Hello Fellow Fruit Lovers!

Today is a Celebration!
*

Believe it or not, this blog has 500 days of fruity meals posted. I've learned so much on this fruity journey! I have grown in so many ways & have new ideas that I want to explore.

This will be the end of The Nasty Fruit Blog. But, it is just beginning for what is next!

My life is lived like the seasons. Sometimes I'm overzealous about fruit, other times it might be an intense yoga challenge or working on a new creative project.  And every now & then I like to take a complete break from everything by fasting for a while. It changes from time to time, but the things I love pretty much stay the same.

Right now my focus is on my Sunday Is For Lovers blog. It has a new update every Sunday & it is filled with positive news. :) Check it out!

So my friends, I hope you will continue to share the journey with me. Thank you for being so generous & open with your support on this blog. :) I really appreciate it. - I'll see you over at Sunday Is For Lovers! 

... PS! :) If you still want daily updates, I'm on Twitter [aimeelovesyou] & Facebook [aimeelovesyouxo] sharing inspiration & news daily! ♥ Xx!

Today

Water- 0.5 liter, I know, very little, will do better.
Sun- Outdoor walks & workout.
Sweat- Ran almost full-out (faster than usual) from El Cerrito to Berkeley.
Strength-  Long walk with heavy fruit load.
Stretch- Nothing yet. maybe tonight...
Sweets- Liter of fresh OJ / Hachiya persimmons / Tuscan melon / Fresh figs / Passion fruit (-My first time trying passion fruit! I loved it. It was like eating dinosaur eggs. In an erotic fruity sort of way.)
Veggies- None.
Courage- Going to SF often when it costs me more money (that I don't have). I don't care! I'll take the chance. I'm having a ball! :)
Creativity- Created a new format for my fruit blog. Starting tomorrow it's going to be a BEING blog. :) It can be a Fruity Being blog. But it will be other things too. More to come on that!
Bliss!- Feeling feminine. :) / Sitting outside looking at the SF bay waves & ferryboats, feeling cool air, listening to Philip Glass & working on laptop. -Orgasmic bliss! ;) / A really fun call with one of my old-time NYC friends. / My dad & I have the same fav fruits. (Hachiya persimmons ..& fresh figs ..& avocados) - I love that! / Helping a friend in need.

Today

Water- 1 liter

Sun- Outdoor walks & workout.

Sweat- Ran from El Cerrito to Berkeley. / Long walk with fruit load.

Strength- 4 rounds, of 10 exercises, 20 reps each: loop runs, vertical stairs, dips, push-ups, single leg step ups, hop ups, j-jacks, modified pull ups, hanging leg lifts.

Stretch- 2 yoga poses (cobra & wheel).

Sweets- Hachiya persimmon / Papaya (large one) / Sweet lemonade

Veggies- Big bowl of mixed veggies with avocado & dill. / Broccoli with blended dip.

Courage-Doing my strength training in the park with people watching. Grrr... I wish they didn't watch me, but I went ahead with it anyway.

Creativity-Nope. Just creative thoughts.

Bliss!- Discussing reading, theories & books with my dad. / Seeing a really-really beautiful movie. I enjoyed it so much. It was called Undertow. Please see it if you can...

Today

Water- 1 liter.
Sun- Good times spent outdoors. The sun & the breeze make for great play mates. :)
Sweat- Ran from El Cerrito to Berkeley. / Long walk with fruit load.
Strength- Nothing.
Stretch-Nope.
Sweets- Hachiya persimmons / Fresh figs / Fresh grapefruit juice / Guava
Veggies- Raw pattypan squash noodles with avo-cilantro sauce.
Courage- Putting even more personal info on my new website. (*gulp*)
Creativity- I re-worked the new AimeeLovesBeing page on my website. Take a look! Tell me if you find mistakes or have feedback (by sending a private email from the website contact page, or you can comment on this post). -Thanks for your help! :)
..You also have the option of leaving a comment on one of the website pages if you like.
Bliss!- Seeing little birds in the neighborhood. They are so cute, colorful & small. / Seeing my mom happy. / Talking to a friend in NYC & missing home, -but knowing I have a plane ticket back & I'll be there soon. / Being able to be me. :)

Today

Water- 1 liter.

Sun- Walking & running outdoors.

Sweat- Ran non-stop from El Cerrito to Berkeley.

Strength- Not really.

Stretch- Nope.

Sweets- Hachiya persimmons / Fresh figs / Fresh O.J. / Cherimoya / Dried cherries & raisins (with nuts).

Veggies- None.

Courage- Doing a a few push-ups in front of my dad & mom. (They were having a strength training conversation. The topic of push-ups came up.)

Creativity- Re-working a few of my internet projects.

Bliss!- Feeling at home. :) I was near the ocean today. When I'm near water that moves I feel like I'm back home.

Today

Water- 1.5 liters.

Sun- Walking outdoors. / Exercising in the park.

Sweat- Exercising in the park.

Strength- 4 sets x 20 reps of 10 different exercises; run A, run B, dips, elevated push-ups, modified chin-ups, j-jacks, hanging leg-lifts, vertical stairs, single leg side hops, double leg hop-ups.

Stretch- Nope. (I know, it's bad.)

