Letter-Writing

Canada Post is back in business.
Oh, how I missed these last few weeks:
-going to the mailbox
-receiving amazon packages
-getting my numerous magazines and free catalogues
-letters
I love mail. I always have. I've always enjoyed letter-writing, which I seriously began when I met Trish at summer camp 18 years ago. We kept in touch for all those years, through our numerous moves and journeys. Our correspondence is now is a bit slower (every few months), due to life circumstances, but still active.
I also use to correspondent a lot with Bex. All those multiple-pages letters and a few tapes... Now we email on a weekly basis, have phone chats monthly, and send packages to one another.
Sitting with pen in hand on a rainy afternoon or on a bright sunny weekend morning was something I used to do pre-Margot and pre-Simon. Now, I don't have that luxury to write for an hour.
I enjoy sending cards (b-day/thank you/congrats/good luck), which is a quicker way to communicate with someone, sending them my love and hugs.
I think there's something so soulful, personal and thoughtful about putting pen on paper. It's a connection. I am now more grateful than ever whenever I receive a card or letter from a sweet sweet friend. It does take effort and care in this fast-techno-savvy world of ours. Nothing beats the sensation of seeing my name and address carefully written on an envelope. A breath of fresh air! It really does add sparkles to my day!
So, thank you for those who write, even if it's just a short note. Let's keep it alive!
Special Thank yous (because I think you read this blog): Sabrina, Sarra, Vicky. xox

Dancing Girl

"Get up and Dance!" is how I named one of my playlists on my new iPod Nano (my 2008 iPod Classic recently joined the land of "where technology equipment goes when it doesn't work anymore"). One little girl knows exactly what to do:

A Yogini's Journey - Part 1

I went to a yoga class this morning at 7:45 a.m. It was perfect! Even though I practice yoga on a (almost) daily basis, I don't regularly attend a class at a studio. Reasons why: time, time, time. Ok, I know "time" is a lame excuse, but when you count the getting there/getting ready/ getting out of class/ driving home, a yoga class can become a two-hour + ordeal. I'm at a point in my life when time is a luxury. It's so much more convenient to practice at home with Yoga Today. For those who don't know Yoga Today, you have to check them out! I have been practicing yoga with Neesha, Adi and Sarah for a few years now. Depending on my mood, I can choose an Ashtanga class with Adi, an Anusara with Neesha, a Kundalini with Sarah, and so much more!
Another reason why I haven't committed to a weekly studio yoga practice is because I haven't found a teacher that really speaks to me. That I can connect to. I'm quite particular when it comes to teachers. A mediocre/average teacher just won't do it for me. I need someone who is inspiring, knowledgeable, and humble. Furthermore, the qualities of compassion, care and wisdom are necessary. I also need a teacher who does hands-on adjustments, creates interesting sequences, and who brings out the spiritual aspect of yoga (meditation, pranayama, mantra, "om").
Another consideration is the studio. I like an easy-in, easy-out studio. Easy parking; easy signing up; not too crowded change-rooms and welcoming area; polite staff. Ottawa is bombarded with yoga studios of all sizes. I have tried many. But I haven't found my perfect spot yet...

Paris 2008 - YogaWorks Teacher Training. (i'm second to the right, wearing a green tank top and a brown headband)

Paris 2008- the Anjaliom Yoga Studio is on the top floor. (notice the purple sign at the door) and no, that isn't my red scooter ;)

San Fran 2009 - dancer's pose in Golden Gate Park. Drop my bag, strike a pose!

As you noticed, I added Part 1 to this post, meaning that I have a lot more to say about the matter!

Il pleut à torrents

"it's raining in lashes"
Il pleut des cordes = "it's raining ropes" (!)
Il tombe des clous = "it's falling nails" (ouch!)
Il pleut à sceaux = "it's raining buckets"
Il pleut à boire debout = "it's raining to drink standing up" (bad translation on my part)

All those French expressions describing today's weather.
Even though June isn't over yet, it was still a stunning month weather-wise. I guess the plants need a little lovin' ;)

On the first day of summer, in the afternoon, Margot went strawberry picking to Le Potager Eardley . We went with Noa (her cousin),  oncle Jason and grand-maman. It was not a rainy day. She knew what to do: one in the basket, one in her mouth. Come to think of it, I don't remember seeing her putting a strawberry in the basket. Most of them ended up in her mouth (often more than one at a time! Petite fraisinette!).

The City of Lights

Happy Summer!
The longest day of the year. Bask in the sunshine a bit longer this evening.
                                                                         

On Sunday evening, Simon and I went to the ByTowne Cinema to see Midnight in Paris, a Woody Allen film starring Owen Wilson. It was an entertaining, romantic and light-hearted movie. A great summer flick with soul.

