Center for Yoga Teacher Training review

A friend requested info regarding the teacher training program that I completed last year. Blogging on the Blackberry isn't fun so I'll keep it short and sweet until I get to sit at my desktop:

I can safely with all seriousness, that it was one of the best experiences of my life! I wish every person could go through it with openness to learn and grow.It is really 6 months of course work crammed into 3, so it's important to really stick with reading the books and completing journal entries daily. I have become more disciplined and less impulsive.

I am free of cravings (shopping and foods) and relish the sense of calmness that my practice has brought to my life. Go! Sign up and embark on the journey to your better self! I would not have believed it if Johnny had said that I would have changed so much, I am amazed.

Parasitic blogging, a personal note to Jindi

Sadly, for a short time, I have to moderate comments because someone using the blogger name Jindi had been parasitically commenting on my blog in an attempt to promote his or her products. I am open to reviewing products, retreats and "teacher training" programs and then blog my opinion of it, however, for anyone to respond to a blog posting with a sales pitch and a link back to their website...Hmmm not cool. I don't know who you are or if what you promote is valid. Please spend your time developing your own blog.

Metta, Tricia

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

With the year coming to a close and a new one approaching, it is good to take a moment to look back on times that challenged us and that helped us to grow. Branching out in new directions and trying (with an open mind) new experiences is a fun and fulfilling way to expand out horizons.


This year I tried flying and acro yoga, I went to my first conference and met some amazing people. I learned how to slow down. That was my major goal for 2009. It may seem simple but my hyper mind was like a wild stallion; meditation and yoga broke it...in a good way.

Set goals for 2010 that can be reached and that are simple enough for you to reflect on daily.

Metta, Tricia

Easy appetizer recipe

I made vegetarian empanadas for a dinner party that we went to last night. They were really good, and I thought you would like the recipe. It is posted to the yoga-poses-and-beyond.com website in the healthy recipe section. Check it out! Just click my face to take you to the website.

Fried Rice

Alex my oldest loves fried rice with Usuagri pork (from the Japanese market) it is very thinly shaved and rather fatty. I also use bok choi, shrooms and bean sprouts. He eats like there is no tomorrow!


I am almost dreading tomorrow, I have 7, yes 7 engagements from 9 am until 11 pm. 4 of those are classes in a 30 mile radius, cris crossing of course. 2 are parties, a Christmas party for Garrett's class and Bunco. I have to wait until 8:15 to even think of sitting down except for driving a million miles! Once tomorrow is over and I pass my teach back I will deserve a glass of wine! I'm really excited about Saturday night, our friends are hosting a dinner party and Jennifer is making a Peruvian dish that I have never tried! I am making vegetable empanadas, I'm going to make them very savory and the dough is rich and so flaky. A bottle of vino and it'll be a party!

Batter Blasters, not a gimmick

Alright I broke down and bought the organic pancake batter in a can that looks like whipping cream. The kids have been begging me to try it, so I did. They were actually really good.

I found a vegan version of kefir at Whole Foods Market. It is made with coconut milk, it's quite delicious and had the probiotics that are so beneficial to the body.

My website is technically done in many aspects but I will always have more to add as yoga is a living science and art. I am bored with it in some ways and miss blogging about my trifles in life.

I am enjoying being an aunt to my 10 month old nephew who is visiting from Hong Kong. I can hand him back and come home to my potty trained bunch.

I am looking forward to having some time off over the holidays. I need to get my purging complete, so all the Christmas ornaments that are no longer desirable are going to the Vietnam Vets of America. One phone call and they come and pick up all the stuff I can't find a home somewhere else for.

Sad week

A friend buried her husband today, I can't shake the feeling of her hugs at the funeral home. So deep and seeking comfort. How I wish I could take her pain away.

Fun day!

An ashtanga class in the morning then spent 2 and a half hours as an extra in a movie. More details to come later. It was so much fun!

more of a good thing

yoga yoga yoga! Well now that I got that off my chest, spent too much on itunes again. I am loving the music I have been finding lately.

Yoga Northville, MI

Classes at

Miss Harriet’s Dance Studio

133 W. Main Street, Suite 190 Northville. Located on the lower level of the Northville Square Mall.

Monday 8:15 pm, Tuesday 9:00 am & Thursday 9:00 am

NEW! Beginning November 7, Saturday 9:00 am

· This 60 minute Gentle Flow Yoga class will challenge you physically with emphasis on going within to listen to yourself.

· Learn to harness the power of your breath and find calm mindfulness.

· Students of all levels of fitness are encouraged to practice at their level; modifications are taught to enhance or lessen the intensity of postures.

· Classes taught on donation-basis, as donation is “the act of giving from the heart.” Enjoy yoga, free of hassles and contracts!

Students will need the following:

Comfortable clothing • Yoga mat • Towel • Water bottle

Please arrive at least 10 minutes early, remember to turn your cell phone off to allow yourself to commit your attention to your practice.


You are welcome as you are either a first time student or one with years of practice behind you.

Spinach pie, baklava and beans and rice

I have been cooking all day and totally trashed my house. Everything turned out great and we are stuffed. I made a huge pot of lentil and veggie soup on Monday and it is almost gone, the kids love it. The recipes are on the http://.www.yoga-poses-and-beyond.com website.

Thai yoga-Flying yoga

My saint of a mother brought us a huge homemade apple pie, homemade bread; and tons of goodies today. The pie was glorious and half disappeared quickly!

My oldest son goes to his first Jr high dance tomorrow. I remember those days! I am excited for him yet so sad that he has grown so quickly.

I am attending a Thai yoga and flying yoga workshop with Moses tomorrow. It should prove to be an exciting time. I love workshops and classes that challenge me to grow.

Get outside and love the change of season!

The Smell of Fall

As I hugged my kids after school today, I smelled fall on their hair and clothes. Cool, sharp and crisp. It makes me long for a long walk in an apple orchard,with some sunshine and a cool breeze.

Raspberry picking last week was a little too cold to enjoy it as much as I could have. I picked 7 quarts and made 22 jars of jam. I's color is like a brilliant ruby and the flavor is so saturated and rich. Yummmmmmm!

Get some time in your schedule to walk outside and marvel at the Fall colors. If you have never visited a place like Michigan, Google picture a Fall colors picture of Northern Michigan. It is sheer majesty!

Good German Bread

A fellow yogi originally from Germany told me about this bread. Locally it is available at Plum Market on Orchard Lake and 15 mile road. He got his at a farmers market. Check them out:)

http://www.rheinlandbakedgoods.com/german-recipes-page-1/chapter/2

Corn Chowder

I posted a recipe on the yoga-poses-and-beyond.com website in the healthy eating section for corn chowder. I made up this recipe in a flash and it too 15 minutes to make. Click on my photo on the right nav bar to go the the site.

Broken arm and football

Interesting few weeks for our family. My husband fell as he dove to catch the ball while playing catch. He broke both bones at the elbow. FUN!!! Absolutely not! He is on the mend and thankfully the boys football practices and games have gone well. God willing they continue to do so.
I had a great slow flow class at the Center with Jason. It left me feeling relaxed and calm all day. I have to get there more often!