Sweets- Hachiya persimmon -First one of the season for me. I was so excited while eating it I think I accidentally ate the produce sticker! I'm not sure. Maybe it didn't have one, I don't remember. It all happened so fast. Persimmons are my favorite fruit. So you can see why after a whole year of not having one I might get a little carried away. :) / Frozen apple-pears & baby banana smoothie. (-super sweet!)

Veggies- Pattypan summer squash & red shredded cabbage mixed with cilantro dressing.

Courage- Not allowing my over-thinking about things (mostly future things which is even more silly) to hinder my moving forward & being productive.

Creativity- Spent time re-writing part of the AimeeLovesBeing page on my website. I will keep you posted for when the revision will be posted. I'm crossing my fingers for Monday morning.

Bliss!- Feeling a cool breeze on a sunny day.

Today

Water- 1.5 liters.

Sun- Walking outdoors.

Sweat- Nope. Just walking chop-chop, but not fast or long enough for a good sweat.

Strength- Nope.

Stretch- Nope.

Sweets- Jujube & baby banana smoothie. (-super sweet!)

Veggies- Lots of pattypan summer squash dish mixed with pesto-like avocado basil dressing & red shredded cabbage / A spoon of almond butter.

Courage- Sharing a story from my past with my creative coaching group.

Creativity-Working on an AimeeLovesYou internet art project. :) -Exciting...

Bliss!- Feeling the energy & the love in my creative coaching group. (-Sometimes I just adore people & think that they are the best thing ever!)

Today

Water- 1 liter. Tomorrow I will drink more. I was thirsty today, so I know 1 liter is not enough.

Sun- Running in full sun. / Eating lunch outdoors.

Sweat- Walked a long walk hauling a fruit load. / Ran at a good pace with no stopping from El Cerrito to Berkeley (California). Not that far, but far compared to my usual quickie runs.

Strength- Nope

Stretch- Nope.

Sweets- Two small melons. Not sure of the type. One was really-really good! 

Veggies- Pattypan summer squash dish mixed with dressing & red shredded cabbage. / Sample platter of three different veggie salads shared at a restaurant.

Courage- Reaching out to people that I don't know. I really want to branch out & be brave! The world is getting smaller & I want my circle to become bigger. :)

Creativity- Exploring new ways to grow & meet new people. Being creative with the opportunities & the access I have to live a fuller & more adventurous life.

Bliss!- Being acknowledged for my work. :) Yay!

Today was fantastic. I enjoyed every minute. :)

Being selective - doing less - is the path of the productive.

Focus on the important few, and ignore the rest.

Lack of time is actually a lack of priorities.

- Tim Farriss

TODAY

Water- Only 0.5 liter.

Sun- Piers! Had a great time sitting outside on the piers in San Francisco.

Sweat- Worked up a good sweat strength training in the park.

Strength- 5 sets x 20 reps of the following; modified pull-ups, j-jacks, leg-lifts, vertical stairs, hops-ups.

Stretch- Hanging from a bar.

Sweets- Watermelon / Orange melon smoothie / Lemonade

Veggies- Patty pan summer squash dish with basil-tomato sauce.

Courage- Writing what my heart felt. Sometimes you have to be brave when you're being honest with yourself.

Creativity- Working on ads for new clients & re-working my AimeeLovesBeing page on my website.

Bliss!- Sitting in front of a HUGE window facing the beautiful San Francisco bay working on my laptop. / Spending time with my mom watching the waves & chatting about life.

Today

Water- Drank 1 liter.

Sun- Lunch in the park.

Sweat- During a long walk carrying a heavy fruit load. / During a short run.

Strength- 20 leg-lifts, 20 elevated push-ups, 20 dips.

Stretch- Forward bends, side twists & back rolls.

Sweets- Banana-papaya smoothie / Orange honeydew melon / Fresh figs / Jujubes (with a spoon of almond butter) / Banana-papaya-nectarine smoothie

Veggies- None.

Courage- Working on ads for new clients.

Creativity- Working on my AimeeLovesYou website.

Bliss!- Taking time to watch a hummingbird. / Walking past a huge jasmine bush. -Smelled amazing!

What is this fruit?

It grows in abundance here in Northern California on pretty trees that bloom with pink flowers. I think it's Asian, but I can't find any information on it. It tastes fantastic! Like a ball of apricot jam with many textures. It's hard to describe the taste, the appearance is easier to write about. The outside is completely round, yet bumpy to the touch. The bumps are right red dots with a translucent background that reveals the inside color. The inside is a bright orange. My snap shot above does not show it's beauty. It's quite beautiful in person.

TODAY:
Water- 1 liter
Sun- Outside workout.
Sweat- During the 4th & 5th round of exercises.
Strength- 100 (5 sets x 20 reps) of the following; step hops, (jump up) pull-ups, stair climbs, hanging leg-lifts, clap jump-jacks.
Stretch- Nothing yet. I'll it something tonight.
Sweets- Lemonade / Bowl of mashed peaches & Mystery fruit!
Veggies- pomegranate seeds mixed into sliced cucumber & zucchini with raw tomato-basil sauce
Courage- Posting my new website on Sunday Is For Lovers. -Eek!
Creativity- Working on my AimeeLovesYou website & blogging.
Bliss!- Strength training in the park with my nephew. -Yay!

UPDATE:
My friend Anne solved it!
Here is a link to the info on the mystery fruit...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbutus
Thanks Anne! :) Xo!

