I've been making an effort to get in more cardio exercise recently, and am really appreciating the results. It just puts me on a high. When I was a dancer, I took and taught dance classes every day. It was part of my daily routine. After having my hips replaced, I did physical therapy exercises and walked. Now that it's been two years, I feel like that isn't enough for me. I enjoy the yoga and pilates that I do at home, but I realized that I needed to up my game and get more physical to stay happy.
For the past couple of mornings I have been riding my bike and pushing myself. It really gets my heart rate up, and I like breaking a sweat and feeling challenged. There's something about doing a little more than you think you can do, physically, that helps us mentally and emotionally. I also really enjoy seeing all of the animals in our neighborhood, as I whiz by them. We have horses, goats, chickens, alpacas, and roosters. I love hearing the sounds that they make, and seeing how peaceful they are. It's very soothing. I've always loved that about living in the country. The farm animals add such a nice layer. They are so easygoing and relaxed. This is my chicken coop.
Yesterday I made a batch of body butter. It makes a nice face cream, as well. Now that the weather is getting cooler, I'll start using it on my body. During the summer, my homemade soaps keep my skin moisturized, and I don't need it. Once it gets colder, I change the routine. I made a large batch, and put it in a recycled container in the fridge.
I found some violet Cascade Ultra Pima yarn in my stash, and started another set of knitted knockers. They are a great project to do at knitting groups. As long as I use my colored tape to mark it, the pattern is easy to follow. They are also a quick and portable knit. I also did this swatch for the baby sweater. I'm going to use up the leftover alpaca, merino, bamboo yarn for that, since the swatch came out right on gauge. Knitting baby items is so much fun! How are you doing today?
Do you have chickens, Stephenie? I didn't know that. The coop is really cute, like a playhouse. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Nil. I used to have chickens. One of them lived for about 18 years. She was unbelievable! The coop is made from recycled French windows and doors. It was here when I bought the cottage. I think it's so cute. The hens loved it, and they had a nice view.
ReplyDeleteOh I know that feeling after a good hard workout especially outdoors. You are doing so well.
ReplyDeleteKylie
Hi Kylie, Yes, it's great. Thanks for the encouragement. So much of fitness is habit and routine.
DeleteOnce the weather cools off a bit I will be hiking again. Luckily we live on the northeast edge of a lake sanctuary park which connects our little lake to the ocean. While it is really hilly, the hiking trails are great and the views are well worth the effort. What a sweet chicken coop! Such style!
ReplyDeleteHi Anita, How nice that you are near a lake! I would love to be on the water. I agree that the views are worth the effort. I love the chicken coop, too. It's charming. The man who built it came back and asked to see how it was doing. He was pleased that all of his work had held up over the years.
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