Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year readers! As you could tell, I took some time off over the holidays to relax and write elsewhere (not online), and after a nice quiet Christmas and New Year, I'm back and ready to blog! The new year is an interesting time, full of hope and anticipation... I love everyone's resolve to treat themselves better in the coming year, be it through food or exercise or yoga or meditation... but, I actually personally dislike New Year's resolutions, especially huge ones that are easy to set up and hard to follow through on. I am such a fan of baby steps, steps that you can manage every day without feeling overwhelmed. The beauty of small steps is that they add up to big changes, especially as you follow through and feel better and then make more life changing baby steps! I have been mulling over where I am in my life lately, and saw a quote the other day that really hit me, it really said exactly what I have been feeling lately- "2013 was practice, 2014 was the warm up, and 2015 is game time." That is EXACTLY how I have been feeling about the upcoming year- I feel an energy and hope that I haven't felt in the beginning of the last few years. I am looking at this from a health perspective- I hit my lowest in terms of my mental and physical health in the spring of 2012, and have been slowly rebuilding myself every since. In summer of 2012, I started therapy and cut out gluten, which was the beginning (baby steps!) and each year my health and wellness has gained momentum. 2013 was about figuring it out- figuring out what I needed to keep myself healthy. 2014 was about fine tuning it- really checking in to the smaller signs my body was giving me, guiding me further towards a happier healthier me. And now, I really feel like 2015 is the year where I am going to start reaping some of the rewards of all that work. I feel better then I have ever felt in my life these days- I was able to manage the holidays (which can be tumultuous for those of us with alcoholic and mentally unstable family members) with grace and actual enjoyment (no stress hives! woo hoo!) and really feel like I have fine tuned my diet to be the most energy giving, nourishing diet for me. Those two things, stress management and a super nourishing diet, are the foundation for keeping me sane and healthy. The other day, someone mentioned the pink color in my cheeks, and I was so happy because I wasn't wearing blush! That was just my body finally getting some energy and vitality back, which feels like a huge victory. You guys know I can be a little out there ("woo woo" as I like to say), so here is a good "woo woo" Steph moment for you- lately I have been seeing a vision of the last few years and this year: 2013 was a white flower, fragile but alive. 2014 was a pink flower, more life and color to it. 2015 is a magenta flower, bursting with love and life. This year is a bright magenta peony (hence the photo above), bright and vibrant, sitting right in front of us. My resolutions this year (little ones) are all about continuing the upswing: moving my body every day (whatever that may be: running around with the dog or bouncing on the trampoline for a few minutes, to a full blown all day hike or bike ride), continuing to put the best most nourishing food possible into my tummy, and seeing the beauty and gratitude in the everyday, and letting the universe know how thankful I am for it all. Those little things are going to add up to a wonderful year, I think. What are you doing to make changes in your life this beginning of the year?

Wishing you all a big bright pink flower of love as we begin this bright fresh new year!

Little things lead to big things...

Hello loves! Last time we spoke, about 2 weeks ago, I was not feeling so awesome. I was feeling pretty shitty, in fact- let's just be honest here, sometimes this wellness journey is bumpy and rough and full of setbacks and you just want to throw in the towel and eat a bunch of crap and feel sorry for yourself. And then, hopefully, you only do that for a little bit and then you snap the hell out of it. I had my snap the hell out of it moment right about when I wrote the last blog post- I just felt like, here I am trying to help people get better, to feel well again, to share my story, and I am not listening to my own words! But a big part of sharing your story is sharing your WHOLE story, and sometimes, we feel like crap. Sometimes we have setbacks... sometimes, we feel uninspired and fat and tired and overwhelmed. We are human. The important part is to always remember all the good work we have done, and not get to wrapped up in the "what we are doing wrong right now". Because these setbacks, they are not wrong if they teach us something. For me, it was not eating in the best way (hello too many gluten free pizzas and a few too many nights that involved a glass or two of wine) and not making sleep and self care/love my priority. My back locked up (stress + bad habits always do this to me) and it was a pretty loud and clear message that I was not doing even close to my best to take care of myself. My body (and I bet yours too, if you listen) is really good at yelling at me when I am not doing my best to take care of myself. So I took note, and I decided to change a few things, to get back on track. And I am happy to say, the little steps I have been taking are making me feel AWESOME. About two days after my revelation two weeks ago, after I had recommitted to self care, I started feeling WAY BETTER. Leaps and bounds way better. Energy, mood, digestion... it all bounced back so quickly (because of all the hard work -groundwork- I have done in the last few years to get better) and really motivated me to keep it up. I wanted to share this with you today, and tell you about the little steps I committed to that helped me get back on track and facilitated major awesomeness feelings. Here they are, in no particular order:

1. Cut out the crap: My eating had been sliding quite a bit- a few too many gluten free pizzas, way too many "treats" (even paleo treats and gluten free treats are too much sugar- honey, coconut sugar, agave, it's all still sugar), and my once in a while glass of wine had turned into a once an evening glass of wine... it all added up to me feeling bloated and tired and having some breakouts, none of which I like dealing with. So I cut it all out. No more booze, scaled waaaaay back on the treats, and went back to the diet that makes me feel the best (for me it's Paleo, but I don't care what you do, as long as you eat food that makes you feel fantastic- energy after you eat, not sluggish, no digestive complaints- real food, no packaged crap or fast crap with questionable ingredients). I made the crock pot my best friend (again)- when you feel crappy and tired, you probably have little motivation to cook some amazing fresh meal for yourself, so let your crock pot do it for you. It's amazing what a few nights of crock-potted stew made with all fresh ingredients for dinner will do for your energy and motivation. Once you start feeling a little more energy, you can start back up in the kitchen and not rely on the crock pot so much (or whatever, just use that little guy as much as you can!). Also, for me, I have found that if I want to feel at my absolute best, I must cut out alcohol. I am not a crazy boozer, but I do enjoy wine- alas, I get a hangover from even two small glasses of wine (I've always been bad at processing alcohol, and it's only gotten worse as I've gotten older), so it was time to cut it out (again) completely. I am not telling you that you must cut out booze to feel great (although, I am pretty sure across the board you will if you do) but I am telling you to take a look at your habits and pinpoint where you are not treating yourself optimally. If your glass of wine in the evening a few nights a week doesn't make you feel slightly foggy the next morning like it does to me, then good on ya... I just know my body functions so much better without it. Whatever your body doesn't like, cut it out. No ifs ands or buts. I promise it's worth it.

2. Prioritize your sleep: I know, you hear this all the time. I know, you are so busy. Get over yourself. You must sleep, and you must do it every day for a good long chunk of time. If you don't prioritize sleep, you will not feel well. Period. It's non-negotiable on a wellness journey. Commit to going to bed at a certain time (for me, it's in bed reading by 9pm) and stick to it. It will be hard. Some things may not get done because you prioritize bedtime. But you will be way more alert, happy, and actually able to function better and do more with your time if you have slept well. Don't give me your excuses, just do it.

3. Go easy on yourself: I am carrying around about 15 extra pounds that I would love to get rid of. I hate seeing my love handles in the mirror, and I feel crappy that my favorite jeans are pretty tight at the moment. Because we are actively trying to get pregnant, now is not a great time for me to go on a crazy weight loss quest. I am upping my exercise a bit, and committing to eating better, and then just letting the rest be what it is. I have been trying to talk to my body every day, and thank it for all the amazing things it does for me (even with those pesky 15 lbs!). I can walk my dog for 5 miles and not get winded. I can dance with my husband. I can run after my favorite almost 4 year old. I can get up in the morning! Those are all infinite victories. Screw worrying about the 15lbs. I may lose it, or it will be extra padding for the baby I hopefully will be carrying around soon. No matter what, I am thankful for my breath and my body. And sometimes we need to remind ourselves of this everyday, and instead of punishing ourselves (pizza, anyone?) because we feel bad about ourselves, we need to accept where we are and thank the sky above that we are even here in the first place! (preach it girl!)

