tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33529572601893857932024-02-06T23:32:03.259-07:00miss sara baraMiss Sara Barahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04220689521229676991noreply@blogger.comBlogger121125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352957260189385793.post-12425365915560945552015-01-13T13:51:00.000-07:002015-01-13T13:51:50.190-07:00Be Nice to Your Lungs<div style="color: #252137; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Back in November I was contacted out of the blue by a gal asking me to write a piece about national Lung Cancer Awareness month (which was in November). Because I am a yoga teacher and I have a blog that is dedicated to living a healthy lifestyle, she thought it would be a great idea for my blog. I couldn't agree more!</div>
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I obviously failed to publish my post during November, but I think this post is even more relevant for me and my neighbors as we are now in the "thick" of inversion season (pun intended).</div>
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_1-3e7ZdAs</div>
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First, let me tell you about the woman who reached out to me. Her name is Heather Von St. James. She was diagnosed with mesothelioma at the age of 36. "What is mesothelioma?" you might ask? Take the time to watch the video below and hear Heather's story. I knew nothing about the disease before hearing her story. Heather is my same age which certainly hit home. Her story reminds me why it is so important to take care of our bodies in any and every way that we are capable. In Heather's case, prevention would have been challenging as she was exposed to asbestos as a child, however, there is much that we can do on a daily basis to help keep ourselves healthy.</div>
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Now to the reason this is especially relevant for me and my fellow Salt Lake Valley inhabitants now. You see, the Salt Lake Valley is a place where it can be difficult — if not flat out impossible — to avoid air pollution due to the dreaded inversion we have during the winter months. I will refer to the <a data-mce-href="http://www.ci.slc.ut.us/winter-inversions-what-are-they-and-what-we-can-all-do-help" href="http://www.ci.slc.ut.us/winter-inversions-what-are-they-and-what-we-can-all-do-help" style="color: #ac0404; text-decoration: none;">City of Salt Lake web site</a> for the scientific explanation:</div>
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"When normal atmospheric conditions (cool air above, warm air below) become inverted, a dense layer of cold air is trapped under a layer of warm air. The warm layer acts much like a lid, trapping pollutants in the cold air near the valley floor. The Wasatch Front valleys and their surrounding mountains act like a bowl, keeping this cold air in the valleys. The snow-covered valley floors reflect rather than absorb the heat from the sun, preventing the normal vertical mixing of warm and cold air. Fog exacerbates the problem, facilitating chemical reactions that create even more particles and higher pollutant concentrations. The longer the inversion lasts, the higher the levels of pollution trapped under it. The warm inversion air layer is usually displaced by a strong storm system which restores air quality to healthy levels." (1)</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px;"><a data-mce-href="https://workingherwayback.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/1315789.jpg" href="https://workingherwayback.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/1315789.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #ac0404; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="1315789" class="wp-image-650 size-full" data-mce-src="https://workingherwayback.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/1315789.jpg" height="344" src="https://workingherwayback.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/1315789.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="600" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 18px; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px;">#barf #hack #cough</dd></dl>
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According to an article in USA Today, when inversion levels are at their peak, "Utah's pollution index is off the charts with readings routinely exceeding a scale that tops out at 70 micrograms a cubic meter. The EPA sets a standard for clean air at no more than 35 micrograms." (2)</div>
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As you can imagine, this can be a time of distress for residents living in "the bowl." According to John Horel, a professor in the University of Utah’s department of atmospheric sciences, during the span of December 2013–January 2014, "pollution levels exceeded the <a data-mce-href="http://www.epa.gov/airquality/particlepollution/designations/basicinfo.htm" href="http://www.epa.gov/airquality/particlepollution/designations/basicinfo.htm" style="color: #ac0404; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">standard</a> set for fine particles for a total of 30 days." My asthmatic friends can attest to the onset of breathing trouble that occurs. If you are lucky, you are only effected by a gravelly voice, mildly-sore throats, and having to tolerate the stinky air. If you are asthmatic or already have trouble breathing, the inversion can mean months of irritation until it subsides, one friend of mine wakes to labored breathing so harsh she has to resort to hot steam baths in the middle of the night on a regular basis.</div>
