Everyday Yogini

Thank goodness for crafty friends.  Although I aspire to be crafty, I’m a bit lacking.  My friend Gretchen is amazing.  Have you seen her Etsy Store? On a number of occasions, I have emailed her and said, “I need something sort of like this, with a bit of that… do you think you could come up with something?”

And she does.

Evidence #1: The little black cocktail bag

I have a really cute, retro, clutch that I take to cocktail parties, but I wanted an alternative AND, most important, something I could hook on a finger so I can hold my water glass at the same time I’m shaking hands. You can’t imagine how important this is!

So I was chatting with Gretchen and presented her with this problem. Told her I wanted something small, black, felted, and with an art-deco-ish feel. CAN YOU BELIEVE HOW GOOD SHE IS??? I love this little purse so much! It is perfect. Absolutely, 100% perfect.

Evidence #2: The Nature Bowl

Taking inspiration from Soule Mama, I asked Gretchen if she could make me a nature bowl. A place where we could hold all of our seasonal treasures on the dining table, so we could see them, touch them, interact with them…

I am beyond pleased with this bowl- the tiny bowls add an extra dimension of wonder to this set up. Clara is loving switching out what goes into the little bowls. When we are out and about, she looks for things that can place in her little bowls.

Isn’t Gretchen amazing?? I *heart* all things made by hand, with care- especially when those things come from those I love. Thanks Gretchen! I am so inspired by her inspiration, I am going to do most of my holiday shopping on Etsy, or (gasp), make it myself. Wish me luck, and today I leave you with another picture of the nature bowl. Isn’t it perfect?

I adore Italian hilltop towns.  And we’ve been to many.  But this last weekend, over the Ferragosto holiday we visited a tiny hilltop town just north of Rome. We drove just over an hour and I swear it was like being in a different country altogether. (This is always a surprise to me when we leave Rome- how quickly it turns rural and quaint.)

Cantalice is built, quite literally, into the side of a mountain. With a staircase that spans the city top to bottom, there are no panoramic views for the faint of heart. A dramatic and beautiful city. I particularly liked the homes that were literally mid-way up the staircase, built into the side of the mountain itself…

How did we find this little gem, you might ask? Erick recently joined a cycling team here, and, good fortune for us, the rides begin near Cantalice, so some of the members have homes in this amazing little town. We were invited to stay with a family over the holiday- the highest honor an Italian family can bestow on another. Just like the movies, the Nonna (grandma) cooked enough food for an army while Clara talked to her non-stop…

Of course, Erick rode his bike. Clara and I spent Saturday morning walking up and down the city staircase (over 300 hundred stairs, Yoginis), and just soaked up the Italian hospitality. We ate, we napped, we talked, we laughed, we played… Cantalice and it’s residents utterly charmed me. Despite my limited Italian skill, we somehow managed an open invitation for any weekend we can make it up to the mountains.

I can’t wait to go back again, and soon.

This is a big day for the Jordan family here in Rome.  As life marches on and schedules get busier, of course, milestones and transitions come fast and furious.  So it seems, anyway.

Today is Clara’s last day at her asilo-nido. My baby has, in large part, turned into a little girl over the last year, among her Italian amici. When we left Colorado little more than a year ago, Clara had barely any hair (seriously) and a limited vocabulary. Now, she has loads of crazy curls and astonishes me with her vocabulary and her voracious appetite for learning. And changing her clothes. Many times each day. Ahem.