I went the the Northville Farmers Market today after class. I saw my yoga buddy Amy and bought one of her silver necklaces with fresh water pearls. It is beautiful! I also picked up some fresh zucchini since mine died off so long ago. Tomatoes are petering out too and the garden is looking scary. Just in time to decorate for Halloween!

Back to school!

I may eventually get my life back to "normal" or whatever delusion of normalcy I may have prescribed to in the past. My husband shattered his radius and ulna this weekend and has to have a CT scan and surgery to remove bone fragments. Not a fun experience. Always be grateful for your health and your ability to function without pain and injury.

Back to school countdown

13 days until my children re-enter the world of school and all its excitement. 13 days until I get some time to work on my projects and take more classes!

I did get a chance to post a reviewof a yinyasa class and a few recipes on the new site. I also put gobs of pictures up, which takes a long time and a lot of patients.

Heathy eating recipes

Check out my newest recipes on the website. I have posted the energy bar recipe, it's so easy and very healthy!! Click on my picture, it'll take you to http://www.yoga-poses-and-beyond.com.

BTW, my site now has 54 pages!!

Yinyasa review and tomatoes

I had an amazing yinyasa practice today, 12 hours later I still feel it in my hips. I'm really excited about a meeting I have tomorrow, to explore more teaching opportunities in the sports community. I had a lot of fun getting business cards made, they were cut crooked so we had to go back. Yawn! Next time I'll order them online.

The most awesome vegie dogs!

Energy bars

I made a huge batch of energy bars with dates, coconut, cocoa, sunflower and pumpkin and hemp and chia seeds. They are really good and a great raw way of getting energy before and after yoga.

parsva bakasana

Just uploaded a page about the flying crane. Too fun!

Yinyasa yoga

I am leading yinyasa classes at the Commerce Life studio in the LTF club. There will ba an introduction class on Thursday at 9:30 beginning September 17, 2009. A 8 weekintensive will follow. Contact me for more details.

http://astore.amazon.com/yogaposesandb-20

I put an online store on my website. It has a lot of yoga related books, music, clothes and other accessories.

Bikram Yoga in Plymouth

Bikram here I come! I can't wait for class tonight. I am a little tired but looking forward to a little me time. I have been so busy with the website, it isn't like me to sit...at all! I feel chained to my computer sometimes. I'm going to have to get a laptop so I can make web pages outside.

Look on the website for my review of the class. http://www.yoga-poses-and-beyond.com.

Heart healthy recipes

I'm working on heart healthy recipes for the website. I find that most vegetarian foods tend to be pretty low in saturated fat and sugars. However, you need to really read the labels and check out what you are eating.

Yoga poses, my pics are finally done!!

One of 115!


I had my wonderful sister take a gazillion pics of my yoga poses for the WWW.yoga-poses-and -beyond.com site. I've had a lot of fun editing them to crop the size down and saving them with new names...NOT really! Wow am I going blurry. I spent over 15 hours adding in photos...YAWN!! I'm so glad all this work is going toward a good cause!

vegan chicken?

I got a package of vegan chicken "cutlets" from Costco and made them for lunch. I thought I had the kids fooled, until Vic mentioned "is this fake chicken?" Thoughts of cubic zirconium (fake diamonds) and breast implants (fake cleavage) filled my head. How can chicken be fake? It is actually an impostor of sorts. It looked like chicken, even when cut but the problem was the texture and taste. Darn it! I think if I put it in a pasta dish or some other form of camouflage it would have worked. They got their flesh at dinner, so they were happy. I liked it anyway!

I made a huge vegetarian zucchini lasagna (recipe is on my new website) for Ash's farewell dinner and bought a pre-made one with meat in it for my carnivorous family members. A huge salad and great garlic bread made a simple dinner. My sister-in-law Maggie made these amazing mango cakes. They were a sponge cake filled with whipped cream and mango. Not too sweet and really yummy! I'm going to get the recipe. She learned how to make it at The Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong. I think she took a class there. I miss their breakfast, it was so amazing!

Light on Life

We went to Border's today to get the boy's summer reading books and I picked up a copy of Iyengar's Light on Life for me. Just finished the intro, looks like a book I can relate to. I'll let you know how it goes.

We got baby Ash a set of chunky books and he loved being read to. He even pointed out the baby on the pages! Taking care of a baby is tiring, I forgot how much attention it requires. I am glad my boys are so into caring for him. Alex, our 12 year old is completely smitten with him. He feeds him, plays with him and loves him so much; what joy! We are surprised that Garrett has taken the role of "big" boy and we joke that he handed the golden baby shoes to Ash. He is so protective and very concerned about his comfort and safety. My boys received so much love and affection, so they have so much to give!

All the classes have been going great, especially the Hockey team. So focused and so dedicated! I'm excited to have a few days off to spend more time with Ash before they go back to Hong Kong.

The website is growing like a proverbial baby and I have so much work to do with researching the different types of yoga. I will be busy for sure.

www.yoga-poses-and-beyond.com

My "baby" is on the 30 page benchmark. I am almost cross eyed from all this computer work, but I LOVE IT!!

Please check out my site and cruise around. There is lots of new info and good stuff to learn.

My other "baby" my nephew Ash is doing wonderfully. I LOVE him so much!!! He is so cute and happy. I really miss having a baby but I have to admit that it is nice to go home (kind of like a grandparent visiting).

Thai young coconut

We had to try a Thai young coconut after seeing them at the Red Pepper Deli. I looked up how to open it (I love the internet) and we had quite an interesting experience. The juice is so much sweeter than a mature coconut and very fragrant. I scooped out the coconut meat from the inside of the shell and was surprised to find it very strange. It was gelatinous, jiggly and almost slimy. It tasted like a very soft rendition of coconut but the texture made me cringe. Two bites later and it went on the compost heap.

My garden is doing so well! I am so excited to grow veggies! My Swiss chard is 8" long and my tomatoes (60) are huge and green.

Make a fresh salad and throw in some Pepitas and cherries. Yum!

Baby Ash before his bath.

My little nephew Ashton is visiting from Hong Kong.

types of yoga

My little website has grown to 24 pages. My newest page is going to chronicle my experiences as I travel through the different types of yoga. I have learned so much it is CRAZY!! I am the anti-computer person, so thankfully I have an awesome company that helps me with almost everything. I write, add graphics and edit all of my own pages...Me.. a webmaster? Not exactly. Check out my site and on the bottom is a link to Site Build It, check it you if you are interested in web hosting. You do not have to know how to write special codes, it's almost like blogging..not relly but now it is way easier!

Yoga sleep and wellness

Did you know that a consistent yoga practice helps you sleep?

It is true, research has shown and I have personally had dramatic changes in my sleep habits. The pattern of relaxing before sleep is approximated when we take shavasana at the end of class. Therefore when we are ready to go to bed, we can relax and get to sleep better, thus achieving the Delta mode more quickly (results are more minutes of good quality of sleep.)

www.yoga-poses-and-beyond.com

Drum roll please:::::::: Here is the beginning of a new chapter in my life. My little blog has grown up and become a real website! I will be blogging on my new website from now on. I will blog here about once a week to keep you updated, and will continue to use this blog as an outreach support tool for specific groups.

http://yoga-poses-and-beyond.com. A website all about the world of yoga beyond the postures.