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Most of us don't have a vacation home in Fiji that we can retreat to when the air gets bad, so what can we do to reduce our risk of exposure to the inversion, and to air-borne cancer-causing substances?</div>
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1. Reduce your output</div>
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Have you ever been walking through the parking lot and noticed that someone has left their car running, only to find that there is someone sitting in the car while it idles. If you are like me, it takes all you have not to walk over, open their door, and turn the car off for them. If you are not like me, maybe you might be someone who does this. Please, I beg you to turn off your car if you are sitting in a parking lot!</div>
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According to an article in USA Today, "Vehicle emissions account for over <em>half</em> of the pollutants." Right away, that should give us all incentive to drive a little less. Utah doctors have gone so far as to ask that public transit be made free during winter months just to get people off the road.</div>
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Doctors also advise that it is best to simply stay inside, avoiding any outdoor exercise or activities while there is the smoggy soup covering the valley. Salt Lake City pediatrician Ellie Brownstein said. "It's essentially like smoking. Instead of breathing clean air, you're breathing particles that make it harder for your lungs to function and get oxygen." (2)</div>
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The <a data-mce-href="http://www.mesothelioma.com/mesothelioma/causes/" href="http://www.mesothelioma.com/mesothelioma/causes/" style="color: #ac0404; text-decoration: none;">Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance</a> states that, "though smoking is more commonly associated with traditional lung carcinomas. Smoking tends to enhance risk even further in those who were also exposed to asbestos." (3) This leads me to believe that exposure to inversion could also enhance your risk were you to be exposed to asbestos.</div>
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The <a data-mce-href="http://www.airquality.utah.gov/clean_air/archive/steps.htm" href="http://www.airquality.utah.gov/clean_air/archive/steps.htm" style="color: #ac0404; text-decoration: none;">Utah Air Quality web site</a> has many more great suggestions for reducing your output as well.</div>
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<a data-mce-href="https://workingherwayback.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/slctempinversion-2010jan-judetibay.jpg" href="https://workingherwayback.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/slctempinversion-2010jan-judetibay.jpg" style="color: #ac0404; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="SLCTempInversion-2010Jan-JudeTibay" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-651" data-mce-src="https://workingherwayback.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/slctempinversion-2010jan-judetibay.jpg?w=604" height="403" src="https://workingherwayback.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/slctempinversion-2010jan-judetibay.jpg?w=604" style="display: block; height: auto; margin: 5px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="604" /></a></div>
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2. Get involved</div>
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There are many volunteer opportunities out there to help spread awareness about lung cancer, inversion, etc. Last year, I participated in the <a data-mce-href="http://cleartheairchallenge.org/" href="http://cleartheairchallenge.org/" style="color: #ac0404; text-decoration: none;">Utah Clear the Air Challenge</a> in which you logged all the miles you managed <em>not</em> to drive during a single month. But this is something that you could do all year long.</div>
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Here are a few other sites to help you get started:</div>
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http://www.mesothelioma.com/treatment/support-a-loved-one.htm</div>
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http://www.cancer.org/involved/volunteer/</div>
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http://www.lungcanceralliance.org/get-involved/help-raise-awareness/</div>
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http://www.mylungcancersupport.org/get-involved/volunteer.html</div>
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3. Get checked</div>
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If you think you might have been exposed to asbestos in your lifetime, or if you are <a data-mce-href="http://www.mesothelioma.com/mesothelioma/symptoms/" href="http://www.mesothelioma.com/mesothelioma/symptoms/" style="color: #ac0404; text-decoration: none;">experiencing symptoms</a>, it would be wise to be checked as "There is a great deal of <a data-mce-href="http://www.mesothelioma.com/mesothelioma/information/latency-period.htm" href="http://www.mesothelioma.com/mesothelioma/information/latency-period.htm" style="color: #ac0404; text-decoration: none;">latency associated with mesothelioma</a> between exposure to asbestos and the onset of symptoms."</div>