So there you go- little things lead to big things. Today I am feeling amazing -and that is why we are all here, on this wellness journey together. To feel amazing. I hope you are feeling awesome these days, and if you are not, I hope this post finds you and motivates you. As always, if you have questions please feel free to leave me a comment! Much love!

Three natural ways to support your lymphatic system through the cold months.

Holy crap it's almost November!!!! and I haven't blogged in TWO MONTHS!!!! sorry for the hiatus loves! But we're back! Today I am going to just jump right in- I haven't been my best wellness warrior over the past two months, I won't lie, and it's time to get back on track! Back to home cooked meals, back to journaling, back to running around in the fresh air and playing with my dog... back to focusing on being well. Sometimes, when we fall off the wellness wagon, it can be tempting to do a "cleanse". To some of you that may mean a juice cleanse, or some kind of restrictive eating where you are not providing your body with enough nutrients in order to "cleanse" the system. I have talked about it before, but if you haven't heard me say this, here you go- I am not a fan of a cleanse where you are restricting nutrients and calories. I think a fresh vegetable juice is a wonderful addition to a healthy lifestyle (in moderation, and in the right time of year/temperature- juice is extremely cold to the system and this time of year you want to keep your system nice and warm to help your immune system function properly). Eating properly prepared whole foods, with lots of healthy yummy fats and incorporating bone broth into your meals (or just drink a mug of it like I do!) daily are great ways of supporting your wellness goals this time of year- but there are other things you can do to help your body gently detox daily, that help support your immune system and well being that don't involve food. I am going to outline three of those things today.

The lymphatic system is part of your immune system, and happy and flowing lymph fluid is vital to your health. If your lymphatic system is moving sluggishly (due to an overabundance of processed foods weighing your digestion and elimination down or too much sitting and not enough moving your body on a regular basis) your immune system will suffer. We all want happy energetic lymphocytes! Lymphatic "cleansing" can be a great tool in the winter months to keep your body happy and healthy. Here are three ways that I (try) to support my lymphatic system daily:

1. Dry skin brushing: Dry skin brushing is a simple way to encourage better lymphatic flow, and it might be the easiest of the three things I am going to talk about here to incorporate into your daily life. Dry skin brushing before you shower in the morning is a great way to support skin health (gentle exfoliation) as well as stimulating your lymphatic system. Grab your self a natural bristle dry skin brush (they have them at places like Whole Foods) and brush your skin, starting at your feet, in long gentle strokes, always moving towards your heart. I raise my hands in the air and brush down my arms, under my armpits, towards my heart, and up my legs, over my belly and booty, towards my heart. If you have areas with cellulite (who doesn't??!!), you can go a little harder with the brush strokes in those spots- cellulite is partially a build up of lymph, plus fat cells, and dry brushing can help move it out. Jump in the shower when you are done and enjoy your glowy skin!

2. Castor oil packs: The Castor oil pack is a long used home remedy to support many areas of health. Using castor oil packs over your digestive system can help with digestive issues, and using them over your uterus when you have PMS can alleviate cramps. I used them to help dissipate my ovarian cyst, and use them for menstrual issues most months. They are also very cleansing to the lymphatic system, via the liver, so putting a castor oil pack over the liver can help cleanse the liver and make it easier for it to filter out the junk that the lymphatic system is asking it to process and get rid of. Castor oil is a very powerful plant oil that "removes things" from your system- I use it in my oil blend that I use for oil cleansing my face, it pulls gunk out of the pores, and it is also an effective laxative because of it's ability to "pull stuff out". I am not going to get into the science behind the Castor plant here, suffice to say it is a potent natural remedy. Only do a castor oil pack for 30-45 minutes, and don't do them multiple days in a row- one every other day for a few days is enough, one week out of the month. Don't do them for cramps when you are actively bleeding heavily during your period, because they can cause you to move more blood then your body should. (Ps. the picture above is of the humble and powerful Castor plant). Directions for administration of Castor oil packs:

(Castor oil is very thick and stains, so be sure you are doing this in clothes that you're not worried about, and lay on a towel while doing it)

Spread a thick layer of ORGANIC Castor oil over the area you want to treat (intestines, stomach, uterus, liver, etc). Take a thin old towel or piece of flannel and lay it over the area with Castor oil on it, and lay a hot water bottle on top of that, that is as warm as you can handle (no electric heating pads, only a hot water bottle - old school style, one of those red rubber ones, they have them at the drugstore). Allow the hot water bottle to sit on the area for 30-45 minutes, and then remove and clean the castor oil off your body (you may need to shower to get it off your skin). I keep my Castor oil pack flannel in a jar in the fridge, and use it over and over again without cleaning it (Castor oil is very hard to wash out of cloth) until it's done (about 10 uses). Do that every other day for one week out of the month.

3. Rebounding! Yes, rebounding is just a fancy way of saying jumping on a trampoline. The movement of rebounding specifically targets the lymphatic system, and basically gently jolts it into flowing better. I bought a rebounder from amazon for about 50 dollars, and I jump on it for about 10 minutes most days. It is a great thing to do before you dry brush your skin in the morning, and is really refreshing and fun!

So there you have it, three ways to support your lymphatic system, which helps to maintain a healthy immune system, during the fall and winter months. There are so many ways to cleanse your system, and I hope you will try one of these (or all of these) methods to help keep your lymphocytes happy! Happy brushing, castor oil packing, and jumping! Please let me know if you try any of these and what you think!

To everything there is a season... Ways to support your health as summer transitions to fall.

Yes, yes, I know, I know, we are going to talk about fall and it is August 20th?!!! You may think I am crazy, but just stay with me here. In my last post I talked about listening to your body, listening to its rhythms and its signals. This post will expand on that- I am going to talk about listening to the earth and its rhythms, and how these clues can help us stay happy and healthy in each season. Yes it is only August 20th, we are a full month away from the autumn equinox- but many ancient health modalities (Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda) consider this time in the year to be transitional. You can just feel a hint of change in the air. Here in Santa Cruz the last few days have been a little blustery, a little bit cooler, and we even had a little rain! It's not cold by any means, but you can feel it, that charge, the beginning of change. This is THE time to transition your body, as the seasons transition, to keep yourself well and your immune system healthy and ready for all that fall and winter have to offer (i.e: flu, being stuck indoors, colds, etc). Transition happens slowly for the seasons, and it should happen slowly for you too, as you adjust your eating habits and lifestyle habits to mirror what is going on externally in the climate around you. In Ayurveda, it is the transitional time between Pitta and Vata season (I am not going to introduce you to Ayurveda, it is a huge subject and so fascinating, and if you are interested I suggest a google search and a Dosha quiz). Pitta season (summer time) is dominated by heat (this is extremely simplistic, it is much more complex but because I don't want to write a book length blog post I am going to keep it very simple) and Vata season (fall/winter) is primarily dominated by air (i.e: dryness, wind). It makes sense if you think about it- hot and humid summer season, fall and winter season that requires a scarf and sweater. Now is the time to transition from raw food, salads, and cooling drinks, to warmer cooked foods, soups, and warm drinks. Doing this will support your immune system and your overall health as the days get cooler. So, as you wellness warriors now have your ears perked up to what the earth is telling you, and you can sense the cool wind creeping in during the evenings, here are some suggestions to help transition your body and mind during the transition to fall:

-Herbal teas like Dandelion and Burdock root tea in the evenings help gently cleanse the body, and support healthy immune function. These herbs help the liver and kidney to function at their best, and that in turn means better sleep, better skin, better digestion, better hormonal function... In Ayurveda, herbs that are considered liver tonifiers (such as Dandelion) help cleanse excess Pitta (heat) out of the system. Tulsi tea is a great herbal tea that calms vata in the body, and is a good tonic for this time of year.