Find it by either scrolling down to the near bottom of this blog and double click the ling in the helpful website section, or highlight the link, paste it to your browser search bar and click to go to the new site. Click here and bookmark it so you can visit.

You can also subscribe to my new blog and get RSS feeds at the new site.

A website all about the world of yoga beyond the postures.

Detroit Fly House Aerial Yoga

I'm going to a class tomorrow! I can't wait to FLY!! Well, I did and what a blast it was! I will add in some pictures soon.

long days, longer nights

Oh my! 2:30 am has become my usual bedtime lately as I work on my website. I have 7 pages done and have so many more to do! I'll attach the link when I hit around 12 pages, to give you a "taste" of what will come:) My classes have become very focus and deep. I feel as if I'm drawing energy from all around. My donation classes in Northville are really going well and people are spreading the word! Horray for yoga!!

Happy 4th of July!!

Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness!

Hold these truths self evident and thank a veteran for protecting your rights.

We have had a blast in classes this week. So much great energy and so much fun!! Keep your eyes open for farmer markets, they are a great place to get fresh locally produced veggies and fruit. Walled Lake has one on Wednesday, Northville has one on Thursday and Plymouth's is on Saturday.

website coming soon!

I am working on turning my blogging into a website! I have been so busy working on my website, I have not had time to sleep! I'll let you know the new site name when it's up an running. I'm going to an Aerial yoga class on June 12th in Detroit. I can't wait to try it!

Sugar craving tamers

I found a product called Yeast Cleanse it is mfg, by a company called Solaray. Better Health carries it, I'm sure you can get it at most health food stores. Yeast lives in your body and craves sugar, the more sugar you eat, the more the yeast multiplies. Yeast Cleanse reduces the amount of yeast in the body and the sugar cravings stop. This really works!

The get a sugar fix, eat an orange, apple or banana. Don't even buy the cookies! Scroll down on the right side and check out the oatmeal cookie recipe.

Agave nectar is available at Better Health and Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, it is like honey but doesn't spike your blood sugar.

Ways to transition into healthy eating

Be realistic and set small goals for yourself that are achievable. Transition your diet as you run out of a conventional item, replace it with a healthy version. Begin by avoiding the 6 evils of processed food:

No white sugar
No white flour
No high fructose corn syrup
No hydrogenated oil
No artificial colors or flavors


Try to avoid juices, chips, cookies and the vice of your choice (mine is chocolate). These "snacks" are empty calories and add a lot of sugar to your diet.

Eat more:
whole grains
fruits
vegetables
lean sources of protein (beans, tofu) (If you eat meat: turkey, fish, chicken)

Try to eat 6 small meals a day that are balanced (salad, olive oil dressing, lean protein, and a fruit).

Allow yourself to eat some of your favorite foods, just cut the portion back and really enjoy it (be present).

Good snack foods

Almonds, small hand full
apple slices and peanut butter
carrot and celery slices and ranch dip
salad rolled up in a lawash or pita
PB&J
Banana and a glass of almond milk
bagel and cream cheese or soy cheese
chips and salsa
hummus and pita chips
raw date and coconut bars * recipe in noteworthy blog section
oatmeal cookies *
hummus wrap sandwich *

I'll add more when I think of them

Canoeing

My sister and I took the kids to Proud Lake and rented canoes today. We are so glad that we choose the short trip. It was one and a half hours upstream to a dam where we parked our canoes and went for a swim. It was so nice and peaceful, until a million kids from camp showed up and screamed...a lot....I mean loudly....really scary stuff. Our downstream trip back with the little boys paddling in front took a lot less time and was a lot easier. I am so whipped! Take a break from your regular routine and do something different. Find a local park or campground and live on the wild side (spiders, fish and birds of course).

Ooh bad blogger!

I have been an absentee blogger this first week of Summer vacation. I have thought about a lot of things to say, but have not been able to get to the computer. Our garden is flourishing! Can't wait to have the first beans and tomatoes! Classes are going well and I'm excited that the donation classes are growing. We've had such a great group of people sharing a great practice, what more can I say, I'm a lucky girl! I've got a case of Jade Harmony Yoga Mats coming in next week in a rainbow of colors: orchid, slate, sage, purple, red, orange, navy and black.

Is Yoga enough to keep you fit?

There is an article on the Yoga Journal site that proves that yoga is enough to keep you fit. Read it yourself:)

http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/739

Almost the last day of school

We went to the library and picked up a gaggle of books, games, cds and videos. Both boys joined summer reading programs and we have new incentive to read at home too. They have to read a book to earn xbox and skate park privileges. I have two classes tonight and I am looking forward to having a little time off from teaching 6 days a week. I really need some time to get things settled at home and want to have a streamlined life. I clean the house, the counters and floor are clear and somehow (Alex and Garret) they get filled with curious bits and peices of stuff. I feel like I am always going backward. Maybe it'll get better when they go to college?

Impulsivity strikes 2

A few months back I mentioned how I impulsively decided to switch Garrett's room and the guest bedroom. Actually it was not an impulsive thought, as I had planned to do so for a while (actually planning and getting around to doing it were another thing all together). My gardening itch started up and I went on the prowl. I scoped out some massive railroad ties at Home Depot and lots of veggies begging to be planted. I called Vic and thankfully he was tired and not in a mood to debate. We both wanted to put in a veggie garden at some point and now is the perfect time. We ate dinner and went to Home Depot, we bought 2 ties at a time as they are so heavy and barely fit in our Expedition (come to find out they are around 200 lbs each). My awesomely terrific husband pulled them out and through the side of the yard himself. I am so glad he is strong! Yea!! A few massive nails and the boys and I can set to work filling it up. Garrett and I started beets, lettuce, corn, zucchini, sunflowers, cukes and beans. I'll sprinkle in the radishes later. I have 6 massive tomato plants already in pots and they are over 3 feet tall, I'll put them in there too.

We will have to put up a little rabbit fence as they eat everything! We started about 25 sunflower seeds last Spring and I had them in peet pots in the front flower bed. B the time they were 4" high the bunnies sheared them off. We were so mad, but felt sorry that they were so hungry too. I have sunflower sprouts all the time and they are amazingly delicious, go figure. I'll post pictures as the process unfolds.

Good news about Bill's son, he is recovering well and is home! Prayers answered!

The Donation Yoga classes in Northville have an addition of 8pm on Wednesday.

My summer schedule at Commerce LTF is changing a bit, Wednesday at 11, Friday at 11 and e/o Saturday at 11. The Saturday class is the biggest change, it's now 75 minutes earlier! The Poolside Yoga class is on for 8pm on Thursday night, it will be a beautiful series.

Kenzoil and Cibatta

We had this at teacher training breaks. Amazing flavor and works on pasta too. I use brown rice pasta.

Quote of the Week

An evil person is like a dirty window, they never let the light shine through.
William Makepeace Thackeray

This one is just too good!

