With a welcome Friday off work, I got up late and took myself to yoga for the first time this year. Tardy, I know, but something about January doesn’t inspire exercise in me, unless it’s a windy walk with the promise of crumble and custard at the end. So, I suppose the warmer sunshine this morning was a good time to start classes again.
Nathalie’s class is held in a small garden room at the top of a wooded valley, overlooking the sea. It may sound twee, but it really is that picturesque; a slice of escape from the everyday, which leaves me so chilled I can barely cycle home. I can’t say I’m a committed yoga student (more like a yoga truant) but, I do love to stretch.
My grama, across the seas in Humboldt County, is far more of a yogi than myself and it’s fun to join her when I visit. We go to classes in the old fire hall of her small American town amidst the California Redwoods. It’s a thousand miles from the garden room of this tiny British Isle, but with the same familiar stretches. No matter how familiar, I rarely make the time to practise on my own. This start-of-spring weather seems the best time of year for making new resolutions, so perhaps I’ll make yoga mine.
Bryony, So glad you are back into yoga! Nothing more life sustaining along with your good diet and exercise. Good way to begin the year. And thanks for including me in your yoga memories. I’ve done it for 40 years, always with the hope that when I’m really old I would be flexible – NOT! i still push past my narrow edge and have to ice and recover for a couple weeks. But I love it, always feel better after a practice and plan to do it as long as possible. I loved your description of the little garden studio and especially the “custurd” afterward. Speaking of food, made an excellent Swiss steak dinner for us last night. Bob loved it. Of course I eat more meat when cooking for him, and end up really craving veggies, like NOW. Just want to run out to my garden, bring in some gorgeous rainbow chard, saute with garlic and enjoy! (And aren’t we EXCITED about summer plans?!!) xO G’ma
I shall carry these ethereal photos off to bed to transport me into a zen-like state.