Flowing With Nature

Vote for Hope by MC Yogi

2008-11-02T10:35:00.010-05:00

I just came across this inspirational video below by the creative MC Yogi! It's Hot! Turn up your volume and you won't help but move your body and be inspired! (The video may take a few moments to get going, but be patient -- it's coming!) ;)

One Love!

Cayenne Pepper

2008-10-29T17:08:00.002-05:00

As mentioned in my previous post, I've begun sprinkling Cayenne pepper into and over most everything I've been eating lately, so I decided to do a little more research about this hot spice.

Shirleys-wellness-cafe.com explains that "many herbalists believe that Cayenne is the most useful and valuable herb in the herb kingdom, not only for the entire digestive system, but also for the heart and circulatory system. It acts as a catalyst and increases the effectiveness of other herbs when used with them.

"Cayenne is a medicinal and nutritional herb. It is a very high source of Vitamins A and C, has the complete B complexes, and is very rich in organic calcium and potassium, which is one of the reasons it is good for the heart." Read more here.

Cayenne Hugs,

Penny

10-Minute Workout Possibilities

2008-10-28T08:03:00.015-05:00

Yesterday, I realized that 10-minute workout DVDs are the ideal solution to breaking up stretches of computer work. After taking six 10-minute breaks to stretch and tone, my body was feeling absolutely wonderful.

Lara Hudson's DVD (above) is a real treat I forgot I owned. Yesterday, when scouring through my DVD collection looking for another brief workout to do after working out to "Dance It Off & Tone It Up!" (below) with Jennifer Galardi, I came upon Lara Hudson's DVD. While it has been a part of my workout collection for a while, somehow I had overlooked it. Oh boy, I've been missing out!

In no time, I had done a fabulous set of yoga postures that tone the abs with Lara. That session is called "Yoga for Abs." I returned to some computer work, and then before long went back to Lara's "class" in my family room and did "Yoga Burn," which "turns up the burn-factor on yoga!" Eventually, I was there again doing "Yoga for Buns and Thighs" this time, immediately followed by "Yoga for Flexibility & Relaxation." The remaining 10-minute yoga session to try from that DVD is "Yoga Basics."

I love how Hudson has used specific and nicely challenging yoga postures per 10-minute session to target a specific section of the body. Now I want to try her Pilates one (above)!

It was the 10-minute concept of Galardi's DVD above that left me thirsting for something else 10-minute. With Galardi for 10 minutes per session, I've been doing "Upper Body Tone Up" and "Buns and Thighs Sculpt" with resistance bands that are provided with the DVD. And, when I feel like doing a dance workout, I can pick from her "Sexy Slim Down," "High Energy Fat Burner" or "Dancer's Abs" options. Like Hudson, Galardi has provided a fun and effective variety. Plus, the dance music that accompanies Galardi's dance workouts are sure to get you moving.

So, did you get your body moving today?

Smiles,

Penny

P.S. Here's a glimpse of my yesterday's raw menu (I didn't do any juices or smoothies which was primarily my diet the day before)....

~ Water for breakfast and throughout the day.

~ Lunch (appetizer) -- Pieces of celery topped with olive oil and a sprinkle of Cayenne pepper

~ Lunch (main course) -- Celery and Pear salad (cut up both and combined)

~ Dinner (appetizer) -- Chunks of avocado sprinkled with a little black pepper, sea salt, and Cayenne pepper

~ Dinner (main course) -- Salad made with romaine lettuce and topped with carrot, celery and chard that had been chopped up in the food processor. I poured some olive oil over the salad and sprinkled a dash of Cayenne pepper. I had a spice craving yesterday; perhaps it was my body's way of storing up more warmth for the temperature that really dropped later in the day (and was still quite cold this morning).

Thanks to walking around and around the field with a friend for most of my son's two-hour football practice, I stayed fairly warm, but, whoa, when the walk was done, my hands froze. That Cayenne certainly warmed me up again later, though. ;-)

Body Enlightenment System sign-ups extended to Monday, October 27 (noon)

2008-10-26T09:55:00.008-05:00

In my last post here (forever ago), I talked about the Body Enlightenment System that I had just embarked on. Well, I'm here again talking about the same wonderful subject.

The program was great already, but now the improved version is through the roof; it includes Angela Stokes teaming up with The Raw Divas, and a greener, low-fruit menu. Registration is now extended until noon on Monday, October 27! And once you sign up, you become a lifetime member. That means you can repeat the program as many times as you like for no additional cost. What a sweet deal!

In a newsletter that Jinjee recently sent out about the upcoming BES, she wrote......

Many of you were inspired by my friend Angela Stokes' amazing before and after pictures and raw weight loss story featured recently on CNN, and in my interview with her. She lost over 160 pounds and looks great! Well, now she has teamed up with the amazing Raw Divas to run a special version of their 30-Day Body Enlightenment System, which is an incredible support program that I have sent many people to with awesome results. With Angela, I know it will be even more amazing!

The Body Enlightenment System is about much more than just raw foods, and the focus for this session is on releasing weight! They have a very special medical doctor on board this time, who helped with the menus, and will also be helping to run the session.

The attention and care and support that goes into this program is really high quality. Several hundred people from my newsletter signed up for a previous session, and I received many emails back thanking me for recommending it! You can see some of the testimonials at the bottom of this info page, where you can learn more about this program.
For any person who may be struggling with their weight, their health, their raw diet, or their relationship with food, or if you just want to enjoy a really upbeat raw health program with the Raw Divas - men can participate too - I highly recommend taking advantage of this beautiful service and signing up at: http://tinyurl.com/3xajr4
Here are some of the emails about BES that Jinjee received.....

The coaching was great! Well, I can't say enough about it. And, even though I wasn't 100% raw, I've been "raw-er" these past 30 days than ever before. ~ Alicia

Holy Batman! BES has done some really miraculous things for my health! I haven't been able to exercise properly for at least four years, because of a non-serious condition that results in really low heart rate (in the 30´s, maybe 40-something on a good day), combined with low blood pressure.
Practically, this means that when my heart rate gets too slow, my blood pressure is unable to rise quickly enough, so I faint. I've been fainting from 1-15 times a day since before the start of my pregnancy 3 years ago. Boring story aside, I haven't fainted in weeks! And this week, I've not only been able to do cardio for more than five minutes before passing out, I've actually done 40 minutes on treadmill with an additional hour of weights four times this week. Yay! I'm so not going back to cooked.
Oh, and I've lost 14 kilos (30 pounds) and gone from a size 12 to a 6, going on 4. So just do it!! All the thinking, planning, and worrying are done for you; so you just have to show up. ~ Lene Norway
The Body Enlightenment System fills in the gap. I know what I SHOULD be doing, what I SHOULD be eating... but I struggle to do it because I don't have the support network to help me stay on track. That is exactly what the BES does... it gives me motivation, accountability and ongoing contact with others who are doing the same. The Body Enlightenment System is the missing link! ~ Jane Hanson

Strawberry Enlightenment

2008-03-30T19:51:00.014-05:00

Whew! I haven't posted here in a LONG time! These days I'm blogging once a week on RawMom.com, which feels a perfect fit -- especially since, as you see, I haven't at all been a consistent every-day blogger at Flowing With Nature.

However, today, I feel I need to commit to posting here a little more often as I journey through the Body Enlightenment System (On this page, scroll down to about the fifth category).

After I started journaling this morning about my latest adventure, I felt it should be shared with others as a means of helping to enlighten those who are thinking about hopping on the BES Health train...driven by health divas, Tera and Amy. So, from my personal journal to my blog, here goes:

Today is the day before the first official day of the 30-day Body Enlightenment System I'm participating in. In preparation for the mono meal I will eat at tonight's dinner at 6:00, the program required me to begin a water on Saturday evening at 6:00. At the time, I was at a friend's birthday party, where food -- lots of it -- was a huge part of the party. However, thanks to the week-long support given prior to the first official day of the BES program, mentally, I believed I could be around all of the folks eating and not cave in. (Note, I've had some good experience with raw-food eating, so this situation at the start of a 24-hour fast may not be advisable for someone starting out for the first time.)

The party guests were going to be eating at about 6:00 p.m., therefore, I knew I would have to eat before everyone else. Although Tera and Amy had explained that us BES folks could have our last meal at about 6:00 p.m., I wanted my fast to start precisely at 6:00.

Fortunately, it was an informal party atmosphere and the hosts were used to my "different" eating patterns, so they didn't even question my need to eat before everyone else. I merely stated that I was starting a fast at 6:00, and they just went with my flow in a supportive way!At about 5:30 p.m., I scooped some spoonfuls of a tasty-looking salad into a small bowl and thoroughly enjoyed it as my "last supper".....until 24 hours later. Dessert for me was a little bit of fruit from the fruit mixture I had brought to the party. I think the thought of not being able to eat until 24 hours later made the dinner and dessert taste extra special. The chunk of pineapple, watermelon, piece of cantaloupe and a few grapes felt like real energy-providers that would help get me through the next 24 hours living on just water, fresh air, good thoughts and sleep.

Around the time the food was officially served to the party guests, the 2-year-old daughter of the hosts wanted to play on the huge inflatable toy in front of the house. How timely, since the majority of the adult guests were sitting around the pool at the back of the house. Relocating to the front yard with my toddler friend not only got me away from potential food temptations but also allowed her parents to eat and entertain without interruption.

However, after our play-time was done, cake was served. Now, throughout my raw-vegan journey, it's those no-good foods, such as a slice of cake or such, that makes me fall from time to time. Yesterday, though, it wasn't too much of a deal. I was not tempted to the degree that I have been in the past. At one point I told myself I wouldn't look in the direction of the cake or focus on anyone's plates. Then, I felt I should take a glance, at least, and know I was capable of looking at tempting foods and not eating them. I survived.

After arriving home, I took some more sips of water and was in bed before 10:00 p.m. (Early for me, but great way to kick-off my 30-day journey)

Sunday, March 30, 2008

A supportive e-mail was awaiting me from The Raw Divas, as will be the case throughout this month. It included the "Daily Power Thought" for the day and other reminders and supporting info.

As I tried to decide which one of the three fruits listed on the BES menu plan would be my mono meal at dinner that night, I remembered that, for a while now, I've been wanting to really focus on eating the seasonal produce grown in my local area. So, I spent a little time this morning researching that and have found a chart from which I can follow!

I was thinking I would go with Passion Fruit as a symbol of the passion I'm feeling for this BES journey, but when I went dinner shopping, I didn't see any Passion Fruit available and then felt a pull to the bright red strawberries. (They were on my local list.) I also purchased some kumquats (local, too), and that will be my mono meal for breakfast on Monday morning.

After not eating food for 24 hours (from 6 p.m. Saturday to 6 p.m. Sunday), I knew I couldn't just ravishingly pop the strawberries in my mouth. I felt the need to eat with ultimate gratitude. After washing that luscious fruit with care and then patting them dry, I decided to dine in the place from which the strawberries came from in the first place -- the outdoors! I went to a sacred area of my yard while keeping this mantra in my head that I found online today: "Food is for cells, not 'me'." (Look at the picture below. I think it's easy to see that this is for our cells. Bonus: It tastes good, too!)

Next, I inwardly said a prayer of gratitude for my mono meal, followed by this mantra:

"I am aware of the miracle of food and the miracle that it finds its way to my table. I am aware of the miracle of the body, that I have a system for digesting food, absorbing nutrients, and eliminating what I can't use. I eat slowly, mindfully, with awareness."

~ From "201 Little Buddhist Reminders - Gathas for Your Daily Life" by Barbara Ann Kipfer

I stared at the strawberries -- really wanting to express every sentiment of gratitude within me that I had for this divine food. Oh, and I tell you, that first bite was "oo la la" divine. And, look at all of that light in them!

In Tera and Amy's documents about BES, they had mentioned how incredible the mono meal would be on Sunday night -- after getting through the 24-hour water fast. They were right! To have "caved" on the fast, I think, would have surely taken an element away Sunday's meal.

After eating only a few strawberries, I really was content but proceeded to eat a few more for the extra water content. I had not been incredibly thirsty at all during the 24 hours I couldn't eat and wondered if I was taking in enough water. But, I guess so since I've been urinating clear liquid, regularly.

I ate about half of my strawberry dinner outdoors and then came indoors to the kitchen table where I had a good view of trees blowing in the cool wind outside, and then ate some more. As I ate, I periodically reminded myself: "I eat slowly, mindfully, with awareness."I really could have been completely done with the meal after about 10 strawberries, but left them on the table and returned later to nibble on some more, as that particular bowl of strawberries felt sacred to me and I didn't want to return them to the refrigerator for later consumption. I felt that they had to be eaten that night!

By the time I got to the end of the bowl, my body became really warm for a brief period. Was that I sign I had eaten too many? I don't know. Even so, I did not feel guilty. There was something quite empowering that I had eaten strawberries -- and strawberries only -- for dinner, no matter how many! I felt well nourished.

A little later in the evening, I did start to feel slight pangs of hunger, but I tried not to focus on it by journaling and focusing my attention on other things (as The Raw Divas suggest). In fact, I'm feeling a tinge of hunger talking to me now. But, it's a good time to head to bed and forget all about it.

In the morning, I can eat. Hmmh, Kumquats, Strawberries or Apples (although apples are not on my local list)? We shall see! Stay tuned.

Healthy Dreams! Night Night!

And, by the way, don't forget to join me each week at RawMom.com. That's where you are sure to find me regularly! :-)

Penny

A poem I wrote that is published in the 9/07 issue of Pear Magazine

2007-09-09T11:29:00.000-05:00

M-A-N-I-F-E-S-T-I-N-G

M - Maintaining the thought that what we want will be

A - Attracting whatever it is that we want to see

N -- Keeping that thought near to us

I -- Establishing an intention built on trust

F -- Freedom to feel that what we want will come

E -- Exercising the thought like the constant rhythm of a drum

S -- Seeing whatever we want before it has been fully manifested

T -- Trusting that our thoughts have been well invested

I -- Inspired throughout the process...from beginning to end

N -- Never abandoning our manifesting rhythm, my friends

G -- Getting what we hoped we would...all because we knew we could!!!

Have a Pear-fect Day!

2007-09-08T21:26:00.000-05:00

Wow! It has been ages since I have posted here. I apologize if you've stopped by since my last post to see what's new at Flowing With Nature but found nothing. Christy, I know you said you popped by one day to see what was up; I'm sorry if you found no updates!

It's not that I haven't been writing, because I have. Lately, though, I've been doing more editing/coordinating than writing. The September 2007 issue of Pear Magazine Online recently hit the e-stands, and I had thrown my heart and soul into that issue about Manifesting Our Dreams. While I fully enjoy coordinating any issue of Pear, this latest one, however, spoke to every fiber of my being! I got such an incredibly positive feeling when working on it, when thinking about it, when talking about it.....

~ Could it have been Jinjee's article about Science, Raw Foods, Addiction and The Law of Attraction that got my heart pumping?