During August, when NOTHING is available for children, Clara will be spending time with a nanny from the Netherlands, who just so happens to be in the process of getting her Master’s degree in childhood education, but, even cooler, she is on the national folk-dancing team of the Netherlands. I am hoping that she will teach Clara folk dancing during her time with us…

Beyond Clara, today is also a big day for Erick. It is his last day as a Major in the Air Force. Tonight 50 of our associates here in Rome will be coming to our house to help us celebrate, tomorrow, Erick pins on his new rank of Lieutenant Colonel. When I met Erick, he was a Captain. This will be the second promotion I have been through with him, and it’s an important one. Clara is coming to the ceremony tomorrow at the Embassy and Clara and I will “pin” Erick’s new rank on. And, as many say, the rank belongs to the family as much as it does the service member…

We are also fast approaching our one year mark in Italy and as unbelievable as it may sound, Erick and I are already talking about what will come next. We had been thinking of trying to extend our time here by another year, which is definitely still a possibility. However, looking at other openings around the world, doing what we are doing now, we are also thinking of throwing our hat in the ring for a tour in Brasilia, Brazil. Portugese, anyone?

As for me, my job is a dream. I am so happy to be doing what I am doing and look forward to getting to the office each day. The downside is the increased complexity of our schedules, but that has been made easier with the use of David Allen’s program, which I just love!! I purchased the “Basic Bundle” and the results have been enough for Erick to ask me what I’m doing differently! Amazing, I tell you!!

My ongoing health issues seem to have settled down. I still have some pain, but sometimes I get two or three days without pain, which is a lovely respite. I went in yesterday for a follow up endoscopy, however, my tonsils were too enlarged for them to do the procedure. So, we wait until September. But for now, I’m feeling pretty darn good… That, Yoginis, feels like a huge milestone. It’s been a very long year, health-wise.

And what about Yoga, you ask?? Well, I recently began teaching myself Qi Gong and have been incorporating a lot of this knowledge into my Yoga practice. It’s been pretty revolutionary for my personal practice and I will blog about it soon!!

Happy summer days!! I will be back again very soon…

I wish I could bottle these things.  I really do.  Last night, about nine pm, I was going through our goodnight ritual with Clara when all of a sudden, we heard a marching band strike up a tune.  At first, Erick and I thought there must be an event at the Canadian or Chinese Embassy…  

I threw open the windows to take a look and there was a marching band playing in front of the Chinese Embassy!  Erick and I laughed and shook our heads.  You just never know what is going to happen here!  A few weeks ago there were protesters in the same spot…

We all fell asleep to live music last night- it was beautiful.  I had no idea what it was all about, but this morning, it hit me.  The band was playing in tribute to the victims of the Sichuan earthquake!   

I’m not absolutely certain that is what the music was about, but there is no other explanation, really.  I find the desire to comfort and show goodwill to be such a life-giving impulse that we all share.  No matter what government policies and positions are, the fact remains that we are all sons and daughters, friends and family, mothers and fathers.  We all experience tragedy and we all have the capacity for compassionate responses to others. 

I just love that.  I really, really love that we are all connected in this fundamental way.   

When we found out we were coming to Rome- and as diplomats, no less- it was a no-brainer that we would keep my husband’s car.  Although not as comfortable as my Volvo wagon, Erick was insistent- the black mercedes would be our car in Italy.  With great sadness, we sold the Volvo and became a single car family.

Truth be told, I haven’t driven since we arrived.  It’s scary out there.  Chaotic.  Absolutely insane.  Terrifying.  Not. Worth. It.

The buses are GREAT…

Until now. Today, I bit the bullet.  With fear in my heart, three sets of keys, two bags, my cell phone, and a GPS system, I was out the door.  Ready to go.  Practicing my deep breathing before I even got to the garage.   The narrowest garage and driveway you’ve ever seen in all your life with no visibility when you are pulling out onto our narrow one way street.

Con calma, per favore.

It took me longer to drive to pick up Clara from school than it takes to walk, but that’s not important.  What is important to note here is that as soon as I was in the flow (if you can call it that) of traffic, it made sense.  The chaotic dance of motorinos, trucks, pedestrians, drivers making up lanes that don’t exist, and cars double parked on the street seemed sensical and normal.

