Dear Yogis,

Please remember there is no 6.30 zoom session this evening.  I have to talk at Rotary, and the times clash.  Although I did become a member and was one of the first (if not the first) female in the local branch, this  is the first time they have asked me to talk in 30 years, so I have decided to say yes.

What and up and down week.  The rainstorm week before last came right up to the door, then last week I was more prepared dug drains and got sandbags so was somewhat protected, which I am hoping will still be the case this week when we are told Wednesday will bring further rain.  Thank you for the students who dropped by to check, to the local Promac Roof Specialists who hopped up on the roof to make sure all was well and also attended to a bit of guttering, (Murray really knows about roofs, no-one else is going up on mine).

It will be interesting to learn how the wall around Flemington racecourse effected the surrounding suburbs – I am guessing it was a contributing factor to the floods.  You can’t change one thing without changing EVERYTHING ELSE.

Now that i can get back to the 5Mile Creek, my foraging is fabulous.  The weeds coming up are super luscious.  I still can’t understand why you are aren’t out there with me.  I guess you would rather pay extraordinary prices for aged and bruised greens than spend half an hour gathering your own which costs nothing.  I even have volunteered to take you with me – ABSOLUTELY NO TAKERS.  I go out on the weekend, and sometimes during the week… let me know if you want to come.

 

DOLLS AND DOLLS

Look at these poor darlings.  Put aside for years, but fondly remembered – I have to remake them.  They are soaking as I write this, and I will show you the progress, as we move through the remodel.

I have to remake the faces, clean up the damage on the bodies – I don’t want to do too much because we will lose the dolls’ personality, and that is what the owner is trying to recapture.  A doll that matches the memories.

 

WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR ART.

This is my own denim jacket.  The “portrait” is by a client who has only recently started to take herself seriously as an artist – mainly because her work is so different.  I hope she doesn’t try to make it the same as everyone else’s.  This is a collage.  She put it on a  T-shirt for me, but I rarely wear T-shirts by themselves, I cover them up, so what I did was cut it out and sew it onto my jacket.

I could have glued it but then I would have to live with it forever, and I am not sure I want to do that mainly because I don’t know if the transfer will age gracefully.

 

JAPANESE KNOT BAG making and mending.

Over the weekend I fixed a gorgeous Vintage Carla Zampatti swing back georgette blouse. The blouse will sit lower on the client who has a really short torso (which was the problem with the original design on her body). Have you ever tried to do a rolled curved hem by hand!!!

I painted another angel which had been ordered,  I have a knitted dress to darn, and then I can get to something I really want to do – A Japanese Knot Bag.  A bag where one handle slips over the other.

I am so looking forward to this and I plan to add a few “Western” advantages which I personally need i.e. inside pockets! The originals are just like pockets you carry, but I want to make mine a whole lot more useful for me.  I will make mine in denim, not Japanese florals.

STUDIO YOGA CLASS TIMES (yogabeautiful.com.au)
Fees FROM 3rd October (new term) $220 per term. (The Term – 3rd October until the week starting the 12th December).

Monday –  1pm class,  2.15 class as usual. NO  ZOOM FREE Teacher Training 6.30pm TONITE ONLY
Don’t forget the free lunch at the Uniting Church in Forest St next to the Police Station. 12.30 Mondays.
Tuesday 9.30 and 1.30 Teaching at Windarring
Wednesday 1pm Hatha and 2.15 teacher training as usual
THURSDAY – Goodbye free day!! 1.30 Windarring.
Friday 11am ADVANCED ART class, followed by 2.15 Hatha yoga as usual.

SUNDAY BOTANICAL ART CLASS.  2.30 TO 4.30 you missed two, two to go.  You are welcome as always. This weekend in spite of the lack of half the class, we did Japanese ink painting… just to get a hang of the brush work.

 

I look forward to seeing you – or your dolls – on the mat.

NAMASTE. JAHNE

 

 

 

 

Dear Yogis,

I was a stiff and a bit achey after digging trenches in the rain since about 5 o’clock yesterday morning.  Thank goodness that all is well here now, and the gutters have subsided, and the sun is making an appearance! I did get absolutely drenched, however, I am drip-dry.  I managed to draw the water away from my house, effectively, and thanks to the SES I do have 5 sandbags just in case the water swelled around my front door, which it did on Thursday last.  I was so happy that friends and yogis have emailed, and called in from yesterday evening, just to see if I was OK, even when they had their own houses to rain-proof.  Thank you anyone reading this who checked in, it made me feel a whole lot better.

I hope you are surviving the wet, and as usual you all know that you can come here if the water rises where you are. My house can be warm and dry.  The power went out a number of times yesterday, but I am well equipped war-time style.

I have been thinking of my friend Annie who died aged 93, still happy, still in her own home, still living life to the hilt (we all thought she was about 70 something).  I think it was because she didn’t have the stress we do.  She had no children – they are always a worry.  Her house was on the side of a hill so no floods…  She didn’t own a computer, didn’t have internet, only used a very basic mobile for emergencies, and had a small portable gas cylinder heater in her tiny, tiny house (the kind you might use on a verandah), and a camp stove. Her Fridge had a little box freezer 1950’s style, but the miracles that came out, well I can’t do it and I have a big freezer and a fridge.   Her students came to her… so apart from basic shopping and going to good wineries for her wine, (and Mass on Sundays in her later years), life was calm.  No wonder she lived to 93 and looked 73!

NO 6.30 ZOOM CLASS on MONDAY THIS COMING WEEK.
I am chatting at a Rotary meeting in Kyneton.  Most Rotary clubs have avoided yoga (or me!!!), but Kyneton contacted me, so I am definitely going to be there (unless a flood stops me).