~ Or, perhaps it was my Soul-to-Soul Interview with Darla Tarr from Wholistic Living Retreat?

~ Maybe I received some needed clarity from Jinjee's article Embracing Difficulties, Going With The Flow?

~ Or perhaps it was Storm's article that addressed the question Why 100 Percent Raw?

~ I know, I know ...maybe it was yet another of Melissa Gilbert's interesting, insightful raw-foodist celebrity interviews...this time, Up Close and Personal with Angela Stokes from RawReform.com?

~ Hmmh, perhaps a spiritual feeling surrounded me in Jinjee's article she wrote, Why I'm A New Age Christian?

~ Then again, when Sonja Watt's in your presence you can't help but feel overjoyed. Maybe it was her article Do You Want Your Dreams To Come True? that got me all bubbly???

Yet, it could have been the enlightened raw-food related article...another one by Jinjee...The Ultimate Low-Carb Diet – Dark Leafy Greens?

Oh, Oh...but then there were the writings from the amazing raw-food author Angela Elliott and a dear friend of hers, Tom Flower, in their article Making Miracles Happen...or Angela's Gratitude, The Key To All Manifestations or Tom's How Intention, Gratitude and Prayer Work Together?

Got it! Yes, it must have been the article Sister Circle: Sharing Manifesting Testimonials, Intentions, and Song Lyrics that further raised/deepened my love of life and all things of God, and put my passion for this life in the "abundance" category? By the way, a new Pear Magazine writer, Becca Campbell, kicks off that article!

Talking about articles, perhaps it was Jinjee's I Envision Writing An Article that really gave me a blueprint -- or more perspective -- for working through the process of manifesting dreams???

But, let's get real!!! For me, it most certainly couldn't have been any one thing that got me soooo spiritually happy about this September 2007 issue of Pear. The fact -- the absolute fact -- is that all of those writings above came from some of the most positive people one could ever encounter, so how could I possibly not be moved the way I was when working my way through their articles? It was nothing but a blessing...a HUGE blessing that was manifested for me...to work with such great people and be able to feel their sincerity and love of life...and the goodness they see/feel in life. To feel all of that through their writing -- and get to "touch" their writing, so to speak, was indeed a divine blessing for me! ALL of that positive energy in one place! That must be what had my heart beating like it was dancing to a drumbeat during each and every second I worked on coordinating Pear.

I think some other folks are also feeling some of this Pear goodness I'm talking about. One reader wrote...

"...I had tears of joy rolling down my cheeks as I read all the magic in this extraordinary and special issue! My heart is overflowing with gratitude..."

Another said:

"...I love the magazine and the articles...and outlook!"

Now, I say to all.....go on and get yourself a piece of that juicy Pear! :-) I truly think it's something waiting in this issue for everyone! Just take the time to seek....and you will find! :-)

Oh, by the way, that's my son in the picture above. He'll greet you at Pear Magazine! Got to put the children's energy out there, too! :-)

One Love!

Peace & Blessings,

Penny

P.S. See, my heart's dancing to that drumbeat again :-)....and I don't even have the issue opened in front of me. Oh, yes, but I'm writing about it, huh! :-)

Do you keep a journal?

2007-08-08T22:59:00.000-05:00

Perhaps this letter below is my cue to get back to blogging more regularly. I've had such a busy week (in a good way) that I haven't had much time for expressing my thoughts via the computer.

Rochelle from MyHealthWealthAndHappiness.com writes:

"Dear Penny,

Do you keep a journal? I was just wondering, because I've been noticing more and more websites where people are posting their journals or diaries, or use their blogs as a kind of journal. There are a lot of benefits associated with keeping a journal –– mental, emotional, and even physical. Studies have found that, when people write about their deepest thoughts and feelings in a journal, it can result in fewer doctor visits, fewer depressive symptoms, and enhanced immune system functioning. And this is besides the mental and emotional benefits of writing about your feelings and any problems, crises, or the joys that occur in your life.

When you keep a journal, you have the chance to sort out your thoughts and feelings about conditions, issues, and people in your life. Writing helps to clarify your ideas and get your problem-solving juices flowing. And when you look back on your journals, you can more easily see any patterns that you may have fallen into, or keep track of your progress in your goals. And most of all, Penny, you get to know the "real" you.

A journal is a great tool for self-expression and communication, and you can take it one step further, by sharing a journal with the important people in your life. Relationships of all kinds can be enhanced by a kind of mutual journal that you share with someone else. You could set up a "family journal," where everyone took time to put down their thoughts or feelings, or record memories, and then passed it on to the next person. Or you could have a "relationship journal" with a spouse or significant other, or a "friendship journal," which you share with your circle of friends.

So, Penny, why not put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard) and get started on a wonderful journey of self-exploration and strengthening your relationships?"

Whenever there are gaps in my blogging, I believe I still receive some of the benefits that come with journaling via my e-mails to family and friends. I guess that's my journaling supplement at times. :-)

Some things I do want to journal about soon are my encounter with Passion Fruit today at the grocery store and a gymnastics class I'll be helping to teach. Fun! :-)

See you soon!

My Cup of "Tee" Runneth Over

2007-07-31T23:25:00.000-05:00

As always, an extremely dear friend of mine, Tee Jenkins, has warmed my heart. In an e-mail I received from her on July 31, she told me that she had come upon this link and instructed me to scroll down when there. "I'm going to write down 5 things I'm grateful for before I go to bed tonight," Tee wrote, "and one of them is definitely: I am grateful for having Penny Powell in my life. She brings me joy. She accepts me for who I am and helps me to see that God is real."

Tee is truly a gem of a friend! Her description of me is precisely the way I would describe her. Indeed, in ways that words cannot even begin to tell, Tee accepts me for who I am and always, always, always sees the extraordinary inside of me (that extraordinary we all have) even when I can't quite see it. Tee is such a super positive friend; her friendship easily makes my life rich.

She's amazing; I could complain to her for a whole week about whatever, and through it all she'll make me feel as if I'm the most positive person God ever created. She just has this way about her. It's sooooooo therapeutic having her in my life because she's more than willing to hear it all from me without ever casting judgement. Additionally, her heart celebrates my joy-filled moments and overjoyed-filled moments (and I have many) as though they were her own. It's as if she connected with my core from day one and any "negative" moment I might be experiencing, well, she knows that's not really my core -- not the real Penny -- so she simply knows how to not put any real focus there....but embrace the light in me while allowing me to vent through any "gray" areas. Gosh, I love her! How I get so blessed to find such a friend?

You know, as I'm typing this, Tee's ways remind me how God must be with us......no matter what, God knows who and what we REALLY are, and that's why we are always able to shine in God's eyes. God sees our "shine" even when we don't. Tee makes me feel that way.....if I'm not feeling to be quite a shiny Penny on a particular day, she still sees that shine -- as brightly as can be. Don't you think that's how God is? I do. Tee says I help her to see that God is real. Ditto to her!To me, every word or action of hers that I've ever encountered has been a reflection of God in her!!!

Tee's so real. She's the type of person everyone needs to meet -- at least once in their lifetime. As I tell her from time to time...Everybody needs a little "Tee" in their life! :-)

Well, since she's writing her things-to-be-grateful-for list, I feel inspired by her to do the same. Any guesses what I'm putting first on my today's grateful list?

1. I am grateful for having the "richest" of friendships with Tee. She's definitely a treasure in my life, and life is that much more enriched because of her! Not just mine, but I think with anyone she encounters. She's just that type of person.

2. I am grateful that Caleb's friend Bryce has played Monopoly for HOURS with Caleb today (July 31). They began playing at about 3:30 p.m....up until about 5:30 p.m., when we left to go to their 2 1/2-hour football practice. They came home, showered, ate dinner and are still playing the game they began playing earlier. It's now 11:32 p.m., as I'm typing this sentence. Perhaps Caleb will now understand when I say that game's a little too long for my liking! I'm so thankful Bryce seems to enjoy it as much as Caleb does. Nice! :-)

3. I am grateful when I hear/feel God prompting me to fast (one beginning Aug. 1). How long? I don't know....just following God's lead, so I'm grateful I can do that.

4. I am grateful that my husband agreed to experiment with Flying Partner Yoga with me at home on Sunday. Loved it!

5. I am grateful that I have realized that every day is a new beginning!

What is it about backbends?

2007-07-31T01:59:00.001-05:00

I have this thing about backbends. Always have and probably always will! I recall feeling so exhilarated in a Yoga class one evening that I told the instructor I just felt so alive and wanted to do a backbend right then and there. She reminded me it was my practice and told me to go for it. I did. In fact, I did a backbend...kick-over! After class, another class participant came over to me and said: "Nice backbend and kick-over." Turns out, she was a Yoga instructor who also taught gymnastics to children.

On another occasion, after attending a Kate Potter workshop (Kate Potter from Namaste Yoga on Fit TV), a few of us took pictures with Kate. When trying to decide what pose we should do for our picture moment, I suggested a backbend. Kate realized I was quite serious with my request....so a backbend we did! There's Kate in the yellow shirt; I'm in the green pants.

I tell you, there is just something quite special in my mind about a backbend. Here I was not long ago even attempting a backbend on a boulder during our mountain trip.

From time to time, I have often wondered why the backbend passion is still just as strong within me as when I was a child.

Last night, I came upon this related blog entry by Nationally Certified Fitness Instructor, Lisa Long, who teaches Anusara Yoga and Pilates. I think Lisa has helped me put this whole backbend passion of mine into perspective. Check out her post that begins:

"What is it about backbends? Most adults cringe at the thought. We even exclaim to loved ones at times of deep exasperation, 'I bent over backwards for you!' We equate it with difficult work!....."

Click here to read more!

Thanks, Lisa! The backbend doesn't seem to be anything I'm outgrowing; I don't want to anyway...and now I understand why! :-) As you explained in your blog:

"Yes, you do have the physical support of your back muscles behind you. Even better, you have your network of family, friends, and faith as your source of strength. They’ve literally, 'got your back.' Lean into this idea. Make it your 'back rest.'"

Now it's quite clear just whom I've been leaning on when holding a backbend position! Lisa, making my way to a class with you in Jacksonville to check the alignment of my backbend has now been added to my list of things to do! :-)

Until then....

Namaste,

Penny

Return of the Team Mom

2007-07-24T22:40:00.000-05:00

My son has been involved in sports for the majority of his young life. He's quite an athlete and demonstrates a great deal of natural talent in the sports that he plays. He has rotated through soccer, flag football, basketball, and a few seasons of track, too.

For most of his sports journey I have served as a Team Mom or Co-Team Mom. Last soccer season, however, Caleb played on a new team and another mom had the job (and did a phenomenal job). It felt great to enjoy the practices and games without doing team business on the sidelines. But, my turn as Team Mom seems to have "naturally" returned!

Caleb has recently joined a different football league with a coach who previously coached him in basketball and flag football. The new league is more intense than what we've experienced and has more responsibilities for the Team Mom. Caleb's coach called the other night asking if I would take on the Team Mom role again as I had done when he previously coached Caleb. I hesitated to officially accept this time (must be a new me) since I might be juggling some personal goals of mine with this new and intense season Caleb's about to undergo (something he really wants to do!).

I told Coach I would help out in whatever way I can, but I hesitated to officially accept the job. He assured me that his wife would help, too. "Of course I'm always willing to help out," I said, "but I don't know if I can commit to the title. I'm sure we can find another mom who will be more fully up for the challenge, so I'll be happy to help coordinate assistance," I stated.

"But, I want someone in this role that I know and can trust," Coach explained. He has seen my team-mom work in action, so he knows I give it all I've got. I guess he wanted to stay in his comfort zone. I was starting to bend a bit; I told him I'd think about it.

In any event, at last night's parent meeting, when Coach introduced me to one set of parents prior to the start of the meeting, he said, "Penny's going to be one of the team moms, but she just doesn't know it yet." We laughed. Then, later, when addressing all of the parents as he went through the rules and such of the league, he announced me as precisely that: a team mom. I just went with the flow of it all and fell right into the role at the meeting...receiving and filing paper work, etc.

Later, I said to my husband, "Hmmh, well, how did that happen? I hadn't even officially accepted this role, but then there I was...hands-on with it, as usual. Wonder what made Coach announce me as team mom when I hadn't confirmed I would do it as yet."

"Everyone just knows your passion," Collin said. He's right. I am my son's biggest fan and it's hard for me to not let that cross over to Team Mom stuff (officially or unofficially) -- which helps the team as a whole.

I recall when a commercial starring NFL player Donovan McNabb and this teammates was airing fairly often.....McNabb's mom was shown doing the Mom thing with the guys. Whenever I saw that commercial, I would always pause, smile and imagine me being a Team Mom of some kind for a professional team that Caleb might someday play on! There have been times that I could never imagine myself not being a Team Mom!

I think Caleb's coach knows that, too, and perhaps that's why he didn't feel the need to wait for an "official" answer from me. He knew the answer in my heart although my mouth was saying something else, I guess. :-)

Now that that's taken car of, however, we all have key parts to play during Caleb's football season: Collin is serving as one of the coaches, I'm helping out in a Team Mom capacity, and Caleb will be on the field helping his team to score those touchdowns. Each of us is a piece of a bigger puzzle -- for our family and for the team!

Now that's a touchdown!

Pear Magazine Celebrates The Great Outdoors

2007-07-21T19:53:00.000-05:00

In today's The Daily Raw Inspiration from TheGardenDiet.com, there's an overview about the latest issue of Pear Magazine......It's an adventure-packed issue that celebrates The Great Outdoors, so if you haven't done so already, I encourage you to sign-up for your online copy at www.pearmagazine.com.

Today's The Daily Raw Inspiration:

The July 2007 issue of Pear Magazine is ready for your reading pleasure. It's packed with articles about adventurous activities to do in the great outdoors -- topped with an in-depth, must-read interview between Pear Writer Melissa Gilbert and Richard Blackman, creator of FruitarianFitness.com.

Says Richard to Melissa: "I believe that getting active is way more important than what you eat......Many people get caught up in overeating, addictive raw 'gourmet placebos' and forget about getting active. In other words, they're living the raw food lifestyle by cooked food standards and then wonder why they are still having health issues. Plus, there’s too much misinformation and food obsessions going around these raw food forums..."

In response to Melissa's question, "What is your daily menu like? Summer vs. Winter?" Richard answers: "Well, I have learned that from birth we all eat to suppress our emotions, anxieties and stress. For instance, when babies cry, we feed them and it carries on from there. Letting go of the emotional addiction can sometimes be harder than the actual cooked food addiction. For that reason, I’m committed to not using food as a security blanket and for that reason I only eat when I am truly hungry. So, I usually have one small meal a day and that could be anything I am needing to replace at the time depending on the weather or the activity that I am doing."

Also in this month's Pear, you can follow Editor Penny Powell along on her first rock-climbing excursion with her son and their friends in the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia. Penny also has written an article about an outfitter she's thrilled to have recently learned about, Wild Women Workshops -- an organization that provides outdoor adventures for women that include hiking, yoga, rock climbing, creative writing in the wilderness and more.

