I don't know what happens to me. I get away from who I am. I start running around like a crazy, can-do-all woman and then I get....sick. This time I think I developed Fifths Disease...itchy legs, whole-body rash, hot red cheeks, arthritic symptoms for 2 1/2 weeks. I get it. Stop. Be present. Enjoy life again! So, after much reflection in Florida (where I was still sick!), I started up my daily practice of yoga and meditation (made for a wonder week despite what went on around me and there was a lot of crazy going on around me). And, I started back to yoga training! Love my yogi friends. Loved yoga training last night. Ommmmmmm.
Self portrait, Captiva Island, Florida...sun!!!!!!! Loved Captiva Island. Yes, we are wearing jackets and sweaters but no snow pants! I'll take 60s in Florida vs. a New England winter storm....February Fury??? February Fun for the Markleys :)
Still freaks me out that I am of grandparent age but...so it goes. How cute is this photo of Grandpa and little Miss A....notice the bowling shoes Addie is sporting...what a love!
Yikes, my spinning class numbers 14 when it's at full capacity so it is nothing like this. Nonetheless I am here to write that the best workout I have ever found that is easy on the body and kicks your *&^%^ is spinning! Spinning was created about 20 years ago by a cyclist as a means to train for races. I don't want to ride a serious bike outside (in New England I'm sure I'd be run over) and I don't care to ride competitively at all. I just love the workout I get from 60 minutes of riding my legs off in a little room along side 13 other breathless riders. There are instructors who turn on the disco ball (what IS this?) during class. Instructors who have you climb a hill every 5 minutes (I love this workout). And lousy instructors who apologize that they are tired as you find yourself yawing mid-class. But, no matter, I love spinning and how exhausted and invigorated I feel at the end of class. It should help keep this old body of mine in fairly good shape :P
I haven't been blogging much because I've been spending all my time working hard, paying bills, cleaning house, working out.....ahhhhh. I haven't been inspired because I'm so tired. But today was different. As I was playing catch in the backyard with my sweet and cabin-fevered yellow lab I looked around at the snow. I took a deep breath and smiled. I was amazed. I was inspired. I was happy to be alive. It was beautiful outside!!
This is on the side of our building and it looks just like a winter wonderland. We saw Avatar last night and it's put me in that magical frame of mind...what marvelous creatures might live amongst these snow-laden trees, I wonder?
Our giant dock looks like a runway...all covered in white, fluffy snow...like cotton candy...crunching under my boots as I walked out to the floating dock.
No boats here now. No kids with life vests running around. No shorts and suntan lotion....everything lies in wait until it warms up again.
The stone wall out behind my home...little triangular piles of snow clinging to the ledges.
Trees and bushes at the water's edge, snoring away, encased in ice.
And up a little hill, there is a gate to a tiny cemetery at the side of my property...
I never think much about who lies here but what a view they have for ever after.