Today

Water- 1 liter.

Sun- Walking outside. / Eating lunch outside.

Sweat- Sweated while walking with produce loads.

Strength- Nope.

Stretch- Nope.

Sweets- Mixed figs (Adriatic, Kadoka, Candy Stripe, Turkey) / Lemonade

Veggies- Sliced Fennel, carrots, celery with dressing & fresh corn.

Courage- Taking out time for restful moments when I knew I had work to do for myself.

Creativity- Blogging for "Sunday Is For Lovers", -preparing for tomorrow.

Bliss!- Being in the sun's warm rays.

Today

Water- 2 liters at least.

Sweat- Sweated while exercising intensely for 20 minutes.

Strength- 20 minutes of elevated push-ups, plank walk-ups, floor get-ups, dips, squats, leg lifts.

Stretch- Back rolls, forward bends, side twists.

Sunshine- Sat outside in the sun for 15 minutes.

Fruits- Watermelon / Date bar (with nuts)

Veggies- Shredded carrots & broccoli stalks, with mashed avocado, tomatoes, mixed herbs & lettuces / And a mixed salad made by my mom.

Courage- Attempting to get a project done in 1/4 of the time I scheduled for it.

Creativity- Creating sketches for a client.

Bliss ;) - Hearing & feeling people's excitement on a group conference call today.

Today

Water- 1.5 liters so far.

Sweat- Sweated while exercising in the sun.

Strength- 2 x 50 j-jacks, 4 x 12 stair-climbing sets, 4 x 25 modified pull-ups (bar jump-ups), 4 x 25 stair hop-ups.

Stretch- Hung off of the bars for a few seconds & stretched my shoulders against a wooden beam.

Sunshine- Ate lunch outside in the sun & worked-out in the park.

Fruits- Watermelon / Mango / (Lemonade, maybe later tonight)

Veggies- Shredded carrots & broccoli stalks, with mashed avocado, micro greens, mixed herbs & mixed lettuces.

Courage- Taking on a brand new project & client.

Creativity- Project research & sketches.

Bliss ;) - Seeing a rose that was the almost the size of my head (-And that's BIG!) while walking home from the store. It was a textured pink color, soft & floppy, with a fuzzy yellow center.

Last Day of Creativity & Courage, & the Beginning of Aimee Loves You

Day 14!

“Thinking is easy, acting is difficult, and to put one's thoughts into action is the most difficult thing in the world.” - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“Don't wait. The time will never be just right.”- Napoleon Hill

TODAY...

Water- I will drink one liter before the day is up.

Strength- 2 sets x 20 reps of the following; elevated push ups, dips, modified pull-ups, hanging knee-lifts / ran 3 sets x 5 reps small laps / 2 sets x 100 reps of jumping jacks.

Sweets- Watermelon / Watermelon

Courage- Releasing AIMEELOVESYOU out into the world! I finally got the website to a good place. I will continue to work on it. There is still lots to do, but it has enough content in place to share. It's really tough for me to put it out there. I feel totally exposed & vulnerable!  :) Thanks for waiting everyone. And thanks for being part of it all. I'm so happy to have you all in my life. You really keep me going. :) Thank you!
Here is a link for you to check out the site--> AIMEELOVESYOU LINK.

Sunshine- Got some outdoors while exercising.

Sweat- Sweated while exercising at the park.

Greens- Big salad; shredded red cabbage, shredded fennel, mixed lettuces, chopped cherry tomatoes, mashed avocado & fresh cut corn.

Creativity- Finding ways to make everything work.

Bliss- Thinking that my push-ups are looking cleaner. / Finally launching my new website. / Getting a gift (a ticket!) from a friend. / Finding a mysterious deposit in my account. / Feeling like my jumping jacks are getting easier. / Catching up on bills & my to-do list.

Day 12 & 13 of Creativity & Courage

 Yesterday I was traveling to Northern California.
I went nuts at the airport. :) Ate several nut bars. Even before I got to the airport I was munching on my friend's trail-mix. So it was a very nutty day. That morning I did a core work out & 20 push-ups on my knees. Drank about 2.5 liters of water throughout the day. All went well. No complaints. Just happy to be able to travel & get to my destination.

Today:

Water- Eek! Very little today. :(

Strength- 20 push-ups on my knees & plenty of core exercises.

Sweets- Watermelon / Fresh figs / Mangoes / Peaches / Jujubes

Courage- Asking for help on something / Saying what works for me.

Sunshine- Nothing. Indoors all day.

Sweat- Nope. :( Will do better tomorrow.

Greens- Big green salad with tomatoes & avocado.

Creativity- Just blogging.

Bliss- These are from yesterday; Sitting in a rocking chair & feeling the breeze blow through the window. / Seeing the San Francisco fog roll in. / Seeing my mom & hanging out with her. / Getting home safely. / Having a great morning with my friends in Los Angeles.

Day 11 of Creativity & Courage

 "We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about.
" — Charles Kingsley

Water- One liter, maybe two.

Strength- 100 jacks, 20 elvtd push-ups, 20 dips, 100 stair hops, & 100 bkwrd step-ups.

Sweets- Lemonade / Jujube-banana smoothie / Raisins (with cranberries & nuts)

Courage- I launched my new site! Yipee! But I won't totally release it until this weekend.

Sunshine- Got some sun outdoors while exercising.

