Lazy W Marie

Carpeing all the diems in semi-rural Oklahoma...xoxo

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marathon monday: post-run yoga

Hello and welcome to another Marathon Monday! If you’re following along, this is the start of week 6 of training for the April race.

I am happy to report that my mileage for the past few weeks has been right on target. A bit over the Hal Higdon prescription, actually, and I’m feeling great. With increased mileage (which will increase even more in the coming weeks) I am reminded of how important it is to stretch afterwards.

Most people probably neglect stretching more than they should, myself included. Isn’t it like flossing? Like, we all know we should do it, and we all say we do it, but really, only when we eat spinach? Or popcorn?

Well, I had fallen into the habit of not stretching unless I was running in the double digits and then only rarely. No longer! Last week I paid a hefty price for this negligence. The evening after a long run I was walking around the house in ill-fitting sweat pants, not able to bend my knees. So I sort of waddled from left to right, stiff-legged and VERY stiff-hipped. I also couldn’t bend my back, so I looked perfectly British in a ridiculous way. I caught Handsome looking at me sideways a few times, and it was not flirting.

Anyway a couple of days later I was so thrilled to remember this little yoga video on You Tube. I have been doing it ever since, even after short runs, and it makes everything better. My legs feel more supple. My back is bendy again. My hips are loose. Even my feet and arms feel good.

(Side note: I never expected to have sore arms from running. Crazy.)

http://youtu.be/2Hf_u0AGdEA

 

And as much as this yoga video helps my body (from head to toe!) it also helps my mind. Twenty minutes of these exercises and affirmations will make it nearly impossible for you to be overly critical or irrationally dissatisfied with yourself. Probably anyone who practices yoga will agree that the phrases which strike you the most during your poses will actually apply to your life across the board. So go ahead and be mindful. It’s lovely.

 

photo with ypga quote

Isn’t that beautiful? It made me think a lot about what my foundations are, about what it means to be graceful and live with integrity. I was reminded to slow down and breathe…

Okay I hope if you are running that you are also stretching! Consider this a big warm hug from me, encouraging you to try yoga for its physical and personal benefits.

I also hope that you are flossing, at least when you eat spinach and popcorn. Because, we can totally see that.

‘Tis in ourselves that we are thus or thus.
Our bodies are our gardens to which our wills are gardeners.
~William Shakespeare, Othello
XOXOXO

 

 

 

confessing some unpopular opinions

These past couple of weeks I have spent more time than usual expressing strong personal opinions that did not necessarily mesh with those of some people close to me. The topics were various, and certainly lots of loved ones offered me agreement and support; but still I have felt an undercurrent of opposition that I don’t normally feel. It’s uncomfortable, and a few tears were shed on both sides of these arguments, but it hasn’t changed my opinions one bit.

Anyway. I will be forty-one in less than two months and am experiencing yet another cliché: I just do not really care what people think of me. Not in an angsty I hate the world kind of way. No, not at all. I love more people and I love them more deeply than ever before and am more comfortable in this world than I have ever been, since maybe the age of eight. I just need less and less approval from others and rarely feel the need to justify or explain myself to anyone. At all.

So in the spirit of being honest, but also trying to have a sense of humor about it, let’s do some confessions. Let’s confess some opinions. And why don’t we make them all unpopular, ok?

 

