It’s that time again. Here’s what I’m loving this week. Happy Friday, everyone!
1. Yoga for Flexibility
This two-session practice is included on my Gaiam Yoga for Beginner’s DVD and led by Patricia Walden. This beginner’s practice has one session devoted to back bends and one to forward bends, with each session starting with some warm-up poses. My back-bending capabilities are not so great, but I can tell I’m getting better. I’m much better at forward bends but still have lots of room for improvement. This DVD takes me through 80-90 minutes of slow, deliberate stretching. Along with this DVD, I’ve been enjoying these back bends posts on one of my favorite yoga blogs, Beginner’s Mind (posts here and here).
2. Peach, Blackberry, and Blueberry salad
Photo credit: Sugar Apple
I recently wrote about this peach salad that is to die for, but I’ve been enjoying peaches many other ways as well. One in particular, another salad: peach, blueberry, and blackberry salad for breakfast. This is so easy I can make it in the morning before leaving for work. Here you go:
- Cut up one large or two small peaches into 1-in. chunks.
- Grab a large handful (about 1/2 cu.) of blackberries.
- Grab a small handful (about 1/4 cu.) of blueberries.
- Gently mix and eat.
3. Tarragon
Photo credit: Butterfly Rainforest
What an under-used herb! I grow some in my herb garden, and it smells so fragrant and makes such pretty yellow flowers. Lately, my husband has been adding it to our homemade bread, and it is delicious! And as a perennial, tarragon is in my favorite class of garden residents.
4. The Beach
Photo credit: floridaflorida.org
Edmond and I were invited on a July 4th beach trip with some friends and had The. Best. Time. We don’t get to the beach very often–it can be quite pricey and is nearly 6 hours away–but when we do, it’s worth every minute of that drive. And this time, we were fortunate enough to get invited by friends with a beach house, saving on hotel costs. Score! If you ask me any other time of year, I’ll tell you I’m not a beach person, that I like cities, countryside, mountains, or anything else more, but each time I go to the beach, I’m reminded of how wonderful it is. There is nothing better than having your toes in the sand and being steps away from cooling water when it’s 100 degrees outside. And the blemish-free skin, thanks to the salt, sand, and sun, isn’t too bad either!
5. Netflix Streaming
Image credit: Gaming Bolt
We’ve had this for a while, but I’ve been tearing it up lately watching hilarious movies, thought-provoking documentaries, and entire TV shows. Currently, I’m watching My So-Called Life. I’ve also watched two yoga documentaries (Enliven Up! and Ashtanga, NY) this way and tons of education, religion, and cultural documentaries (Nursery University, The God Who Wasn’t There, and Food, Inc come to mind right now). And I caught Hot Tub Time Machine a few weeks ago–so silly and fun. If you don’t have Netflix Streaming and have the capabilities, you should sign up right away. It’s free if you already have a Netflix account. And I love, love, love, free stuff!