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(1) "Winter Inversions: What Are They and What We Can All Do To Help." <i>Winter Inversions: What Are They and What We Can All Do To Help</i>. Web. 12 Jan. 2015.</div>
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(2) Press, Paul. "Sickening Fog Settles over Salt Lake City Area." <i>USA Today</i>. Gannett, 23 Jan. 2013. Web. 12 Jan. 2015.</div>
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(3) "Mesothelioma Causes." <i>- Asbestos Exposure and Mesothelioma</i>. Web. 12 Jan. 2015.</div>
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Miss Sara Barahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04220689521229676991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352957260189385793.post-29334911808723620432014-08-05T16:05:00.003-06:002014-08-05T16:05:52.602-06:00Faith Preceded the MiracleI'm not sure what to call this post, so I am going to just start writing.<br />
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I have had this blog for a while now. Since 2008 I believe. I started it back when I was trying to make what I thought was a major life change which at the time equated to doing the Master Cleanse. I lasted two days. Since then, this blog has been a place to vent, to mark virtual places with personal meaning that I wanted to remember, and at times to mark milestones in my life. Some of those being my engagement, the end of my engagement, Bikram Yoga Teacher Training, and my wedding. (I think I skipped over my divorce here. I am sure I will write about that one day.)<br />
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Now I am writing about what I believe to be the biggest milestone in my life so far, because I know that my life is now forever changed. I reached a point and a realization from whence there is no turning back.<br />
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On my solo road trip a few weeks back (see last post) I wound up going to the California coast. Due to a series of unplanned events, I wound up at the South Jordan Library just before I left town in search of a good book on tape to have as my travel companion. I happened to see one called "Faith Precedes the Miracle." As I have been focusing on manifesting small miracles in my life (a new place to live, money, and achieving several other dreams) I quickly grabbed the book. Then I saw that it was written by Spencer W. Kimball who if you are not familiar was a Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. A church which I was no longer attending. A church which I left when I was around the age of 15. A church I was raised in and have been contemplating returning to for nearly twenty years. A church that I had finally decided I needed to investigate again as an adult to decide once and for all whether or not I believed.<br />
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I picked up the Spencer W. Kimball book, along with several others, <i>A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (Mark Twain)</i>, <i>The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag (Alan Bradley)</i>,<i> Eat, Pray, Love (What's her name)</i>, and <i>No Doubt About It</i> <i>(Sherrie Dew) </i>and the Champagne Lady and I hit the road.<br />
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It took me exactly two days to make it to the coast. Starting off early day three on Hwy 1 my car and I headed along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Once out of San Francisco I was completely alone - even the road was empty - so I inserted disc one of <i>Faith Precedes the Miracle </i>into my CD player<i> </i>and it was there, on Hwy 1, cruising along the edge of the ocean where life as I knew it transformed. The spirit bore witness to me countless times that God exists. that I was listening to the words of living prophet of God, that every word was true, that all the feelings and thoughts I had been fighting for the last twenty years were real, and I could deny them no longer.<br />
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I will not go into further detail here, suffice to say that the book covered just about every topic, every question that I have had in my heart for the longest time, and made it all crystal clear. I highly recommend picking it up. Be warned, President Kimball was not one to sugar-coat things, which was highly refreshing for me, but be prepared for some straight talkin!<br />
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What I do want to go into here on my blog are the things I am doing to make the transition back to "the church" after having been away for so long, I searched for a while for some kind of advice, or for a story that was similar to mine to help guide me there. While the best advice of course is to pray and read the Book of Mormon, I want to share my story in hopes that it will inspire anyone out there who might have similar feelings and questions and curiosities but wants to see how one might go about making the transition as this was something I would have highly valued all these years.<br />
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I've chosen to stop drinking, stop smoking, stop drinking coffee - currently a work in progress - start wearing more modest clothes - a particularly intimidating one for me - stop having a sex life outside of marriage - so far no problem. All of these will be lifelong commitments, but the first steps can often be the most difficult.<br />