-Slowly transition to warm, cooked foods. Not all at once, but start thinking about cooked breakfasts and cooked dinners, instead of focusing on raw salad, raw fruit, smoothies, juices, etc. When I talk about cold foods, I mean temperature cold as well as the nature of the food itself- in TCM and Ayurveda, fruit juice even at room temperature is considered cold in the body. Green tea is considered cooling to the body. I know this seems like a strange concept to anyone who doesn't have experience with either of these practices, but it really is true. For example, take green tea. You (most likely) drink it hot. So temperature wise it is hot. But the nature of the herb (in TCM/Ayurveda green tea is a herb, but all foods are looked at this way) is cooling and astringent- that is why sometimes green tea makes peoples throat feel dry! This is a case where you need to listen to your body and see how you are affected by a certain food or beverage. Another example is coffee- coffee is considered HOT HOT HOT regardless of the temperature it is when you consume it. It can cause heartburn, acid stomach, and shakiness, which are all symptoms of the "hot" quality of coffee itself. Long story short, start to transition your eating habits to more cooked, warming foods (cooked foods, foods spiced with warming spices, ginger tea). Broth is an excellent thing to start making and consuming now as the seasons change, it will warm you and really helps keep that immune system up. It is also a good time to stop drinking cold water, and sip warmed lemon water throughout your day to keep you hydrated and just a bit warmer. Also, a slight side note: eating cooked, warming foods (no cold juice or dairy, no raw cold veggies) is super important for children in this time of year. Children's immune systems are (in general) not as strong as adults, and this will help them greatly to resist the many bugs they come into contact with- especially if you have a child that gets sick a lot, warm foods with lots of broth, minimal cold dairy and cold raw fruits and veggies seriously supports their immune system.

-Up your healthy oil game: I hope you oil pull (see my old post about it if you don't), and if you do, now is a good time to transition from coconut oil to sesame oil (ALWAYS ORGANIC!!). Sesame oil specifically warms the sinuses and helps keeps your sinus cavities healthy and happy. And just as some extra protection against the dryness of the season (Vata), dab a little bit of sesame oil in your nostrils and your ears after you use your neti pot and oil pull in the morning- it protects the ears from bacteria, and a little oil in the nostrils after the morning neti pot to clean the nose/sinuses helps to prevent bacteria and viruses from sticking to the mucous membranes in your nose. Now is also a good time to make sure you are getting your daily healthy oils/fats (I take a tablespoon of ghee daily, but you can use olive oil or sesame oil). Taking oil daily helps with internal and external oleation- it will help keep you regular and help keep your skin nice and moist (Vata imbalances can manifest as constipation, dry skin, etc).

-Cover that neck! We all know that you can't actually get a cold from being cold (because, well... SCIENCE!)... buuutttt... it is widely recommended in Ayurveda and TCM that when it is windy, you cover the back of your neck. This is where "wind" gets into the body, and can cause immune weakness. I am sure you are thinking "okay Steph, that's a bit out there"- and honestly, I thought so too when my acupuncturist insisted that I always have a scarf. But trust me, it works. I am sometimes the crazy girl with a tank top and scarf on, because it is warm and windy- I want to make sure I protect my neck and keep my immune system humming. And I do have to say, since I have been doing it for the last year I haven't gotten sick (knock on wood!)- I have also become the girl with all the pretty scarves!

So here we are, at the end of summer, when the light takes on that beautiful orange color, and the wind very gently starts to rustle in the trees, when everything is still warm and summery, but touched with a hint of fall... this is the time to listen and watch the seasonal change, and listen and watch as that is reflected in your body. If you gently and nourishingly transition your lifestyle habits to support this change in season, you will notice that the start of flu season might pass you by without a hiccup. It's all about understanding that our bodies are part of the earth, and honoring that. Now go out and enjoy this last bit of warmth and sun before it's really time for fireplaces and sweaters!

