoga is awesome and breathe in and breathe out and tree pose and plank pose and savasana.

But often, it’s just a little too hot in the hot room. Or not hot enough. Class is too hard for your energy level, or a little too slow. You’re tired, you’re wired or you’re distracted. The teacher is leading that pose. The one you dislike *cough dragon pose*. There’s music, and you want it to be quiet, or there’s no music and you want some to help you move.

You end up feeling like Goldilocks.

Tonight, I debated whether or not to go to yoga. It’s Friday, therefore I am tired. However, I was thinking of the moment I would get to step on my mat all day, and I couldn’t let go of it just because I was tired.

I made my way to Pure, my yoga home, for Sasha’s class. As soon as I took my first deep breath, I felt like Goldilocks when she finds the bed, the chair, the porridge, that is just right. This, I thought. This is what I live for.

Sasha is fantastic. The way she speaks, slowly but with energy, motivates me. She radiates joy and calmness, a wonderful combination, if you ask me. The classes she leads resemble my own practice more than any other teacher’s class I’ve done. This is the practice I would have done had I stayed home.

We did lots of pigeons, mixed in with our flows. My hips feel delicious right now. It’s been difficult to practice with an injury, and tonight, for the first time in almost two months, I felt like myself again. It felt like my body, moving the way I know it can, making me feel that moment of yoga bliss that’s been slightly out of my grasp as I struggled to modify my poses and let go of my ego as I heeled. I still felt some pulling and twinges, my muscles whispering not to push it too much, but it was the best practice I’ve had in a long time.

At the end of class, we rested in waterfall, with hips on blocks and feet up in the air. Then, a magical thing happened. Sasha took hold of my feet and massaged each one, squeezing out any remaning tensions and worries from my body. When I settled into savasana, I felt like I had just spent a day at the beach.

My whole summer was spent in a yoga bubble. I did my teacher training in July, and even though I injured myself in August, I was still doing yoga, because I was learning, breathing, thinking, discovering things about myself and just being. I was riding the yoga wave and it was blissfull.

Then, I went back to work, and while my yoga bubble didn’t burst, it certainly got smaller. I’m not one of those people who just has a job. My work is my purpose. I’m meant to be there with those kids every day, teaching and learning. I’m happy to go to work. I don’t count down the days to the weekend and get crabby on Sundays because I have to work the next day.

Being invested in my students and my work, my “real life” bubble gets bigger while my yoga bubble shrinks. I’m looking for balance. I haven’t quite found it yet, but I’m a work in progress. I’m trying to make my yoga bubble my life, because it’s so peaceful and happy in there. It doesn’t mean I want to quit my job, it means I want to bring my yoga with me, everywhere I go. Like I said, I’m working on it.

Thank you Sasha for the amazing class. I’ve missed this feeling and I’ve missed writing about yoga. I am one happy yogini.

This fall

this fall I will be…

Making : The most of every moment

Cooking :
 Soup

Drinking: Tea, lots of tea

Reading:
 As much as possible

Wanting:
 New boots

Looking: 
At my vision board

Playing:
 In the leaves

Wasting:
 Sunday mornings watching Pioneer Woman

Sewing:
 A baby quilt

Wishing:
 On every star I see

Enjoying:
 Halloween

Waiting: 
For my birthday

Enjoying: My little home yoga studio

Wondering:
 When my pulled muscle will be better

Loving: 
My life

Hoping: That fall lasts longer

Marvelling: At the fall colours

Writing: Stories for my kid’s yoga class

Baking : Pumpkin scones

Needing:
 To run

Smelling:
 The crisp fall air

Wearing:
 Dresses and boots

Following:
 My dreams

Noticing: 
The little things

Knowing:
 I am enough

Thinking: About my birthday!

Feeling:
 Grateful

Bookmaring: Pinterest style inspirations

Decorating: A pumpkin

Opening: Lots and lots of books

Remembering: How to knit

Giggling:
 With my students

Practicing: yoga