“ABLE2” YOGA THERAPY.  

If you want to learn how to teach a class of special needs students, then you can learn with me.  I have taught these communities for a lot of years now, and I can teach you to do it too.

With staffing problems at these facilities going forward,  I am sure you will be in demand.

I am chatting with management at Windarring to see if we can put in place a volunteer (work experience) placement with me when I am there teaching.  This could be done at other facilities, but I am taking baby steps. If you want me teaching where you are – let me know. We will be doing zoom of course. I even dreamed about it!  Email me at yogafirst2@netcon.net.au

Don’t just sit around bewailing the fact that there are too many yoga schools, or too many teachers, or things you haven’t got – get with the plan.  As they say regards to dating “if you want to catch fish you have to go where the fish are”.  Most situations are the same.  If you want to teach yoga, go to where yoga teachers are embraced.  Learn to teach the “Special Needs” Communities.  

 

THE BEAR FAMILY

My favourite bear (the little man on the left) you have seen before.  He now has a partner, and two little bears… If only real life worked out as well you might think.  However, with all the doom and gloom, it is great to be playing with dolls and bears – It makes me happy, and could make you happy too.

I make bears, I MEND BEARS, and I renovate bears to gift to people who don’t have one and would like a friend.  You may think it is foolishness, but I would say you obviously haven’t got a bear.  If you have a bear you want mended – send me a photo, tell me what you want done, and I will give you a quote.  One bear I am working on came with heavy machinery inside – it was awful…  Once the metal and plastic was removed I discovered the fur was rather lovely, and I will put up a picture when she is fixed.   Obviously someone thought that machinery was better than imagination – I don’t think this is the case!

OUR YOGA CLASSES AS FOLLOWS;

STUDIO YOGA CLASS TIMES (yogabeautiful.com.au)
Fees FROM 3rd October (new term) $220 per term. (The Term – 3rd October until the week starting the 12th December).

Monday –  1pm class,  2.15 class as usual.  ZOOM FREE Teacher Training 6.30pm (all welcome).
Don’t forget the free lunch at the Uniting Church in Forest St next to the Police Station. 12.30 Mondays.
Tuesday 9.30 and 1.30 Teaching at Windarring
Wednesday 1pm Hatha and 2.15 teacher training as usual
THURSDAY – Goodbye free day!! 1.30 Windarring.
Friday 11am ADVANCED ART class, followed by 2.15 Hatha yoga as usual.

SUNDAY NEXT -Mt.Macedon Art Gallery. 11am to 12noon.
There is a great drawing exhibition happening  (Artist – Jo Naseby)

SUNDAY BOTANICAL ART CLASS.  2.30 TO 4.30 started last weekend.  It is fabulous, well Ab/Fab as we did have just a little glass of champers and some wonderful Danish cheese…..  Do come.  ($75 for the remaining 3 classes)

 

I WILL SEE YOU ON THE MAT,

NAMASTE – JAHNE

 

 

 

Dear Yogis,

What a lovely weekend after ferocious rains.  If only you could have seen me at 10.30pm on a ladder, holding an umbrella in the rain cleaning out the tank filter, with water lapping the front steps…..Not exactly Mary Poppins!  

When I taught in Texas I went to class by (English) bike, and at a school I cycled past,  the children used to call out “here comes Mary Poppins”.  I never saw anyone walking or on a bike.  Everyone went everywhere by car, so I guess I did look different – and on an English bike with a wicker basket.  But that’s another story.

I went down to 5Mile Creek on Saturday and the bridge and path were totally submerged – I didn’t take my camera so sadly there is no evidence, although yesterday when I went after class, I could see where the water had been, but the “creek” was back within its banks.

You can see the flattened grass in the photo although this gives only a hint of its width.  Imagine 4 times the width of this picture and you will have a conservative idea – it is miraculous how quickly it reduced considering the rain we have had, and the the sodden nature of the soil.  I did however forage (couldn’t resist) and got fabulous dock of various kinds, dandelion and miners-lettuce which went towards a lovely salad last nite.

OUR ZOOM

Tonite is our zoom class (as usual).  We are still grappling with the Sutras, Karma and Reincarnation – resolving issues across various texts.  It is not as daunting as it sounds, and because we have been zooming and studying together for some time, we can bring our personal experience to the mix.  It is always exciting, and even if you only have a vague interest you would enjoy it.  Being practical (I am a Capricorn), “REALITY” should be high on your list of things that would be good to understand….its pretty fundamental on my philosophical to-do list.

 

OUR YOGA CLASSES AS FOLLOWS;

STUDIO YOGA CLASS TIMES (yogabeautiful.com.au)
Fees FROM 3rd October (new term) $220 per term. (The Term – 3rd October until the week starting the 12th December).

Monday –  1pm class,  2.15 class as usual.  ZOOM FREE Teacher Training 6.30pm (all welcome).
Don’t forget the free lunch at the Uniting Church in Forest St next to the Police Station. 12.30 Mondays.
Tuesday 9.30 and 1.30 Teaching at Windarring
Wednesday 1pm Hatha and 2.15 teacher training as usual
THURSDAY – Goodbye free day!! 1.30 Windarring.
Friday 11am ADVANCED ART class, followed by 2.15 Hatha yoga as usual.

SUNDAY NEXT -Mt.Macedon Art Gallery. 10am to 1pm.

SUNDAY BOTANICAL ART CLASS.  2.30 TO 4.30 started this weekend.  It is fabulous, well Ab/Fab as we did have just a little glass of champers and some wonderful Danish cheese…..  

 

SEE YOU ON THE MAT, (or at zoom)

NAMASTE – JAHNE