Today

Was a nice day. 

The End

Cross Post: Year of Yoga X2

This is cross post from the other blog I write on my Year of Yoga and special needs orphan awareness. I don't have that blog linked to here, so I will periodically cross post from there to here. This is one of those posts.
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I finished my Year Of Yoga back on October 31st, it was a wonderful experience. Trying not to 'mess up a streak' made me practice when I didn't feel like it, when I didn't think I had time, or when I wanted to do something else instead- and it was invaluable.

I cannot tell you how much it affected me for the better during that year. It was like my 'reset' button everyday. If I was grumpy, I was less so afterward. If I was anxious, I was calmer afterward. If I was happy, I was happier afterward.

For full disclosure I must mention, my year of practicing was not perfect, there were days that were totally busy and I completely forgot that I hadn't practiced that day until it was 11 and I was lying in my bed almost asleep- but there weren't too many of those, and when one is doing yoga 6 days per week all year long...even with mistakes, there is much accomplishment.

After I finished the year on October 31st, 2011, I took a break. I think it's important when you push yourself to accomplish something, that you give yourself rest afterward so you don't burn out. I felt that I was in danger of that, so I took a break for November. Then in December, I decided that I would get back into it, but not as a 'have to' thing, just as a normal exercise during the week.

Well...I can't be trusted to do things that are good for me I guess unless I have some kind of goal I have to meet. Even though I enjoy it, even though I know how amazingly beneficial it is for both my body and my mood, even though it only takes 20-30 minutes of my time, there were too many days that I just didn't get to it.

SO...because this is going to be another big year and I need all the help I can get to cope with the uncertainty and change, I decided last Sunday to do another Year of Yoga. Six days a week for a year. I will finish up next year in January. Already I can see what a giant difference having a goal I'm trying to reach makes. This week I made time every day of the six. I just made time. I guess goals are what I need.

I feel so much better today after six days of practice. Better in body than I have in two months.

As I do this Year of Yoga, I will continue to dedicate my practice to Porter from Reeces Rainbow. He doesn't have a family yet, so I continue to pray for him and send love to him as I complete my practice every day.

Please join me in another Year of Yoga for Porter and all special needs orphans.

Wordless Wednesday

The frogs welcome you.

100 Posts!

Guess what! I just noticed that the post from yesterday was my 100th post on this blog! I don't know why I am so excited about that, but I am. Such a great number! I also don't feel like I have posted that many, I guess because until this month, I posted so sporatically; so that's another reason I am finding it so fun!

So today I am just going to relax and celebrate making it to 100 posts!  

Remember my Year of Yoga? I finished in November and then decided to go back to 'No Goal' yoga. Having a regular practice, but not having to do it if I didn't feel like it. I wasn't going to do another year, because I thought, "hey, I did that already", but what I'm finding is, unless I have to because I don't want to mess up a goal or a streak, I find it really easy to do anything else but my yoga. Even though know how beneficial it is and even though  its really a very minimal time commitment.

So, since I need the benefits that yoga gives me, especially since I have a lot going on this year with all my husband's interviews and our move to...somewhere...I thought I would do another Year of Yoga. Starting today. Another year- yoga six days a week. This go round will end on January 22, 2013.

Wow...2013.

But one day at a time, right? :)

GO RAVENS!

 

Concerning an Informal Side Saddle Lesson

I mentioned that I am in the midst of a bit of a Victorian Era obsession. It started last year with my participation in the Queen's Scullery, where I wrote a few posts about Victorian Horsemanship- more specifically as it related to Victorian women. Posts can be found here.

The Queen's Scullery was a year long project which began as a way for  SJ Alexander (of I, Asshole fame) to work her way through Mrs. Beeton's Cookbook. (Her posts on cooking in the Victorian way are thoroughly entertaining- and educational!- if you have any interest in Victorian life at all, do read them).

After my participation in the Queen's Scullery ended, I got distracted by other things, but renewed my obsession this fall when I finally finished reading Black Beauty. 

One of the things I continue to be interested in, beyond just Victorian life in general, is Victorian horse(wo)manship. Take a look at the illustration below:

As you may notice in the picture of the proper Victorian horsewoman above, there is no leg visible on this side of the saddle. That is because all good Victorian Ladies rode 'aside' in a sidesaddle, as not to (GASP! the impropriety of it all) spread their legs in a visible way.

Because of this continuing interest in sidesaddle riding, when I made plans to visit the Horse World Expo today, I made sure to stop by the booth for the International Side Saddle Association, where I hoped to pick up some literature and talk to someone about the association.

Well, much to my excitement and surprise the booth contained a sidesaddle...

 

...that you could sit on! SQUEEEE!!!!

So I sat on it, and because I was lucky enough to show up between waves of people, I got an impromtu sidesaddle lesson from the lady running the booth. 

It was super informative and awesome and really renewed my interest in learning how to ride this way. Not right away, as I currently don't have the funds to devote to any new equipment, not to mention my hands full with my horse's training issues, but in the future I look forward to learning. In the meantime, as the lady (wo)manning the booth at the Expo helpfully suggested, I can audit some workshops in my area. Whee!