Coconut date raw energy bars

At the conference, there were samples of these raw vegan energy bars. They were very tasty but very oily. We were joking that just holding the package negated the need for hand cream as the oiliness was on the outside of the package too. I took the basic set of ingredients and made my own, non-oily version. These are packed with energy and protein and are very easy to digest.

coconut date energy bars
1 cup raw cashews (Trader Joe's)
7 dates (Trader Joe's)
Agave nectar (Trader Joe's) like honey but from blue agave cactus
Let's do Organic dried coconut (Whole foods and Hillers)

Coating
almond meal (Trader Joe's)
Let's do Organic coconut

***night before*** soak 1 cup raw cashews in purified water, in the morning rinse well several times to remove digestive inhibitors (I learned this from the Thrive book).
Soak 7 dates in purified water overnight, rinse well and drain in the morning too. Remove pits and place in food processor with rinsed and drained cashews. Pulse a few times, add in some dried flake coconut (maybe 1/3 to 1/2 cup) and agave (few tablespoons) until mixture forms a medium density dough like consistency. Pulse a few more times and scrape out onto wax paper. Press into square shape and sprinkle and press in a mixture of almond meal and coconut (so they are not sticky). Cut and press sides into almond coconut mixture. Store in fridge.

You could always add other ingredients in like: vanilla, almond extract, soaked sunflower seeds.
If you can't eat cashews, sub out with raw almonds. Just soak the same way.

Favorite songs

One of our friends inquired about the songs I play during class. By no means is this a complete list. I will add to it when I come across new goodies.

All Moby albums!
Lovers Lounge cd
Paint the sky with stars cd- Enya
Perfect balance :music for healing vol 2
Sanctuary cd- Magna Canta
Come away with me and thinking about you- Norah Jones
Simon and Garfunkle’s greatest hits
Music for yoga cd
Prana cd
Boys and girls Ingrid Michaelson
Life for rent cd-Dido
Mantra girl cd
Mysteria
David Gordon has lots of songs and cds
Vast
Starlight- Muse
Mezzanine Cd-Massive Attack
Bloodstream-Stateless
Ever so Lonely-Shelia Chandra
Quelqu'un M'a Dit- Carla Bruni
Let it Be me- Ray LaMontagne
Devotion-Steven De Ruby
Unlike Me (remastered)-Kate Havnevik
All I want from you is love-Let's go Sailing

Newer songs I added recently (thanks to Cindy and Kelli's awesome playlists):
P.M. Dawn –Set adrift on memory bliss (not radio edition)
Breathe- Telepopmusik
Breathe you in (Eric Kupper Remix)- Samantha James
Focus on Sight -Thievery Corporation
Swadisthana-Vive
Rise-Samantha James
Big deal- Everything but the girl
Trouble me- 10,000 Maniacs
Don’t you evah -Spoon
I found you (feat Celso Fonseca) Samantha James
Time steals the day- Milosh
So far away –Donovan Franken
Humming- Deva Premal and Miten
Shanti (Peace out) -Mc Yogi
Let go –Frou Frou

Twigim at Cosmo in Kerrytown

Yum!!! Twigim is a combo of potato, green bean, carrot and onion that is tempura breaded, seasoned and fried. It was relly good! We also went to the artisan market and I got a necklace with an octopus on it. It's really cute, Ann Sheppard made it. Her company is http://www.suchprettycolors.com/. She hand makes polymer clay shapes then puts photo transfers on them. She sells different styles online than at the Kerrytown Artisan Market. Get out there and support local farmers and artisans! We went to Urban Outfitter and I found some really cool clothes, they own Anthropology my favorite clothes store. Gar and I met Vic and Alex and we all went to South University and got bubble tea and went skate shoe shopping at Launch.

Susan enjoying the Three Minute Egg block

Susan and many others this week had the opportunity to "play" with these blocks. Many people really enjoyed them! I feel a big difference when I use these rather than conventional blocks.

Now for a happy post

I needed to get that stuff off my chest. Vic and I celebrated out 15th anniversary on Thursday. I taught classes until 8 so we celebrated on Friday night. We went to the Red Pepper Deli for dinner and then to the Tipping Point Theatre to see Shakespeare Abridged. It was so funny my stomach hurt until Saturday from all the laughing. We really needed that after the gloomy week we had. It was nice to spend some time together, without having to do anything.

15 years ago if you would have told me that we would have had a vegan raw dinner to celebrate our anniversary, I would have been like "yea right." Wow how we have changed, for the better!

Check out the http://www.tippingpointtheatre.org/. Saturday between classes I popped into Twelve Oaks and picked up some white jeans and a cute cutout tank top. We had my sister's family over that night and Susie and I went into the hot tub. I felt so relaxed, the glass of chardonnay helped too. We're off to Ann Arbor now. Get outside and be present!

What a week!

We had a very emotionally draining week. We have received news of the death of one of the fathers in our football family. Another friend of the family lost a daughter and her fiancee to a drug overdose, two young fathers we know are in the hospital from cycling accidents and a dear fellow yogi's son had a terrible accident on his motorcycle and is still (thankfully) in the hospital. All this tragedy and pain reminds me to be more thankful for our health, and all the blessings of love life and family. According to the yoga community, karma is played out to take the soul where it is supposed to be. Accidents, deaths and tragedies are hard to accept and harder to cope with. Just knowing that there is a plan and that we are not in control, that we can't really make decisions because life has a funny way of seeping in is a bitter pill to swallow sometimes. All my thoughts and prayers go out to these families in their time of need. All my classes this week sent their positive energy to Christopher who is thankfully recovering from his motor cross accident. Gratitude for the goodness and the shadows that make us grow is necessary. It's about the balance in life.

Good karma

What does it mean to give or have good karma? During the karma flow class at the conference, Seane Corn said that karma exists to take a soul to it's path through this lifetime. What happens is supposed to happen. Not easy to understand or accept sometimes. Good karma is the act of kindness, forgiveness or loving. Non-judgmental acceptance and an ability to see the right where we find wrong is a gift. She shared many amazing stories and really inspired me to be more active in human rights movements. She said that she continues to do activist work to keep her good karma flow coming. Greed and hoarding stop karma and we become a smaller version of ourselves. Checkout the work she is doing www.offthematintotheworld.org.

Give some good karma today! A smile, hug or a prayer for someone spreads this goodness.

Thanks for the suggestion Jen, the pic I took does look good as the header for my blog!

Hmmmm, nice day to garden

A pic of a sunset that we enjoyed last night. How gorgeous.

I should correct myself, I actually pulled weeds and trimmed everything. I managed to finish my planting yesterday so all my annuals are in. My perennials are really blossoming. Gardening was my first real joy in life, followed by cooking, my husband, antiquing, then my kids, then yoga. I still have special affection for all my "attachments," especially the human ones. My flower children are my most forgiving, as I have not been as attentive lately. Oh if they could talk..."she forgot to water us, when is she going to put more humus and manure on us, why are all these weeds soaking up our water.?" My families long term goal is to have some land and a small "farm" actually a goat to eat the grass and chickens to eat the bugs in the gardens. I love animals and would love to have some space to let the dogs run wild. Green Acres...hmm...interesting.

Cool cleaning products that I love!

Mrs. Meyer's lemon verbeena is so awesome, got the shower spray too. The caldrea counter cleaner and dish soap are basil blue sage. I also got the dishwasher powder. These products are natural, safe, and smell amazing!!