Why did I get in the car in the first place, you might ask? My mission was to get Clara into swim lessons (that were not close to our house- at all).  Now, that met with complete failure.  I couldn’t even get Clara into her swimsuit, much less the pool.  But the triumph of driving in Rome  overshadowed the minor glitch that is Clara’s stubborn nature right now.

Because I’ve got a new lease on living here!  I’m driving…

Late Sunday night, we arrived home from the little town of Ascea, in the Campania region of Italy. Erick had made mention of the Amalfi coast, and I erroneously thought that was where we were going. As Erick said, “We’re going deep…” Ascea is south of the Amalfi coast, south of Salerno, even. If you look at a map of this region of Italy, you see nothing but mountains for miles- and mountainous country it is! The agriturismo we stayed at is within the borders of an enormous national park that encompasses a huge parcel of land in that region.

It was stunningly beautiful, quiet, and serene.

Our host-family has lived on that property for god-knows-how-long. They have olive trees that were planted by the Greeks over 2,500 years ago. Do I have to tell you they are gigantic trees? Absolutely enormous. The property is studded with these giant olive trees (how many people and animals have been fed over the years by these trees????), fig trees, citrus, and wild mint grows everywhere- all you can smell as you walk through the grass is warm mint. All of this, on a cliff overlooking the marina of Ascea- a beautiful beach and a working community with a slow pace of life and some of the most delicious food I’ve had since arriving in Italy. Seriously.

For those of you unfamiliar with agriturismo, they are working farms that have opened up rooms to visitors. They often serve food that is grown on their property and cooked in their kitchen. The one we stayed in was fairly large- they had, I think 10 rooms- and served both breakfast and dinner every day. The rooms aren’t luxurious, but with a three year old? It’s perfect. Dragging dirt and grass inside? No problem. The floor is tile! And plus, I don’t travel to sit in a nice room with air conditioning to watch Oprah. I’m there to visit the place.

We spent a good deal of time on the beach, which, being from the coastal region of the Northwest, I have sorely missed the ocean! We also drove up into the mountains and saw some of the really stunning countryside that is Campania. However, for me (as usual), the food was the star attraction. We arrived later than anticipated, but our guests stayed up to greet us and make us a delicious dinner: fresh baked bread with olive oil and balsamico, pasta with asparagus and garlic, steak and salad, served along side oven fries, and zucchini with garlic and mint.

Let me stop here to tell you, I am still not eating dairy or gluten. I was really worried about the visit, as Erick refused to tell them before hand that I am not eating gluten. I explained when we arrived and they were so gracious. They prepared special dishes for me that were gluten and dairy free. Honestly, it made me want to cry. It was so wonderful. The son even went on a search for gluten-free pasta (on a holiday) because he felt bad that I was having rice every night instead of pasta!

In any case, every place we ate was delicious. One little local place down in the marina was, no kidding, the best grilled veggie plate I’ve had here. I don’t know what they did, but it was like a little slice of grilled heaven. Erick says that the pizza was some of the best he’s had here, too.

Clara was in her element. The family that runs the agriturismo (it is a Mother and two sons, one married, one single and their cousins and extended family live on the adjacent land) have two children, so there were toys and a swingset (buried in mint) and goats to feed (seriously, how fun is that?). It was a throwback to Colorado- Clara could go outside without us and run around and explore. No fear of being run over or abducted… she was free to explore, with other kids. The adults would wander out to check on the kids once in a while, and there were times Clara ended up playing with the grandma while we ate.

All in all, it was a really beautiful vacation and I am looking forward to visiting again…

On Monday was the first meeting of a holistic Mom’s club. After dropping Clara off at school, I headed off for my friend Linda’s house for the meeting. I was surprised to find myself excited to be back in Rome, back home. Six months have passed, and, as many promised, everything is feeling a lot less weird and more like my life. For now, I am home. And grateful as all get-out that this is the life I get to lead.

This week is our long-overdue vacation… we are heading down to the Amalfi Coast for some time on the beach and in the nature preserve. No internet, I don’t even know if our phones will work. I will be back with you next week.

