I can still touch my……..

I was going to say toes…..

Urban Yoga

Yoga, bliss……for the most part! I used to fold in half like a book closing, flexed feet and everything! However having not hit the mat properly all the way through my pregnancy with Bowie I now find myself barely able to sit in easy pose (sitting cross legged) let alone fly gracefully into bird of paradise (don’t ask)

I found myself in floods of tears with frustration just from doing some laying down twists to warm my spine up a little, I was completely overwhelmed and angry with myself…… (tit) then I realised how silly I was being, I was furious with myself for not being able to do something that used to be so easy and felt let down by my body when it didn’t just automatically do what I expected of it.

I am such an arse!

Of course it won’t just do that I expect it to, flexibility and strength are like things you have to work at! Everyday! or they will slump down on that sofa with you and just fizzle away…… I knew that but for some reason apparently thought my body would defy the laws of nature and just be exactly as flexible as I was 2 years ago.

It wasn’t, Shock Horror!

Some very good lessons learned here –

1. Be gentle with yourself – when something doesn’t go to plan or you find yourself stuck (as I was literally, on the floor, fml) try, I stress the word TRY and breathe, take a second to check in with your instinct reaction and see if it is coming from a place of love and kindness, is it gentle? or are you about to go full road rage on yourself?

2. Be realistic with your expectations – or remove them all together! I have now adopted what feels like such a warm and fuzzy approach it almost feels silly (but then I embrace it with a smile and a long loud Om) to just arrive on my mat and see what happens! Even if I set out to do say, 30 minutes of Ashtanga primary series and what actually happens 2 minutes in turns out to be more restorative with a focus on pranayama, then ok! Bring it on! That is obviously what my body/mind/heart and soul need and I am not going to deny them!

3. Make yourself a commitment – I let myself stop practicing, I let myself seize up and my muscle become weaker, no one else, me! Its so easy to get swept up in household jobs, mothering, wifeing (thats my new word for the year) In the interest of my heart, soul and body I have reignited my commitment to MAKE time for my yoga, its no longer a case of “I’ll just get the washing up done first and then do the dishes and perhaps fold some laundry whilst Bowie naps, then and only then will I feel I can justify losing the time to something selfish” now its “those jobs will still be there in 30/60 minutes time and this is keeping me whole and happy, after all, a calm centred Mama is better for everyone around me, trust me! (I can be a bit Hulk like when I am away from my mat for too long!)

Yoga heals, Holds space for whatever is needed and really is the gift that keeps on giving.

I’m off to lay on my mat for a bit (savasana – my favourite nap of the day)

Love and Hugs, Me xoxox

Chick Chick Chick Chick Chicken!

So we finally got our Chickens! 6 beautiful girls from a local farm, and they are beautiful!

Our new girls settling in nicely to their new home!

We have a Skyline, Blue Haze, White Sussex, Black Sussex, Rhode Rock and an Amber. Little miss Black Sussex was our first egger! One perfectly formed (and still warm) egg! needless to say there was lots of squealing from us (and a fair bit from her!)

Andy and I have both separately and together wanted chickens for a very long time, Andy set up a company “Clucking Lovely Coops” to make custom, and might i add, STUNNING coops, all by hand! Our style is a mini version of a Dutch Barn painted with Cuprinol Garden Shades in ‘Seagrass’ They have an attached nest box in which to lay their eggs and three perches set in the rafters. They have a huge run with our pear tree in the middle back for lots of shade and easy pickings from the lower leaves. Only thing missing now is a sign for their gate and of course, Bunting!

I can already thoroughly recommend getting chickens, they are a beautiful waste of your time, watching them in their funny little ways, scratching around, talking to them (and in my case giving them voices as if they are talking back) We could have gone for Ex Battery hens and I’m certain we will in the future but right now, we have our chickens for the reliable eggs, we go through a lot of eegs in a week what with the egg butties and all the many and varied cakes I bake, and whilst the eggs from our local green grocers are eggcellent value (couldn’t resist) it is still spending money where we could become self sufficient! Of course we paid for our Hens, but they will have paid for themselves in our egg savings before very long at all!

Plus they are already eating kitchen scraps and weeds I’ve pulled from the veg beds next to their run, and providing us with an endless supply of chicken manure….. who could want more!? well they’ll give you more I can tell you, like cuddles! and little kisses (you can tell me its just them pecking all you like but I KNOW they’re giving Mama kisses!)