Allow your imagination to take you on a camping trip in Colorado's mountains with Melissa Gilbert and her family. Need help visualizing? Read "Visualizing Summer Vacation" by Daijiro Hayashida. We also have a tent expert from the UK with us this month, David Sprake, who can guide you to just the right tent for your camping trip.

White Water Rafting in Costa Rica and/or Mountain Biking in Peru, anyone? Check out those articles, too.

After your adventure-filled summer days, perhaps you might want to use Tejvan Pettinger's "Simple Meditation Exercise" to unwind or to help you transition to raw foods if that is your intention. If so, Sonja Watt's "Transitioning to Raw Foods" article may be helpful to you.

We hope that "The Great Outdoors" theme of this month's issue will inspire you to invite more adventure into your life, as well as to take a fruit break. Why not let nature's perfect fruit fuel you for your memorable adventures?

In Adventure and Health,

Penny, Jinjee and The Pear Magazine Team

http://www.PearMagazine.com - Where you can sign up and receive immediate access to "The Great Outdoors" issue as well as all the Pear Magazine archives!

--Pear Magazine is best viewed using the Firefox web browser---

"On Assignment" for Melissa! "What kind of fruit is that?"

2007-07-18T16:14:00.000-05:00

On Monday, Caleb and I strapped backpacks onto our backs, hopped on our bikes and went fruit shopping in the produce department at our neighborhood grocery store. There are a fair amount of organic selections there that are steadily increasing, so we can always stop in and find something we like.

During that Monday visit, I noticed a unique-looking pink fruit. I held it in my hands for a few seconds -- studying it -- wondering if I should purchase it as I pointed it out to Caleb. I wasn't clear as to what it was actually called since not every label in that section that day seemed to have been clearly aligned with the fruit it was advertising. The produce section was pretty busy at the time we were there, and after chit-chatting with a friend I had run into, and then getting all that we figured our backpacks could comfortably hold during the ride home, Caleb was more than ready to pay for our goods and return to our bikes....so, I didn't bother to track down an employee to get the scoop on that pink fruit.

As fate would have it, the following evening, my friend Melissa e-mailed me with the word "What?" in the subject line of her e-mail. When I opened the message, low and behold, there was a huge picture of that pink fruit I had just seen in the grocery store. The picture also revealed what the inside of the fruit looked like. Melissa asked me: "What kind of fruit is that?" I couldn't recall what possible name might have been attached to it at the grocery store, but turns out, as ready as Caleb was to leave the store that day, he had observed and filed the name of that fruit in his memory. When I asked him if he recalled the name of that pink fruit we had seen, the word "Dragon" eased out of his mouth although he couldn't be completely certain because of that label issue I previously mentioned.

So, to be sure, I told Melissa I'd go on assignment for her and head back to the store the following day -- today -- to get the details. At about 10:45 this morning, I set off for an almost 3-mile walk to the store. I figured I'd get some exercise in while researching that mysterious pink fruit.

Before I could reply to Melissa, however, she had already found out the fruit's name -- Dragon Fruit! However, she was waiting for my thoughts about how it tasted.

In the grocery store I had chatted with Ben, an employee, about the taste of Dragon Fruit. Eventually, he asked me where I was from. When I told him "Bermuda," he became assured I would like the taste indeed! Bermuda is a sub-tropical island.........Ben went on to say that Dragon Fruit is like a tropical fruit and the flesh has somewhat of a peach texture, he thought. "Do you like mangoes?" he asked as he likened a feature of the fruit to mangoes, too. "Yes, I love mangoes," I replied. "Then, you're going to love this," Ben repeated with no doubt in his mind that I would certainly enjoy Dragon Fruit. He generously helped me pick out the ripest Dragon Fruit (the softest one) from the five or so pieces that were there, and then after paying $5.49 for one...wow...I set off for the walk back home.

After a morning of eating cherries and more cherries, I decided to wait to try the Dragon Fruit. As curious as I was about its taste, it wasn't until almost 5:00 p.m. -- after making banana/strawberry smoothies for Caleb and his friend Chris -- that I decided the time had come to taste............Dragon Fruit!

So, here goes, Melissa!

Ben was right. I do love it....
I sliced the whole fruit in half...which made it easier to peel the skin that smoothly peeled away from the flesh -- it was similar to peeling a mango. Underneath that pink skin, a soft-but-not-mushy white fruit with many black seeds was awaiting my taste test. I joyfully cut some slices, said a prayer of thanks, and popped a slice into my mouth. Ahhh, mildly sweet! I thought. Great texture! A slightly seeded-crunch (the black seeds) as you chew...but a pleasant crunch it was! It really is good. I like it.

Now, I haven't as yet done the children's taste test (Caleb and Chris). They're swimming and splashing a whole bunch, but I am curious to hear what they have to say about this unique piece of fruit that quickly caught Chris' attention when he arrived at our house today.

I keep going back to the counter and taking a slice of the Dragon Fruit that I have cut; I hope I won't eat it all before the boys get a chance to sample it! :-)

With the boys, I think the worse case scenario will be that they may not find it sweet enough although it's perfectly sweet for me. But, I can easily fix that if necessary; just pour a tad of Agave Nectar over their Dragon Fruit and they'll be spitting fire (in a good way) like a dragon!:-)

Penny

P.S. Melissa, this "assignment" was fun! Got another one? :-)

About Dragon Fruit, this web site says:

"Dragon fruit is a special fruit with the high export value because of its attraction in the shape, the color, the flavor and the nutrition. This fruit contains a lot of water and minerals with many different nutrition ingredients. It tastes light sweet and it's good for liver, laxative, supplementing fiber and very suitable for diet.

Besides, dragon fruit is also good for a person who has a high blood pressure. According to popular experience, an obese person who has eaten dragon fruit regularly can reduce his/her weight naturally and have a beautiful balanced body...............Moreover, eating this fruit can stop and reduce diabetes. Hence, dragon fruit is a favorite fruit of many people, especially Asian customers."

The Answer to my last post -- Maybe?

2007-07-17T21:47:00.000-05:00

In my last post, I was curious why I couldn't shake the mountains out of my system although I've been back from my trip for a couple of weeks now. While I'm happy that those wonderful memories are forever planted in my memory back, I could feel an internal issue with the way I was still longing and longing to be back in the Appalachian Mountains. I was clinging to that moment, but as you know....when we cling to a moment that's gone, we are failing to be in the moment...and the present moment is the only moment we have (the past is gone, future moments haven't come), so why not embrace every fiber of the live moment? Why not let memories be memories and the present be the present?

Fortunately, over the past few days I've felt myself more so connecting with the present moment and have noticed a shift (for the better) in the way I've felt.

Then, tonight I sampled a wonderful introductory meditation class where the importance of filing/storing previous experiences "just happened" to be mentioned. The fact that this point came up in tonight's class was perhaps a sign to remind me to, yes, enjoy my mountain memories but realize that they are just that -- memories! Lovingly file them away....remember them....but be in this moment!!!

Tonight's class was so awesome! It's a class that uses a 5-sense approach (yes, all 5 senses) to meditating. Interesting! This was the first time I had gone to such a class although I do get a taste of meditation during the Yoga classes I take. Although tonight's journey was an hour long, we did not just quietly sit for that full hour -- as many suspect meditation to only be. Initially, I thought it might have been like that, too. However, in class, I got a brief overview about the different approaches to meditation. I think the 5-senses approach met me at the place I'm at on my journey right now. One day I'll be able to sit silently for a long, long period of time, but just not right now. In the meantime, I welcome the meditation through movement approach. I completely loved it and felt each part of my body becoming more relaxed as we worked our way down from head to toe! There was a movement of the middle body, however, that felt a bit awkward to me (I think I was tensing up a bit), but it's all a journey, right?

The class began with some lecture time in a light-hearted way. The seven or eight of us there then stood and were guided through some gentle stretches and massages that gave attention to our bodies, like I said, from head to toe. It was like an anatomy class through movement. Very cool! Eventually, we worked our way down to a squat and then to a seated position where we were guided into a quiet seated mediation position for a few minutes. We then broke that silence and stillness of our bodies by placing the palms of our hands over our eyes and then slightly putting a space between the palms to allow a crack of light to shine in. Eventually, we opened up to full light.

On that note......

Love & Light,

Penny

P.S. I feel so happy today. My son and I had a wonderful outing at The Present Moment Cafe in St. Augustine. I always get a lift when there! I love that place. Warm energy and great raw-vegan food! And, my son thoroughly enjoyed his meal, too....a Sunlight Burger. Then, off to the Meditation Class for me this evening! Fabulous Day! Thank you, God, for the wonderful people I met today! Thank you! Thank you!

Asking Myself These Questions

2007-07-12T01:41:00.000-05:00

Okay, I am still trying to get a good rhythm going since returning from the mountains. That's part of my reason for not blogging for the past few days...in addition to working on getting the next issue of Pear Magazine coordinated and ready for publication.

Just what is it about the mountains? A friend of mine says she often feels like she's in a trance for a few days after her regular mountain trips. My "trance" is now nearing the end of a week. Will I get a grip?

I've had some absolute vivid dreams -- two to be exact -- about our mystical mountain trip. I awoke from my most recent dream and carried on a conversation with my husband as though the "dream" was really taking place. Two people in our party (in the dream) were pulled in another direction while we were on the river. I suddenly awoke, adamantly telling my husband that we needed to locate them. I mean, it was so REAL in my mind. In my conscious state, the "dream" was still going on. My mission was to find those two people although my dream didn't reveal who they were. I wanted my husband to help me. I insisted. He knew I was dreaming; I didn't realize it until I eventually fell asleep again and awoke the next morning in a new state of mind.

In a dream that took place a few nights prior to that one, I felt like my bed was sloped on a cliff. I awoke and got out of the bed twice to "look over the cliff" to see just how far up we were located. (That had to have been inspired by me rappelling 80 feet -- from a cliff -- during my mountain trip.) I walked to my bedroom door, and looked out, as if I was looking down the cliff. Folks, in that part, I wasn't dreaming in a state of sleep. I was awake! Whew, had I lost my mind? :-)

But dreams aside, some level of me, really hasn't been the same since coming back home. Something has changed. There's some level of an emptiness that I'm trying to "fill"....the way that "void" was "full" before the mountain trip.

Did I meet perfect nature, heaven almost, in the mountains and now I'm trying to adapt in a less natural world again? Nothing feels the same! Did my Spirit meet nature's truth?

You know, once you know "truth" it's hard to go back!

Comments are welcomed!

Love and Hugs!

See You At The Top!

2007-07-08T17:52:00.000-05:00

Here's a journal entry I wrote the day after we went rock climbing during our mountain trip.

June 30, 2007

It's the morning after an amazing, exhilarating rock-climbing adventure. My first ever! Wow...words cannot do justice to that experience. I squealed with delight as I swung -- Peter Pan style -- in the air after climbing about 35 feet...twice! The activity was by far one of the best adventures I have experienced; it truly resonated with my heart and soul. I heard a few "she's good" comments as I climbed. Regardless of what my skill level was, though, I was feeling good in every fiber of my being about what I was doing. It was an experience of totally -- 100 percent -- being in the moment. The only focus being positioning hands and feet in the right spots to elevate to the next level. Like life! And, there was a full-of-life guide there, George, who helped me move on up those rocks after Jen, another adventurous ACE Adventure Center guide assisted me in rappelling 80 feet prior to the climb. One by one, each person in our climbing group stood at the top of a cliff, secured in harness, back towards the cliff and walked down the rocks to the spot where the helpful guides George and Amy were waiting to assist us with climbing. By the time we got to climbing, we would have already experienced the feeling of rappelling. Smart!

Once I made it to the peak of my first climb, George said: "Now, Penny, you can do what we call Peter Pan. It's guaranteed to drop 10 years off of your life. Turn your body and jump away from the rock," he instructed. Trusting George with the ropes he was holding beneath me, and after a few moments of mentally conditioning myself to just jump, I did! With a slight reservation, however, I didn't leap out as far as I could have to have received the full effect of the swing. However, the second time I climbed those rocks, I knew to give a good jump when it came time for the "Peter Pan" swing. The second time around, I just couldn't get enough of the swinging. George joked with me to save the rope for another climber; for my son, perhaps, since he was totally in the rock-climbing moment like his mom.

Three times Caleb rappelled 80 feet, twice he climbed the rocks with George as the guide -- followed by the Peter Pan Swing. Twice, another knowledgeable and fun guide, Amy, talked Caleb through climbing rocks that were 70 feet high. And to think that a couple of Caleb's successful climbs were after hiking a fairly good distance with me, uphill, to the porta potty.

When I compare rock-climbing to life in general, I think of how we have to firmly plant our feet and hands on just the right spots -- after some maneuvering, after some unexpected falls -- as a means of progressing and coming more and more into contact with our life's purpose. We try to elevate ourselves -- sometimes reaching that elevation on the first attempt and others times not quite so quickly. Along the way -- like that rock-climbing journey -- we reach a spot that is comfortable to pause and rest before continuing the challenge. Then, once we reach the next milestone of our destination we may choose to celebrate and swing like Peter Pan! But, when that rejuvenating, age-reducing swing is over, the actual journey is not. We must keep on climbing -- or rappelling in the case of rock-climbing -- which is yet another integral part of the overall journey. Whatever the case -- up or down -- down or up -- in life we're always really climbing -- no matter what direction we're actually going!

Keep on climbing! See you at the top!

New River Gorge Bridge

2007-07-06T15:56:00.000-05:00

New River Gorge Bridge, West Virginia

We white water rafted nearby this bridge! TJ, our amazing White Water Rafting Guide, invited the rafters on our boat to return in October for "Bridge Day" to witness folks parachuting from this bridge. He says the best seat in the "house" for that event is on the river...in the raft!

On the back of a beautiful place mat I purchased while sightseeing (by land) during our West Virginia mountain trip, it says:

"You are visiting one of West Virginia's most scenic attractions. Two of the country's outstanding landmarks, one natural and one-made-made are combined to make this spectacular unforgettable view.......The New River Gorge is one of man's engineering and structural marvels. The bridge, the second highest in the United States, rises 876 feet above the rapids (over 325 feet higher than the Washington Monument)...."
Note: The Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado is the highest.

This site invites you to: "Join tens of thousands of visitors (October 20, 2007) as you walk across the longest, single-span steel arch bridge (in the western hemisphere) and take in the views from 876 feet up in the air." It's "One of America's Top One Hundred Festivals."

The site goes on to explain that...

"The 3,030-foot New River Gorge Bridge took three years to complete and cost nearly $37 million. Because of the chosen arch design, and the depth of the gorge, steel was moved into position by trolleys running on three inch diameter cables stretched between two 330-foot towers. More than 88 million pounds of steel are incorporated. Michael Baker Jr., Inc. was the design engineer company for the structure, which was built by the American Bridge Division of US Steel. Its cor-ten steel will never need painting. The span arches across the New River, among the oldest rivers in North America, considered to be America's best whitewater."

