Yoga Retreat: Sewall House

I took a mini holiday just for me, by myself, back in February. It came about completely by chance. I was Googling yoga places near the condo as I've been wanting to get back into it. I miss having class a few times a week!
Anyway, wonderful Google has adds that run down the side of their lovely search engine and one of them was an add for a YOGA RETREAT in ME. Maine, one of my favorite states in the whole USA! So I clicked on the link and was totally entranced by the old house, the VERY northern Maine locale, homemade food and more importantly, close to 4 hours of yoga a day.
Well! Since I was out of practice, I figured this would be a really cool way to jump start me back into it. So, I hit contact and emailed the hosts about their winter schedule and cost. I had almost an immediate response back from Donna who is the Yoga teacher and one of the hosts of the retreats. She and her husband run the house: she teaches class, he cooks and everyone takes care of the house.
Donna and I continued to email back and forth for a few days just tacking down price (they work with your budget) and when I would be there, classes to take, etc. Turns out the food is completely vegetarian too! I was pumped! And a good thing too, because the weekend kicked my butt. Literally! Turns out I was there on a teacher weekend which meant I learned a TON as the discussions were all over the place with yoga, technique, lifestyle, teaching students, etc. however, it also meant that the classes were HARD! Donna prefers the word challenging, but either way, I....was....sore....very.....sore. (Please note! Normally classes are tailored to the skills of the people in them. This was done for me too on some level but I was stubborn and until my body really complained I tried to keep going.) I ending up taking a lot of naps between classes and did restful things, like reading and I went for a walk around the little town on Sunday.

http://sewallhouse.com/

I drove home Monday and managed to squeeze in a visit with family in Topsham on the way back south, which was wonderful!

It was relaxing to get away for a few days by myself - something I don't think I've ever done! - and this was a wonderful way to do it! I hope to get back up there sometime this year for another long weekend, but they do run full week long retreats during the summer months.

Yoga is for people of all levels and strengths. There are so many types of Yoga too! Google "Yoga" and see for yourself!

Happy Birthday, Annelyse!

(Annelyse and Matt on her last visit to see us at our favorite mexican restaurant)

To one of my dearest friends (who I happened to wake up this morning! oops!) I hope you have the happiest of happy days today!!!!

(funny photo of Annelyse. I have to say, it's one of my fav's and always makes me smile!)

Inspiration Rooms pt 1

So here is my inspiration for the family room. It is open to the dining room and the kitchen so they all need to flow. As a result, the dining room and living room will be painted all one color as there is really no definition of the spaces aside from the furniture in them. The curtains as well will also all be the same for the two double windows (one in each area) and the sliding doors to the deck. I will not be using tie-backs though. Just simply falling from the rod to the almost floor. Inside the window frames I'd like to eventually have the honeycomb touch blinds that go up from the bottom as well as down from the top.

(photo from Overstock.com)

We currently have a blue and green combo in our living room, but I'd like to slowly switch it over to a more soft yellow with neutrals, whites and a punch of red every now and then. When I found this rug I couldn't help but fall in love! It has all the colors I was dreaming about and will look fantastic on the hardwood floors!

(photo from Overstock.com)

I hope, in time, that our huge couch and loveseat will be replaced with a large-ish chair and ottoman along with a sectional sofa. Something a bit shorter and with cleaner lines. Not that I don't love our current furniture (I do! and will put them in the basement hangout space until they truly kick the bucket!) but a bit more easy sophistication will be a welcome change! That and not having to plan around a couch that is over 3ft wide and almost 8ft long!

I want to dive right into this photo with a book! And don't you just adore the huge windows in the living room below? (Both of these photos came from pottery barn)

The only change I would make to the above sectional is to ditch the ottoman and make the arms on the long straight piece so the corner then becomes more of a chaise being open to all three sides. Depending upon the size of the chair ottoman, I'd like to have some sort of coffee table in the middle of the larger sofa piece, but we'll have to see how the whole thing flows once we get there.

(photo from pottery barn)

I just LOOOOOVE the built-ins around this fireplace! Ours is a corner fireplace so this layout isn't really an option for us this time around, but goodness knows we have enough books to fill several bookcases already! I know we are only going to add more and built-ins are a weakness of mine. A severe weakness.

Speaking of weaknesses - or maybe this is a strength? - Office supplies, paper, stationary, desk areas and all types of organization! Now you may think this means I'm all neat and tidy. But no! Part of this blog adventure is to figure out how to stay organised and clean out the junk we don't use.

So here are some of my dream office pics. They are all courtesy of pottery barn.

I just drool over the above photo. I love the clean lines, the black color and all the storage!! I'm thinking of a soft grey color to go with crisp white trim and a neutral carpet. White curtains floor to ceiling and a punch of color somewhere - just haven't decided the color. Although, the black, grey and white theme thus far seems pretty cool to me! Did you know that grey is the easiest color for the eye to see? It makes it the most restful color - if you're awake that is.

This just screams arts and crafts room to me. Projects, painting, writing long letters to friends who are currently living in other places. Like, Connecticut, Maryland, West Virgina and the farthest away? Botswana. Yep. Africa. Sigh.

Ok. I think I'm hyper-ventilating. This system? So flexible! So easy to move around, change, update and stay organised! My one concern would be the dry-write calendar boards. As they age, they become harder to clean. BUT! I could do cork instead and print off calendar pages to stick up there and move them around.

Next up? The bedrooms, bathrooms and hallways!