Sweat- No sweat today.

Greens- Romaine lettuce with guacamole.

Creativity- Worked on my blog post for Sunday Is For Lovers. It will post this Sunday.

Bliss- Having fun with three friends. We saw the movie The Social Network & had a fun time.

Day 10 of Creativity & Courage

 "This is the true joy of life, the being used up for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one." - George Bernard Shaw

Water- 2 liters so far.

Strength- A session of all core exercise, plus 20 push-ups on my knees.

Sweets- Blended bananas / Pineapple / Raisins (with cranberries & nuts)

Courage- Woh, a super great day today because I was brave enough to do something I wanted to do verses something I should do. I also made a way for things that are important to me to happen regardless of the unpredictability of the day.

Sunshine- Absolutely none. Can you believe it?

Sweat-I got slightly sweaty during the core workout. It was short in duration. If it was longer, it would have been more sweaty. But I was in a time crunch, so I had to make it short but sweet.

Greens- Same big bowl of cucumber noodles, except no nappa cabbage or tomatoes this time.

Creativity- Magic. Pure magic. I met with my new coaching group today. A two hour call about creative projects. Pure bliss I tell you. I felt like I was in the mothers womb. I was swimming in my element. 

Bliss- Being excited about life's possibilities & perfection. But also my responsibility to create that.

Day 9 of Creativity & Courage

"What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?" - Vincent van Gogh

Water- One liter first thing in the morning & more as the day went on.

Strength- 20 elevated push ups, 20 dips, 70 stair hops, & 100 jacks.

Sweets- Lemonade / Honeydew melon! / Raisins (with cranberries & nuts)

Courage- Oh my. I think my website is ready to launch. :) I'm waiting for my green light. It might shine for me later this week. I'll keep you posted.

Sunshine- A bit while exercising outdoors.

Sweat- A bit while exercising outdoors.

Greens-Not ready green because I peeled them, but I made a big bowl of cucumber noodles with cherry tomatoes & sliced nappa cabbage.

Creativity- Working on my internet life & new website. It's so close to launching!

Bliss- Listening to classical music while working. Such a gift. :) It makes me really happy.

Day 8 of Creativity & Courage

 “Action expresses priorities.” - Mahatma Gandhi 

Water- Maybe 2 liters.

Strength- 20 elevated push ups, 20 dips, & 100 jacks.

Sweets- Lemonade / Banana / Fresh figs / Raisins / More lemonade

Courage- Doing my strength exercises in an odd area in the public. I had to make it work. It was my only chance to do them.

Sunshine- Lots today, another hot day in LA.

Sweat- Sweated a little while exercising & being in the sun.

Greens- Nappa cabbage wraps (avocado, sprouts, scallions & blended cherry tomatoes)for lunch & dinner.

Creativity- Project work & creative coaching preperation.

Bliss- Finding Making the time to do what is important to me.

Day 7 of C & C ...(Creativity & Courage)

 "What is a rebel? A man who says no." - Albert Camus, L'Homme revolte (The Rebel), 1951

Water- 2 liters so far.

Strength- Exercised in a sunny park: push ups on knees, dips, jacks, ran fast lap, & misc. movement on bars.

Sweets- Watermelon / Mixed raisins & unpasteurized almonds

Courage- Going to a (last minute) dinner party with friends tonight. Sitting there not eating or drinking (alcohol) takes courage. I will bring some raw snacks & water just incase I need something.

Sunshine- Lots today, it's super hot.

Sweat- Sweated lots exercising in the sun.

Greens- Nappa cabbage (guac & salsa) wraps

Creativity- Ugh. Nothing yet.

Bliss- Sitting next to a turtle pond. It was a red-eared slider turtle filled pond with a fountain & cascading water. It was so cute to see turtles basking on rocks. I was nearby on the grass basking in the sun too.

Day 6 of C & C ...(Creativity & Courage)

Today was great. I went to two farmers markets. Bought lots of figs, fennel, cucumbers, watermelon. A small bag of almonds (not pasteurized yay!) & mixed raisins.

Water- Only one liter so far.

Strength- 20 push ups on knees, & 20 dips.

Sweets- Fresh mixed figs (4 pints!)

Courage- Wearing my friends bikini that is one size too small for me. / Buying as many fresh figs as I wanted at the farmers market.

Sunshine- Lots of sun at the beach & the farmers markets.

Sweat- No really. Kind of a lazy day. Some sweat from the hot day, but that is about it.

Greens- Savoy cabbage wraps with seaweed salad, salsa, mungbean sprouts & guacamole inside.

Creativity- Not really. Just a lazy day with friends.

Bliss- Being able to just tag along.

Day 4 & 5 of Creativity & Courage

YESTERDAY:

Water- One liter first thing in the morning, & more in lemonade.

Strength- About 25 minutes of various exercises like; push ups, dips, core exercise, etc.. I set the timer 5 times for 5 minutes each time. The 5 minute blocks were focused on either upper body, lower body or core. I loved it. The time flies by when it's divided into sections.

Sweets- Watermelon / Blended bananas / Lemonade

Courage- Wearing spandex! Today I wore a stretchy top & bottom & I thought to put a bigger looser tank top over it. Then I thought, "Who cares? I'm probably the only one criticizing my shape!"

(I accidentally erased the last half of the day. Ugh. I can't write it over. It was too long & I don't remember everything. Bummer, it was such a beautiful day & I was happy to share it with you.)