Wow! How exciting that we got to explore this bridge by sea and by land during our recent trip! The mountain fun was non-stop! :-)

Smiles,

Penny

Praying for these Families in Mexico

2007-07-05T12:22:00.000-05:00

This news story, Landslide Buries Bus in Mexico, caught my attention a few moments ago. I would like to pause from my Mountain blogging today and take a moment to embrace (in a blogging kind of way) the families of those bus passengers who were victims of Wednesday's landslide accident along a winding mountainous road.

Here's an excerpt from the article:

"...Marin, who arrived at the site by helicopter, said no one was to blame for the tragedy. 'All the mountains are risky ... It's nature,' Marin said. Heavy rainfall across Mexico this week has triggered flooding and landslides that killed several people."

May the surviving relatives and friends find inner strength and comfort during this time of sorrow. God's Love and Healing Blessings to them!

With Sympathy,

Penny

God's Mountain Art

2007-07-04T11:07:00.000-05:00

I am having a moment of reflection and basking in the fact that I recently experienced this type of scenery firsthand. God's art is breathtaking! I feel so blessed to have explored this territory in West Virgnina.

Thank you, God! I am overflowing with love and appreciation for the gift of nature and the many forms of art, health and healing it provides. How blessed I feel to have set foot on each of the spots shown in these pictures and to have had the opportunity to expose my son to such beauty as well! I remain in awe of just how beautiful this world is! I embrace it wholly.

With Much Love!

Infectious Green Mountain Smoothie

2007-07-04T08:39:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, when out running an errand, my co-mountain explorer, Christy, called me on my cell phone to inform me that she had made her first Kale purchase. When I made green smoothies on the morning of our Rock Climbing adventure in the mountains, it was Kale and Bananas I used. Christy and her son really enjoyed the taste, and Christy was planning to experiment with a Green Smoothie of her own this morning before going to workout. She was also excited to inform me that she opted for a meatless salad yesterday when she met a friend for lunch. And, for dinner last night, she mentioned that she was making a veggie stir fry -- "with no meat," she added.

"Wow, something's happening," I said to Christy after she shared all of her healthy news. "You've got all this good news, and Caleb said he was in the mood for food at the raw-food restaurant today. Something's going on," I said.

"It's you! You're infectious, Penny," she said.

I chuckled and replied, "I just think the mountains has worked its magic."

Christy went on to say that while she's not claiming that she'll never eat meat again, she is conscious of cutting back, and she'll definitely be adding the Green Smoothie to her and her son's diet.

So, even though, like I said, not all members of Team Raw are 100 percent raw-vegan, every one is making strides at their own pace -- in their own way -- in their own time to healthier habits.

Who knows...maybe after next year's mountain trip we might really have a totally (or close to) all raw-vegan team! Go, Team Raw! It's all about the journey, right....with some tasty Green Smoothies along the way?

Happy July 4th!

Penny

Mountain Adventures Continued

2007-07-03T09:49:00.000-05:00

Tuesday Greetings, It's the day after returning home from a fabulous mountain trip. So far, I'm feeling in somewhat of a bitter-sweet mood, however....I'm truly thankful for this recent phenomenal travel experience I had with my son and our friends, but also desiring to still be functioning, perhaps even living (for at least part of the year), in the mountains. I haven't quite adjusted, physically or mentally, to being back at sea level. I have happy and sad feelings trying to somehow co-exist. (Let's see who wins!) :-) Writing about the experience soothes me, though, so here I am remembering riding a Zip Line through through the mountain air and landing in the cool water of the lake!

Exactly a week ago, Christy, Caleb, Dalton and I joyfully, prayerfully, and giddily set off at about 8:30 a.m., in Christy's eco-friendly Hybrid car for a 9-hour journey to the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia. Our destination: ACE Adventure Center. Christy had visited that area for a similar trip about 11 years ago, and this year, when wanting to create a memorable vacation for her son, she kindly invited Caleb and me to join them. She had no idea that for many months I had been deeply craving a visit to the mountains. I owe so much thanks to her for helping me to manifest such a burning desire of mine. I have now witnessed the mountains in ways I hadn't even imagined! Christy, as I told you, everyone needs a friend like you! Thank you for being in my life! Our friendship has grown even stronger and the trip is forever etched in my heart and mind.

On the way to the Appalachian Mountains, we stopped overnight in North Carolina and spent the late afternoon and night with Christy's generous friends, Deena and Andy! Heartfelt thanks to them for welcoming us into their home and making us feel so comfortable. Their neighbor who had visited ACE back in October, brought a DVD of his white water trip over so that we could get a "taste" of one of the wild activities we would be experiencing in the mountains. I was somewhat apprehensive about the white water rafting activity that Christy was gong-ho about, but saw from the video that regardless of my uncertainty about it, it was sure to be fun....even if it meant somewhat nervous fun! :-)

The next morning, we were back in the car for the final three to four hour leg of the trip to ACE. We could literally taste what was to come, especially when we started to see the mountain scenery as we drove along winding roads, traveling up and downhill often. "Mommy, can I call Daddy to tell him how awesome the mountains look?" Caleb asked. The scenery was indeed incredible. We oohed and aahed the whole way. I often let out screams of delight because this was really happening. Christy giggled at me and, at times, revealed her own ways of communicating excitement, such as rubbing her hands together in anticipation of great fun!

Eventually, we found ourselves on an even narrower winding road that reminded me of some of Bermuda's narrow, hilly roads. That road ran through a residential area with older homes lined up along it and led us to ACE's Welcome Center where we would check-in and receive the key to our log cabin, our sleeping quarters for the next five nights.

The Loft! Each time I went up to the loft, I felt as though I was climbing the stairs to a tree house! Fun!

After driving higher up the mountain and identifying our cabin, then picking out our rooms and realizing that the accommodations more than met our expectations, our first activity at ACE would be at the lake where the boys were itching to take part in the many varied activities there from riding a Zip Line high in the air down into the water, to holding on to a silver triangle (in Zip Line fashion) and swinging into the water, to sliding down a huge water slide and other slides, to climbing an iceberg, to jumping on a water trampoline, to running an obstacle course from one trampoline to another, and the list goes on.

As the boys got acclimated that first day to mountain lake life by water, Christy and I hung out on the land around the lake as we chatted to each other, other guests and relaxingly got an overall feel for the place. The majority of the folks we encountered seemed to be talking about White Water Rafting....Our all-day trip (6 1/2 hours) for Day 2.

Stay tuned for our adventure down the New River Gorge by raft. What a wild ride it was! Fortunately, I'm here to tell about it! :-)

See you tomorrow!

Penny

Team Raw's Mountain Adventures

2007-07-02T21:15:00.000-05:00

We have safely returned from an absolutely amazing, invigorating trip to the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia where we were about 3,252 feet above sea level. There, at ACE Adventure Center, we white water rafted, rock climbed, rappelled 80 feet, hiked, slept in a log cabin, and so much more! What an incredible time we had! We have arrived home a day early because we decided not to stop overnight in South Carolina during the drive home.

This week, I will be documenting, a bit at a time, our adventures featuring my dear, adventurous friend Christy (below right), my brave and agile son Caleb (blue shirt), Christy's loving and courageous son Dalton (pictured with my son), and mountain/rock-climbing-loving me (brown shirt)!

We often referred to our group as "Team Raw" during our mountain experiences. Although not everyone in our "Team Raw" group is raw-vegan, each person has a respect for raw-veganism and agreed that it was the green smoothies that pumped us up and got us going on the day of our

rock-climbing adventure, an activity I cannot wait to blog about. (As I thought I would, I LOVE rock climbing. Absolutely love it...and so does my son pictured on left. That's me on the right near the end of rappelling 80 feet.)

I hope you'll stop by each day this week for a glimpse of our week-long mountain trip.

With a ton of Mountain Love!

Penny & Team Raw

(Trip and Team Name Created By Christy!)

Come back around July 4

2007-06-26T17:37:00.001-05:00

Hello:

If you should stop by between now and July 3, please visit again on the 4th. I'm off on a mountain trip and anticipate having memorable stories to share upon my return.

Have a great week!

Warmly,

Penny

Spread Love!

2007-06-24T18:22:00.000-05:00

Today, I've been flipping through the book Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar by Paul C. Bragg and Patricia Bragg and revisiting all sorts of inspirational tidbits. There are so many wonderful quotes, facts and thoughts in the book. One powerful quote from Mother Teresa is:

Spread your love everywhere you go; first of all in your own house. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor...Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile and kindness in your warm greeting.

My parents came to mind when reading this quote. Here's a picture of them surrounding me with their love and kindness 15 years ago!

Much love to them for their invaluable lessons and expressions of kindness.

Penny

Craving The Present Moment Cafe

2007-06-22T15:46:00.000-05:00

I'm well overdue for a visit to one of my favorite places in town, The Present Moment Cafe in St. Augustine, Florida. At the last visit, my husband and I sat at the Juice Bar and enjoyed green juices while we waited for my take-out order to be ready. We also enjoyed chatting with a friendly waitress who shared some more neat things about The Present Moment Cafe. She explained that if customers ride their bikes there, they get 10 percent off of their bill. Isn't that cool? By car, however, we live about 45 minutes or so away from there, so it would be quite a long journey by bike. But, who knows, one day I might be up for the challenge! :-)

Talking about traveling to PMC, my husband and I drove there in this fancy vehicle when we last stopped by. My husband's car was at the car dealer's that day; some generous soul lent him this expensive toy in the meantime. What fun we had cruising in it! Memories of my first car in Bermuda -- a Volkswagon Golf Convertible -- came flooding back.

In the Convertible BMW, however, here's what rode home with us from The Present Moment Cafe. Delicious would be an understatement!

Sunlight Burger
"Open-faced walnut, sunflower, almond, and carrot zucchini burger served over a slice of tomato and dripping with pine nut provolone. Topped with caramelized onions and served with salad and chips."

Below -- Kale Avocado Ala Present Moment
"Our signature satisfying kale salad massaged with red & yellow pepper, avocado, tomato, lemon garlic-olive oil and topped with candied pecans."

Understand why I'm craving The Present Moment Cafe? :-)

Refreshing Summer Drink

2007-06-21T17:48:00.000-05:00

I made a drink today that seemed quite fitting for the first day of summer. A Zucchini/Apple/Banana Smoothie!

I juiced about 3/4 of a super large Zucchini -- fresh from a friend's garden. I also juiced one Apple. I then poured the Zucchini/Apple juice into the blender with four small Bananas and added Ice. What a drink I ended up with. Caleb and his friend, Chris, enjoyed it, too.

"Similar in nutritional content to cucumbers, zucchini acts as a natural coolant and thirst quencher, replenishing the body with needed fluids. As it does this, it also acts as an internal cleanser. The juice is bland and should be mixed with carrots or apples." ~Jay Kordich, The Juiceman's Power of Juicing
Cheers to Summer!

First Day Of Summer

2007-06-21T10:02:00.000-05:00

F -- Feeling full of life today

I -- Interested in life's journey all the way

R -- Revisiting memories of summers past

S -- Standing strong in my first-day-of-summer fast

T -- Talking to those who are uplifting and true

D -- Daring to embrace all that I have to do

A -- Accepting of my abilities that lie within

Y -- Youthful and vibrant, I'm humming a hymn

O -- Optimistic about the days ahead

F -- Forever grateful, no time to get sad

S -- Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year

U -- Living under God's umbrella, handled with care

M -- A summer mountain trip is on the way

M -- Creating new family memories every day

E -- Eating what God has provided the earth

R -- Loving raw because it creates and celebrates life and rebirth!

Quenna's Raw & Vegan

2007-06-19T19:12:00.001-05:00

Last week, I had to take an impromptu trip to Virginia. However, before I set off on my journey, I checked online for any raw-vegan restaurants in the area to which I was heading. I was excited to learn about Quenna's Raw & Vegan in the Ghent area of Norfolk, Virginia. I quickly jotted down the address and phone number in a pocket-size notebook. Then, two days later, there I was ordering take-out at Quenna's Raw & Vegan located on the second floor of Health Food Center at 1701 Colley Avenue.

Quenna's inviting menu of Appetizers, Sandwiches, Main Course, Salads and Desserts vary from week to week. Some of the sandwiches there are served "in a Pocket Book" (Wheat Pita Bread), but since I wanted a 100 percent raw-vegan sandwich, Quenna suggested I try a Cabbage-Patched one replacing the Tofu with Avocado. In the Cabbage, shaped somewhat like a canoe, Quenna placed the most delicious seasoned Avocado, Celery, Carrots, Beets, Lettuce, Onions, Tomatoes, Bell Pepper, Mushrooms, Alfalfa Sprouts and Sesame Seeds and topped it with a tantalizing Sesame Dressing. Oh my! Delicious! The meal was quite filling and ended up being lunch for me for two days which prevented me from returning to Quenna's the following day as planned.

I also ordered a cucumber/apple juice and Da' Maue Whip -- "whipped Avocado and Banana sprinkled with 'Sum Nutz'." The dessert was creamy and tasty but slightly too sweet for me to eat all at once, so I consumed a small portion at a time. But, that's okay, it lasted longer that way.

I thought I would eat my Cabbage-Patched meal literally in wrap-style, but once I scooped my fork inside of the cabbage and got a taste of what rested there, I couldn't help but continue to pierce my utensil into all of that goodness. The next day, during lunch, once all of the ingredients were cleared out of the remaining cabbage, I ended up scooping the remainder of the dessert into the cabbage and created a wrap of my own. The cabbage helped offset the sweetness of the dessert and was fun to eat.

During my visit to Quenna's, I had glanced a menu listing some Friday avocado specials. Unfortunately, since I didn't make it back there to try those selections that Friday, the choices inspired me to create a new, simple avocado dish at home: Mashed avocado seasoned with sea salt, black pepper and curry powder served on tomato.

I horizontally cut a tomato in half and smeared the avocado over the top of each side. It was absolutely delicious and has been dinner for me for the past two nights.

View additional pictures and learn more about Quenna and Quenna's Raw & Vegan in the July issue of Pear Magazine. Contact Quenna's at 757-714-2396 or e-mail QRV@cox.net. Catering is also available.

To Daddy

2007-06-17T21:25:00.000-05:00

Daddy, Sweet Daddy, just whom would I be
If you had not been sent to earth to help protect and guide me?
Even though your journey moved beyond this earth 11 years ago
You are still spiritually with me and that I do know.

When I try to imagine the person I might be if your influence had not been placed upon me

I can't even visualize that person I try to see
Because your parenting style was destined for me.....so gentle yet strong as a lion
And now my sweet dad, you have made it to Zion.

Every second you invested in me, every word you spoke
Please know that the depth of my heart was constantly taking note
A completely loving, hands-on dad was you to your core
And I grow to value all of your lessons more and more.