From Functional to Flourishing: the first step is just to listen...

I have so many things I want to talk about for this series "From Functional to Flourishing",  and they are all bouncing around in my head- my notebook is getting quite full of ideas, but I think before we delve into the things we need to do to "get well", first we have to acknowledge where we are right now. REALLY where we are. Not "I'm fine" or "everything's okay". We need to listen to ourselves. Okay, I know that sounds cheesy, but it doesn't make it untrue. Maybe you get headaches. When? Is there a time of day it happens? Why? Is there a food, or an emotion, or something that is triggering the headaches that you aren't noticing? Maybe your skin breaks out. Where on your face does it break out? Forehead? Chin? Does it happen after you eat something in particular? Is it during a specific time in the month? Maybe your neck hurts. When does it hurt? does it hurt after physical activity, or does it hurt when you are emotionally stressed? We have all had stuff in our lives, where we know what the physical issue is, but we don't really understand why it is happening. I had crazy migraines, and it took me years to figure out that gluten triggered them. My neck and shoulders were always sore and painful, and it took me years (and the help of a great therapist) to understand that it wasn't just because of certain physical movements, it was because of specific emotional stressors. You are probably thinking right now "okay Steph, listen to your body, blah blah blah we get it". But if you feel unwell, tired, crappy, you may know some of the reasons why, but I would be willing to bet you don't know all of the reasons. So here is the first step- Listen. Really listen. Have a cup of coffee, and afterward pay close attention to how you feel. Does your throat feel dry? Does your stomach feel a little acidic? Does it make you feel jittery? This step is not about eliminating anything, it is about really taking a look at ourselves to see how things are really affecting us- even so called "little things".  Do you eat rice and feel bloated and gassy? Do you eat cheese and have a stuffy nose? Do you speak to a specific person and then have a headache come on? It is easy enough to say "I get headaches". Sometimes it is not as easy to acknowledge "I get headaches after I eat ____". You may just not notice what the triggers are, and now is the time to figure it out. Once you can put the " _____ causes _____ " puzzle together, taking the steps to get well is so much easier.

So, take a week. Don't change your life at all, don't change your diet or your routine, just listen. Write it down. Write down everything so you remember! Everything you put in your mouth, the things you do in the day (good or bad), write it down and then observe how you feel and write that down too. Went for a hike? Feel great? Write it down. Had a pizza? feel bloated? have a zit or two pop up the next day? write it down! Take a week and chronicle your life (come on, it's one week, you can do it) -you would be surprised at all the things you eat and do that you don't even think about. At the end of the week, take a look at what you observed- When you eat tomatoes, you get heartburn later on. When you eat a cold beverage or smoothie, your throat gets sore. When you eat dairy, your eyes are goopy the next morning (my acupuncturist calls this "ice cream eyes!"). I would be willing to bet you don't pay this close of attention to your body, and trust me you need to. These are all subtle signs that things are slightly amiss. Now, heartburn here or there may not be a big deal to you now, but these are signs that the body is unhappy with something, and not amending it can lead to long term affects that are more serious.

The path to feeling well begins with listening. Listen to your heart and your gut (literally and figuratively), and all the other organs that are trying to tell you something. Understanding our triggers is the first step to understanding what it takes to be well, and to know your triggers you must first take the time to really listen to your body- listen to all the little things it tells you that you'd rather just ignore. You'll find after a little bit that your body tells you loud and clear what it does want and does not want, and by listening you honor the place inside you that strives to be well, to feel better, to vibrate on a higher plane.

Please give the week of listening and documenting a try, and please let me know in the comments or on Facebook if you do this and what you find- I would love to hear from you! Be well.

moving back to happy...