TODAY: (Flying to Los Angeles)

Water- A super-big lemonade liter first thing in the morning, & 2 bottles of water at the airport.

Strength- 15 minutes of various exercises like; 20 push ups, jumping jacks, & lots-n-lots of core exercise.

Sweets- Fresh figs / Raisin-chia bar / Date rolls / Sweet cherry tomatoes

Courage- Coming to Los Angeles! Planning a week in LA even though I know nothing about babies & have no extra money to be here with. (I'm here to be supportive & help a friend who is giving birth this week.)

Sunshine- Just a short walk to the train station & walking to the store.

Sweat- Sweated while walking & doing the strength routine.

Greens- Nappa cabbage leaves with guac & salsa.

Creativity- Only blogging.

Bliss- Being here in LA with my friend & her husband, feeling totally at home with them. I love them so much.

Day 3 of C & C ...(Creativity & Courage)

"One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest." - Maya Angelou

Water- One liter first thing in the morning, & more water in the lemonade throughout the day.

Strength- 20 elevated push ups, 20 dips, 100 j-jacks, incline running intervals, 20 modified pull-ups, & 20 hanging knee lifts.

Sweets- Lemonade / Mango / Grapefruit / Watermelon

Courage- Saying what is there takes courage, it's always worth the effort.

Sunshine- Strength workout in the park.

Sweat- Worked up some sweat at the park. -Yay!

Greens- Big mixed green salad with shredded red cabbage & red radishes.

Creativity- Major work done & two projects I'm working on.

Bliss- Being honest. I love when I say what is there, & others do too. Open conversations are so important. I'm grateful when they happen.

Day 2 of C & C ...(Creativity & Courage)

“Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends we choose.” -Tennessee Williams

Water- 2 liters (some in lemonade).

Strength- 20 minutes in a sunny park: elevated push ups, dips, jacks, & misc. movement on bars.

Sweets- Lemonade (twice) / Fig puree / Almond butter (almonds always taste really sweet to me).

Courage-  Money concerns surfaced today & I didn't let them bring me down. I decided to take action on them or drop them. As they say, "The opposite of worry is action".

Sunshine- Park exercises in full sun.

Sweat- (The plan is to go for a super-fast-walk at 6ish tonight.)

Greens- Mixed greens, radish & red cabbage salad with a saucy-dip made by my mom.

Creativity- Worked on the project I'm doing with my sister. / Blogged a bit too.

Bliss- Sharing my nervousness (about my LA trip) with my friend & hearing her kind response. Sometimes she can be such a wordsmith. / Sharing my ways of how to save money this week with my nephew & hearing him say, "Auntie, would you like me to lend you $11 dollars so that you can buy fruit? I want you to have enough food for the week". -Ahw, what a sweetheart. I told him that the offer means a lot to me. That it alone helps a lot.

[Sweet picture of kitty & friend by Kate Magic]

Day 1 of C & C ...(Creativity & Courage!)

Yesterday (Not the best start, but oh well. I will be better prepared for tomorrow.)

Water- Only one liter (-wasn't even first thing in the morning cause I had to run out the door early.)

Strength- 20 push ups on my knees.

Sweets- Cherry Juice (1 liter) / Dried cherry-date bar.

Courage- I wanted to get my cardio in so I went for a walk late, too late for my taste because I could barely see the sidewalk on the way back. I also had the courage to get out of my bed (all cozy with eyes closed in the dark) and do 20 push-ups on my knees after realizing that I hadn't done any strength training. I was already in my bed half asleep before I made myself get up & do them.

Sunshine- Spent 1 hour working outside.

Sweat- Did a little bit of running on my evening fast-walk.

Greens- Romaine hearts (with guac dip) / Mixed veggie salad & dip that had chopped broccoli in it.

Creativity-Started my new 14 day program to create the next two weeks. / Worked on updating an online portfolio & got heaps done on it. It's looking good!

Bliss- Sitting next to a water fountain. It was a silly lion head with water coming out of its mouth. The look of it wasn't bliss, but the sound was. The sounds of ocean waves, rivers running & fountains pouring always make me happy. A very meditative & timeless sound.

Something New, ...sort of.

 I'm at it again! Another little program to explore daily. Having a new program will inspire & keep me on track while traveling next week. When in unpredictable environments it helps to have a list of things that I will do each day. (Like I've done in the past.) This will be from Tuesday the 21st to Monday the 4th. Fourteen days of consistent bliss & bravery! (It's all a mind game. But a fun one!)

Here is what I will be exploring on a daily basis;

Water- One liter first thing in the morning & more as the day goes on.

Strength- Push ups, dips, core exercise, something challenging.

Sweets- Juicy fruits, citrus juice, anything sweet that hits the spot.

Courage- Saying what's there, doing what scares me, whatever's uneasy.

Sunshine- Some quality time spent outdoors while working or exercising.

Sweat- Jumping jacks, running in place, anything that does the trick.

Greens- Something green & water rich, like green juice or green salads.

Creativity- Making progress on my projects & boldly designing my life.

Bliss- Being open & relaxed enough to enjoy life's subtleties. 

Tomorrow is day one. See you then... :) Xx!