In exciting (to me, anyway) news here in Rome, asparagus has shown up in the markets full force! Young, tender shoots just begging to be eaten. We have been complying, and this delicious marker of summer days to come has been gracing our dinner plates each night for the last three nights. Concurrently, juicy, ripe, strawberries are also here- and we’ve been eating a lot of those, too!

Compliments of one of my favorite cookbooks, here is my absolute number one way to prepare asparagus. Enjoy!

Sauteed Asparagus with lemon and garlic

1 lb asparagus, *trimmed, and cut into 2 inch lengths
1-2 T olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1-2 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 t salt

*tip from my Dad on trimming asparagus: take a hold of either end of the asparagus and bend. It will break off at exactly the right point to rid the asparagus of the tough bottom!

Heat olive oil in a large skillet with garlic. Warming until garlic is fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add asparagus and saute until crunchy-tender, about 5 minutes. Add lemon juice and salt, cooking for a minute or so more. Enjoy immediately!

I love the word cultivate. Maybe because as a little girl, we would cultivate our garden every year: till the soil, sew the seeds, water the rows… as those of you who grow gardens know, you do the work you need to do and hope and pray that circumstance is on your side.

Just last week I joined an online Buddhist study group, Open Circle through Wildmind, one of my very favorite online (very practical, down-to-earth) Buddhist resources. The Open Circle group is studying the book,

Buddhism: Tools for Living Your Life

, which so far, is a fantastic book. I’m having to hold myself back from “reading ahead” of the assigned reading!

One of the first things that struck me about the book (besides the cover- which really appeals to me) was the use of the word cultivation. Cultivating the qualities that you wish for yourself, cultivating the life that you want to have- which includes responding skillfully to circumstances beyond your control.

I need this so badly. I want this so much.

To be frank, I have a love/hate relationship with Rome. I am having a difficult time reconciling myself with the things I dislike and, due to my terrible language skills, there is very little chance that I will ever feel “integrated” into the culture here. I often feel isolated, and I am frustrated with my dependence on my husband’s fluent Italian. I am acutely aware of my ongoing grief related to leaving “home” in Colorado: my friends, Clara’s friends, our home, our community. Intellectually I “get” that this is such an amazing opportunity, but my heart hasn’t gotten the memo. My heart wants to go home and get a double tall Americano in a to-go cup to carry around with me all morning while I chat with friends and Clara plays on the playground with her little friends.

Don’t get me wrong. On weekends, when we are busy exploring the city or we go out of the city (even better), I love being here. No country does countryside and small villages like Italy. I love being able to walk everywhere, the food is to die for. I love the density of people and the energy of the city. I adore living a block off of Villa Ada, one of Rome’s largest green spaces. I like entertaining people, I like getting to experience the intersection of different cultures through my husband’s position. There is a very interesting community of American folks here, so I can make friends. I love our gorgeous apartment with the tall, sunny windows. I see the good things, I do, I really, really do.

This is the thing. Erick’s job will, at least for the near-term, mean living a transient life. This means that circumstance dictates where we will live. We really have little control over this. The only thing I have control over is my response. The mind that I cultivate in reaction to this ever-changing landscape of homes, schools, jobs and cultures. It seems like precious little to be in charge of, but then again, it seems like everything. Cultivating my own heart and mind to be filled with openness and wonder, energy and curiosity, love and kindness- a heart big enough to love many different places and people and a mind spacious enough to accept impermanence. An ability to appreciate what is here right now, instead of clinging desperately to a place in the past that feels more like home that the present moment.

Because the irony is, when we finally go back to Colorado, I will miss things about Rome and all the other places that we will have lived. And Colorado will not be the same place, nor will we be the same people. It will be just like showing up in a new place all over, except some of the faces might be familiar. At least I hope so.