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I am up to my neck in it right now and hope that sharing my story will help others.Miss Sara Barahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04220689521229676991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352957260189385793.post-6649244478425227572014-06-11T11:43:00.003-06:002014-07-07T16:27:08.468-06:00Soulja-journeyI need to get out of town and into some desert. And some dessert.<br />
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<small>Or some big skies...</small><br />
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<small><iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Salt+Lake+City,+UT&daddr=Lava+Hot+Springs,+ID+to:Missoula,+Mt+to:Glacier+National+Park,+West+Glacier,+MT+to:Spokane,+WA+to:Seattle,+WA+to:Portland,+OR+to:Salt+Lake+City,+UT&geocode=Fcv1bQIdma1U-SntMdGIlD1ShzHKMU1IoLdTWw%3BFeJRigIdwdhS-SmrhyE7hXFVhzEdQFQJOfLqsw%3BFf5PywId1ow0-SnLZ_NQKsxdUzEugJTKdxLj6Q%3BFT0D6AIdcr83-SHsXcUVIrwWrylVVVVVFZBoUzHsXcUVIrwWrw%3BFRw31wIdgTgA-Snl57swXBieVDGx2YQL1sn83Q%3BFcJp1gIdWVy1-ClVM-iTLBCQVDGa1URpRmUlEA%3BFfyhtgIdERyw-CkndKl9CwuVVDGRhdH25rk2HA%3BFcv1bQIdma1U-SntMdGIlD1ShzHKMU1IoLdTWw&aq=0&oq=Missoula&sll=44.621754,-117.443848&sspn=11.086196,26.784668&gl=US&hl=en-US&mra=ls&ie=UTF8&t=m&ll=44.629341,-117.450741&spn=7.737563,11.11983&output=embed" width="425"></iframe></small><br />
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<small>https://www.google.com/maps?saddr=Riverton,+UT&daddr=Winnemucca,+NV+to:Reno,+NV+to:Sacramento,+CA+to:San+Francisco,+CA+to:Petaluma,+CA+to:Santa+Rosa,+CA+to:Portland,+OR+to:Bend,+OR+to:Boise,+ID&hl=en&sll=41.656497,-117.663574&sspn=15.239479,33.815918&geocode=FaVQagId4vFT-Skn78ErKIRShzFSCxd0aZjUMw%3BFZ4ycQId-377-CkpnimG612ggDEmngPIY_bIjw%3BFaEsWwIdVcnb-CmdoJKSrkCZgDGH9zh0zsXFQA%3BFUS1TAIdgCTC-Cn5l4OycsaagDHbfxl0qmofkg%3BFVJmQAIdKAe0-CkhAGkAbZqFgDH_rXbwZxNQSg%3BFWFhRwIdlLaw-ClNDHTCjEqEgDHyYi1kNbj_qw%3BFe2NSgIdOYiv-CnXR-Y2yTuEgDFJSE_Fa2XNXA%3BFfyhtgIdERyw-CkndKl9CwuVVDGRhdH25rk2HA%3BFT1GoAIdEuDE-ClR0tOl_8C4VDG00SDHrOeIEA%3BFZaRmQIdsbQS-SmdtEfpcvGuVDGbnWc2m5hbmg&oq=boise+&mra=ls&t=m&z=6<br /><small><a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=embed&saddr=Salt+Lake+City,+UT&daddr=Lava+Hot+Springs,+ID+to:Missoula,+Mt+to:Glacier+National+Park,+West+Glacier,+MT+to:Spokane,+WA+to:Seattle,+WA+to:Portland,+OR+to:Salt+Lake+City,+UT&geocode=Fcv1bQIdma1U-SntMdGIlD1ShzHKMU1IoLdTWw%3BFeJRigIdwdhS-SmrhyE7hXFVhzEdQFQJOfLqsw%3BFf5PywId1ow0-SnLZ_NQKsxdUzEugJTKdxLj6Q%3BFT0D6AIdcr83-SHsXcUVIrwWrylVVVVVFZBoUzHsXcUVIrwWrw%3BFRw31wIdgTgA-Snl57swXBieVDGx2YQL1sn83Q%3BFcJp1gIdWVy1-ClVM-iTLBCQVDGa1URpRmUlEA%3BFfyhtgIdERyw-CkndKl9CwuVVDGRhdH25rk2HA%3BFcv1bQIdma1U-SntMdGIlD1ShzHKMU1IoLdTWw&aq=0&oq=Missoula&sll=44.621754,-117.443848&sspn=11.086196,26.784668&gl=US&hl=en-US&mra=ls&ie=UTF8&t=m&ll=44.629341,-117.450741&spn=7.737563,11.11983" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small> </small>Miss Sara Barahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04220689521229676991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352957260189385793.post-52285836357212979112014-03-28T13:44:00.000-06:002014-03-28T13:49:54.977-06:00I rememberThere was a time they used to tell me I sounded like Johnny Marr.<br />
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<br />Miss Sara Barahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04220689521229676991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352957260189385793.post-61663966323674867522014-01-28T12:50:00.002-07:002014-01-28T12:50:53.379-07:002013 in Review Quiz Revisited1:What did you do in 2013 that you’d never done before?<br />Did my first of many Advanced Bikram classes, visited Newquay, Padstow, Yorkshire, the Lake District, Stirling and Edinburgh, Taught Bikram in Liverpool, Practiced in London, New York and San Francisco, Hiked the narrows of Zion, hiked Zebra Slot Canyon, Rode an ATV through Escalante, Hiked through Capital Reef National Park, Herded free range cows in the La Sals, started training for my first asana competition, started the divorce process,survived a broken heart, spent New Years Eve with my family (okay this isn't something I had never done, but it's been about 15 years.)<br />
2:Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?<br />
Didn't make any, this year I hope to continue to build strength <br />
3:Did anyone close to you give birth?<br />
No<br />
4:Did anyone close to you die?<br />
Angie, Johnny<br />
5:What countries did you visit?<br />
England, Scotland, America<br />
6:What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?<br />See #2, a relationship with someone that will last, and maybe an Iceland stamp on my passport. :D<br />
7:What dates from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?<br />
August 22, the day my marriage ended, November 18, the day the divorce started<br />
8:What was your biggest achievement of the year?<br />Surviving, growing, living<br />
9:What was your biggest failure?<br />
<br />
10:Did you suffer illness or injury?<br />
Injured my shoulder - this time my AC joint<br />
11:What was the best thing you bought?<br />A blue ceramic mug from a garage sale. I drink my tea from it all day every day.<br />
12:Whose behaviour merited celebration?<br />
Ruby, Elizabeth, Mandy, Mom, Misty, Brad, Niki, Jay, Becky<br />
13:Whose behaviour made you appalled?<br />Do I have to say it?<br />
14:Where did most of your money go?<br />
Paying off my debt<br />
16:What song will always remind you of 2013?<br />Spaceship Orion - Ozark Mountain City Devils<br />
17:Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer?<br />
a) happier<br />
b) definitely thinner<br />
c) poorer but soon to be better<br />
18:What do you wish you’d done more of?<br />meditating<br />
19:What do you wish you’d done less of?<br />
worrying<br />
20:How did you spend Christmas?<br />with my family<br />
21:Did you fall in love in 2013?<br />
no<br />
22:What was your favourite TV program?<br />
Breaking Bad<br />
23:Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?<br />
Hate is a very strong word <br />
24:What was the best book you read?<br />
Goldfinch<br />
25:What was your greatest musical discovery?<br />
Judy Collins (rediscovered)<br />
Style Council <br />
26:What did you want and get?<br />
got a new position at work, got teaching positions at BYSL and BYBC<br />
27:What did you want and not get?<br />
wanted to stay married, but now am grateful that I am not<br />
28:What was your favourite film of this year?<br />
I saw a lot of crap movies last year<br />
29:What one thing made your year immeasurably more satisfying?<br />
The amount of self-love and self-realization I experienced<br />
30:How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?<br />American Yogi in Manchester moves back to Salt Lake and loves leggings<br />
31:What kept you sane?<br />
yoga, yoga, friends, family, and yoga<br />
32:Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?<br />
??<br />
33:What political issue stirred you the most?<br />
gay marriage<br />
34:Who did you miss?<br />friends <br />
35:Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.<br />
Family is everything <br />
36:Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.<br />
.... All you must hold on to is you, is you, is you .....Miss Sara Barahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04220689521229676991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352957260189385793.post-11544534209462660312013-04-09T08:48:00.000-06:002013-04-09T08:48:08.848-06:00Proposed Route For Richard's First Tour of Southern UtahRichard and I are coming to Utah this summer and I am SO excited to get back! We are going to rent an RV of sorts so that he can see the magnificence that is Utah. Here is my proposed route...<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Salt+Lake+City,+UT,+USA&daddr=Monroe,+UT,+USA+to:Zion+National+Park,+Utah+9,+Springdale,+UT,+United+States+to:Bryce+Canyon,+UT,+USA+to:Calf+Creek+Campground,+Boulder,+UT,+United+States+to:Capitol+Reef+National+Park,+Torrey,+UT,+USA+to:Goblin+Valley+State+Park,+Green+River,+UT,+United+States+to:Arches+National+Park,+N+Highway+191,+Moab,+UT,+United+States+to:Salt+Lake+City,+UT,+USA&geocode=Fcv1bQIdma1U-SntMdGIlD1ShzHKMU1IoLdTWw%3BFVRyTQIdSyxR-SnlFAAaEhpLhzHquNZJ9r4mew%3BFdA_OAIdgKVE-SFVHXnQDwYf7ilpGMgxAujKgDFVHXnQDwYf7g%3BFZwpPgId8XRQ-SltTDjuH2k1hzFi_Ul6bDecdQ%3BFSquQAIdwfNb-SFrhNZ4APOTCSlDLCQ9ve01hzFrhNZ4APOTCQ%3BFfD7RgIdq8Bf-SEH_09IU-w73ilToucH_wBKhzEH_09IU-w73g%3BFbCYTAIdw79m-SH5jNO38M2VOClpId6Ofb1JhzH5jNO38M2VOA%3BFRkFTwIdPsB3-SGVxCjRaepCTylRqg2GGvbKgDGVxCjRaepCTw%3BFcv1bQIdma1U-SntMdGIlD1ShzHKMU1IoLdTWw&aq=0&oq=zion&sll=38.569643,-111.346436&sspn=2.632571,5.097656&hl=en&mra=ps&ie=UTF8&ll=38.961491,-111.457342&spn=3.602568,3.699194&t=m&output=embed" width="425"></iframe><br /><small><a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=embed&saddr=Salt+Lake+City,+UT,+USA&daddr=Monroe,+UT,+USA+to:Zion+National+Park,+Utah+9,+Springdale,+UT,+United+States+to:Bryce+Canyon,+UT,+USA+to:Calf+Creek+Campground,+Boulder,+UT,+United+States+to:Capitol+Reef+National+Park,+Torrey,+UT,+USA+to:Goblin+Valley+State+Park,+Green+River,+UT,+United+States+to:Arches+National+Park,+N+Highway+191,+Moab,+UT,+United+States+to:Salt+Lake+City,+UT,+USA&geocode=Fcv1bQIdma1U-SntMdGIlD1ShzHKMU1IoLdTWw%3BFVRyTQIdSyxR-SnlFAAaEhpLhzHquNZJ9r4mew%3BFdA_OAIdgKVE-SFVHXnQDwYf7ilpGMgxAujKgDFVHXnQDwYf7g%3BFZwpPgId8XRQ-SltTDjuH2k1hzFi_Ul6bDecdQ%3BFSquQAIdwfNb-SFrhNZ4APOTCSlDLCQ9ve01hzFrhNZ4APOTCQ%3BFfD7RgIdq8Bf-SEH_09IU-w73ilToucH_wBKhzEH_09IU-w73g%3BFbCYTAIdw79m-SH5jNO38M2VOClpId6Ofb1JhzH5jNO38M2VOA%3BFRkFTwIdPsB3-SGVxCjRaepCTylRqg2GGvbKgDGVxCjRaepCTw%3BFcv1bQIdma1U-SntMdGIlD1ShzHKMU1IoLdTWw&aq=0&oq=zion&sll=38.569643,-111.346436&sspn=2.632571,5.097656&hl=en&mra=ps&ie=UTF8&ll=38.961491,-111.457342&spn=3.602568,3.699194&t=m" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small>Miss Sara Barahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04220689521229676991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352957260189385793.post-22512357193304041512013-02-18T08:38:00.003-07:002013-02-18T08:39:14.825-07:00Can't stop thinking about you<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Miss Sara Barahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04220689521229676991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352957260189385793.post-76144469147938257342013-02-08T10:06:00.002-07:002015-03-03T12:52:37.379-07:002012 List just for fun1:What did you do in 2012 that you’d never done before?<br />
Got engaged, went fishing, went shed hunting, called off an engagement, went to Yellowstone National Park, completed Bikram Yoga Teacher Training, met my soul mate, got married, moved to Manchester<br />
2:Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?<br />
Didn't make any<br />
3:Did anyone close to you give birth?<br />
Jillian :)<br />
4:Did anyone close to you die?<br />
Sabrina, Sam and Prince<br />
5:What countries did you visit?<br />
England!<br />
6:What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?<br />