Mark Whitwell

I had the luck to meet this amazing yogi at the conference and I can finally say that there is a video to recommend. You can get his video at Amazon.com or other online sources.

goodies from Lush

My latest trip to Lush yielded a new face mask called The Sacred Truth. It has neroli oil and is made for nurturing my kind of skin, not young or old. It smells so good I did not want to take it off! It left my skin feeling so soft! I also got another seanik shampoo. I love it, it leaves my hair so soft! I got a sample of gorgeous face cream, it also smells divine, and is so silky! I finally got Garrett to use his honey bee bath bomb, he was saving it because he loved how it smelled. He had a blast in the tub!

Three Minute Egg

I got a set of these ergonomically designed yoga blocks yesterday. The kids tested them and loved them. I placed them under my lumbar and laid back for a while to relax after that 5 hour ride. I did feel a sense of support that allowed my muscles to relax. Can't wait to play with them in class!

Where to begin?

Cindy, Mark, Gretchen and moi

Lilas Folan

Paul Grilley, he gave us Yin Yoga and so much more.

Oh my, I look terrible in that photo. My eyes were so puffy! I slept good but could have used another hour or two. I got home late yesterday (7:45), was so incredibly happy to see my family! I had to decompress for a little while, a long car ride does wonders on your lumbar! I was so saturated from all the information that I could barely contain it in my brain. I was debriefed on all the male bonding that transpired over the weekend (dinner and games at Lucky's, the boys' friends came over on Saturday for play dates and then more guys over on Saturday night to watch the Wings, way too much junk food, pop and Xbox). As I sat on one sofa conversing with my husband who was on the other sofa, he looks over at me and very sweetly said " I really understand how important balance is. Without you here we ate terribly, had way too much activity (the poor puppies were having fits, way too much stimulation for them) and I would never make the house this pretty. As I was watering all the flowers you planted, I thought "I would never do this, the house would be so ugly." He went on the say "this is your house, you worked so hard to make it so beautiful. Without you the house is so imbalanced." I looked over, smiled and nodded. He had a yoga moment. Balance. They were starving for home made food. I was exhausted but happily made them dinner, knowing how much they missed the love I imbued into my cooking. We cuddled, finished up homework and got to bed. The puppies look relieved, they have barely moved this morning (such a testosterone hangover)! Now on to the conference. Where I can, I include web links so you can check things out for yourself and to help spread the word for the amazing people that I met this weekend!

As with everything I have been introduced to through my teacher, I was pleasantly surprised and totally overwhelmed by the depth and richness of the experience. Not knowing what to expect and not wasting energy thinking about it I simply accepted what transpired and appreciated it.

I was graciously adopted by Gretchen and Cindy when Nikki backed out at the last minute. Gretchen drove us and I am so appreciative! We spent a lot of time learning, eating and singing together. We started out together on this yoga journey and I am so lucky to know them.

We arrived at the hotel at 11:00 Thursday night and was wiped out from the drive. I went to bed quickly knowing that I had an early morning.

I attended a 7am meditation session with Johnnie, he had us go through a brief asana to warm and stretch. Afterward I spoke to him and told him that I had given up coffee for good. He asked "how long? " I replied "6 weeks," and that I had only done so for three people, him and my two boys when I was pregnant. I told him that his constant reminders sank in, and it wasn't until I asked myself why I needed coffee, that I was able to understand my habit and break it. A big hug and huge smile affirmed that he was happy that I listened. Then I went onto a class with Seane Corn, she is amazing. She tailored that class to the teachers, as there were so many of us in the room. So much information streamed out of her it was like a river! She encouraged us to sequence classes with substance and not flash. Everything resonated with me and I am so inspired! I had another class with her on chakra flows and how the chakras that are blocked can affect the body physically, another amazing class. Then I went to Paul Grilley's Yin yoga class, got the lowdown from the man himself! He is funny and really pragmatic. He kindly posed for a picture as I told him that he is a celebrity in my house, and that the kids didn't believe that I was meeting him. We watched the bone anatomy video a few times during teacher training and the kids call him the bone man. His information really changed and enhanced my understanding of how bones and anatomy affect postures. His inspiration was Pauly Zink, who was a yogi who was "never hurt." Check him out at www.Pauliezink.com. I met Jason from http://www.threeminuteegg.com/ who developed a ergonomically designed yoga block. He gave me a set to share, along with a video so I can learn how to use them to help others deepen their practice. Friday night wrapped up with a Kirtan concert with Steve Ross.

Saturday morning began with a "start the day in a sacred way with Lilas Folan, Queen of Yoga on PBS. She shared a Native American dance, song and light ceremony with us, she is so funny, nice and a generous soul. Went onto Saul David Raye's Life Bliss Meditation class, amazing! I got the CD to use at home. It is unlike anything I have ever experienced and it really made sense too.

Now for the revelation that the universe aligns us for the path we are chosen to take. I jumped classes to attend Mark Whitwell's because I felt like I needed to, in some strange way. It was difficult for me to choose classes in February not knowing what to take, so I trusted my intuition. Wow am I happy I did. I was honored, blessed and just lucky to be in this man's presence. His wisdom, basic belief in the power of love and unity settled in like never before. I can honestly say that he affirmed my belief in what I have found yoga to truly be, and what is really important. I have found my anti-guru! Buy his video, listen to him as he speaks the truth! http://www.heartofyoga.com/

Another Seane Corn class, Karma flow...more amazing information and a quote I will never forget " Ignore the story, see the soul, love always and never regret" Billy S.

Wade Morrisette delivered an amazing Kirtan concert and we had a blast! I got some great hugs to pass around! We had a nice discussion with Mark and Raj (an Oncologist attending the conference) after the concert.

Sunday morning began with the Swami (formerly known ad Rama Birch). She taught us the proper technique for saying Om. You can practice it so it resonates all throughout your body. It was very moving and beautiful. I went to Annie Carpenter's relax deeply class, it was very yin oriented and just what I needed. I wrapped up the day with Vinnie Marinos' arm balance class. Whew! Lots of headstand to bakasana, and so many others. Got a few new cool ones! I got a super cool tank top and headband from http://www.iloveyoga.com/. Moses designs the shirts and they are a one of a kind work of art. He doesn't sell the patchwork styles online because they are one of a kind but if you contact him he will make one for you and send it to you. Check mine out in class. He is so nice, and talented. I also got a cool shirt from http://www.beloveforall.org/, check them out! Mine is black with pink sprays of flowers and the words "my life is my message."

Before leaving for work today, Vic looked at me and repeated his appreciation for my presence and the balance that I bring to our home and lives. I am so thankful for his ability to see what is, and what has to be. His request was for a vegetarian week as he overdid it this weekend. I said" no problem!"

That sums it up! Live in love for when you do everything else falls in place. Namaste, Tricia

Day 2 still alive!

I am having so much fun! I just had a session to start the day in a sacred way with Lilas Folan. She is so funny and nice! I am attending a life bliss meditation session now. More to come. Namaste, Tricia

Three classes and I'm beat

I am so tired and I want to finish my mint tea, so I'll share a little of me to let it cool a bit. I taught three classes today, I am trying to get all my stuff ready for the conference and cleaned the house all day. How did you guess that you can't tell that it was cleaned? Well, I left to teach and my family went cookoo as usual! The impermance of life is really rearing it's head today in many ways. Goodnight!