As Spring arrives in your corner of the world, it’s a natural time to think about cultivation. What habits are you strengthening through your actions and thoughts? Are you moving in the direction that you wish to be moving in? The beauty of thinking in terms of cultivation is that it implies that we can all change if we do the work. We can water the seeds, pull the weeds, and nuture the seedlings. This is a great gift- the gift of choice. I am honored to have choices. May we all cultivate our lives wisely…

If you are interested in Open Circle, registration is ongoing. As the group grows, it will split into multiple groups. The facilitator is a fellow Mom-Blogger, Shrijnana. She asks really terrific questions and is very engaged with the group. I feel so fortunate to have found this group at this time in my life.

We had planned a trip to the coast over the weekend, but, well, it was pouring rain. Not even just rain, but hailing as well. Not the ideal time to explore the Italian coastline, so we were home-bound for the weekend, or so I thought. Fortunately for Clara and I, Erick had a backup plan! We hopped in the car on Saturday and headed over to Tivoli, a fairly short distance from Rome (if you don’t get stuck in traffic).

In the rain, you ask? Yes. Being Seattle-born, I’m not deterred by rain. Clara doesn’t seem inclined in that delicate direction, either, even with the liability of being born in the dry state of Colorado.

It ended up being that Saturday was the perfect day to go and check out the gardens, being Easter weekend, it was practically empty. Or maybe it was the rain, I’m not sure. We got to Tivoli just in time for a yummy lunch (is there any other kind in Italy, I ask?) and then we walked over to Villa D’Este, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Now I know why- it is a beautiful treasure with a rich and varied past! As usual, I learned only one or two snippets of history because, really, it’s all about the puddles when you tour with a three year old…

To see just a tiny bit of our trip, you can go here.

Thank you all so much for your supportive, positive comments on my menus for this week. Both events are over and they went well. The St. Patrick’s Day menu was a bigger hit than last night, but both were well recieved.

I have to say, by Tuesday night (we went to a reception that night) I was completely wiped out. As we already had another dinner planned for Wednesday, it was necessary to just work with it and not get all cranky and bent out of shape about being overscheduled. Even though I had things I “needed” to do, I went to bed early on Tuesday. I noticed that I felt guilty going to bed- and I didn’t sleep well. Wednesday morning I was blurry and tired and had so. much. to. do.

At the last minute, I decided to simplify Wednesday’s menu so I wouldn’t have as much to do- we had rice instead of potatoes and fresh fruit for dessert instead of the crisp. It worked out famously and I got to take a nap before the dinner, which I desperately needed.

The theme of what I noticed was the undue pressure I put on myself to do EVERYTHING. And quite frankly, I simply cannot at this point in my life. From standing over the stove all day Monday and then standing around in high heels all night, I had a relapse of the tingling and numbness in my arm. When I push myself beyond my limits, my body- good friend- let’s me know that it’s too much. The silly thing is, I don’t *have* to do everything. I have full permission to relax and enjoy myself. Why don’t I?

This is such a fundamental question to Mothers everywhere. Maybe people everywhere. Why do we manufacture ways to be too-busy with little details instead of focusing our energy on our kids, our families, our well-being? Does it really matter if the croutons are made from homemade foccacia? Will it be noticeably better if the soups are made with homemade broth vs. store bought? I really don’t think so.

So next time, I will start out with the intent to do less and enjoy more. I will not worry at all about including Clara in the function- after all, it’s my house. I will not hesitate to use the resources that I have available to me to take the pressure off. I refuse to believe that my worth is somehow going to be measured by niggling details- I know Clara isn’t going to remember that I made the broth. She will most likely remember that I was distracted by cooking and not paying attention to her!

Are there things that you do that you don’t have to do? Self-manufactured pressure? Is there anything you can let go of in order to give yourself a little breathing space?

Here in Italy, it’s a long weekend for Easter. We are planning a visit to the beach and a picnic. I wish you all a wonderful, relaxing weekend!