100 classes under my belt. Maybe an Iceland stamp on my passport. :D<br />
7:What dates from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?<br />
November 17, the day I graduated from BYTT. November 18, the day I got married<br />
8:What was your biggest achievement of the year?<br />
Taking action to get out of a life that I did not want, almost touching the floor in a backbend assisted by Bikram himself, graduating from teacher training, getting married<br />
9:What was your biggest failure?<br />
<br />
10:Did you suffer illness or injury?<br />
I did injure my shoulder at TT<br />
11:What was the best thing you bought?<br />
My growler, my Onzie outfits - best things to practice in hands-down<br />
12:Whose behaviour merited celebration?<br />
Bikram, Richard, Mother Teresa<br />
13:Whose behaviour made you appalled?<br />
appalled is a very strong word…<br />
14:Where did most of your money go?<br />
BYTT<br />
16:What song will always remind you of 2012?<br />
Love: Alone Again Or<br />
Donnie and Joe Emmerson: Baby<br />
17:Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer?<br />
a) happier<br />
b) definitely thinner<br />
c) richer - only supporting myself at the moment<br />
18:What do you wish you’d done more of?<br />
seeing friends, spending time with my mom<br />
19:What do you wish you’d done less of?<br />
worrying<br />
20:How did you spend Christmas?<br />
with my new family.<br />
21:Did you fall in love in 2012?<br />
yes<br />
22:What was your favourite TV program?<br />
Madmen<br />
23:Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?<br />
No.<br />
24:What was the best book you read?<br />
Wild by Cheryl Strayed<br />
25:What was your greatest musical discovery?<br />
Wow... tough one. too many to name<br />
26:What did you want and get?<br />
got my teaching certificate, got a husband, got a new life<br />
27:What did you want and not get?<br />
hmm...<br />
28:What was your favourite film of this year?<br />
I didn't see many films last year to be fair. Drive, but that came out the year before.<br />
29:What one thing made your year immeasurably more satisfying?<br />
30:How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?<br />
Moab Yogi<br />
31:What kept you sane?<br />
yoga, instagram, kitties, coffee, and dreams<br />
32:Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?<br />
ryan gosling<br />
33:What political issue stirred you the most?<br />
gay marriage<br />
34:Who did you miss?<br />
my friends<br />
35:Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012.<br />
Listen to your heart. Do not do what feels wrong, or makes your heart ache. We are born to give, not to get. Lock the knee. Self-realization is God-realization<br />
36:Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.<!--3--><br />
.... All you must hold on to is you, is you, is you .....<br />
<br />
<!--3-->Miss Sara Barahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04220689521229676991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352957260189385793.post-81096773800816732472013-02-08T10:00:00.000-07:002013-02-08T10:00:38.857-07:00The Invitation<br />
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<tr><td valign="top" width="385"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">It doesn't interest me what you do for a living<br />I want to know what you ache for<br />and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.<br /><br />It doesn't interest me how old you are<br />I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool<br />for love<br />for your dreams<br />for the adventure of being alive.<br /><br />It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon...<br />I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow<br />if you have been opened by life's betrayals<br />or have become shrivelled and closed<br />from fear of further pain.<br /><br />I want to know if you can sit with pain<br />mine or your own<br />without moving to hide it<br />or fade it<br />or fix it.<br /><br />I want to know if you can be with joy<br />mine or your own<br />if you can dance with wildness<br />and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your<br />fingers and toes<br />without cautioning us to<br />be careful<br />be realistic<br />to remember the limitations of being human.<br /><br />It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me<br />is true.<br />I want to know if you can<br />disappoint another<br />to be true to yourself.</span><div align="left" style="font-family: arial, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 0.8em;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">If you can bear the accusation of betrayal<br />and not betray your own soul.<br />If you can be faithless<br />and therefore trustworthy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">I want to know if you can see Beauty<br />even when it is not pretty<br />every day.<br />And if you can source your own life<br />from its presence.<br /><br />I want to know if you can live with failure<br />yours and mine<br />and still stand on the edge of the lake<br />and shout to the silver of the full moon,<br />"<em>Yes</em>."<br /><br />It doesn't interest me<br />to know where you live or how much money you have.<br />I want to know if you can get up<br />after a night of grief and despair<br />weary and bruised to the bone<br />and do what needs to be done<br />to feed the children.<br /><br />It doesn't interest me who you know<br />or how you came to be here.<br />I want to know if you will stand<br />in the center of the fire<br />with me<br />and not shrink back.<br /><br />It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom<br />you have studied.<br />I want to know what sustains you<br />from the inside<br />when all else falls away.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">I want to know if you can be alone<br />with yourself<br />and if you truly like the company you keep<br />in the empty moments.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">- </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">Oriah Mountain Dreamer</span></div>