Confessing Some Unpopular Opinions

  1. New Kids on the Block? Who’s that? Talk to me about Menudo. Or the hey hey we’re the Monkeys!
  2. Pixar makes me nauseous. Not, like, oh I hate it so much I’m gonna hurl, but like, when I watch Pixar-animated films I literally get motion sickness or something. I have to make sure to have a book or a hand-held craft or something available to stay the sway. Which is too bad, because they turn out some great stories. Or so I hear.
  3. Daniel Craig is the best James Bond, ever. Sorry, Mr. Connery and Remington Steele.
  4. I happily support gay marriage and am not at all surprised that it is being legalized rapidly across the country.
  5. But I cannot fathom any excuse to make abortion legal.
  6. And I think the feminist movement has taken so many ugly turns I want nothing to do with it. It has become a tricky, hurtful game of semantics that is counterproductive to people, not just women.
  7. Fennel, though beautiful to look at as a raw vegetable and highly attractant to valuable pollinators in your garden while blooming, tastes awful. Because it tastes like licorice. Which tastes awful.
  8. I believe strongly in the Bible as being the word of God.
  9. But I am reluctant to identify with any man-made “religion” or denomination. No one single group has it all right.
  10. That said, I think religion can be a beautiful and vital part of life and the fabric of our community if it is used and practiced lovingly. (This opinion is probably very popular, though, right? I mean it seems like a no-brainer. Not that you can tell by looking at most church communities.)
  11. Along a similar vein, though I am largely conservative in nature, but still a bit of a hippie according to my friends, I resist identifying with any political party. Because, again, none of them get it all right. And they sure don’t speak for me.
  12. Frogs are terrifying and mostly quite gross.
  13. But horned toads are awesome.
  14. I don’t care how plain or old-fashioned they are, morning-glory vines are possibly my favorite flower in the whole universe.
  15. Animals as family members are so wonderful! But I really don’t groove them inside the house. I know, cue ironic music and eye rolling.
  16. Gallagher, remember him? The watermelon-smashing “comedian?” Can. Not. Stand. Him. Slapstick comedy in general is annoying to me, and this particular unpopular opinion makes my sweet husband sad. He loves the Three Stooges.
  17. Though I am guilty of more than my fair share of accidental typing errors, it drives me crazy to see deliberate spelling manipulations in advertising. For example, “E-Z” in lieu of “Easy.” Or anytime the plural “s” is swapped out for a “z.” WHY?? Catching my attention visually is pointless for sales, because now your giant Z means I will refuse to step foot in your shop. Also? You probably call it a “shoppe.” My god.
  18. Regardless of the administration, I think the office of the President both garners too much credit and also suffers too much criticism for everything that happens in this country or under her scope. We are a vast social and political organism with complex moving parts operated and affected by far more than one elected official.
  19. Condoning underage drinking or use of illegal drugs, especially with minors, is deplorable.
  20. How on earth do we still have these bachelor-rose-giving shows? I mean really.
  21. I think Diet Coke is probably fine.
  22. I think Katy Perry is beautiful but will only listen to one of her songs, Dark Horse, and only when I’m running.
  23. I love Eminem, explicit.
  24. The show Fantasy Island needs to make a comeback.
  25. When toddlers get gently attacked by cats is the best. I can watch those videos for hours.

rp_daniel-craig-6.jpg

Please join me. Get it all off your chest. Throw caution to the wind.

Know Thyself
~Socrates
XOXOXO

p.s. I am sure you already know this, but if you need a good laugh, look up the hashtag #confessyourunpopularopinion sometime. People are funny. And you just might walk away with a slightly different view of what mainstream is. LOL

 

friday 5 at the farm: 4 current faves & a redirect

It’s Friday again, we made it!! Cue all the cheering and cartwheel-turning and Pee-Wee Hermann dancing because, friends, as been. a. week. Handsome and I now have a great weekend on tap to celebrate some hard work and recharge each other’s batteries.

For this installment of Friday 5, I just want to mention four things that have been indispensable to me lately, things that make life easier or prettier or more meaningful. And then I would love to invite you to click over and see another Oklahoma-based blog where I am absolutely giddy to be guest posting today! Okay let’s get started.

#1. Mascara
As much as I love talking about books, philosophy and the importance of slow food and positive thinking, I am so not above asserting to you that a great mascara can greatly improve the quality of your life. So, here it my personal recommendation: Voluminous by L’Oreal. I recently made the switch from a plain-Jane pink and green tube back to this brand I used once upon a time in my twenties, and I am so glad. I had forgotten how lush and thick and I Can See Your Lashes from Kansas this mascara looks. And it’s only like $7 so give it a try!

#2. Parsley
Lately my mouth and my belly cannot get enough parsley. I’ve been keeping bunches of it in the fridge at all times, rinsed and ready to chop cold and raw onto a salad, a bowl of roasted veggies, an omelette, soup, you name it. I even put fresh parsley in my coffee these days. Not really, that’s a lie. But it might be delicious. Is parsley the new sage, which was once the new basil? I’m not saying it’s not. Since seed-starting is right around the corner, I may have to learn a few things about growing parsley. Yum.