Here is a view of my gorgeous iris. Ahh the majesty of nature

So much to say!

At church today our Pastor said that we have to weather many storms in our lives, just as Jesus and the disciples did when the sea tossed their boat to the point of near death. The point he made was that we need to trust Jesus to be there and to have faith that we will be okay. I can honestly say that I feel at peace and generally happy. I feel free from the anxiety of worrying about the economy and the future, as those are not in my control. I just trust God that I will be fine and work my hardest to serve his as best as I can. I feel so fortunate to be able to share yoga and the message of peaceful acceptance and gratitude with all those that practice with me. I try to be very careful not to come across as I am attempting to evangelize. There are better times and places for that. My hope for all who practice with me is that they can come to a realization that they are where they should be and that they will be fine if they find internal happiness. freedom from external expectations is bliss in itself!



My blogging has really suffered due to my early nights. I did have one cup of coffee this morning, and did not enjoy it. Just checking. Rosehip and green tea worked well today. A few months ago I was thinking about tracking down a book or resource to help me balance vegan recipes. I am very concerned about getting the right amount of amino acids, proper protein and other essential nutrients. I serve quite a few vegan meals to my family and want to make sure that we aren't going to become malnourished. I have been pretty obsessed with nutrition and my kid's health and vitality are a pretty good indication that I have been doing my best.


We watched the Secret tonight, again. I swear we need to watch it over and over to remind ourselves, especially the kids that the Law of Attraction pervades all in our lives. I try to live in bliss as much as I can and can honestly say that compared to a few years ago, I am not the same person that I was, in such a good way! I was not a bad person, just a nervous, competitive, anxious and materialistic one. Wow, it is really easy to say that now, honesty is very telling of where we were and where we are now. So the point about the Secret is that we can attract what we need. I found an awesome book about vegan nutrition for athletes! Brendan Brazier took two years to develop a balanced nutrition profile that meets his needs as a Professional Ironman Triathlete. It has a lot of good recipes, many raw and very easy to use. Hey the secret worked! The book is titled Thrive, The Vegan Nutrition Guide.



We went to One World Market and got some Japanese food and then went to Happy Hippo Pastry house to get our favorite pastries.



I'm so excited about the conference. I am going to blog a lot of pics of our conference antics and will give tips along the way that I pick up.



My mother in law is having a ball in Hong Kong and is really enjoying her time with baby Ashton. He is such a cutie!

Donation Yoga in Northville is up and running!!

Every Monday at 8:15 pm and Tuesday and Thursday morning at 9 am we meet for a slow flow yoga practice that centers around the breath, feeling the movements and presence.

Miss Harriet's Dance Studio in scenic Downtown Northville.
133 W. Main Suite 190
In the Northville Square Mall

Flowers, yoga and soup

I went to Johnnie's class yesterday and I can still feel it today. That to me is the sign of a good class. I definitely could not do another one today. I did practice a mild slow flow and breath for a while. For the last few days, I have been busily planting the annuals and veggies that I got this weekend. I had a piece of vegetable lasagna from Nico and Vali for lunch today. It is so amazingly delicious, with tender pasta, the right amount of sauteed veggies and a perfect cream sauce. Nico and Vali is a small Italian eatery in Plymouth. Check them out for authentic Italian food that is fresh and Ala cart. Also try the almond cake, it is mouth watering. I chaperoned Garrett's class on a field trip to the Natural History Museum at U of M. We love this place and have been there at least 6 times, but this time we had a guided tour of the dinosaurs and got to touch fossils. My lunch was really late and I was famished, so I really enjoyed every bite. Great food makes me happy and I don't miss meat at all! I made a huge pot of vegan veggie soup and I have been eating it pretty much all day long for three days now.

The recipe is very easy, I use all organic ingredients

The night before soak one cup of organic dried beans in water, rinse once or twice

coarsely chop 1/2 pound of baby bella or crimini mushrooms and saute in Olive oil

add in :
1 onion diced
5 stalks celery diced
1/2 to 3/4 pound carrots diced
saute until soft
add in:
1/2 head of cabbage, sliced into fine shreds
6 cloves garlic
2 chopped tomatoes
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes with broth
1 6oz can tomato paste
add in pre soaked beans minus the soaking water
1 cup barley
enough water to cover everything with a few inches left over
simmer for while until the beans are tender

Now add some salt to taste and pepper, chop up a whole bunch of flat leaf parsley and throw it in. Enjoy!

Learn about yourself

When is the last time you really thought about why you do the things you do? This question really hit me today as I was in class today. Why I drive 40 minutes to take a class, why I can now not drink coffee and not want it. Introspection and self evaluation are valuable tools that we have to learn to break down our patterns and habits. I absolutely love taking classes and need to fit a few more in per week. My home practice always leads to arm balances and not enough of the postures that I have difficulty with. It is so important to have a teacher to lead you on your journey of self exploration. This teacher can be yourself in the form of journaling and looking back at events and how you processed them. It could be reflecting on difficulties with a trusted friend or family member. Discover ways to look inward not outward for happiness and a greater understanding of why you are who you are.

Three weeks of coffee free life!

This goes to show you that someone can say things for a while and repeat themselves and someone is listening! Johnnie repeatedly encouraged us to give up coffee during teacher training, and at every class that I attended. His constant reminders rang in my ears and it stuck. I have listened to him say this for nine months, it took me being ready for it to happen. I am coffee free and really happy about the relaxed outlook that I have. I am not jittery and do not have the highs and lows that I had with constant coffee consumption.

Live your life as an example for those around you to follow. Lead others to believe that they can be the best and to acheive their dreams. Most importantly live in love.

Namaste, Tricia

Quote of the Week

Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed. Always aim at purifying your thoughts and everything will be well.
Mahatma Gandhi

Interesting weekend

I hosted a party for 50 people this Saturday. I was running out the door with my sister to the church service. We hopped into her car and I realized half way there that I forgot my slip. She is such an awesome sister, without hesitation she said "Here take mine, I'm wearing a heavier skirt and it won't show." I told her that I was going to blog about it. She is so awesome! She ordered four gourmet cheese cakes for the party, they were so good. The cheesecaks ladie's business is called the Sugarplum Fairy. We had such a fun time, the party lasted until 3am! I spent most of Mother's day straightening out the house and just finished up today.

New classes

Contact me at yogatrish@wowway.com to find out where the new Weds and Friday classes at 9am are.

Perfect class

I taught this Springs first outdoor yoga class today. The setting was fragrantly embellished by the aroma of the crab apple blooms. They smelled absolutely amazing! To inhale in their presences was a joy! The birds were singing and the ground was soft. It is so different to practice outside, it's quite challenging to tune everything out. Good practice!

I am not able to blog as much due to my coffee free lifestyle, I am in bed by now on most nights! I am yawning as I type, so I'll keep it short. 14 whole days and not a bit of coffee. I made a pot for my parents who were over to help out with the kids and did not even want any.