However, beneath the light-heartedness of the movie, there was an underlining weightiness to it. Actually, two: the dream of living in a different epoch; and the dream of  living abroad. The one that struck me the most was the latter. Did I want to live in Paris indefinitely after watching the movie? Yes! And my mind was moving at a million miles an hour with flashes of pains aux chocolats every morning (and every afternoon), writing letters in parks, strolling down the street with a weaved basket and buying flowers and cheese... And then, down-to-earth Simon reminded me that I did live in Paris for most of the 2008 summer. Oh, how true. And it was a great experience of quartier (I was in the 19eme arrondissement) , renting a tiny tiny apartment (barely fitting 2 people), but with a great view of Sacré-Coeur. Ah...back into memories... And I remember feeling that after 6 weeks, I was longing for some quiet and space...

Monet's Waterlilies at the Orangerie.

A view from the Centre Pompidou

"You, who have ever been to Paris, know;
You who have not been to Paris - go!"     -John Ruskin
(quote for June 20th on my page a day calendar, with a picture of Sacré Coeur)

The perpetual interest in living abroad is so innate in me. I'm very happy living where I live, working where I work. I love being close to family and friends. But there's a part of me that just wants to pack my bags (with Simon and Little Munchkin) and live "abroad" (anywhere in Europe and San Francisco) for a few months. Just for a change of environment. I also believe that sometimes you need a change to really appreciate "home".

Morning Stroll

In the mornings, between Margot's breakfast and her nap (so roughly from 8:30-9:30 a.m.)  I go for my daily stroll with Margot. I have a few route options, which is really lovely. I like having choices when walking. It's all about making decisions. I remember a friend once sharing with me that when arriving to a fork on a woodsy path, she always chose the one that seemed the less traveled.
I have always enjoyed walking and  it's actually my favourite mode of transport. But with my sweet Margot, my walks are limited. She can only stand so much being strapped in her stroller. So, they average 45 minutes.  Without fail, she always gets restless. (with exasperation) Oh Margot!

Margot not looking too impressed. What a life!

Reading. Or rather, flipping pages. Margot's favourite pastime in the stroller.

A little snack. I never leave the house without a few slices of whole wheat bread.

Knit & Purl

My 2011 New Year's project was to explore a new hobby. I chose knitting for the following reasons:

-My sweet belle-soeur, Nathalie, knits beautifully and has given me over the years, for b-days and xmas, a few knitted items. The scarf that she made me has been a staple of my winter wardrobe since March 2008 and I wear it everyday in the wintertime (and in the fall and spring!) . I always receive so many compliments! I absolutely adore that scarf.

-I love wool. In general, I tend to gravitate towards knitting clothes.
-I like the idea of creating something with my hands. From the first stitch to the last one.
-I find a meditative quality to knitting. A slowing down. An opportunity to be in the present, one stitch at a time.

This weekend, I had a Knitting Club meeting. I always learn so much and feel so inspired afterward, wanting to knit more projects! I really do need guidance and encouragement as this field is very new to me, and I'm very grateful for the help I am getting. I also signed up on ww.ravelry.com, an online knitting community where one can cehck out patterns, read reviews, post current and past projects,etc. It's opened up a whole new world to me!

Here are my 4 creations:

Rikke Hat - my latest project. A floppy, super comfy passe-partout hat for spring and fall weather.

<><><><>

Bec's Baby Blessing Shawl. Made with Love.

<><><><>

Neige Hat for those cold winter days. Super cozy and warm.

WhamBamThankYouLamb! neck warmer - my first project. Super easy to make.

Margot's Week Days

It's 10 a.m. on a Friday. The radio is off. The tea is still warm. I'm seated on my favorite (and only) red chair. The window is open and I can hear the pond's waterfall. The gentle sun is beaming and awake. The house is quiet. This is probably my favourite time of day.

Margot with the red chair

 I have just completed my first week of staying at home. Even though my exams were in mid-May, I went back to school on a few occasions for meetings, marking, and workshops. But this week, it was just Margot and I. And since my parents are hiking in Switzerland these days (Jungfrau area, for those familiar with the Swiss Alps), I haven't been able to drop off Margot for a much-needed little break. I digress... Back on track.

In general, my days this week were scheduled as such:

• Margot waking up too early for my liking (7 a.m.). She waits until Simon's out the door and then I can hear her chatting in her bed. I miss the days of lazing in bed and reading.

• We go downstairs. She has her milk and her breakfast (which usually consists of yogourt, cereal and fruit). Since she now loves eating with her hands, her "eating area" is a complete mess! (it's berry season!)

• She plays around while I eat breakfast.

• We go for a morning stroll. Sometimes I take longer routes, sometimes (like today), shorter loops. Depends on her mood. I always bring: her water bottle, a book or two (for Margot, not me), her shoes (just in case we decide to stop at the park), and bread. She adores munching on bread. Usually near the end of our walk, she becomes restless and rubs her eyes.