Hi everyone! Apologies for the two month hiatus, it has been a doozy of a few months. I said goodbye to my dear sweet Cosmo on June 1st, and was so grateful to be able to be with her, safe and warm and at home when she moved out of our world. It has been rough adjusting to her being gone- I didn't realize how much energy one tiny little cat contributed to our household until she was gone. I still catch glimpses of her out of the corner of my eye in our house sometimes, and I find comfort in knowing she had a great life. We buried her right out in the garden, with a big pink dahlia on top of her grave.

I have also been dealing with some health issues, and since this is a health related blog and I strive to be open with my life and struggles, I will explain what has been going on. I have been dealing with pelvic pain and benign ovarian cysts for a while now, and have been using acupuncture to help treat these issues. In late May, I had an ovulation that was excruciatingly painful, and was able to see the doctor the first week of June for an ultrasound. I was fearing that my cyst had returned- but not so. My right ovary had hemorrhaged during ovulation (hence the pain) and the blood was not moving out of my ovary. My doctor (who is wonderful) explained that there is no western diagnosis or treatment for such a thing, but that clearly something was/is going on with my ovarian health- he seemed to think that after being on birth control pills for so long (12 years), my body is still learning how to make hormones, ovulate properly, etc. (When you take hormonal contraception, your body doesn't have to do things like make hormones because the pill supplies them already, so when taken for a long time to body stops making hormones, which facilitate things such as proper ovulation, and it can take a long time for the body to relearn how to do all this when you remove the artificial hormone source from you system). My doctor suggested acupuncture to treat this, which I was glad to hear because I currently use acupuncture to treat the other issues (cysts, etc). I have a fabulous acupuncturist who specializes in women's health and fertility, and we set up a plan to remove stagnation from my reproductive organs and clean out all the old stuff that is preventing my body from functioning properly. It has been interesting treatment, and I have made a lot of progress in the short amount of time we have been addressing the hemorrhage. It was painful recovery and I felt like I was a water balloon ready to pop at any moment (major bloating) for the entire month of June, but I am starting to feel better and I can see positive changes in my health recently. I am hopeful that a healthy lifestyle (good food, good rest, good mental health practices) plus targeted acupuncture and herbs will get me on track and hopefully pregnant by the end of this year!

It was my 33rd birthday yesterday, and my husband has been off work all last week and this week as well. We have been doing lots of celebrating- we hiked to the top of Fremont Peak and stood on 300 million (!!!!) year old marble looking out over the entire Salinas Valley, Monterey Bay and even back towards Gilroy... we had a decadent dinner at La Posta in Santa Cruz...we spent an afternoon wine tasting at Alfaro winery in Corralitos, and this week we are planning a day in Big Sur. This time has been wonderful to just get some joy back, to lift a bit of the sadness of Cosmo passing and the frustration of my health issues, and I am feeling well. I haven't felt like blogging much, but I feel my mojo coming back, and writing is feeling good again.

I hope everyone is well and enjoying our beautiful summer (whilst conserving water!). I am going to take the rest of this vacation off from writing and will be back next week with a fresh new post to get myself back in the blogging game. Happy Summer!

Life's sunsets...

Just a quick update today- people have asked about the next blog installment, and I wanted to let you know what is going on and why I haven't posted this week. Our beloved cat, Cosmo, is making her exit from this world right now. She is 15 years old, and has kidney failure and a lung tumor that is restricting her ability to breathe. We have known that she had not a lot of time left for awhile, but in the last few years she has bounced back incredibly from multiple health issues, so we weren't sure if this downturn was the final downturn... now we are sure. She seems to be free of pain, and we are just trying to keep her warm and cozy until she decides to make her exit. I will update the blog next week after she moves on and we have had some time to say goodbye to our beloved little girl who has been with us for so long. Thanks for all of the well wishes some of you have already given me. Death is part of life, and I am trying to honor it and her as best as I know how.