#3. Feedly
Do you use this app? I have Feedly installed on my iPad and am in love. It cues up a ton of blogs I enjoy reading and keeps them categorized (fitness, cooking, lifestyle, decorating, spirituality, gardening, etc., these are categories I specified) so I can always plop down with a few spare minutes and read exactly what I’m in the mood to read. I love it! And you can save links for later, too, plus click through to the actual website to comment if you wish.

#4. Mantra
Okay I couldn’t write a list like this without including a mantra. And I am returning to an oldie but goodie, because my perspective has required some adjusting of late and this did the trick: Use Your Imagination for Good. Seriously. Resist the vicious cycle of “what if?” or those horrible rehearsed arguments in your head and just live in this moment. Fully. Slow down. Appreciate where you are, seek out the good, bright spots and the Love that surrounds you, the opportunities, blessings, and potential that your beautiful life has right now and max that stuff out! Okay, also I found this article last night (on Feedly, BAM) and thought you’d like to read it: 6 Things Bold People do to Live a Courageous Life

#5. Redirect
Last but not least, please allow me to introduce you to Cassie! She is a fellow blogger right here in our Great State of Oklahoma. She curates True Agape, where she and her husband Ryan pursue love and romance, fitness, family building, faith, all kinds of great stuff. They are a breath of fresh air!

Well, Cassie recently invited me to write for her audience about how fitness works into my marriage, or about how my marriage supports fitness, or maybe both. As you all know, Handsome does not share my love for running, but that does not mean he doesn’t love me. So he does all sorts of things to encourage me. Click over to Cassie’s website True Agape for a short piece on this topic: 5 Ways My Non Running Husband Supports Me as a Runner.

bamboo zoo

Okay, that’s it! Happy Friday to you, friends. I hope you work hard and play hard. I hope you soak up so much Love that you cannot help but exude it. Pray for miracles, dwell on the possibilities in your heart, expect them.

They’re coming.
XOXOXO

 

 

new moon farm update: closing the ranks

I have been feeling extremely protective lately. More so than normal. Protective over my children, my husband, our home, our animals, my gardens (though they are dormant, they are beautiful and precious to me), my time, body, emotions, thoughts and opinions, you name it… I have for a week or so had this deep and powerful need to keep threats at bay and create space for everyone. It’s a thrumming momentum I feel. Not an absence of energy but a tide of it. And a strong tide at that. And it is kind of wearing me out.

Yesterday more than other days recently, I woke up feeling a bit prickly. You know, less open-armed and more closed off to the world. And that’s not really my personality. I feel this periodically, and over time I’ve learned to take this feeling seriously, to not brush it off and waste the brief season. I’ve learned that there is a beautiful purpose to this shift in my heart and body.

Well, in addition to actual life challenges, it turns out that Tuesday was also a New Moon. Funny, right? That means that for the previous two weeks our energies had been slowly draining and gradually approaching, basically, empty. It could have a lot to do with the worn out feeling.

It makes so much sense now. It’s like my soul knew before my mind realized it when to shed extra weight in my schedule and consciousness and sort of lower our family’s center of gravity. Focus. Breathe deeply. Create all that much-needed space.

So I am closing the ranks. This is not depression; it’s just a refocusing. I’m not going anywhere extraneous for a while. I am still running my miles and eating healthfully and showering every day and doing lots of housework and wearing bright colors to combat the late winter doldrums, but I am also saying no over and over again, to anything that is not serving us essentially. No volunteering, no driving across town for unpaid projects, no visiting with people who make me cry and confuse my heart. Right now I need to build up some strength and just breathe. Catch up on work around the farm, reset some projects and priorities. And really, this season of closed ranks won’t last long; I am pretty sensitive to the moon and will surely feel the swell of the waxing weeks just as strongly as I felt the waning.

********************

This wouldn’t be a Wednesday farm update without sharing some news.

First, Jocelyn has been visiting us still and spending lots of time training the horses. And training me with the horses, truth be told. Chanta and I daydream of so many magical horse-and-rider moments. He told me things are promising. I’ve only had one fall (off of Dusty, so it was a short trip), and it did not involve a visit to the dentist. Bonus! Joc and I are having so much fun and making a thousand happy memories together. I am in awe of the young woman she is becoming.

 

joc dusty

 

The hens are laying eggs consistently, including a minty green (maybe it’s actually blue) egg yesterday, the first one like this in over a year! So gorgeous. I love the colored shells so much.