I feel even and balanced but my mind has taken a while to readjust to the lack of caffeine. My classes are going well and I am adding a few new ones in.

I'm having 60 people over on Saturday and I am up to my elbows in cleaning, touching up the trim work that the kids destroyed with their lacrosse sticks and organizing. Wish me luck, it should be a blast!

We're loving these black bean chipoltle burgers from Morningstar farms (big box of 12 at Costco for$13.50). I try not to eat processed foods but I have to give in when I am in a pinch. I made burritos for Cinco de Mayo and will cap off the night with a adios amigos!

Cody at 6 months

He is so big and cuddley!

Dosha quiz

http://www.whatsyourdosha.com/quiz/
Take a little time to learn your doshas and how to balance them:)

8 days of freedom!

I am over the hump and do not crave coffee anymore!!! I am going to bed early and feeling rested when I wake up. I do have to say that my late night computer antics have suffered and my emails are piling up. I barely have time to blog or play on Itunes during the day, so I usually update everything after the kids go to bed. Now I am in bed too!

I have to say that this week is flying! I am having a huge party next Saturday and have so much to do. I went to Ikea and bought a ton of glass storage jars to put all my beans, grains and flours in. I cleaned out my kitchen pantry, organized everything and now I can actually find everything! Oh Martha Stewart would be so proud! An old friend once compared me to Martha Stewart, when my sister heard this she couldn't stop laughing and literally choked on her drink...Hmm who knows me better? My sis definitely, I think this old friend was a bit competitive and insecure. Just a thought! I am hoping to get my entire house completely organized this year, I mean everything! It's been seven years in this house, and I have never had a chance to totally organize everything...long story about how we moved in in one day...so a lot of things in storage never got properly sorted and my kids have grown out of their "baby" stuff. I purged the upstairs and now on to the mudroom pantry and the garage! I watched a DIY show about organizing and this guy said that you can waste up to an hour a day looking for stuff. An hour that I could be doing something else! Time to get busy!!

Hop to that task that you have been putting off. Even if it means that you only can spend an hour or two on it. Little bits add up!

Blogging from a 8 year old's perspective

I asked my 8 year old what I should blog about today..his recommendations are...

1 Please wash your hands
2 Please don't sneeze on me if you come to my class
3 Please pray for the young Scottish couple who got the swine flu on their honeymoon

Hi is such a caring little guy! We were just reading the news online and he said that he would ask his class to pray for that couple. When my kids say things like this, I feel that I have done something right!

Quote of the Week

Love is life. All, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love. Everything is, everything exists, only because I love. Everything is united by it alone.
Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910)

Rude awakening!

I have been painfully coffee free for 6 entire days...144 hours...8640 minutes...518,400 seconds. I have a slight understanding of the grip of addiction. I have thought about coffee a lot, I actually had to tell myself to leave the store when I was at Trader Joe's today. I mean I literally, loudly told myself to leave the store. Why you ask? The coffee smelled so good, they were brewing a fresh pot. That is when it hit me, my habits perpetuate my coffee addiction and I have to be aware of what triggers my craving. I used to drink about a pot to a pot and a half a day. All day long, every time I got tired, I had a cuppa joe, or tea. Now I am down to two cups of black tea a day and lots of herbal teas and water all day long. Talk about a huge change. I went to bed at 9:18 last night! I used to stay up until 12:30 or 1a.m. My sleep patterns are what triggered me to understand why I couldn't give the coffee up. I had a blazing headache for days last week, but feel fine now! In case you were wondering, I skipped the two little cups of coffee at TJ's today. I felt victorious!

Vic is giving me a hard time about kicking the coffee habit. I think he is upset because he knows that I will never make it for him. Now that I don't drink it anymore, he will be on coffee duty forever....Ha Ha Ha...

A week free of blogging

I literally had a week free of computing, I mean I did not turn it on! I check my emails via Blackberry and have been too tired and busy to sink into the trap of computing. One site leads to another and before I know it, it's three hours later!

I have been trying to get to the root of my coffee addiction and it dawned on me that I need to go to sleep earlier. I am so tired when I wake up I need coffee. On Tuesday, I began my anti-coffee life...it lasted until lunch at Panera with Deanna...I slipped twice. I have habits I have to break (I'll get tea next time). I have to wean myself off!

Last weekend was busy with 2 lacrosse games and a family party. I subbed Erin's class on Sunday, she always subs for me (good karma comes and goes around). I went to Johnnie's class on Monday, it was amazing! It was so hard but good. I taught in Northville, and got a chance to discuss the Donation yoga in the daytime, at the studio. We'll see when we can start it up. I crashed at 10:30.

Tuesday I had a nice lunch with Deanna and then we went to her sisters to care for the triplets. I got to hold George and Lainie, I also fed her and gave her a bath. I miss having babies! They smell so good, her eyes so clear with innocence. They are such adorable and precious blessings! My class went well later that day and I crashed at 10:15!

Wednesday's two classes went wonderfully and still coffee free! I have been eating brown rice bread, instead of wheat. Last weekend I developed hives after eating a bagel, and crackers. I got the bread at Trader Joes, my kids were tossing it around it's like a brick. It is very dense but moist. It tastes good toasted with pb&j. No coffee or bread!

I woke up with a splitting migraine on Thursday, so I had to miss Corrinne's Yinyasa. I am so sad:( The nausea was terrible but I had to pull myself together. My class for the team was killer hard and I think they developed a new appreciation for finding their edge! I had Bunco at 7:30 so I took a nap, hoping to get rid of my headache. It partially subsided, but came back on when I found out that one of our school families was in a huge roll over accident while driving back from Florida. I haven't cried in a long time, but just imagining how this mom felt as she looked back and her kids were on the highway. I lost it. They are all right, Alex's classmate had to be taken to a hospital on a helicopter. They are alive because they drove a big SUV ( it flipped front to end a few times). The mom may need a shoulder surgery. I am so thankful that they are all right.

I'm still coffee free and ready for bed! Bonsoir!

Another long weekend with another family party, a class in Brighton and two Lacrosse games!

SUN!!!

Horray! It's sunny and warm today! Get outside and have some fun!

Spring cleaning part 2!

I spent the better part of the past two days clearing out and re-organizing my boys rooms and the guest bedroom. After multiple failed attempts on their parts to try to clean their rooms, I stepped in. I flippantly decided to swap out Garrett's small room with the roomier guest bedroom. I've had this idea for a while as when we moved in 7 years ago, he was a tiny 18 month old. A small room was cozy and adequate. Fast forward 7 years and add 30 pounds of toys and we had a mess on our hands. This gave me a opportunity to sort through, lean out and generally purge the contents of his closet and toy bins. I am happy to say that it is finally done, the rooms are spotless and he is a very happy camper in his new "fancy room." Alex's room on the other hand is a big room and a bigger mess! We finished his last night and I have a good feeling that the next time that I ask him to clean his room, he will oblige. My room rounded out the cleaning spree, so the upper level is all set.

So after all that moving (beds, mattresses, dressers, bookshelves, etc), vacuuming, dusting, mopping and scrubbing I am exhausted! After all, if I am going to move furniture, I have to clean it and all round it. Always an opportunist!

