saluting the sun.

:: ashley h., ryt at south end studio, vt ::

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with hands in prayer i face the sun, feeling love and joy in my heart.

i reach out and let the sun fill me with warmth.

i bow before the sun's radiance and place my face to the ground in humble respect.

i lift my face to the sun and then remember, to achieve such heights,
i must be as the dust of the earth.

i stretch up toward its light trying to reach the greatest heights, and again surrender.

i stand tall as i remember the true sun is within me.

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i see this poem hanging on the wall every day i walk into yogabody studio, where i practice yoga several times a week. most days i don't stop to read it line by line, but the other day i gave a copy of this poem to my sister, which is from the himalayan institute, for her to hang on her wall, and i found myself reading it, and appreciating it all over again.

the photo above is of my sister's good friend, ashley, who teaches ashtanga yoga up in vermont. when i came across this picture of her, it seemed so fitting to post along with the poem, and she so graciously accepted my request to post it here to share with you. enjoy and namaste my friends!

my purple shamrock.

i had only heard of green shamrocks until a recent road trip with a friend led me to this beauty in a greenhouse. she (yes, it's a she!) seems to be doing very well by the window in my kitchen.

i'm amazed that she's still alive and that my cat, izzy, hasn't chewed off any leaves yet. i don't think izzy is a fan of the shamrock as much as i am.

i'm hoping to have more of a green thumb this summer so i can plant some herbs, both inside and outside.  until then, i'm content on just admiring my purple shamrock... 

p.s. i would LOVE and appreciate any recommendations for websites and/or books about growing your own herbs. i'm currently reading, edible herbs, a book that i got with a friend. but i'm on the hunt for more resources. so send me your suggestions!

10 thoughts.

1 :: find a few minutes each day to completely unplug.

2 :: giving to others is the most powerful thing we can do for ourselves.

3 :: see physical fitness as a practice, not a goal.

4 :: make it a point to heed your need for solitude.

5 :: the secret to beautiful skin starts with what you put inside your body.

6 :: try doing even the menial tasks mindfully and with grace.

7 :: the quality of your connections with other people will carry you further than you think.

8 :: just because a no-frills home remedy is simple doesn't mean it won't work.

9 :: if you want to eat healthier, try giving yourself the benefit of better choices.

10 :: home isn't a place. it's a state of mind.


from the nov. 2009 issue of body + soul. 

inspiration.

wow! i'm literally at a loss for words here. this woman is amazing...inspiring! 91-years old and not only practicing yoga, but teaching it. now this is something to aspire to...

cherry blossoms.

one of my favorite things...

...about...

...spring!

handmade for baby.

a friend of mine and her husband recently had a little girl. so to welcome their new bundle of joy, i was determined to give them something handmade. now if i wasn't swamped with grad school work and a million other life things, i would have made her one of my baby knits.

instead i decided to reach out to one of my absolute favorite online spots...a place where i can get lost for hours looking at the most beautifully handcrafted homemade items....etsy! as much as i love to craft my own handmade items, i equally love supporting those who share this similar passion of mine.

it definitely was a tough choice choosing from the hundreds of thousands of items on etsy. i saw so many adorable things! but i stumbled upon stitches-n-smiles, who makes the most adorable custom monogrammed baby bloomers, and i was immediately sold!

 :: photo from stitches-n-smiles ::

this is a sample image of the bloomers that i ordered for my friend's baby (tutu not included!). i chose the same font that is pictured, but went with black embroidering as it matched the dress i was also giving her.

when the bloomers arrived the other day, i felt like a little kid at christmas time opening the package. they turned out exactly how i had imagined them. i was so pleased!!

as i was wrapping them up along with the dress, i stood there and thought there's no way i can give this to her without a card. so, alas, i did end up making something handmade...with a little help from my photoshop friend.

a little note card for baby nora. :-) i love fonts. and probably spent too much time trying to find the right one. but i settled on the one below. can you guess the font that i used? think cartoons...