On Sunday I found myself at a Farmer’s Market where I purchased some raspberries, my favourite berries by a long shot.

They are my faves because they have the magical ability to transport me back to a perfect summer day in my childhood. I was with my cousin, Shelley, who was more like my sister as we were only four months apart in age. We were having a sleepover at my house which we did a lot back in the day. People often confused us for sisters which we loved and most of the time we did not bother to correct them. That morning we awoke very early as we usually did, well before the adults. We loved this time of the morning because we could do what we wanted without adult interference.

Summertime heat can affect our bodies, leaving us feeling drained, fatigued, and irritated. Amidst the soaring temperatures, finding a rejuvenating and calming/cooling practice becomes essential. One such restorative yoga pose that can work wonders during the summer is the "Legs Up the Wall" shape.

An impromtu and heartfelt conversation happened last night after yoga class articulating the pain of the times we are living through right now. It was one of those interactions that stays with you long after it is over. We were talking about current events and the intense needs around the world and here at home and how staggering and heartbreaking it all is. The feeling of overwhelm and helplessness with what can be done is becoming so very familiar.

This past weekend I opened my home, garden, and growing dome to the Denman Island Home and Garden Tour. We hosted 731 visitors over two days through our indoor and outdoor living spaces to give them a peek at Gulf Island living. It was wonderful and busy and ane the feeling in the air was festive. The proceeds of this event go to the Denman Island Conservancy, a great cause.

Whenever I experience synchronicities I pay attention. I have been a part of several conversations very recently around the many tools folks have in their toolbox for wellness and that it can be hard and sometimes overwhelming getting to them all. What to do if the daily breath work practice gets missed or if we choose not to go to the gym even when we know how damn good it makes our body feel, or what if we don’t engage in our dancing or journal practice everyday?

I pulled that abandoned quilt out and had a second look. That little voice stated the obvious: I had left this quilt halfway... I had walked away in frustration and defeat because of the perception of it not meeting some kind of perfectionist standards for quilting. My uneven stitches and squares, imperfectly sewn together, had resulted in a quilt that embarrassed me. So it was banished to the back of a closet never to see the light of day again… until it was time to move houses. 

I was communicating via text yesterday with one of my favourite humans and she was sharing how triggering it is to be around some family members and how hard she was trying to rise above the difficult relationship dynamics. It brought to mind so many difficult situations I have had to face this past year. I have lost three family members in the last 10 months and have spoken at all three Celebrations Of Life. I used this breath practice to support myself through all of it. It is portable, powerful, and super easy to learn. I cannot recommend this practice enough. I demonstrate it in a video below.