My class schedule is light this week due to Easter Vacation and I have to be honest, it is nice to get a little break to tackle big projects like the one I just finished.

We spent a nice family day in Ann Arbor on Saturday, we went to the Farmer's Market, Kerry Town, Treasure Mart, all up and down Main Street and to all our favorite stores. We had a nice lunch and then a trip to the bookstore and Whole Foods.

I checked out a stack of vegan and vegetarian cookbooks and will mull over them for a few days to extract the best recipes. If something looks good, I'll post it.

How many times are we afraid to experience life because we are shy, unsure or worried what others will think?

The other's thoughts are irrelevant and our ego attachment that drives our insecurities is a bad habit that is correctable.

Live in Love

Quote of the week

He said, "Come to the edge."
I said, "I can't. I'm afraid."
He said, "come to the edge."
I said, "I can't, I'll fall off."
He said, finally, "Come to the edge."
And I came to the edge. And he pushed me.
And I flew.

Guillaume Appollinaire

Roasted zucchini

Zucchini is a pretty bland and tender vegetable, generally lacking in texture and flavor. I made this last night on the fly and couldn't believe the depth of flavor and texture.

In the bottom of a heavy stoneware baking dish drizzle olive oil. Place long slices of zucchini that are 1/4 inch thick to cover the bottom. Sprinkle with a ton of garlic (I used 1/2 cup!). I buy huge bottles of garlic that is peeled and chopped to speed up prep time. Spread 1/2 cubed green pepper and 1/2 cubed tomato. Drizzle with more olive oil, kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. Bake at 350 for a while until the edges are lightly brown and the peppers and tomato pieces are cooked (about 30 to 45 minutes). Vic thought the garlic was couscous at first because there was so much of it. It became very sweet and mellow and infused their richness into the zucchini. It disappeared in a flash!

Almond smoothie

I made the best smoothie for breakfast for the past two mornings.
Take 1 c organic vanilla almond milk, one organic banana,
one huge tablespoon of organic sugar free peanut butter,
1/5 block of tofu and 1 1/2 c ice. Blend it until smooth and creamy.
This was so good and rich, healthy, and low fat !

Our Red Pepper Deli dinner

Our family had vegan raw burgers for dinner. Everyone loved them!

Spring has arrived!

I'm glad I took the time to clear out all the flower beds a few weeks ago! My daffodils are about 5 inches long! I love it when life appears out of the grip of the dark, bleak Winter. My life is a little more hectic now and I have to "find" time to read and practice as much as I can. At 3pm when the boys come home it is like a tornado hits and doesn't subside until I crash at 12 or 1 a.m.

YouTube Video

Check out my YouTube channel!

http://www.youtube.com/yogatrish9

Check out the Video bar at the bottom of my blog.

The video on the far left is on my "senior fox yogis." Mona and Jean are 70+ and just started yoga in the Summer of 2008. Their testimonials are at the end of the video. The others are other video resources from YouTube.

Mom's glorious strawberry cake

strawberry roll cake

My mom makes the most amazing cake. It is a light sponge cake that is filled with whipped cream and sliced strawberries. Here is the recipe:

Preheat oven to 375. Line a cookie sheet or sheet pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray. Set aside.

Whip 4 eggs with 1/2 C sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla until the eggs are fluffy, and creamy yellow (approximately 5 minutes). Mix together 1/2 C all purpose flour and 1 teaspoon baking powder and a pinch of a salt. Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Spread the batter on the parchment lined pan and bake in the oven for 12 minutes or until golden brown.
While the cake is baking, take a clean tea towel and sprinkle it with powered sugar. When the cake is done, remove it from the oven place it next to the tea towel. Grasp the paper by the edges and flip the cake onto the sugar dusted towel. Carefully peel the paper off the back of the cake and quickly roll the towel up to roll the cake into a log shape. Be sure to roll the towel with the cake so it separates the layers. Cool the cake for a while. In the meantime, whip 2 C heavy cream and 1/4 C sugar and 1teaspoon vanilla until soft peaks form. Spread the cream on the cooled cake and layer some strawberries or raspberries. Roll the cake into a log shape (mom says this is a little tricky so be careful. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. EAT!!! Picture to follow shortly (me eating it of course!)

Video night

Nickolas helped me, he actually did it all.. He edited the Silver fox yoga video I took of Mona and Jean back in January. Check it out on YouTube!

Exploring the Mudras

I picked up a copy of Tathaastu magazine. It's interesting and has a lot of Indian Master teachers and physicians who contribute to the magazine. Check out this very informative article on the Mudras. The magazine has a lot of good info, linger around the site for a while:)

http://www.tathaastumag.com/index.php?hid=1756

Bitter soup!

That New York Times recipe did not mention the bitterness of the dandelion greens. Wow! Make this at your own risk! I have to admit that I do take culinary risks, (the dormant chef in me) I love to try new recipes and try new foods at restaurants. This one takes the cake!

Ann and Tricia's dining adventure.

We had lunch at the Red Pepper Deli in Northville. I had the burger and the cheesecake. For raw, vegetarian food, I was floored. I was stuffed after half of my burger but couldn't put it down. It tasted so good! The cheesecake was amazing. Dairy and wheat free never tasted so good! I have to admit that was a little skeptical, but always open to new experiences helps me to keep a fresh perspective.

Question of the week

Does using my own quote, that I live by make me narcissistic? I don't think so, because I like to share my energy with others. If I sit in a room and keep it all to myself, I will not benefit anyone else and will not serve God.

Quote of the week

Live in Love, for when you do,
everything else will fall in place.
Tricia Ptak

A glutton's breakfast

My sis and I split a baked French toast and veggie omelet at the Breakfast club on 10, East of Haggerty. Needless to say I was stuffed beyond belief! The French toast was not too sweet but really flavorful.

My new fairie garden

My sister and I both have two sons, so we get to share the girlie stuff with each other. One example is last year my sis and I took an indoor faerie garden class at Heavenly Scent Herb Farm (http://www.heavenlyscentherbfarm.com/) and the result was a little too big and clumsy to display. For a while, I've been looking for a replacement container. I love the look of verdigris so this was a great catch. Vic sculpted the foam base for me and I put it together after Garrett's LAST basketball game. We're finally free on Friday nights! If you get a chance to check out Heavenly Scent Herb Farm, it's worth the time (go in the Spring or Summer). Downtown Fenton is close by and French Laundry has great sandwiches. I love the big barn at HSHF, I've told the owner that I wanted to move in. I love the hydrangeas in the front, they are massive white mop heads (at least a foot across). They have greenhouses with unique plants and a huge outdoor faerie garden, it is sooo cool! Find a little time to be creative this weekend.

Good class, bad croissant

Nikki and I went to Corrinne's Yinyasa class today. I love her style, voice and energy. We were starving and I told her about the awesome croissant that I got from Hiller's yesterday. We checked if Whole Foods had Zingerman's products (My sister told me about a Bostock {almond orange gazed bread} from Zingerman's). They did not, but had almond croissants. We decided to get those instead of going to Hiller's too. Well, they were not good at all, way to sweet and had hardly any almonds. We got caramel lattes to go with the croissant and it was sugar rush city! I'll go back to Hiller's to get the good one next time!