Thanks for being the type of dad who gently disciplined even when I was bad
Who never got so mad that he didn't care what type of day I had
For accepting me for me and not only whom you thought I should be
Thank you for honoring the inner light that shone inside of me.

Thanks for always listening to me
When I expressed my thoughts
And for being kind to all of my friends
Even if it was a relationship with one that you thought should end.

Daddy, you were truly an angel father on earth
How blessed I am to have had you in my life even prior to my birth.

I love you so much! Thanks for our spiritual connection!

Happy Father's Day, My Beloved Daddy!

Lovingly Remembering You,

Penny

Lawn Therapy

2007-06-10T20:19:00.000-05:00

Mowing the lawn -- with a push mower -- is extremely therapeutic for me. Although I don't necessarily dash outside to cut the grass as soon as it's in need, I thoroughly enjoy the cutting process once I'm out there. Today was one of those days!

I love how many things simultaneously take place while doing the one task of mowing the lawn: the grass instantly starts to look tidy and more appealing, burning calories, sweating away toxins, tanning, absorbing Vitamin D, emptying the mind, breathing fresh air!

Some friends of ours pulled up soon after I was done cutting the grass today. They parked in front of the house and observed the freshly cut lawn. "That's impressive," one of them commented. His wife said , "When we were driving toward the house, he told me, 'she cuts their lawn.'" "Want me to cut yours?" I asked. "Sure," he replied.

Although I was joking (kinda), the thought has casually crossed my mind on more than one occasion about doing part-time work in lawn cutting. Really, I have thought of it. :-) If my uncle, who had such a business, lived closer to me, I think I would have asked him for a part-time gig. Cutting a few lawns a week would have provided plenty lawn therapy for me! :-)

But, back to today! Not only did the cut turn out pretty darn good, but my overall being feels lighter, and light feels good!

Penny

Leaning Happiness

2007-06-08T21:39:00.000-05:00

Today, a dear friend of mine told me that I'm finding blessings everywhere I turn. While every day is a blessing in and of itself, I do seem to have been given some fun bonus blessings lately. Maybe this is partly or fully a result of my recent fast (a fast I didn't do as long as I anticipated, but the days I did were done from my heart and soul and enriched me spiritually and mentally).

Maybe as I strived to get in closer touch with God, God came closer to me and showered me with a few extra surprises. I don't know...perhaps those blessings were coming my way...anyway. I can only speculate, but what I do know is that my fast has enriched me in some way that words can't quite explain. And even though some of the same life challenges remain, something just feels very centered? solid? okay? with me...very right!

Maybe this is indeed what happiness really is...when you can feel inwardly centered even during the times when life feels like it's leaning -- as opposed to thinking that ultimate happiness has finally arrived when everything in life is just "right."

Now, when will that happen anyway? In this lifetime? I think not. How do we grow when everything is just right?

Today, I feel happy in the true sense of the word. I will remain happy. I'm claiming it. It's our birthright! You claim it, too, because there's enough happiness to go around and who wants happiness without sharing it anyway? Then, would you really be happy?

In Sharing,

Penny

Living Foods

2007-06-06T21:05:00.000-05:00

Today, I was blessed to receive a sizable scholarship toward a living foods training program at The Living Foods Institute in Atlanta, GA. All of my related contact thus far has been with the founder and director herself -- Brenda Cobb, author of The Living Foods Lifestyle.

If I've already received such personal care and attention from the founder, I can only imagine how much of a quality program I'll experience when the time comes for me to participate in the program. I am "tasting" this experience and just joyfully watching the puzzle pieces unfold.

Learn more about The Living Foods Institute here.

In Health,

Penny

Liquid Fast -- Day 3

2007-06-03T11:25:00.000-05:00

Today is Day 3 of my 10-day liquid fast. Here's what I did on Day 1. On Day 2, I decided to drink fresh juices (such as, Zucchini/Carrot juice, and more) versus the Lemon Drink. I didn't do the Salt Water Flush yesterday, but am back to it today along with the Lemon Drink. With the rotation of the one-day-Lemon-Drink and the next-day-fresh-juices, it works out that I can have a variety of freshly made juices on my 15th wedding anniversary on Wednesday. So, that day will be full of more than just lemons, lemons and more lemons! :-)

My advisor, Melissa, whom I have previously mentioned here, had this to say about my idea to have the Lemon Drink every other day:

"If you are doing the juice one day and lemons the next, you can still do the salt-water flush each day, but I think I would do it every other day with the lemon drink. That way, you are getting all the nutrients absorbed into your body from the juice, and you should have some form of elimination from drinking the juice anyway. Not so with just the lemon drink. Good luck, do what feels right for you and your body.

"I am lifting my MC (Master Cleanse Lemon Drink) in cheers to you. I think I am on day 26 today; I will have to check to make sure."

Now, if Melissa has made it to about Day 26 of a liquid fast, surely I can make it to 10, right? She's a big motivator for me right now.

Happy Sunday!

Penny

P.S. I consumed the Sea Salt water drink a lot quicker today (versus Day 1). I think it helped that I drank it out of a slimmer cup versus the large measuring cup!

Joyful June

2007-06-01T18:33:00.000-05:00

In my Mountain Preparation post, I mentioned feeling the need to do a fast of some sort. A day or so after that post, I did the Lemon Cleanse for a day with the intention of keeping that routine going for several days...until...when rinsing some beautiful strawberries for my son, I just couldn't resist tasting one, two, three, and more! So, here I am on June 1 making a fresh start to a 10-day liquid fast.

My friend, Melissa, a Raw Food Coach and Nutritionist and a writer for Pear Magazine, mentioned the Salt Water Flush to me (scroll down when at the "Salt Water Flush" link). Apparently, this can be done in conjunction with a juice fast.

This morning, I kicked off my day of liquids with the Salt Water Flush: 1 quart of lukewarm water mixed with two teaspoons of Sea Salt. What a mighty good cleanser for ridding the body of excess toxins! Since that drink, I've had several glasses of the MC Lemonade.

Initially, I thought I might commit to the Lemon drink for the next 10 days, however, I am considering altering it with freshly made vegetable juices. At this point, I'll know at the start of each day -- for the next 10 days -- what my plan for the day is! Maybe one day of the MC Lemonade, one day of juicing, back to MC Lemonade, and so on! What do you think, Melissa? You are the expert on such matters! :-) Is it best to stick to the Lemon drink for the duration of this 10-day fast or will "switching up" be just as effective?

My Devotional
After making this morning's Sea Salt water mixture, I proceeded outside with the large glass measuring cup in which I had made the beverage. I drank from it (with straw) during my lovely devotional time. (I imagined drinking some tropical drink in a huge glass.) :-)

Joyce Meyer's Starting Your Day Right has this to say for June 1:

Have a New Mindset

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

She went on to say:

"We set ourselves up either for misery or for joy by the mindset that we have toward the things in our life. Mindsets are the patterns in which our mind
normally operates toward a certain determination..............But, if we choose
the mindset that God will help us through it, we will enjoy watching how
everything falls into place....."

In the Joy Mindset,

Penny

Tree Climbing

2007-05-29T22:34:00.001-05:00

On Memorial Day, after an afternoon family bike ride, my son and I enjoyed climbing a tree in our yard. I loved tree-climbing as a child.

One childhood tree-climbing adventure wasn't quite as exciting as other times, though. I'll never forget the day I was outside playing with my cousins and friend, Claudelle, when we noticed Thaw on the loose in the distance. Thaw, a huge dog that seemed to be the size of a pony back then, lived nearby. As everyone scrambled to get inside the house when we noticed Thaw was running our way -- unleashed -- I decided I wasn't going to chance not making it inside before Thaw reached us. Therefore, I darted up a nearby tree. As Claudelle ran to catch up the others for indoors safety, I told her to let my parents know where I had found my refuge -- in a tree!

Tonight, I just so happened to flip open the book Poetry Speaks to Children and landed on this poem:

Every Time I Climb A Tree

by David McCord

One verse reads:

...And every time I climb a tree
Where have you been?
They say to me
But don't they know that I am free
Every time I climb a tree?

In Freedom,

Penny

Great Philosophers

2007-05-28T00:15:00.001-05:00

I recently checked out the book Socrates from the children's section of the library to read with my son. Oh, how I enjoy this book and respect the words from the great Greek philosopher himself, as told in this book by Pierre Moessinger!

Socrates said: "If I had not become a philosopher, my soul would have been as ugly as my face. My desires would have been as deformed as my nose."

Pause. Just take a moment to think about what this means!

This children's book (great for adults, too) is a result of Socrates' letter to his sons in which he told them:

"...life is short, time must be spent on what is worthwhile."

"...true wisdom is in the soul, which is infinitely superior to the body."

"Truth doesn't exist without pain."

Now, one thing he said that I beg to disagree with is: "You can't write and live."

I say....

Live and Write about what you lived, if, like me, you love to write. I find writing an opportunity to relive that lived experience.

While I am fond of Socrates -- I want my son to know that there were many philosophers, Egyptian Philosphers, before Socrates' time. With that thought in mind, I came upon The Egyptian Philosophers: Ancient African Voices from Imhotep to Akhenaten.

The Synopsis reads:

"Traditional Eurocentric thought assumes that Greece was the origin of civilization. This book dispels this and other myths by showing that there is a body of knowledge that preceded Greek philosophy. The author documents how the great pyramids were built in 2800 B.C., 2,100 years before Greek civilization. The popular myth of Hippocrates being the father of medicine is dispelled by the fact that Hippocrates studied the works of Imhotep, the true father of medicine, and mentioned his name in his Hippocratic oath. Eleven famous African scholars who preceded Greek philosophers are profiled: Ptahhotep, Kagemni, Duauf, Amenhotep, Amenemope, Imhotep, Amenemhat, Merikare, Sehotepibre, Khunanup, and Akhenaten. These scholar's ideas on a variety of topics are discussed, including the emergence of science and reason, the moral order, books and education, and the clash of classes."

Happy Reading!

Penny

Mountain Preparation

2007-05-27T20:24:00.000-05:00

In about a month, my son and I will be embarking upon our mom-and-son mountain trip. For quite a while I've longed to visit the mountains, so when a friend suggested (without knowing about my mountain desire) that we take a summer trip with our sons to the mountains, I couldn't have been happier.

I look forward to the adventure that awaits us, and my prayer is that we'll have a safe and enjoyable time and feel so close to God and nature that we completely feel the bliss of each day. I will be documenting this experience in the July issue of Pear Magazine, an organic lifestyles magazine I edit.

Today, the day before Memorial Day, I've been putting thought into how cleansed I want to feel at the start of this upcoming trip. Then, the trip itself will hopefully take my mind, body and spirit to an even deeper form of cleansing and renewal. A few hours ago, I made a Kale/Apple/Lemon juice and wondered if I should do a juice and green smoothie fast leading up to the trip. My heart is just telling me to do some form of a mind-body-spirit cleanse before our departure.

My friend, Melissa, is currently on a two-month fresh juice fast. Perhaps I need to team-up with her for a portion of her fast. This can be quite empowering and inspiring when done as a team. Plus, Melissa naturally inspires me anyway, so I can only imagine what I can gain from her during this next month. I believe the support can be invaluable.

I'm praying and pondering.

Stay tuned!

By the way, perhaps I'll try to redeem myself with this dormant blog (until now) by posting every day for the next month. We'll see! :-) My friend, Linda, likes to keep up with the happenings in my life......so, Linda, I'll try to keep this blog more active, okay? :-)

In Health,

Penny

Dare 2 Shine

2006-11-18T08:52:00.000-05:00

I've been in somewhat of a funk this past week, I guess you could say. I haven't been operating on the level of life I typically tend to -- for whatever reason! I haven't even really been inspired to blog -- which is so unlike me. But, I tell you, it's nothing like some good words from a friend to remind you to embrace life in every fiber of it's being, and shine!

My friend, Sophie, had no idea I was feeling, blah. But, God did. And, through His divine intervention sent her words to uplift me -- through an article of hers I just reviewed for Pear Magazine. Check out her story in Pear Magazine on Thanksgiving. Like me, I bet after reading it you will just plain and simply Dare 2 Shine!

Today, the Penny I know is back -- fully loving life and daring to shine. Now, I'm off for a morning walk to get light from the sun, and energy from the many forms of nature I will pass along with the way. Then, I'll be on the football field cheering my son and his team on, and will go wherever the day leads us after that.

Have a fabulous Saturday!

Happy Birthday, Jennifer!

Hugs,

Penny

Saturday Sports

2006-10-28T22:29:00.000-05:00

I guess you can't keep the Powell family off of the sports field. On the rare Saturday that Caleb didn't have a game, we still went to the YMCA to watch a few of his friends' games. While there, I bumped into my friend, Rhonda, who had twin girls five months ago. I got to hold the babies and chat with Rhonda for a while out in the fresh air. At one point, I kicked my shoes off and plopped down on a blanket she had spread for her family. Later, with shoes off, I walked on the grass while holding her baby. I felt so relaxed. So peaceful. Holding a calm baby is surely therapeutic. Maybe it's their pure innocence we feel when holding those angels!

Later in the day, back at home, at half-time of the Florida/Georgia football game, Collin and Caleb decided to play football themselves.

Quince joined them. At the time, I was preparing dinner -- more homemade veggie burgers -- and salad -- with Banana/Lemon pie for dessert. While the burgers were dehydrating, I went outside to watch the boys play. I walked up on a throwing competition that started at the side yard next to our neighbor's house and then finished on the cul-de-sac.

My Veggie Cracker Experiment

2006-10-26T20:47:00.000-05:00

Earlier today, I said I would post a picture of my veggie cracker experiment. The pulp mixture used to make the veggie burger is what I also used to make the crackers (which probably look more like cookies, huh!). In fact, it was while forming the crackers that I realized I could also try making a few veggie burgers with the same mixture. (When looking at the picture of the crackers, Caleb thought they looked like mini veggie burgers.) :-)

I made 21 crackers. We're now down to about three of them with a few set aside for the raw-food gourmet chef, Connie AKA Raw Oma, for her critique. (Oh no, I'm nervous!) :-)

Another raw-food kitchen memory! :-)

Viola! It's a Veggie Burger!

2006-10-26T13:21:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, in my juicer, I made a carrot/apple/parsley juice. Prior to that, I made two glasses of orange/apple juice for my son. I took the pulp from the juices and added a garlic/herb seasoning, flax meal, flax seed and a little sea salt.

Here's one of the creations from the pulp mixture. A veggie burger!

Today's lunch...topped with a tad of Apple Cider Vinegar!

I'm loving these raw food creations! This has just got to be what nature intended.:-)

Stay tuned for a picture of the crackers made from the same mixture.

Another Raw Pie -- Banana/Lemon

2006-10-20T15:38:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday, I made a Banana/Lemon raw (no-cooked) pie. Yay, another raw pie victory!Caleb (red shirt) and his friend Christian (blue shirt) loved it.

Here's a slice of their pie talk:

Christian: Caleb, which part do you like the best?

Caleb: I just like it ALL mixed together?

