kitten toys

....are one of the greatest inventions. my kittens popped out of a momma named dumpster and have inherited her love to playing with trash. thr noiser the better (read wrappers of all sorts) they partiularly like to carry them up the stairs and then bat them down the stairs, step by step.

today they got presents... and have been taking turns throwing them in the air and chasing them, playing fetch, and generally living up to the nick name "cat TV"

today was fabulous. begun at the barn, accompanied by h's sister. she expedited the whole process, and finishing early i rode eli, a very dashing warmblood thoroughbred cross who often feel mischievous while cantering around corners.

this was followed by a little decompression while grabbing a quick ice cream sandwich and watching top chef.

G. and i then went down town to grab a drink and soak up some vitamin d. which we did, champane and pomegranate margaritas, edemame and curry chicken skewers.

after finishing up, and not quite ready to go home, we wandered around rittenhouse which was swarming with parents chasing screaming kids, bikes and so many cute puppies.

Basicly, the day was amazing, finished off with snuggles on the couch watching silly tv about huge fish, and eating TV dinners of heaping piles of couscous feta and fresh sauteed spinach.

the windows still open.

and here is a peek back into the flower show, some if which we are dreaming up in our back yard:

this was in an old boxcar. you had to look up to see it, it was sitting on top of another boxcar.

this is pretty much how our backyard will look when we are done (if a jungle grows in the 9 1/2 foot long raised bed we built)

this is our much missed ex-house mate becka looking at the most amazing miniature design.

and lastly, making baby plants grow. green thumbs R us

revamp

coughing is definitely not glamorous nor appropriate for a meditative yoga studio, and therefore i shall stay in the warmth of my house until it is time to go to job number one of the day, cleaning and singing, waking my asleep (or vacant) housemate and playing with kittens. sounds like a good alternative. and perhaps a little more restful and healing than a strenuous yoga class (i am going tomorrow morning anyway)

speaking of yoga, last night as i was awaiting the arrival of my adored companion, i was doing some yoga in my room, and was accompanied by my kitten, zilla. he did a few of his own lounging poses, and then when i was doing cobra, he climbed onto my back, laying there while i did a few flows of table pose back through cobra. (i left out down dog as to not have claws in my back) but he purred so hard.... it was hard not to laugh and call up a witness, but we just did yoga together, and when he jumped down... i curled up next to him.... sometimes enough is enough. no matter who is leading you.

spring equinox

how silly. don't we all commit to making serious changes about four times a year... at the solstices? we ask ourselves what really is important and what we should change, what we should purge from our lives etc.

this morning i woke up, feeling the spring unlike any other morning until now. i made a mean strong cup of coffee, and decidedly am waking before i should. i have things to do. i turned on the heat (the forecast calls for snow and rain today.) and now... i think i should go to yoga. i was not going to..... i was going to skip my favorite class for the second week in a row, but perhaps the cleansing is good. both in and out of home. the focus on myself and now what is and isn't, what needs and what has been done around me.

too much time i focus on what has been done... or not finished, and do not see the smaller changes i can make... the little things that create space and comfort.

so today i will first make space in myself for this upheaval. then i will make space in this house we call home and is very slowly starting to feel like one.

i will water my plant babies.... arugula, summer squash, lettuce mix and who ever else has been brave enough to push through the soil into a snowy march day. (myself included)

kitteh naps

here is how my computer-life has been going....

"hey! i should update my blog! i've so many amazing and wonderful things. planted, went to the flower show, organized my moniez, played grownup, gone on adventures (not so grownup) etc etc. and I have all these amaaazing photos... (thanks new camera)"

and so i retire to my room with my computer, find my bed covered in kittehs (aka kittens) and bathed in warm sun, and i lie down for a minute, say to myself "well, i really have done a lit today, and am a little sleepy" and promptly take a nap.

EVERY time.

and let me tell you how hard it is to wake up from a pile of kittens and sunlight. Oi veh.

so, in other words.... i'm sorry if you are my mom and trying to keep up with my ultra high paced, super exciting, glamorous life.... cause i've been napping instead.

sun

the sun is out. fingers crossed it stays with us. I am enjoying my days in the sun, at the barn. working nights barely infringes upon my long sunny days. it's a trying week though and i'm hoping that all things work them selves out shortly; i'm not sure how much more one can sustain.

spring is here

it has been raining since thursday. i think. it's hard to remember when the grey rolled in. But it means flowers and sunny days ahead.

as a self indulgence, i have started going to yoga a couple of times a week. an unnecessary expense, but a much healthier one than the alternatives. Especially this week... eleven work days in a row, six featuring two jobs, and the need for calm and relaxation and a healthy outlet is great.

i went to the flower show with my parents, helen, and ex-house mate becka... wandering around as the crowds thinned on the last day. it's amazing what people make these plants do. there are fall blooming, spring blooming, and summer blooming plants and trees all next to one another, timed so they are all flowering not only at once, but during a time of the year where, in Philadelphia, only the hardiest of snow bells are coming up, and none have bloomed yet. quite miraculous.

i have photos. they will arrive later.

in like a lion,

out like a lamb. the old saying for march has so far been false.... and i'm hoping it stays like this. the weather has finally broken and the streets are crawling with boisterous people falling out of the woodwork. it's a wonderful thing. the sun has come out, and stayed out. which is perfect as i was starting to get a little grey-weary.

today i get to ride my bike out to west philly for work. some 7 and half miles. which for someone who hasn't been biking all winter., is alot. i'm hoping to be able to work it up so i can bike most days to work in the spring through fall.... it'll be good for me.

and i started yoga. for real. and i'm really excited about it. i'm going to try and go one with helen on the weekend, and once during the week by myself or another yoga-ite. i've been feeling like there is something missing in my workout/strength training routines... and then i went to a yoga class where we incorporated breathing and om's and alll my normal excersizes! it was brilliant! and i felt so much stronger using the breath to help the movements, and the flow, and. well. i won't bore you, but i need to do this for my riding and my body and soul and making sure i am strengthening one AND the other in harmony.

and on that note, I bid you adieu.
off to do my flowing exercises.