I Went Blackberry Crazy

My trip to Oregon was great. Almost everyday I went on a blackberry hunt! I was foraging berries non-stop. :) Most of the trip was spent in two places (not including the car of course): Rogue River & Champoeg. Both of them were blackberry meccas! The other treats that delighted my taste buds were from Oregon shops that we found on the drive; Market of Choice & Zupans. Outside of the tasty food, it's hard for me to express the connection I felt with the trees & the sound of the river.  I loved being near them & I long for the day when I can spend even more time being near the water's waves or in the fresh air of the forest.

GONE CAMPING

Hello Fruit Lovers! I will be away for one week. I'll be camping in a yurt! :) Yipeeee...
**********************************************************************

Today

“Happiness is not a state to arrive at, but a manner of traveling.”- Margaret Lee Rumbeck
Sleep & Rest: Maybe 7-8 hours of sleep. I'm not sure cause I had a hard time falling asleep.

Yoga Practice: Does a "Zen mind" count? This guy at the produce shop (literally) snatched a bag of baby bananas out of my hand (that were discounted because they were ripe, which means they are like GOLD!). At first I was shocked that he took my bananas, but then I laughed about it. He is either a bit crazy, ..or a monkey. Who else would get that excited about bananas?! Besides me. :) (hee..hee..) I'm "bananas" for bananas too I guess. Wouldn't snatch for 'em though! Maybe if it were a bag of Candy Stripe figs. Then I might have to get wild. The animal side would come out. -Rarrrrr! (They are that good!)
Sun & Air: Went for a run/walk/climb/carry outdoors.
Sweat & Fun: Went for a 2 hour combo; "chop-chop" walking, a lil' jogging, stair climbing/running (2 sets x 15), carried a heavy fruit load home for 45min-1hr (-ugh!).
Fruity Meals: Banana-strawberry-apple smoothie / Bag of mixed figs (including Candy Stripe!) / Frisee salad with mixed fruit-veggies mashed in / (Not sure what's next!)
Creative Work: A little of everything. But definitely got webwork in.
Brave Move: Buying a last minute ticket to Los Angeles. Ugh. Totally don't have the time/money to go. But my friend needs my support. She havin' a baby! I gotta be there to see it come into the world. I just gotta.
Give * Share: Bought a tix to LA to be there for a friend. Gave a listening ear & some feedback. Offered to share my veggie-fruits (avocado, tomatoes, cukes, etc.). Gave forgiveness to the rude banana guy (or gorilla!).
Incorporeal Bliss: Color is always a big one for me. Feeds my eyes & soul. Saw lots of fuchsia & violet today. Also, washed my hair with cold water. Bliss! So refreshing.

Today & Yesterday

Monday

Sleep & Rest: About 8.25 hours of great sleep.
Yoga Practice: Nope.
Sun & Air: Went for a run/walk/jump outdoors & worked on my laptop & on some other stuff in the garden. -Woohoo!
Sweat & Fun: Went for a 45 minute combo; walking warm-up, push-ups, dips, running, jumping jacks. Had a blast & definitely worked up some sweat.
Fruity Meals: Seeded watermelon / Grape-banana-strawberry-spinach green smoothie / Veggie melange on romaine hearts with fennel-tomato sauce / Frisee salad with mixed veggies on top & a blended fennel dressing
Creative Work: Dedicated the day to starting a little vintage business with my sister. I'm basically starting two online businesses this autumn I guess. :) Life is crazy.
Brave Move: Starting a business with my sister. Totally unexpected. But what the hell, might as well give it a go.
Give * Share: Gave something a shot.
Incorporeal Bliss: Listening to relaxing happy music. A full day of swing & big band singers! All little Dean Martin & Ella too!


Sunday
Sleep & Rest: About 9.5 hours of sleep. -Woh! And it was filled with really intense dreams with lots of symbolism.
Yoga Practice: Nope. (I'm so tired of saying no lately. Gotta get it going again.)
Sun & Air: Another packed day. Family BBQ & final day to give the website a HUGE push. I didn't wake up early enough too make a sweaty work-out happen. Ahh… discipline. Where are you buddy?
Sweat & Fun: Nope. And I feel guilty about it. I also miss it like an old friend. Very few things feel as good as working up a nice sweat. Soon, soon...
Fruity Meals: Seeded watermelon / Veggie salad with too much avocado! / (I forget if I had anything else after, I might have had more of the same salad if anything.)
Creative Work: Dedicated half-day(?) to working on my website. And a few hours in the evening to looking for vintage images with my sister.
Brave Move: Spoke up for myself. Said "Hey family, I love ya, but I made plans already. I have to work this weekend. So I will be dividing my time at the BBQ between the two; lil' work & lil' family"
Give * Share: Gave family some of my time & gave work that's really important to me some of my time.
Incorporeal Bliss: Believing in myself & my choices. Ahhhh… what a feeling it was to plow through & move forward on a few things that are important to me today. Yay!

Today

Sleep & Rest: About 7.5 hours of sleep.

Yoga Practice: Same as yesterday. Nothing.

Sun & Air: Set up my laptop in a garden & worked outside. Did a tiny bit of yard work too.

Sweat & Fun: Same as yesterday. Nothing.

Fruity Meals: Seeded watermelon / A "super-loaded-ate-too-much" veggie salad with a side of zucchini-lemon-mint puree -Oof! I over did it.

Creative Work: Dedicated another full-day to working on my website. Got major stuff done. Yay!