 

Fancy Louise. World's most affectionate hen. xoxo
Fancy Louise. World’s most affectionate hen. xoxo

 

Chunk is still a tire flipper.

Pacino is still a wooden floor wanderer.

And little Meh has decided that sweet grain is totally delicious if he can no longer have his mama’s milk. So that is all really great.

On a sad note, the bees I found a few days ago appear to have been robber bees, not my beloved Lazy W Honeymakers as I had announced on Facebook. The hives are in fact depressingly empty except for a small cluster of dead bees, so I am frustrated beyond words. I’ve spent so much time, energy, and money on this beekeeping project that a second total loss is almost enough to make me throw in the towel. Many thanks to those of you who have already said sweet things about this bummer news, and thanks in advance to those of you who now will. I don’t yet know exactly what happened. But I will do as much reading and observing and asking around as necessary to figure it out.

 

lights

 

It’s fine, you know, to close the ranks when you need to. Tend your temple, feather your nest, look well to the ways of your own household first, especially when your emotional resources are limited. The energies will shift again and strength will build back up, then other kinds of work and pleasure will be on my mind.

How are you? Do you notice a shift in energies when the moon is waning?

“If you surrender to the wind, 
you can ride it.”
~Toni Morrison
XOXOXOXO

 

 

 

 

what I’m reading: blogs & a new book

Happy Saturday! We all made it to the weekend, friends. And I hope you made it in one piece and covered with smiles. It’s Saturday, so I’m touching base with what kind of reading is worth our time lately. In a nutshell for me? Lots of fitness blogs plus a new book, The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert. This week I also finished Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, but it absolutely deserves its own review soon. Plus, Goldfinch was a DCWRP selection, so I don’t want to spoil it too much for my fellow book clubbers still nibbling at it. Melissa and I have already discussed it openly on Facebook enough to risk a few spoilers. : )

Okay, The  Signature of All Things. I’m just about fifty pages in right now.

signature1

I first fell in love with Elizabeth Gilbert several years ago when my baby sister sent me a used paperback version of Eat Pray Love. She sent the slim novel to several of her closest women folk (that was fun to say) and honestly it was the coolest, most wonderful experience. Wonderful because Genny shared something she loved. Wonderful because the book arrived in my life at a time I really needed to read about plumbing depth and exploring and discovering and healing. Wonderful because that book reignited my love of reading. Since Eat Pray Love I’ve followed Gilbert’s online offerings but have only just now started her fiction. So far? It’s… different. But I’m enjoying it. DCWRP friends Melissa and Tracy both read it months ago and have said they can’t wait to hear what I think. So that’s a conversation I’m excited to have. These ladies have great taste in books! Tracy’s husband actually suggested we read Goldfinch.

And fitness blogs. I can’t seem to get enough of running blogs right now. It must be the sight shift in weather. Having recently discovered a few new writers and also subscribed to Women’s Running, I’ve been drowning myself in words enough to fuel more miles, which is awesome. I just wrapped up week four of the marathon training program and am feeling really great.

Run Eat Repeat, running, Pile on the Miles
The Monican! She is totally bringing braids back.

One of my favorites lately is still Run Eat Repeat written by the Monican. She is so funny and self deprecating, also happy to answer questions, which I appreciate. Through her I found Janae over at Hungry Runner Girl, and as it turns out she is a regular contributor to Women’s Running. Very cool. She produces tons of useful content. And of course The Oatmeal. You follow this guy, right? So silly and smart. Really funny. Come to think of it, I owe this reading pleasure to a sibling, too. My little brother Joey sent it to me months ago and I was immediately hooked.

What are you reading this week? Are you in A book club? Are you diverted by a guilty pleasure? Do you read anything to keep yourself motivated? Are you a blog reader during the week? Spill your literary beans here.

And happy weekend to you! Handsome and I are are home together, hoping to see our girl pull in the driveway soon for some sunshine and horses and home cooked food. Maybe a visit from our sister-in-law Halee and red headed nephew Greg. Plus some fun with friends, you name it. A glorious, loving weekend is all spread out before us, and I hope the same for you. Maybe we all can go read in the sunshine, because at least in Oklahoma the weather is downright springtime-like.

Happy reading, friends!
XOXOXOXO