• Hurry home, and put her down for her nap. She doesn't usually nap right away, I hear her chatting and throwing her stuffed animals out of her crib. But she's calm. That's really the only place where she can be quiet. She eventually falls asleep.

• During her morning nap, which lasts from one to two hours. I, take a shower, tidy up a bit, check my emails, "waste" time online, sip tea, read, do laundry.

• She wakes up. Sometimes gently (babbling), sometimes screaming. She "plays" a bit in her room. Then, we have lunch. Between lunch and her afternoon nap is the hardest time. So, I always plan to leave the house and go on a mission, either to meet Rachel at the park, do errands, visit Noa, go to the library. Today, we're going on a mission!

• Then, she usually goes down for an afternoon nap at around 2/ 2:30 p.m. So we have to make sure that we're back home by that time. If  Margot misses her nap window, it will be a looooongggg afternoon...

• During her afternoon nap, I do my one-hour yoga practice.I prepare dinner. And then sit in the garden (the windows are open so I can hear/ignore her) and read while sipping a refreshing beverage. ;)

• Simon usually comes home at around 4:45 p.m. At that time, she's fresh from her nap and ready to hang out with her dada.

And that's my day with Margot. It is a full-time job!

Connecting

Really looking into someone's eyes. Connecting. Sharing.
Sometimes I catch myself not making eye-contact (a big no-no for a drama major!). Sometimes I look, but not really see.

With Margot, I really want to look and see into her eyes. They are so expressive and reflect her many moods. She, like all babies and children, fully sees and absorbs the world. What beauty and wonder! What excitement!

***Musing: Really connecting visually, especially with people I love. ***

Black Tea Days

I  was a green tea drinker. My favourite?  Loose-leaf jasmine with a dollop (or two) of honey. I would make a nice pot,  let it steep forever, top up when necessary. Sit down in my red chair with my books. Daydream. Breathe.Pure détente. (looking back, pure luxury, too!)

Nowadays, my medicine is a cup of black tea. I like Lady Grey with its hint of citrus or Twinning's Blackcurrant with its aroma and sweetness. I drop the tea bag in my big mug, top it with boiled water, steep for 3 minutes, discard the tea bag,  and carry the mug around the house (and sometimes outside) while I do laundry, wash the dishes, water the herb garden, organize the office upstairs, go on the computer. Just carrying on with my daily tasks.

I love the smell, the comfort and the slowing down tea provides. "Reward Yourself: A cup of Twinings Tea provides a delicious diversion from the everyday" (printed on the Twining's Lady Grey teabag). And with that in mind, don't we all deserve tea?

p.s. Just for the record, I do sometimes have time to enjoy loose-leaf (usually on weekends when Simon watches over the little Munchkin) and have a nice variety to choose from. Although I'm not a coffee drinker, I enjoy Moccachinos and Lattes.

"Every woman needs a sanctuary"

This quote is from my May book*, The Birth House  by Ami McKay.

Whenever I think of women having a space to create/reflect/dream, I'm drawn back to Virginia Woolf's  A Room of One's Own  in which she states:  "a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction".

In my case, my "sanctuary" isn't to write fiction, but to practice yoga.

I have my own yoga space in my house. Everything I need is there: my dvd's, my props, my candle, a window, even my yoga clothes. I use it daily, whether for a 90-minute weekend practice or a 15-minute evening meditation.

                                                                                                            

Sometimes I wish it was more of a "sacred space", away from the kitchen sounds and from the high/mid-traffic area of our house. But that's not the reality. And since it's such a part of who I am, I didn't want to have my yoga room tucked away in our darkened basement or our cluttered office upstairs. This is really the best spot for it. I'm the only one who uses it as a yoga room, but Margot passes through  many times a day, grabbing a few dvd's she can throw around, chewing on my purple block, dropping a few slices of cheese or blueberries. Thanks for the presents and the mess, little one ;)

 

 * my 2011 Monthly Reading List. Stay tuned for future posts.

Freshness in the Air

Welcome! Bienvenue!

A new month. A new moon. The sun is doing his job. The air smells like summer. Ahhhh...exhale.

What will pieds nus en été be about? Me: a mama, a friend, a yogini, a woman of leisure.
-For those who are curious, yes, you will get your Margot dose.
-No, I will not post everyday. I don't have Simon's admirable dedication (see Tough Cookies).
-What can you expect? Pictures, quotes, musings, sprinkles of what catches my interests.

***Musing: a new moon signifies a new cycle, new beginnings, and rebirth. Now is a good time to make plans and dream. Hence, now is a good day to start a blog. ***

Enjoy the journey!