Christian: I like the nuts, but the banana gives it a lot of flavor?

Caleb: I know!

Silence!

Maybe they were meditating on their thoughts about the pie's taste. Perhaps the glare/fuzziness of the picture reflects the "raw pie zone" they were in! :-)

When I made this pie on Collin's birthday, we took it to his parent's house to share with them. Collin thoroughly enjoyed it and said it tasted like "Lemon Meringue pie." Collin's dad told me that I had outdone myself. "It's good! It's good!" his mom said a few times while eating her slice. Caleb asked if a bit more could be added to his plate after his first bite. Initially, he said he didn't want much because he wasn't really hungry.

I got the recipe for this tasty Banana/Lemon Pie from Raising Raw-Vegan Children, one of the raw-vegan e-books available on The Garden Diet.

Here's how I made it!

Crust: In a food chopper, I finely chopped a little over a cup of Raw Spanish Nuts. I also chopped about five pitted dates and mixed that with the nuts in addition to a tablespoon of olive oil, about a tablespoon of honey, and a little cinnamon and nutmeg. After wiping a tad of olive oil on the bottom of the pie dish, I spread the crust.

Filling: In a blender, I blended four bananas, one avocado, the juice of one lemon, about three pitted dates, a touch of honey, cinnamon and nutmeg. I poured that creamy mixture over the pie crust.

Topping: I finely chopped another cup of Spanish Raw Nuts and sprinkled that over the filling.

Since the pie was creamy, I put it in the refridgerator for a little while to allow it to set.

The boys loved it, and so did I.

Raw Pie Experiment

2006-10-13T14:34:00.000-05:00

A couple of evenings ago, I did a raw food experiment and made a no-cooked/no-baked, organic Broccoli, Yellow Squash and Apple Pie. It turned out delicious. Since my son really liked it, that was enough for me to know it was truly good.

The above picture shows the completed pie -- with crushed Raw Spanish Nuts and cinnamon sprinkled over the top. The picture to the right shows the pie before the topping was added. (The crust was made from crushed nuts, dates, olive oil, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg.)

The day after experimenting with this tasty pie, I took a slice of it to my friend, Charo, to sample. Here's what she had to say the following day:

"Good morning my RAW VEGAN SISTA! To add to your list of happy customers, please include the Simpson family. Penny, your broccoli, squash, & apple pie was very delicious! I believe little Cara was the biggest fan of all. Her response was, "Can I eat it all?" Still, we all thought it to be very tasty....mmmmmmmmmmmm good. When is the next taste test? The Simpson family is happily standing by!! I'd love to try the banana/lemon pie. I'm putting my order in now!! You go girl!!"

Charo even went as far as listing some possible names for a raw-food cafe that she believes I will someday own/operate.LOL (I guess when she wrote that she wasn't remembering that I have a 'some-timey' kitchen attitude.LOL Sometimes I want to be in the kitchen; sometimes I don't!) :-)

She ended her e-mail with "Hugs & Kissess my sista, Charo"

Well, needless to say, Charo's raw pie review went a long way to helping me have a splendid day!

Penny

Trying to Master A Raw-Food Lifestyle

2006-10-08T10:48:00.000-05:00

I'm borrowing a quote from a friend I met in The 7 Days Raw Journey forum.

"The lighter I am, the higher I dwell."

Or, as I say it: "The lighter I feel, the higher I soar."
I'm certainly feeling lighter (in a good way) these days while trying to master a raw-vegan diet. Although I'm still attempting to fine-tune this exciting and healthy way of eating and approaching life, I'm closer than ever before to exclusively eating this way. No cooked food. No dairy products. But, all organic (or as much as I can purchase) live foods! Fruit. Vegetables. Nuts. Grains.

The 7 Days Raw Journey hosted by The Garden Diet has taken me so much closer to my goal of eating the way I believe I was designed to eat and live. This journey starts every Monday. Check it out!

By no means am I missing out on food that falls under the Standard American Diet, also known as "SAD." If I desire some sort of cooked food, there's a raw food recipe for just about any dish I might desire.

Pie, anyone? Check out the Raw Sweet Potato Pie that my new and wonderful raw-vegan friend, Connie, gave me. I met Connie through The 7 Days Raw Journey!

A Raw-Vegan Journey

2006-09-24T15:01:00.000-05:00

Once again, my entries here have been scarce lately. Why? I've been blogging on a 7-Day Raw Challenge blog board hosted by The Garden Diet. I will begin transferring some of those entries here, to bring you up to speed with my life since I last posted. I will blend old posts with current ones I write.

Sept. 10th Entry from the 7-Day Raw Challenge Blog Board

Hello Everyone:

It's a pleasure to be traveling this journey with you. While the majority of my diet is raw -- and has been for a while -- I still haven't quite "nailed" the all-raw lifestyle, so to speak. However, since we grow through new experiences, I am looking at the upcoming 7-day Raw Challenge as another opportunity to grow on various levels.

What has me most excited about this is that my husband has agreed to come onboard and attempt the challenge, too. (Some days, it's tough co-existing with him as we embrace different diets!) :-) The fact that he is willing to really delve into this challenge truly warms my heart. Already, I can feel progress.:-)

I expect to see transformations on many levels this next week. I'm sure I'll meet lots of new friends here, too.

Hugs and Prayers,

Penny

Here's a reply I received that day from a participant of the raw challenge whom I now call my friend.

Penny,

I am so happy for you as I am experiencing the same progress in my own home. My husband and I are vegan but he is not at the same level as I am concerning the vegan diet. I asked him if he wanted to join the 7-day raw journey with me and he said yes. I was surprised but I am excited.

The fact that he and I are usully not eating the same weakens me on my own journey to consuming raw 100%. I am also hoping that because he and I are eating 100% raw my two-year-old will come on board.

Peace,

Lisa Iyone
The Raw Afrikan

My Juicing Fascination

2006-09-10T15:23:00.000-05:00

The science behind juicing just fascinates me, so here goes another juice-related blog entry.

This morning, I was able to make a juice that tasted identical to The Unbeetable juice I love from Native Sun. If you already read this entry, you'll recall me wondering why my homemade beet/apple juice turns out a different color from the one I get at Native Sun. (I'll get to that answer in just a bit.)

In the meantime......

"Why does the color matter?" my husband asked me yesterday, implying that the taste should be the priority. Perhaps, he's right! As long as I am juicing live foods, the color of the juice is probably insignificant, right? Maybe not! According to The Juiceman's Power of Juicing by Jay Kordich, "Old-time raw foodists and herbalists have long known that the color or shape of a fruit and vegetable often convey its healthful properties."

So, if you ever wondered why red beets are just so rich in color, here's why! Kordich explains:

"Beets contain iron, calcium, sulfur, potassium and chlorine. They also are a source of beta carotene and vitamin C. Their rich mineral makeup contributes directly to the well-being of the liver and gall bladder while building up blood corpuscles and cells and stimulating the activity of the lymph glands. Beets emulsify bile and flush the kidneys and bladder. Beet greens are rich in carotenoids which help prevent certain types of cancer. They also contain manganese, which combines with iron to feed the liver and red corpuscles. This vital mineral contributes to normal brains functions, reproductive functions, bone structure and normal glucose metabolism."

"Beet juice is potent stuff. Never drink it solo," Kordich advises. That's the reason for diluting beet juice with milder ones such as apple. "The juice of half a small beet is all that should be mixed with the juice of four apples," says Kordich.

Back to the preparation of my "Unbeetable" juice at home this morning. I was tickled pink about being able to make a juice that was different in color from any I've ever made. Plus, a bright pinkish/reddish colored juice is plain ole' pretty! So, you should have seen my bounce of excitement when:
(1) I ended up with a such a lovely color in my juice glass this morning.
(2) I took my first sip and the taste was familiar to that of the "The Unbeetable" at Native Sun.

What did I do differently this time? Added half of a lemon. That seems to have made the difference with both the color and taste. I didn't have a yellow beet to add, but the lemon seems to have worked just fine for altering the color. (I had previously been omitting the lemon.) I guess it's the red plus white equals pink concept! The recipe: half of a small beet, about four apples, a tad of ginger and half of a lemon. (I think I may have sliced even less than a half of the beet and still managed to secure that "perfect" taste and "perfect" color.)

Again, the study of juicing -- of live foods -- just fascinates me right down to my core!

The Spotlight is Shining on Quince

2006-09-08T22:29:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately, I haven't kept my word about putting the spotlight on someone each Friday. I'll try to do better. I've had so much to juggle lately it seems; however, I do try to be a woman of my word and would like to get back to what I initially said I would do.

Today, the spotlight is shining on Quince, my teenage Godson. I've been spending more time with him lately now that he has graduated from high school in Bermuda and has come abroad for the next phase of his educational journey. He has impressed me with his desire and courage to embrace a field that I don't know to be typically explored by teenagers. From what I've observed or have been told or have experienced myself, many teenagers his age are simply trying to figure out exactly where they want to go in life, and that is fine. The timetable of life is not the same for everyone. We're unique. I respect that. Knowing "what we'll be when we grow up" doesn't always just click instantly for many of us. However, I can't help but be impressed that Quince appears to be totally clear that he wants to be an Underwater Mechanic. Yes, an Underwater Mechanic!

He's serious. He's focused. He's determined. He's calm and smiles a lot amidst such a rigorous school schedule to help him meet his career goals. I mean, what teenager is okay with getting up super early each day to participate in major physical training -- followed by a good dose of morning swimming -- prior to attending an 8:00 a.m., class followed by more classes until about 5:00 p.m.

A few nights ago, I got an e-mail from Quince at about 11:00 p.m., and wondered what on earth he was doing up that late knowing the type of schedule he now has. When I spoke to him on the phone and asked why he was up that late, he replied: "I was studying.....for my physics test." Physics is a subject Quince hasn't had a lot of experience with, so he figured that would be a tough test for him. But, he scored a 90 percent on it. Way to go, Future Underwater Mechanic!

Last weekend, when Quince spent the weekend with us, I noticed he brought his books along with him. When I asked if he had homework, his reply was, "No, I just want to go over some things I'm not sure about it." For the Physics test. Impressive! On Sunday morning, when I came out of my bedroom, I noticed Quince at the kitchen table reviewing his school material. This boy is serious, I thought. You know, I often visualize his mom (one of my dearest friends -- we go way back) saying to Quince while hugging him on the day we took him to his new school: "Do your best...okay, Quince!" From what I can tell, he has started out doing just that. His best.

Quince recently celebrated his birthday, so that's another reason why I want to shine the spotlight on him today. Happy Birthday, Quince! You have so much to be proud of. . You have so much future ahead of you. Your parents, your siblings....so many of us are rooting for you and finding great joy in cheering you on. Oh geez, I feel my eyes welling up, so I'll pause here and just let the spotlight shine on our future Underwater Mechanic......the amazing Quince!!!

Quince, keep up the fabulous work. Stay focused. Stay true to yourself. Stay true to God. Stay true to your lessons learned from your parents and other positive role models you have in your life. You are destined for some great experiences.......a road that many of us may never travel but will surely have the pleasure of "living" those adventurous experiences through you.

Hugs from Godma Penny! Love from all of those who love you so much!

Yellow Produce Day

2006-09-08T10:01:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I sampled a yummy Yellow Watermelon at work. Yellow Watermelon? I never knew such a fruit existed. I also found out that a Yellow Beet was included in The Unbeetable juice I purchased from the Juice and Smoothie Bar during my break. Yellow Beet? I never knew such a vegetable existed.
Picture Credit here!

After drinking that Unbeetable juice (apple, lemon, ginger and beet), I returned to the Juice and Smoothie Bar to pay compliments to the chef and inquired about why the Unbeetable juice I purchase at Native Sun is pinkish/reddish, but the one I make at home is bright red (and that's after only using a small portion of the red beet). That's when I learned that in addition to the ingredient of red beet in my yesterday's juice, a yellow beet had been included, too. Perhaps that explains the color difference. Maybe! Whatever the case, that juice was incredibly delicious and looked so pretty!

Sometimes I wonder why fruits and veggies and the many things we can do with them bring me so much joy. Perhaps the answer is simple: They are living foods -- and life plus life equals LIFE, thus the feeling of truly LIVING in the presence and participation of fruits and veggies!

In Life,

Penny

To Blog or Not To Blog?

2006-09-01T23:25:00.000-05:00

I haven't blogged in a while, and there are several reasons for that:

(1) I've started a new part-time job outside of the home, and I've been so busy taking in new health information that I haven't made time to sit and blog.

(2) I've had friends visit my home from Bermuda since my last blog entry and have been busy spending time with them for five days and helping my Godson prepare to attend a school in the area. Again, that didn't leave time for much blogging.

(3) Do I want to continue blogging here? That's a question I have been asking myself lately. Although I love journaling -- whether someone reads my words or not -- it seems that many of us blog to connect on a positive, deeper level with people. For me, at least, that's the bigger purpose I have in mind. However, I'm not certain how much I'm "connecting" with others out there. It's hard to tell, if readers don't comment. But, I must thank Jennifer for her regular comments and Linda for her e-mails mentioning that she was inspired in one way or another by my words. So, I am thankful that there's a connection going on with them at least.

(4) Sometimes I wonder if I even need to be revealing aspects of my life this way.

But, the bottom line is that I do love to write and share and take my chances at touching a life along the way. Sooo, if folks such as Jennifer and Linda are inspired by my words as they have generously shared, well, I guess that's enough for me to keep on blogging.

Looks like I just answered my own question.:-) Given that, I suppose I should try to get back into a regular blogging routine.

New Job and Friday Spotlight

2006-08-18T18:56:00.000-05:00

I started my new part-time job in the field of health food education on Wednesday. I'm being trained by Ginny Nehring, author of this Gluten-free cookbook -- Brad's Basics.

What a blessing to have such a meaningful job with hours based around my son's school schedule! And, after only working for two days, I already have a day off since Friday is not on my work schedule. At times, the job description combined with the lovely flexible schedule just seem too good to be true. Obviously, God's hands are in this! Thank you God for touching my heart -- always!

On the job, I've begun learning so much about the Gluten-free diet -- the lifestyle diet that people who are diagnosed with Celiac Disease need to live by. On my first day working with Ginny, she did a mock walk-through with me so that I could get a feel for the no-gluten-added products in the store and what a customer typically experiences during such a walk-through. The tour was extremely helpful and fun -- yet somewhat overwhelming since there is a great deal of information to absorb. But, I have time to process it. Eventually, I'll have much of it down to a science. I particularly enjoyed learning from the questions asked by some of Ginny's already-established customers whom we encountered as we traveled throughout the store.

When telling my son's teacher about my overwhelming feeling that first day, she put it into perspective for me. She said that is probably how customers feel during their initial walk-through, therefore, I had the opportunity to walk in their shoes on some level. She's right! On that note, I also want to sample more of the gluten-free items customers can include in their new diet so that I can give them an "I've tried that" opinion of what tastes good and such. (Although I prefer to eat mostly raw foods, I'd certainly do this type of taste-testing for the customer.) There are lots and lots of healthy Gluten-free food choices in the store.

