Is There Anybody Out There?

Hello, is there anybody in there? Just nod if you can hear me. Is there anyone home? ~ Pink Floyd (Comfortably Numb)

I have been known to play some Floyd in Yoga class... a Royal Philharmonic Orchestra version, but if I still had my Wall CD set it would have made it in as well... may have to find another. Mostly I was getting curious as to who is actually reading this blog and the song Is There Anybody Out There? came to mind ;) Of course, then I had to find some Floyd for listening to while writing this...

Some great lyrics and some amazing music (outstanding guitar rifts and then some) found it's way through that band for sure :)

Hey you! Don't tell me there's no hope at all. Together we stand, divided we fall. ~ Pink Floyd (Hey You)

I went kayaking in the Inlet earlier... yesterday (since paragraphs I wrote in the last few hours were lost lol). I came across the ruins of some old mill of some sort on the south side between another mill and the chemical plant. I also spent some time in the wee hours of this morning researching online to find out what it used to be, but I only found info on the mill (Old Mill Site Park) on the north side (it burned down in the 50s), info about what is now the museum and an interesting and funny story about the first "Crapper" in Port Moody lol.

Anyways... as I was kayaking over top of what is left of some of it, I noticed, through the still, clear water a mini-world underneath me. There were minature "trees" and tiny crabs scurrying around, a jellyfish, and barnacles on old bricks, etc. Rocks, crumbled cement, and crevices in the sediment had become "homes" to many forms of life. It was so peaceful and beatiful, this little forest of vibrant green plants, and life that had taken over what may have, at some point, seemed like progress and important but was now abandoned... at least by us. How amazing the way Mother Nature and Life heal and revive after we've destroyed and made a mess. How when left alone it reclaims and builds new life again. How letting go and letting life happen may sometimes be the best answer.

I love to appreciate and learn from nature.  To be reminded of improvements that I can make in the way I treat the earth, her inhabitants, and the way I live my life. I am a perpetual student to life and yoga and enthralled by both. I know that I don't know the answers to many questions and maybe truly none at all. I know that I can only try my best and hope to fix mistakes that I've made or let go and let life take care of it. I know that I can let go when my mind starts to "run the show", when I feel divided from others, and when I feel unsure of where to go next.

So again, I wonder... is there anybody out there? And do you notice what else is out there? The beauty... the answers or questions. Do we do what we can to help heal or do we hurt? Do we know when to let go? Do we know what's really important? Do we stand together or do we fall apart? I ask this for me and for whoever else is out there. Namaste.

Core assets... standing together and deciding what's really important.
Any feedback is welcome. When can you let go? What's important to you?

RAW

My garden... when the tomatoes took over.

On Friday last week, a friend and I took a tour of Granville Island with Edible British Columbia. We recently signed up for Groupon and it was one of the daily deals (they also have a site called The Point for group actions/campaigns). Every day Groupon sends an email to subcribers with a hugely discounted deal for a local business. When they reach the "tipping point" the deal is on and everyone who purchased gets a coupon. It's a great way to explore and support the community. It was a lot of fun to experience Granville Island that way and get to taste many of the local products as well. Yum :)

I've always been known to eat "bird food" or "rabbit food" but much prefer the label... RAW. I've been eating more and more raw food... since starting the garden a few years ago and since eating less and less meat. How I love to be able to walk out to the back yard to get some fresh vegetables :) Also love the energy and vitality from eating more "real" food. Lately I've also started looking at raw food restaurants, etc. and found a great one in Vancouver. While out that way for the Granville Island tour, I made my first visit to Orgainc Lives and fell in love with their food and service. The restaurant is also a store, a catering business, and an educational facility. It's a large wharehouse style building with a small seating area (simple tables and chairs). Next door is an educational room.  The kitchen takes up most of the space, which hints at where top priority is, and it was palpable when the food arrived.  The food smelled and tasted delicious and so fresh. Cold tortilla soup was amazing. Many of their products can be bought on-site or online, so I bought some snacks to take home as well. They barely lasted through the next day lol. Now as I write this... the online store is calling, but I'll be out there again next Friday, so I'll stock up then lol. Their raw macaroons were the best I've ever tasted. Mmm...

If you're interested in going more RAW, check out these great sites...  Raw for 30 Days, Vega,  The Best of Raw Food, Gone Raw, or Supercharge Me. An entertaining/humourous site about raw food to check out... http://www.sexybitcheslikeitraw.com/

Definitely a core asset to eat plenty of raw food and to buy locally.

PS. I still eat meat occasionally... mostly fish and eggs. The elk pepperoni at a butcher in Granville Island was super tasty though. Reminded me of eating game, that grandpa had hunted, as a kid... along with vegetables from their garden. I know, I know... Bambi... but they do live a much better life than most cows, pigs, and chickens that end up in the grocery store. Most days I'll take almonds or beans over the mammals anyway.