walking the tracks

nope

1am

Photos from a wander home...






It was late and I was far from home, I didn't mean to walk the entire way. The plan was to walk a few blocks before hailing a cab but the area we'd been in was dodgy and cabs wouldn't come so I just kept walking.

In hindsight, the fact that the area was bad enough for cabs to avoid probably meant that it was bad enough that I shouldn't have been walking home alone in the early hours of the morning but I was so busy enjoying that it was spring and that I wasn't sick for the first time in weeks that I wasn't thinking of anything at all except how happy I was.

airborn

love to the infinite power

winter

Went to bed to rain, woke up to snow. As I stepped outside, a flock of geese flew overhead, moving south in v-formation. I wondered if they were actually heading south and worried about them, they've left it a bit late. When I returned home my neighbour was outside shoveling the walk, stopping long enough to look up and say "I'm sick of this shit" which surprised me, he's usually a fairly benign guy.

I thought of him later when I was out for a walk by the water. This winter does seem to have carried on a long time and I am tired of huddling up inside but then I stopped to lean against a railing and watch the plates of ice dancing towards than away from each other; while there I noticed the sound the ice was making, a comforting creaking sound, and the way the sun was setting to my right while a rainbow was peeking through the clouds to my left.

It was beautiful but bitterly cold and I couldn't help thinking that there are people sleeping outside tonight in this cold - that is shit to be sick of.

3am snowstorm

Birthday party at The Artist's backalley house deep in the market. The invitation said "bring pie", the sign inside the front door said "pie fight, 12am". A pie fight seems like a wonderful way to welcome your 40th year of life.

We emerged from the pie orgy to a winter wonderland and spent the next several hours driving, laughing, and arguing over who got the larger half of the chocolate bar; sugar and conversation fueling us with enough energy to keep us going long enough to watch the light change down by the lake as the sun came up.











There was no yoga today. There was, however, a whole lot of sleep.

gone south

home

Down by the lake. Home.




Saturday was teaching a class, coffee with the dearest of friends and a night out on the town, in between it all I returned home for a long and lovely practice.

After practice I was laying on my back, staring at my toes above me reaching toward the ceiling, tailbone pressing into the ground, sacrum gently opening and expanding with each breath and I was so happy. There is nowhere I would rather be, nothing I would rather be doing and no one I would rather be doing it with than what exists right now.

love

snow day

Snowstorm on Wednesday shut the city down giving the gift of a snow day. No work, no school, no obligations to fulfill and no way to get around the city to meet those that might arise. The best.

Long and lazy yoga to start the day, wrapped up city-coffee-wandering in the middle, and gliding along a skating path hand in hand laughing and laughing at the end. Seriously wonderful day in the midst of a month that has me feeling like I'm stuck in an ever tightening vice. Mother nature knows.

chug, chug, chug

2011: perrier, 2031: a kegger. He's a frat boy waiting to happen....




From 2011 to 2031...I won't even tell you how long it took me to do that math. And it's probably wrong. That's why they pay me the big bucks ;).

what a bunch of posers

My family, it's a shame they're so shy...

contemplation

walk. fall down. repeat

This is what happens when you take a two year old for a walk in the snow.








He kept throwing himself down to bury his face in this new-fangled, supercool white stuff before getting up, walking a few steps to fresh ground, and do it all over again. We were out for ages but didn't cover more than a few feet, I'm going to have to get warmer boots.

seriously the cutest. thing. ever.

She had me wrapped around her finger right from the start.

this morning i pray

Returned from the south in time to head to the north to celebrate the new year in the trees. The last day of the year started with a pre-dawn visit to the water and ended in a very busy bed. In addition to those of the two-legged variety, bed was shared with a few dogs and a cat. It was crowded and warm and cuddly. I can't think of a better way to say goodbye to one year and wake up to another than wrapped in love. Happiness.

2010 was a truly wonderful year for me but so many of those I've spoken with have been very happy to see it end. For those of you that found 2010 to be a challenging one, may 2011 bring you happiness, peace and presence.


I've been filling my mind with with beautiful words of Hafiz lately but the passage below, a Gaelic poem, seemed fitting for this new year...

This Morning I Pray

This morning, as I kindle the fire on my hearth,

I pray that the flame of love may burn in

my heart and in the hearts of all I meet today.

I pray that no envy or malice,

no hatred or fear, may smother the flame.

I pray that indifference and apathy, contempt and pride,

may not pour like cold water on the fire.

Instead, may the spark of divine love

light the love in my heart,

that it may burn brightly through the day.

And may I warm those who are lonely,

whose hearts are cold and lifeless,

so that all may know the comfort of being loved.