On the second day on the job, while I did experience some customer-contact work, I spent most of my time in the office learning more about what the Research and Education Department does before tagging a product -- No Gluten Added. There are strict procedures in place at Native Sun that provide assurance for the customer that this product is what it says it is. It's a Big Healthy Store with a Big Healthy Heart!

Talking about a Big heart, my son has one, too. Today, his teacher e-mailed this to me:

"You'll be wonderful at your new job. Isn't it neat how your past experiences and interests are coming together?.......Caleb brought your new job up as a prayer request yesterday, so I hope you're feeling the peace!"

(Yes, I am feeling the peace! Prayer works!!!) :-)

My son's thoughtfulness could have easily gotten him my Friday Spotlight pick for this week, but since Ginny was already on my heart this week for the spotlight, it is shining on her today! Congratulations, Ginny! Keep up the great work! You're already such an inspiration to me!
Take a peak inside of Ginny's cookbook here.

In Health...In Life,

Penny

Dream Interpretation

2006-08-12T22:57:00.000-05:00

Tonight, when I picked my son up from his friend Christian's house, my friend and Christian's mother, Charo, mentioned that she and the children (her three, my one and her daughters' friend) had just wrapped up a dance contest to old-school music. They had traveled around the inside of her house dancing in a line, and the winner would be the one who outlasted everyone. Turns out, my always-full-of-energy Caleb won. Charo joked, "Well, I said, he's like his Momma. This would go on all night." My friends think I have mega energy. I guess they're right -- sometimes.

The children were telling me about different dances they had come up with during their "Soul Train" time. Then, Caleb requested I bust out a move. Feeling put on the spot, I responded: "Well, you all had an opportunity to warm up. I just got here." (Any excuse to take the spotlight off of me, I guess.)

Charo interjected that I'd probably turn some Yoga move into a dance step. We laughed, but she was right. Her comment suddenly reminded me about a dream I had last night.

In that dream, I did a full handstand and then with my arms still holding the rest of my body up, I lowered my legs to a 90-degree angle. In that position in my dream, my 10-year-old son grabbed on to my feet or ankles, and I lifted my legs and his entire body back up to my original handstand position. Using the bottom of my feet as support, he was doing his own handstand in this dream. Then, someway, somehow, he did a flip (I think) and connected back to my feet that were held high in the air.

Next, both of us positioned our bodies to our version of a Half Moon yoga pose. In this case, I guess it would have been a Handstand Half Moon pose. That would mean that I removed one of my supporting hands from the floor while doing the handstand and fully extended it out to my side. Plus, I would have put space between my legs. In the dream, my son adjusted his body to imitate our Half Moom position while still using my feet as support for one arm this time.

Prior to ending the dream, we then returned to our original handstand position (Caleb's hands on top of my feet). Quite controllably, I proceeded to lower him and my legs back down to the floor and then resumed my individual handstand position.

Instantly, Charo said: "That signified your motherhood strength." She was just talking off the top of her head, but since she's such a deep-thinking, intuitive person, I couldn't help but wonder if she might have been accurately interpreting that handstand-with-my-son dream. She was convincing. Hmmh!

Until that point, I had simply viewed my dream as a result of my love of yoga and gymnastics. I figured my son was involved in that activity because of his athletic/kinesthetic nature, and because of the way he loves to challenge himself.

Who knows.....maybe Charo has a future in dream interpretation.

Anyone else out there interpret dreams -- for free? :-)

Friday Spotlight: Shining on Jennifer, Tee, and Linda

2006-08-11T18:33:00.000-05:00

This idea came to me today. Each Friday, I will shine the "Friday Spotlight" on people who have touched my heart in some shape, size or form. I will pay special tribute to family members, friends, associates, or strangers! You never know...the Spotlight could be shining on you!

I've made some powerful friendships through my online writing.

Let's take Jennifer James from North Carolina, for example. She first contacted me several years ago after reading an article I had written on CelebratingChildren.com. We instantly clicked and have remained in sync and in touch through the years -- helping each other grow personally and professionally. She's truly a friend of the heart. To think it was the power of written words that connected us! I honor her today and always.

Then, let's move along to a few years later. I received an e-mail from a Maryland mom, Tee Jenkins, who read an article I wrote -- Reflections Of a Stay-At-Home Mom: Looking back over the past seven years -- again, on CelebratingChildren.com. That e-mail was the start of yet another powerful friendship. Tee visited my family last summer, and it wasn't as if we were meeting each other, in person, for the first time. It's like I've known Tee all of my life. Truly, my life is pretty much an open book with her. She must have been my sister in another life. (smile)

Next, about a year ago, I received an e-mail from another special person (whom I don't have a picture of at the moment). That time, the mail was sent from my place of birth, Bermuda. It was from a Linda Smith. Linda had come upon a journal entry of mine on CelebratingChildren.com and e-mailed me to let me know she was touched by what she read and looked forward to reading more of my writing. Turns out, I went to elementary school with Linda's sister. Recently, when I took a trip home to Bermuda, I stopped by Linda's workplace to meet her. She is such a supporter of my online writing; I wanted to give her a big hug -- in person!

In a recent e-mail, Linda wrote: " I have been following your blog, which is so encouraging. Keep up the good work...........Thank you for being you; I am so thankful for our friendship."

Well, Jennifer, Tee and Linda, I echo the above words to you, too: Thank you for being you. I am so thankful for our friendship.

Today's Spotlight shines on you, Ladies! Thanks so much for adding to my life with your warmth and sincerity.

Love and Blessings to you and your families always!

The Job's Mine!

2006-08-10T09:21:00.000-05:00

I got the job! Wow! This is amazing to me. Exactly a year ago, I first stepped foot in Native Sun. At the time, my friend Tee was visiting from Maryland and we took our children there and purchased some healthier snacks to accompany us to our swimming adventure at my home. Today, Tee recalls me having said: "I LOVE this place" when we entered the store.

Fast forward a year........now I'll be working there, part-time, with the Food Educator of Special Diets.

I am both excited and slightly overwhelmed (in a healthy kind of way). Excited because it has been a dream of mine to educate people about health foods, but I thought I was going to have to first attend the Institute for Integrative Nutrition before getting to the point of giving clients walk-throughs at a health store. Not in my wildest dreams did I think that I would get intensive on-the-job training to be able to do just that...to work directly with customers who are seeking diet lifestyle changes.

This piece of the puzzle of my life has reminded me that God finds a variety of ways to plant the seeds for our personal passions--to convince us that we're actually truly passionate about something or the other. The way I see it, He gets us interested and all riled up about particular areas of life and lets us explore/play with those passions while He maps out the bigger part of the journey -- or while He puts His already-mapped-out plan on hold as He waits for us to grow to best accommodate/handle His bigger plan for us. Eventually, I believe, when He feels we're ready, He unveils the ultimate plan He has created for us. Do we see it, though?

In this case...this time...I do!

Mom-and-Son Saturday

2006-08-06T18:53:00.000-05:00

I'm on track.

I did my 4-mile walk on Saturday -- part of my training program for my first-ever 10K I'm planning to participate in early September. My son rode his bike as I walked. Since he did laps around me along the trail and in the parking lots and such we passed, I know he rode way more than four miles. He was quite a trooper to hang in there with his Momma that way. I love him and his support.

However, I knew I would owe him something after his patience with me during that walk. Some quality time in our home pool. His style. A mom and son basketball game. Fortunately, I had the low-impact part. He created a game in which he would run along one side of the pool (although I don't advocate running around the pool, I made the exception in this case), then he would pass the basketball to me who was stationed in the pool. I had to attempt to quickly shoot the ball in the poolside basketball hoop as he jumped into the water while attempting to block my shot in the process.

He also came up with a creative scoring system which showed me that his summer brain has not lost its neck for numbers. (But I had already witnessed that part of him when we played Football Monopoly a few days prior and a card game another day and when I gave him some impromptu math questions to figure out on another day.)

We had a wonderful, active Mom-and-Son Saturday. That pool water was definitely soothing to my body after a long walk in the heat followed by stretching. I guess my son knew just what his Mommy needed, but he's good like that anyway. Sometimes! Most times! :-)

The day ended with a family outing to the movies.

A Sweet Friday for Me

2006-08-06T00:48:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, you never really know what energy you're sending out into the world until other people share their feelings about you -- with you. That's why I value people such as my dear friend, Jennifer, who never hesitates to touch my heart with her "Penny" thoughts. On Friday, when reading her blog -- as I do every day -- I came across these words:

"Have you ever met those people who are so filled with energy they're infectious? My friend Penny is definitely one of those people."

After reading Jennifer's blog, I was reminded of my philosophy to let other people know your positive thoughts about them when you can, because words -- positive words -- are just so uplifting. A few encouraging words can take only seconds to say/write, however, have the power to give someone a major lift for a whole day or more. The right words can turn a sour day sweet!

By the way, talking about a sweet day; Friday was certainly a sweet day for me. I went on an interview for such a cool and meaningful part-time job. Since my son will be returning to school soon, I've decided to take on some part-time work outside of the home (around my son's schedule). But, I really need to do work that feeds my soul, so I interviewed for a Food Education position at one of my favorite places -- this Health Food Store. Any place that has an Organic Juice Bar, an Organic Produce Department, Manna Bread, Veggie Wraps and Books all under one roof is pretty much Heaven on earth to me.

Because I'm so passionate about embracing an organic lifestyle and learning something new about this journey, daily, I know I'd enjoy working at a place such as Native Sun Natural Foods. As fate would have it (although I don't have the job as yet), the Special Diets Food Educator there needs someone to assist her. Wow, the opportunity to train under her and then share meaningful information with customers seeking diet changes and such could only have been a God-send for me. I love to research topics of this nature and I equally love to share my findings. In this food-education role, I'd be particularly learning about gluten-free and casein-free products and how these foods have the potential to work favorably with conditions such as Celiac disease and/or Autism.

The Food Educator, Ginny, who would teach me how to do store walk-throughs with customers, has had firsthand experience raising a child with Celiac disease and certainly knows what's what in the food department in this regard. Today, her knowledge and compassion are helping so many others. Two of several related web sites that she lists as her favorites include: www.gfcdiet.com which "gives an overview on autism and the gluten-free and casein-free diet as well as other great information" and www.gfutah.org which "explains gluten and celiac disease."

I don't know if the blessing to work along with Ginny is precisely mine as yet, but I already have begun learning from her and simply feel blessed to have met her. I guess I'll just have to wait to see if this particular job is truly in life's cards for me right now.

After the interview, I made my way over to the book section of the store and purchased 12 Steps to Raw Foods by Victoria Boutenko. You can read a chapter from the book here. I was told that the author visited Native Sun about a year ago. That's another benefit of working there -- I'd get to stay in the loop about upcoming health experts who visit the store to give lectures, seminars and such. There is so much that this establishment offers.

Before I left the store, I popped on over to the Juice Bar and purchased one of the best freshly-made juices I've ever tasted -- "The Unbeetable." It consisted of apple, lemon, ginger and beet. It almost looked too pretty to drink, but I knew I had to drink it fairly quickly to get its full nutritional value. (Fresh juices quickly diminish in nutritional value once they have been made, so drink up when you have one!) I have made some pretty tasty juices with my Jack LaLanne Juicer, but I don't think any have topped the unbeetable one I tasted on Friday.

Indeed, Friday was a sweet day for me!

Yoga, Walking, Swimming and Surfing

2006-08-04T15:04:00.000-05:00

I tell you what, I'm feeling excited about this new walking routine I've taken on. I pray the novelty of it doesn't wear off because the journey feels so right. My son's sports coach sent me a list of upcoming races, so now I have a better idea of what's ahead of me and what I can aim for!

On Wednesday, after attending an awesome 75-minute yoga class at 8:45 a.m., I drove home and then walked for 35 minutes. Later in the day, I took my son and his friend to our community pool, so I swam a bit, too.

Talking about the pool, while there, children were invited to gather at a certain section to participate in a mini surfing lesson. Here's my little surfer doing his thing. I snapped the picture with my cell phone. Although it's not a clear shot, the activity -- as one of my yoga instructors puts it -- has been "breathed in for memory." :-)

Walking Journey

2006-08-01T21:52:00.000-05:00

I'm attempting to commit to a walking program outlined in the current issue of Prevention magazine. On Monday, I walked for about 30 minutes after taking a 75-minute Yoga class. Today was a rest day, and tomorrow I'll hit the pavement for a 30-minute walk at a challenging pace (combined with a Yoga class).

The walking program builds walkers up to participate in a marathon -- after a 5K, 10K and half-marathon. Since I think I could easily complete a 5K at this point, I started at Week 6 of the training program. On Saturday, I'll be hitting the pavement for a 4-mile endurance walk which I believe won't be too challenging for me to complete. However, since I didn't want to get too ahead of myself, I figured I'd start at a level a little under my current walking ability and move along from there.

In the meantime, I'll be on the lookout for a 10K that I can participate in during early September, followed by a half-marathon and then.............a Marathon. Yikes! :-)

"It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters in the end." Ursula K. LeGuin

I'm Back!

2006-07-26T08:53:00.000-05:00

Last night, I returned home from a 10-day trip to Bermuda (my native home). The trip was planned very last minute and was a result of an ongoing urge to reconnect with my Bermuda people combined with the desire to surprise a dear friend of mine from college whom I hadn't seen in 10 years and who would be visiting Bermuda for a few days. Well, I decided to surprise everyone -- family and all. It was incredible and reminded me how spontaneity can spice up life sometimes. I had the best time on the island and loved the way I was able to bring huge smiles to faces and hearts by just showing up there. I am so grateful I listened to that "voice" within (and friends) telling me to JUST DO IT!

Initially, I had only planned to go for about six days but ended up extending the vacation. Glad I did, because as it turns out, my connecting flight back to Florida got canceled and I would have been stuck somewhere far away from home.

What is currently amazing me is that for about the first eight years or so of being a mom, I couldn't even fathom being miles away from my son...being separated by a trip as such. However, I can't believe how I just easily survived a 10-day trip, alone, while my husband and son were at home. We all survived quite well, I might add. They had a great time and so did I. They enjoyed time with relatives visiting from New York; they swam, played games, visited a Water Park, went to the movies and more. (I'll post additional entries about what I did.)

If my husband had not been off from work during time I was in Bermuda, I'm certain I would not have gone for that amount of time, but all of the puzzle pieces seemed to have fit together as if this trip was custom-designed for me to JUST DO IT!

On some level, perhaps I've grown mentally! Maybe? I truly can't believe how guilt-free I was (for the most part) about not having my son with me during this recent Bermuda trip. I didn't feel selfish at all. I surprised myself. Perhaps I realized that for 10 years I have genuinely given my son all of my heart and soul -- just about every fibre of my being. So, during this trip, instead of being consumed by Mommy guilt for taking a Mommy break, I, instead, used that energy to relish in the well-needed break that God seemed to have just handed to me out of nowhere.

