The bikes - getting around the town

I'm not fond of driving at all, and for the past few years I have had a road bike to take me around town and in the regional town I live in the bike paths are excellent.  Last year I brought a new mountain bike and one of my boys inherited my old one.  I try to do at least 5-10 km commuting a day although I still drive a fair bit as it's hard to dink 3 kids on a bike....when the boys were little they all sat in a child's bike seat and we progressed to the pull along trailer.  Luckily I have massive legs muscles to get me around! :)  Over the few months I have been vigilant about walking to school as much as possible and riding to do all the small shops and chores we have saved a ton in petrol and I am getting fitter.  Win-win really!

This is my awesome mountain bike, it's great for trips to the shop, and when hubby has his business I was his courier and posted all his parcels in my little black basket! Every day before the 6 pm mail pick up.

It's amazing how much you can fit in the basket on a trip to Coles!

I would do a trip like this pretty much every day to second day, 2 tall boys and the short one eat a lot!

This is my road bike, I would use this to go further or to my Yoga classes in town, usually I am running late to Yoga and this beast gets me there in about 9 minutes.  It takes me that long to drive and find a park! I'm certainly warmed up by the time I arrive.

The Monty shot - the kids had all just got home from school, he wasn't ready to get up and was trying to cover his little ears from all the noise!

More from February garden

Now it's positively cold!  After so many days of heat, think we will need heaters tomorrow!

I had to out this in for perspective, my 14 year old is just on 6 feet tall so you can imagine how tall this Sunflower is!

These are the massive leaves and today I noticed they in a heart shape, probably that's my valentines day suprise as nothing else came....

Check this monster out, child 3 is holding a normal sized Zucchini.  The large one is around 3 feet! I am leaving it to grow for the school Begonia festival competition. Not sure what category most unedible food perhaps?

The kids Lettuce is going well, we just take leaf off at a time, I dislike Iceberg Lettuce intensely so it's going to last awhile. I planted a few of a different variety I like though.

Yay one Pumpkin so far, there will be more to come I am sure.  I can't even remember the variety I wish I had written it down.

These are dwindling thanks to the Parrots, and still quite hard but slowly getting a little bigger.

Excuse the torn up tissue box Monty has destroyed! This is my baby now 16 weeks! Favorite position of his!

Febuary - finally cool enough to garden!

We have had the hottest run of scorching days I can ever remember in a Summer since moving to 

Ballarat.  Last week it stayed very muggy but I was able to get out on the bike around town.  I dislike driving so most places I ride too,  if I have too much shopping to get I ride to Coles twice sometime very late...I can fit a lot in my basket and backpack.

Here is my garden this week.

Pretty vibrant red flowers.

Pretty Petunias.

Quite odd to be growing Petunias and Pansies at the same time!

More self seeding Marigolds.

They just keep blooming!

Yay, Sunflowers starting to bloom, this one is totally faded, it's facing West.

For the 8 feet of stalk I expected a grand and massive flower....

They do have multiple flowers on the heads though so shouldn't whinge!

 

A little colour near my pond.

The Vietnamese mint taking over the entire pond!  Any Ballarat people more than welcome to cuttings of this, it's very tasty in a nice stir fry.  :)

My love for Yoga

It's almost equal to my passion for gardening!  I am not at all good at it, in fact often I am the worst in the class but I don't care, and neither do the teachers they accept me and help me along. I have tried Hot Yoga - excellent for weight loss I lost 7 kgs - it did find me again over Christmas, Hatha - I love this style so gentle and Vinyassa - a flowig Yoga that is continuous in its movement - my favourite really.  I find that lower back pain 90% of us have is eased considerably with Yoga.  My mind calms with yoga in fact with I start thinking of other things during the sun salutations I stuff up the moves!  Which I laugh at and mentally FOCUS.

This is my old mat and me doing some asanas at Noosa - best place for Yoga!  Noosa = best place for everything!!

This is some of the equipment I use at home, I need all the assistance I can get with my stretches as I am quiet unflexiable.

My little seat I use to do lotus pose, I'm not a very straight sitter.

My steam essential oil diffuser, gotta have the right scents!

My home mat for short practises.

Where is get my best practise though, instructions and awesome teachers, who guide us all in the class with excellent instruction and guidance is here;

http://www.absoluteyoga.com.au/

 

Absolute Yoga was the studio I went to for it feels like over 4 years now but it's gone so fast it's hard to recall.  Tracey is such a wonderful teacher, an inspiration to everyone that goes to yoga I am sure.

Sadly yesterday was the last class my little orange mat and I did our last class at the studio. Orange mat burnt down with the whole internal Absolute Yoga and the shop below.

http://www.abc.net.au/local/audio/2014/02/07/3940074.htm?site=ballarat

 I was devastated and still am for Tracey but even in adversity she has managed to inspire me as she was advising members straight away she would re-open with her crew. I know she will we are all behind her. She gives me and lots of others HOPE.

So today I brought my new studio Yoga mat :) mats were provided but I always liked my own on top, extra padding to cope with my extra padding! 

With change we grow :) Absolute Yoga ROCKS!!!  We will follow you Trace. xxx

Around the place and past musings.

Kids are back at school this week, I did remember to take a picture of the eldest but not the younger two.  It's funny how time goes on and you forget.

This was the best time of my life, although my Mum died only a few months after this picture so it was a bittersweet time.

Now this child is year 3 and only has 4 more years until our Primary school adventure is over, makes me a bit sad each year. I love babies!

Still can't be sad for long too much gardening to do!!

This is what I collected Monday, back making soup this week and it's 37 degrees Celsius today!   

I am so proud of this Peach planted only 18 months ago and has around 20 little Peaches all ripening well.  Notice the chicken photobombing my picture...

Planted Coriander this week and still the birds even with sticks dig it up! I am determined to grow this well in Summer!!

I see my beautiful middle child has been playing with my camera taking selfies and of course Monty has photobombed his shot! Cheeky puss! High school next year for my challenging one. :(

Books I am reading

I love to read and usually go through around 60 fiction novels but also LOVE my spiritual and self development books.  I have a long way to go and don't think I will ever stop reading them.

This is just a book on positive change to try and keep me positive.  I keep forgetting the days saying though so I have been reading the one saying for a week.....I've forgotten it again could be a long while getting through this one.  :)

This a book to help with mindfulness practise.  I have been studying mindfulness and various techniques for around 4 years now.  I'm definitely in the zone when I do my 5 minutes twice a day mindfulness exercises.

This one is about simple living and getting back to basics to ease to financial burden and stresses of life.  I had it on order for ages from Book Depository and was unable to get it, and by chance was in the school staff room after a working bee and a lovely teacher ordered it for me through their book people that come around each month.  I LOVE it, such good advice and I am finally putting changes in place.

I don't get a lot of time to read but if am blessed in being a pretty fast reader and will read anywhere I take a book absolutely everywhere when I go out.  It is back to school for all 3 boys tomorrow so maybe I shall celebrate by taking 15 minutes out for a read!!