Brave Move: Pushed through with ideas even though they sound crazy & I have no idea how they will work. Who cares! If it sounds great to me & I'm passionate about it, I'm doin' it!

Give * Share: Helped out in anyway I could. Everything from yard work to being a good listener.

Incorporeal Bliss: Working on my computer outside under the sun with a cool breeze.

Today

Sleep & Rest: About 8.5 hours of sleep.

Yoga Practice: Nothing today.

Sun & Air: Quick walk to the bank. That's all for the day. :(

Sweat & Fun: See above.

Fruity Meals: Hami melon  / Red cabbage-fennel-spinach-cucumber salad with celery-avocado-lemon dressing / Left-over mixed salad with lots of lettuce from yesterday

Creative Work: Dedicated the day to working on my website.

Brave Move(s): Scheduled a meeting with someone I'm totally afraid to meet with. I also had requests for 3 different people regarding money or better communication, which are scary topics for me.

Give * Share: Shared salad with my mom.

Incorporeal Bliss: Making progress on my website. What a relief moving forward is.

Ju Ju Bean?

TODAY

Sleep & Rest: 8 hours of sleep.

Yoga Practice: (Nothing yet.)

Sun & Air: 2 hour round trip walk to the fruit market. I like to call them "work-walks". I go over ideas & plans for the week as I do it. It's good for examining what's working & what's not in my life/work. These work-walks are my most clear thinking & productive time.

Sweat & Fun: I sweated & had fun during my work-walk. I also jogged a bit & stair climbed a bit.

Fruity Meals: Mikeylee watermelon / Fresh grapefruit juice / Halawy dates / Bag of fresh figs / Red cabbage & red radish salad / (I will have more salad tonight, lettuce will be the main ingredient on the next one.)

I saw some "Ju ju beans" next to my Halawy Dates at the market. (But now I find out it's "Jujubes" after researching on Google, I will have to go back and check the sign at the market to see if I read that right.) I bought one lonely one. I am clueless about it. I will have to do some research on the internet before I bite into it!

Creative Work: Lots of brain storming, notes taken & progress made on new ways for me to make a living. Change is coming!

Brave Move: I decided to add a new item to my daily routine. It will be called "Brave Move" because I want to work at getting over my fears & releasing the blocks in my life. Some years ago I made a list of my fears & checked them off one by one. It transformed my life! Imagine if I conquered a fear daily. -I could transform the world! Basically, I'm just thinking positive & doing whatever I can to take myself to the next level of peace & happiness (& accountability for it). I believe being responsible for your part in creating a wonderful world is the best way to create an amazing life & a peaceful planet.

Give * Share: Shared what I am committed to with my soon to be (again) creative coach Jamie Ridler.

Incorporeal Bliss: Knowing that I can't be held back. I, am my spirit more than anything else. No body & no thing can hold a spirit down. You can't touch it! It is powerful beyond measure. We all are!

YESTERDAY

Sleep & Rest: About 7 hours of sleep.

Yoga Practice: Nope. See below

Sun & Air: About 7 hours of standing around & walking around (& climbing stairs) in the sun. I had two french friends visiting. So I did the tourist thing & showed them around town.

Sweat & Fun: Nope. See above

Fruity Meals: Black grapes blended with banana / Red bananas / Dinner?…. Food became problematic while being out all day. I got hungry & I had little to chose from on a street filled with sandwich & pizza shops. My bright I idea was to order all side orders at a mexican restaurant (like guacamole, salsa, shredded lettuce & cabbage, sliced red radishes, etc. ), problem was, I didn't expect it some of it to be super-salty & doused with vinegar! But I ate it. :( As I type this I am all "puffed out". [Written yesterday.] I have a feeling I will wake up tomorrow even puffier. [I did.] I wish I would have held out till I found a healthier place to eat like a produce store or home. Note to self: Please hold out for better options. Wait for the best, there is no rush.

Creative Work: Dedicated the day to keeping my word. I promised to show a friend around town & that I did.

Brave Move: Didn't worry when I knew I had/have stuff to worry about. I trusted the universe & moved forward. Decided to live as if I was loved & supported unconditionally.

Give * Share: Shared my red banana & city sights.

Incorporeal Bliss: Being next to the ocean & its salty air for a good part of the day. I just loved it!

Today

Sleep & Rest: About 8 hours or a little less.

Yoga Practice: Nothing.

Sun & Air: 3? hour meeting with my brother in a garden.

Sweat & Fun: I sweated a little because it was hot today when I was busy doing something, but not because I exercised. The day flew by today. Not enough time (more like not enough discipline! we always have time, it's a mater of choice) to make a workout happen.

Fruity Meals: Black grapes / Black grapes blended with banana / Big bag of mixed fresh figs / Raw tomato stew with shredded red cabbage / A few almonds

Creative Work: Lots of brain storming with my brother. He gave me some great feedback. Before & after that I worked on something to get my new website moving forward.

Give - Share: Shared my figs. Including a new favorite fig! (*drum roll*) The Candy Stripe Fig. Not joking. It tasted like whipped cream & jam. Super buttery sweet taste. They were very expensive, I only bought 3 small ones. My brother & I split each one. We couldn't believe how good they were!