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Miss Sara Barahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04220689521229676991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352957260189385793.post-23945797296742661212013-02-06T13:08:00.002-07:002013-02-06T13:14:46.923-07:00That Moment Where You've Been Sitting At Your Computer All Day, And rather than doing something productive you decide to get on TumblrThat's right where I'm at.Miss Sara Barahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04220689521229676991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352957260189385793.post-69447895444985467102013-02-03T07:33:00.001-07:002014-01-28T12:54:20.189-07:00Breaking Bad or How I Threw Caution to the Wind and Attended My First Advanced Bikram Yoga ClassRichard and I are currently in London, staying at the luxurious Jury Inn at London Heathrow Airport. Okay, when I say luxurious I am being 100% cheeky. It is the best deal in town, and within walking distance to Richard's training, as well as the Tube station.<br />
<br />
We arrived Friday night sometime after midnight. We had spoken to our friend from Teacher Training Tammy about getting together, and she invited us to come to an Advanced Bikram class on Saturday. I was so excited for the chance to take an advanced class as they are currently not offered in Manchester or Liverpool. I have been intrigued and feeling ready to try it since Teacher Training, and my curiosity was heightened with reading Benjamin Lorr's "Hell Bent". Let's just say I've been dying to try it for a few months and was really happy that I was going to get a chance.<br />
<br />
Tammy emailed me Saturday morning to let me know that I should come to the 12pm Beginners class to warm up for Advanced. As I wasn't planning on this, and since I was potentially 2 hours away with the trains and getting my bearings, I ran out the door with my skull onzie on under my clothes so that I could jump directly on to the mat upon arrival.<br />
<br />
The universe guided me straight there with hardly a delay. I arrived with 20 or so minutes to spare. Tammy greeted me and introduced me to Ky Ha the 2007 Yoga Asana Champion who would be teaching our Advanced session.<br />
<br />
The Beginners class was lovely. I enjoyed the hot room, the carpeted floors, the windows looking out to the posh office buildings of Canary Wharf just outside. By the time we were finished, I had chugged two litres of water, and was ready to fill up my third to take to Advanced. We had a 15 minute break and then class began.<br />
<br />
I was positioned in the back, straight in front of a window looking out into the reception area where three employees were staring in watching the class. I felt a bit like I was in a fish bowl, but tried not to let that bother me too much.<br />
<br />
I stumbled through the warm up series, falling down a few times inbetween the quick movements with Ky counting 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.. between each pose. Everything was brand new to me, which made it lots of fun. I had seen the Advanced series at Teacher Training, but other than that I had no idea what to expect.<br />
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There were several postures where you place your leg over your head, which I have been able to to since I was a kid. It felt so nice to actually be able to apply this special talent to something useful. Ha! I nearly did a lot of the postures, including one where my right leg was behind my head, and I stood up from that position like in toe stand. Holy shit! After that, I managed to do the splits on both legs. Holy shit again! I haven't done the splits since I was in middle school! The feeling of having my legs completely apart on the floor was a major rush.<br />
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After that, I managed to do a full back bend, touching my hands to the floor, walking them close to my feet, and then standing back up from the back bend (first with the help of Ky, then on my own.) Finally, towards the end of class, after accomplishing so many things that I never imagined I would ever attempt, I did full camel. What a feeling. I can't wait to do it all again!<br />
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<br />Miss Sara Barahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04220689521229676991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352957260189385793.post-15592791038624035492013-01-30T04:35:00.000-07:002013-01-30T04:35:33.311-07:00New Jersey > Brooklyn > New York > New Jersey > London > ManchesterWe're back from a whirlwind trip to New York City via Newark, NJ and let me tell you, I am exhausted! These trips bring sleep deprivation to a whole new level. You know that place where you are so tired that even sleep seems like a big task? Yeah, that's how it is. I don't know how my hubby has done his job for the last 20+ years.<br />
