Remember Me...??

I've spent the last several days doing all the stuff that I put off or couldn't do while recuperating from the eyelid ordeal.  Two weeks of backlog meant that I had my hands full playing catch up and running errands and doing a multitude of house and garden chores.  I did manage to squeak in a bit of writing, some photography, and reading a novella--didn't have time for a whole book--and now I'm pretty much back on track.  Though...chores are like pulling weeds: they always come back.

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The weather has been hot and weird, which is becoming less strange and more common.  Over the weekend it got up to 83* and yesterday was warm enough to make my first pitcher of sun tea.  I don't usually get to savor my first batch until May or June, but on March 30th, I brewed a perfect blend.  I love sun tea.  However, I'd trade the tea for a long stretch of crap weather.

And speaking of...today it's raining like crazy, storms coming in waves, rolling down the mountains and across the valley, all black and fierce, as the winds whip the trees and scatter the new blossoms like confetti.  There are long periods of rain, followed by blue skies, then the next wave rises and it begins all over again.  The drama is a precursor to the schizophrenia of April and I'm loving it.

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I'm adding a new breathing technique to my yoga and meditations: Agni Prasana, or Breath of Fire. Years ago, back when I first became Buddhist and began meditating, it took awhile to learn how to breathe correctly--the opposite of regular breathing.  So the other day, deciding to incorporate some new yoga movements into my workout, I was intrigued to find two of them are done with Breath of Fire, something I was not familiar with.  It's a cleansing and energizing Breath that works for both meditation and yoga, and I couldn't wait to learn how to do it.

If you're interested:  Sit with your spine straight, head relaxed on your neck and breathe like a dog panting, equal breaths in and out, with your mouth closed. Take small, shallow breaths, like you're sniffing the air.  Don't breathe deep, your chest should barely rise and fall.  Five minutes a day to clear your mind, energize your body.

There are three levels to Breath of Fire.  The beginner's level is the one above.  Intermediate is faster, deeper breaths, and advanced is really vigorous.  At this point, I would pass out doing the advanced level, so I'll have to work up to it or spend my meditation time unconscious.  Some days that's not a bad idea...

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So far today I've walked the boys at the park, been to the vet's for more of Ozzy's meds, went grocery shopping, got my hair cut, gave a list of treats I want to my neighbor, the Englishman, who is off to London on Friday, did the laundry, made the coolest Easter cookies (tomorrow's post) and now I'm finally going to sit down and watch The Hobbit, Battle of the Five Armies, which was on sale at the store.

Last day of March, peeps.  Wine is in order, I think...