As I was typing this blog, I decided to call my husband at work to thank him for so successfully keeping things flowing on the home front in my absence. He said that if he hadn't been off for the time I was gone, he's not so certain things would have flowed as well as they did. "It might have been a nightmare," he said. Even though things ran quite well here and everyone stayed in high spirits, "we still need you," he added. :-)

Bermuda Break

2006-07-18T13:20:00.000-05:00

There has been a gap in my blogging, however, not without great reason......I am in Bermuda and taking a brief break from regular routine.

Quickly, I'll share that I am enjoying an extremely impromptu trip to my native island -- Bermuda -- that island shaped like a giant fishhook in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The beauty on this island is unbelievable; words cannot fully do it justice. As I type from my mom's computer, I can see the breathtaking turquoise-colored ocean not far away. The varying shades of green and blue are amazing. Sometimes I can't even believe that I was born and raised here. How did a girl get so lucky...so blessed? :-)

I often talk about wanting to "live in the heart of nature." When I stepped foot on the island a few days ago, I quickly realized that for many, many years (less the years I was abroad in college), I most certainly lived smack bam in the heart of nature -- right here in Bermuda. This place is BEAU-TI-FUL!!!!!!!!

I have so much to blog about regarding this trip, however, I will mentally store my thoughts until I return to regular routine.

Until then...I hope that you can also take break to flow with nature! Visit Bermuda if you can! :-)

Penny

Deeply Touching Moment

2006-07-12T10:50:00.000-05:00

It is part of my daily routine to pop by Joyride Through Insanity, a blog my friend and publisher of MommyToo!, Jennifer James, writes on ClubMom. If no new entry has been posted when I first check out her blog each day, I'll check as often as I can until I get to read something new she has written.

You know, why don't I just subscribe to her blog's feed so that I am notified as soon as a new entry is posted? Duh! That'll save me some clicking! What have I been thinking? However, it has been something fun and playful about clicking, clicking, clicking to and through Joyride Through Insanity to see what new words -- and matching photos -- Jennifer has published. (Jennifer, sorry if I've messed up your stat counter, but just let me have my insane fun!) LOL

In any event, this week Jennifer has been sharing useful tips for moms desiring to work from home, and she has been discussing the importance of having a positive attitude about taking on at-home work. As I read Jennifer's blog today, I was pleasantly surprised and deeply touched to read this paragraph she had included in her post:

"A friend of mine, Penny, is one of those people who always has a bright and positive disposition. I love her and feel better every time I receive an email or comment from her on my blog or when we talk on the phone. She is amazing. Everyone should have a friend like this. Be sure to check out her blog!"

In that touching moment, I yelled out: "Oh My Gosh!" Wondering what my squeal of delight was about, my husband and son simultaneously said: "What?" I continued: "OhMyGosh! Oh My Gosh! Oh...My...Gosh!" I just felt so very touched.

I mean, I know that Jennifer and I deeply value what we bring to each other's life - personally and professionally -- but sometimes just seeing that on paper (in this case, the monitor) or hearing it verbally is just what one might need on a given day.

So, that's my advice to readers of this post: If you have a special connection with a family member, friend, loved one, associate, whomever...take a moment to let them know how you feel about your connection with them. Although they may already be aware of your feelings, the validation will probably completely brighten their day the way Jennifer did mine.

Words are powerful and the power is in the now! A few positive words go a long way to uplifting lives!

Jennifer, Friends Forever! Thank you so much for adding a very special touch to my day and uplifting me!

Hugs,

Penny

Mom Bloggers Carnival

2006-07-10T11:07:00.000-05:00

I have submitted my July 7th blog entry to the weekly Mom Bloggers Carnival. Last Tuesday (7/4/06), this carnival that celebrates both the joys and challenges of motherhood, made its exciting and creative debut.

My July 3rd entry was featured along with blog posts from 18 other moms!

If you'd like to participate in a fun carnival that showcases blogs each Tuesday on any facet of motherhood, read the details here.

Happy Blogging!

Penny

Yoga = A Balanced Mommy

2006-07-07T21:38:00.000-05:00

My month-long Yoga hiatus will end tomorrow morning at 8:15 a.m. Yes, I'll be back in the groove. I'm convinced that I need Yoga to balance my life as a mother, my life as a wife, my life as a friend. To balance my..., my..., my... -- My Life!

My 10-year-old son Caleb even notices the difference in me when I'm Yoga-active. According to him, I have more "air" around me when I regularly attended Yoga classes. That's his way of saying I have more tolerance for mishaps and am more centered. He likes having a Yoga Mom -- a Warrior Mom -- and I like being one.

Let's talk for a minute about this "air" comment he made. It's ironic that he chose the word "air" in his description -- considering that breathing is such a huge and important part of the Yoga practice. Perhaps Caleb's intuition told him that, because I don't recall telling him. Maybe the depth of his 10-year-old existence already realizes that until we breathe deeply and fully for total body cleansing, that trapped air blocks our flow of energy and lowers our level of patience...our overall balance.

Gee, how has he already figured out that we must let go of old air to be our best selves? The answer is simple. He's a child, and we all know how intelligent, intuitive and intellectual children can be.

I also know that his "air" comment certainly took my mind to a deeper level! I've been pondering his statement ever since and meditating on it. Gosh, I love raising this spiritually in-touch boy of mine. And because I love this journey so much, I will go to Yoga. Tomorrow. At 8:15 a.m. On a Saturday. To replenish my air supply. On one of the rare Saturdays that I don't have to get up early to cheer at a soccer game -- or football game -- or basketball game.

As much as possible, I want my boy to witness a Mommy with a lot of air around her. Sooo watch out Yoga class -- here comes this Yoga-starved Momma who is more than ready to suck up all of that good air there to hold me until the next class.

I can't wait.

In Balance,

Penny

Beach Day

2006-07-06T22:44:00.000-05:00

Today was a beach day and what a peaceful day it was. In fact, the day was so good that when my son Caleb said bedtime prayers tonight, he began: "Dear God, Thank you for this phenomenal day..."

My husband was off from work today, so we packed up the car and took Caleb and his buddy Troy to St. Augustine Beach. Caleb had been itching to return to the beach since our blindfolded road trip to Daytona Beach several weeks ago.

For hours, Caleb and Troy thoroughly enjoyed the waves on their boogie boards. Isn't it such a pleasure to watch children joyfully play and exercise their bodies? We also had fun passing the soccer ball to each other on the clean, white sand that stretched forever, it seemed. Eventually, Caleb requested a soccer match -- the adults versus the children! We also played catch with the football.

The exercise both in and out of the water, combined with the sun, cool breeze and the sound of the crashing waves must have invigorated me so much that I even tested my bones to see if I could still hold the position of a backbend.
Still flexible, I guess.:-)

Today was definitely one of those days that we felt the benefits of simply flowing with nature.

It's All In The Pie!

2006-07-05T21:18:00.000-05:00

Making a no-bake, all-natural Creamy Pear Pie -- in a blender -- has become a favorite kitchen activity for my son and me. Although he didn't help make this tasty dish tonight, he certainly helped eat it. A lot of it. However, I didn't mind one bit since this healthy recipe includes no artificial ingredients: peaches, almonds (used for the crust), Medjool dates, olive oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt, and honey.

We learned about this Creamy Peach Pie on The Garden Diet. Sometimes, we replace the peaches with pears and make a Creamy Pear Pie.

To see the various stages of making such a pie, check out the Talifero family's Creamy Peach Pie video clip.

My absolute favorite part about making this pie is watching how much my son enjoys it.

Friendship and Freedom

2006-07-05T09:05:00.000-05:00

Well, after our high tech day on Monday, there was no way we would have a repeat of that on Tuesday. So off to a water park we went. All day.

Our friends Teena and Troy joined us, and the day of water play on July 4 reminded me of the blessings of friendship and freedom.

Pictured above are my son Caleb and friend, Troy. The boys still had enough energy to playfully pose as we departed the water park. Plus, they stayed up for many hours after our outing; the day ended with a sleepover.

Mommy-Guilt Erased

2006-07-04T03:14:00.000-05:00

It's amazing how one of those days I might consider the week's (even though the week has just begun) most unproductive days could very well turn out to be this week's most meaningful and productive days for my family. Maybe! We'll see! (They say if you document the events of a given day, you'll see just how much the day was worth, so I'm testing that theory.)

After browsing Spiritual Parenting with Mimi Doe when my home was quiet and still at the day's end, I found myself reflecting a little more deeply about my day...about my what's now yesterday when I felt I had not accomplished anything much -- the day I allowed my son Caleb way more video-game time than normal.

As my son worked his way through several levels of a sport's video game yesterday, I kept asking myself: "Gosh, why am I allowing him to put so much time into that game?" My only answer is that I didn't have enough energy yesterday for "rules." Apparently, rules went out the door that day for both of us. I was at the computer for longer than I should have been, and I tried to comfort myself with these thoughts: "We're an active, connected family. He was in an intense basketball camp last week. He's so athletic and active. One day of nothing -- um, of a lot of video-game playing -- is not going to harm him."

So, turns out, we both had one of those tech days. However, somewhere before, in between and/or after the tech stuff, this fit into our day:

~ Ate breakfast out by our pool and chatted about this and that. I juiced him a fresh orange juice to go with his scrambled eggs and toast.

~ I read Chapter One from "The Purpose-Driven Life" by Rick Warren during my devotional time before my son awoke, and then I read it to him after breakfast. He completely gets what Warren means by "It all starts with God.....It's not about me."

~ At some point in between that video-game playing, he finished reading "On The Court With...Kobe Bryant" by Matt Christopher and began "Island of the Blue Dolphins" by Scott O'Dell.

~ When I prepared a late lunch for us (after a not so early breakfast), he walked about the house kicking a small ball attached to a string and humored himself with the many stunts he was able to do with the ball. At one point, he requested I follow to watch his control over the ball. I did!

~ As he kicked that ball, he also verbally made up a really cool story about a trip he and his friend Dalton took to Japan. (I can't wait to tell Dalton's mom about that.) In that story, Caleb and Dalton had managed to spray an amazing type of spray over their parents that made us sleep for nine days, and that's how they were able to go to Japan and return home without us even knowing about it. He talked about the foods they ate there and the places they visited. I actually started to wonder if he and Dalton really did sneak away to Japan. He continued the story based on the questions I asked.

"Where was Christian (another of his best friends) when you and Dalton went to Japan?" I asked.

"He got in trouble, so he couldn't go?" he replied.

"Trouble? How so?" I asked.

"He managed to get the spray over his dad, but not his mom," he explained, "so she found out what he was doing, so he couldn't go."

Seriously, the story was really cool. I love his imagination.

Anyway, back to the remaining events of our day:

~ When my husband came home from work, he and our son wrestled. I tried to be a part of it without being a part of it, so to speak. I soon went back to the kitchen to finish preparing dinner.

~ We sat down and ate as a family. Caleb brought laughs to the table, as usual.

~ Later in the evening, as my husband relaxed on the bed while familiarizing himself with the features of his new and improved cell phone -- his new toy (Geez, just add to our mega tech day why don't you?), we went in to share our presence with him. When I plopped on the bed, the thought of a neck massage overcame me, followed by a full back massage. The youthful but strong hands of my son were up for the challenge. He joked that the charge would be $10, but the final cost would be $12.07 with tax. His ability to give powerful neck and back massages continues to amaze me, by the way.

~ We had a tickle session after that followed by our attempts to pull Daddy into our giddiness, however, I guess Daddy was too tired from work or from wrestling earlier. But, we didn't let his no-fun attitude spoil ours; we kept on giggling.

~ Somewhere along the way, the boy made his way back to that doggon video game without me initially realizing where he was. Why? Because I had made my way back to the doggon computer. What was I thinking?

~ Eventually, he got ready for bed, and we reconnected for some quality time once again. We relaxed on the couch (well, he hung upside down on the couch for part of the time), as I read "How It Pays Sometimes To Be Small" from "African-American Children's Stories: A Treasury of Tradition and Pride." From that book, I also read a couple of pages about the work of Dr. Carter G. Woodson and Mary McCleod Bethune.

~ Next, it was prayers, hugs, "Good Night" and "I love you."

Then, for me, it was..........yup, you guessed it -- back to the computer. I know, I know...too much computer time yesterday, but so well worth it. Why? Because during one of my last go-arounds for the night -- reading blogs -- I came upon Books for Africa, a project that is now calling our names!

You know, to think a day of pure leisure in a tech type of way brought me to my next completely meaningful parenting task -- Books for Africa!

Seems to me like even when we occasionally throw authority out the door (as I did yesterday), we can still very much be parenting spiritually. Right, Mimi? :-)

2006-07-03T19:36:00.000-05:00

Momma's Home
A discussion about stay-at-home parenting

Deciding to become a stay-at-home mom was never a difficult decision-making process for me. Really, it was never any question in my mind; I just knew I would be a SAHM when my child was born. I knew this as naturally as I knew I would breastfeed my baby.

It certainly wasn't an overflow of money that made the stay-at-home mom decision easy for me. The way I see it, it could only have been a deep faith that gave me confidence that this was just what I was supposed to do and that it would work out precisely as God had designed it to.

Ten years later, I'm still "blending my two favorite things" -- the words I told a newspaper reporter who interviewed me back in 2002 about my roles as a stay-at-home mother and freelance writer. In that interview, I said: "My decision to be a stay-at-home mother was one that came quite naturally for me...........I have learned that a strong desire to perform this unique job, combined with patience, creativity and flexibility, can make stay-at-home parenting as exciting and meaningful as those jobs typically believed to be the most rewarding."

Cynthia, a mother who recently read and enjoyed my stay-at-home mom journal, shared her thoughts with me about stay-at-home parenting. She said:

"I am an at-home mother who is discouraged by the bad press we've been getting lately. So many people are saying that it doesn’t matter whether or not a mom works outside the home. Well, I need to be there for my kids way more than working full-time will allow. They don’t understand many of the benefits. As one who has done both, I know it does matter! My kids and I have both benefited. I hope the media stops its negative portrayals of at-home moms and starts seeing us for who we really are -- committed to our jobs and willing to take full responsibility. This is a job we don't want to delegate."

What are your thoughts? Please post them here.

It'll be fun! Waiting to hear from you...

In Motherhood,

Penny

2006-06-27T20:22:00.000-05:00

Thinking about juicing, anyone? If so, a review I recently wrote about Jack LaLanne's Power Juicer might interest you.

Cheers,

Penny

2006-06-27T19:55:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my blog--Flowing With Nature! The blog title is simply a reflection of my flow-with-nature attitude about life. Some of my favorite life subjects include spirituality, family, parenting, education, writing, healthy eating, wholesome friendships, and an interest in touching lives through my writing, to name a few.

I love nature and the greatness it offers. Nature, I believe, has the power to lead us along many of life's paths if we allow ourselves to listen and follow.

"Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.......nature's sources never fail." ~John Muir

In Nature,

Penny