Incorporeal Bliss: Sharing a "fig-a-licious" moment with my brother. Sharing ideas with my brother. Sharing laughs with my brother. Later my nephew joined us, then we were sharing funny moments & ideas with our nephew!

Today

A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself. - Joseph Campbell

Sleep & Rest: About 8.5 hours or a little less.

Yoga Practice: I'm going to do some spinal breathing before bed.

Sun & Air: Lunch outdoors.

Sweat & Fun: 15 minutes running stairs & 45 minutes run/walk combo outdoors.

Fruity Meals: Bag of mixed fresh figs / Lots of little blonde grapes (champagne grapes?, not sure what type) / Raw tomato stew with chopped avocado on nappa cabbage leaves / Raw tomato stew with chopped fennel & red cabbage

Creative Work: Got good work done today. A little of everything. Things are moving forward! yay!

Give - Share: Shared my thoughts & opinions with my nephew, shared great news with my sister, & shared my artwork with someone I just met.

Incorporeal Bliss: I was hearing this beautiful chime sound as I walked today. I was so eager to find the source. I kept walking & walking and the sound never stood still anywhere. I kept thinking that I would eventually pass the house that had the wind chime. I would see the the chime blowing in the wind & leave the sound behind me as I walked away. But the house never revealed itself. I eventually discovered that the chime was really a few small bells attached to an "icee" cart. The icee vendor was rolling their cart a block in front of me. I had no idea it was them until I eventually passed them. The mysterious sound was fun to be around. Fun while it lasted.

Today

Sleep & Rest: 7 hours or a little more.
Yoga Practice: Nothing.
Sun & Air: Spent time on a boat cruise with my family for my dad's birthday. Definitely got some fresh air & a little sunshine on the windy sun deck.
Sweat & Fun: Nothing sweaty. :( I missed my workout. Can't wait to exercise tomorrow. :)
Fruity Meals: Papaya / Melon / Tamarind & a few medjool dates / Cucumber noodles with chunky sauce (blended; celery, tomatoes, persian cucumbers, red pepper, lemon juice) on top / Some of the tomato sauce from lunch with chopped avocado on nappa cabbage leaves

I did super good considering I was on an "all you can eat" buffet cruise & did not even have one thing, except water. Then after that, I watched hours of cooking shows with my mother while spending time with her. Temptation was high today, but obviously not tempting enough! My raw food was super satisfying & well worth the wait after the cruise. 

Creative Work: Nope. Spent the whole day hanging out with family.
Give - Share: Shared my tomato sauce on raw cucumber noodles with my mom, and a tinsy bit of my tamarind with a few brave souls.
Incorporeal Bliss: Watching the sun reflect & twinkle on the water during the cruise. Being proud of my nephew & his new job. Feeling inspired by my sister & her work. I really like this little video she made of her jewelry that she posted on her blog. Lots of bliss today. :) I'm grateful.

Today

Sleep & Rest: 9 hours or a little more.
Yoga Practice: Haven't done any yet. I plan on meditating & doing one kriya for better communication before bed.
Sun & Air: Spent time with the trees, wind & sun for several hours.
Sweat & Fun: Some running & lots of walking with two heavy fruit loads.
Fruity Meals: Fresh OJ / Papaya / Fresh figs / Grapes / A super good tomato gazpacho! Very easy; celery, tomatoes, persian cucumbers, red pepper, lemon juice
Creative Work: Got super good ideas while walking today. Running & walking always clears my head so that I can think bigger. :) When my brain is busy & full, there isn't room for much else. It's so important to empty out. I also wrote my post for Sunday Is For Lovers, which I will post this evening, so that it's ready for sunday morning.
Give - Share: Gave thanks for public toilets! So happy to have 'em available when I need 'em.
Incorporeal Bliss: Laughing at something that I saw. I swore I saw a tree dancing with it's arms (limbs) up. It looked just like a woman dancing in the wind. It was such a funny sight. I laughed out loud. It made me happy.

Today

Sleep & Rest: 8 hours.

Yoga Practice: Kundalini yoga & meditation 

(Didn't check or record time for any of my exercise today. -But had a good time.)

Sun & Air: Yes lots! Was in the sun for several hours.

Sweat & Fun: Little bit of running & lots of walking.

Fruity Meals: Fresh figs / White peaches / Blended white peaches & baby bananas / Chopped fresh okra & brussell sprouts -bad idea! I was chewing forever. Didn't like dinner.

Creative Work: Today was productive. Not super creative, but productive.

Give - Share: Shared some of my peach with the lil' bugs I saw on a grassy field.

Incorporeal Bliss: Knowing that everything will be OK. Whenever I start to stress too much, I always remind myself that whatever it is, it will work out. There is nothing to fear. :) (repeat..repeat..repeat..)

Today

Sleep & Rest: 9 hours.

Yoga Practice: Kundalini yoga & meditation for 45 minutes.

Sun & Air: Nope.

Sweat & Fun: Nope.

Fruity Meals: Watermelon / Watermelon (again) / White peaches / Various types of baby lettuce heads & romaine with almond-pepper-tomato dressing

Creative Work: Dedicated the whole day (more or less) to catching up on work projects.

Give - Share: Shared tweets on twitter.

Incorporeal Bliss: Finding people who think like me & want what I want. Sometimes I feel alone in my dreams & desires, but then I connect with other like-minds on the internet & I feel at home. Like I'm "normal". That might be stretching it! ;)