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We visited two Bikram schools while in Brooklyn. Bikram Yoga Brooklyn Heights, and Bikram Yoga Park Slope in the South Slope area. The Brooklyn Heights school was nestled among cafes and Brownstones on the 2nd floor of a funky building. The space was small and intimate, with the feeling that you were in someone's apartment. Half of the room had only enough space for a single row of praticioners, giving the space a very intimate and meditative vibe. Our instructor was very good - she's been teaching for four years now so she has honed her craft. Here we are in our post-class bliss doing some postures in front of the studio.<br />
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Next we treated ourselves to a beautiful lunch at Siggy's Good Food which totally lived up to it's name. We wandered around Brooklyn, checking out the Promenade, and picked up a new coat at the Buffalo Exchange in town. Moral dilemma: the coat is a fur. A totally bad ass fur. I have never owned a fur coat, and felt a bit conflicted by the whole thing, but also decided that seeing as how it was vintage, it wasn't as bad as buying one new. As the girl at the shop said "If you get splattered with paint, you know it's over. If you get hundreds of compliments, then you know you've made the most fabulous thrift-store purchase of your life." So far, all I've been showered with is compliments on the coat, so I'm sticking with it. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a view! I actually welled up with tears at the sight of this.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting lost during a cab ride can have beautiful results.</td></tr>
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We stayed at the Hotel BPM in Brooklyn South Slope which seemed to have a cool vibe and good reviews on Hotels.com, and the price was right. But it seemed totally shady. It was in a weird part of town near the Costco, in the middle of a block full of abandoned buildings. The hotel had a hip-hop theme which is rad, but I couldn't help but wonder if it was a front for something else going on. What are the chances? Ha! We went out for an evening stroll in hopes of getting a bite to eat, but mostly found abandoned buildings, laundromats, and funeral homes. We headed north and wound up walking in to the lovely Piccoli Trattoria which had a beautiful, intimate setting paired with wine and homemade pasta. It was just what we needed after a long day of walking, trains and yoga. <br />
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We practiced at Bikram Yoga Park Slope the next morning which many yogis claim to be their favorite of all the spaces in NYC, and I can see why. What a beautiful space! Located on the 2nd floor of an old bank, the layout and feel of the space were very unique, reminded me a bit of the Funky Door on Polk Street in San Francisco in that you had views out to the street in the hot room which makes for a nice vibe.Miss Sara Barahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04220689521229676991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352957260189385793.post-35254184520240553712013-01-24T01:24:00.001-07:002013-01-24T01:43:53.755-07:00New York, Liverpool, and A Home In the Heart of the CountryRichard returned home from his three-day trip to Nigeria today and told me that he was just given a trip to EWR (Newark, NJ.) this weekend, and I am gonna go with. I quickly emailed our fellow Bikram teachers in NYC to see if anyone is teaching, and if perhaps - gulp - I might teach a class while we are there. We started studying our dialogue last night, and I have some serious catching up to do. I could barely make it through Standing Separate Leg Stretching which is my favorite one to say. (insert whip crack sound) workinonit!<br />
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We were treated to a lovely dinner at the home of Cathy and Ian last night. They bought a house in the country right across from a stable. There was someone getting riding lessons when we arrived and we had to take a second to watch. I am still so charmed by everyone's accent out here - especially in new venues like an equestrian park. "Trott on! Trott trott!" Haha.<br />
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What a beautiful home, a beautiful couple, and a beautiful meal!<br />
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We are heading to Liverpool today to take class and see about teaching there. So excited! I am hoping the universe provides.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/22874932" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <a href="http://vimeo.com/22874932">Workinonit - J Dilla</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user6879858">Marcos Quintanilla</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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<br />Miss Sara Barahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04220689521229676991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352957260189385793.post-79581385265546406962013-01-22T15:05:00.005-07:002013-01-22T15:52:39.560-07:00Back In ActionHello friends - I have to believe that once in a while people are checking back here to see what I wrote - even if it has been months. I'm back on the interwabs and there is a lot of catching up to be had.<br />
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In the last five months I attended and graduated from Bikram Yoga Teacher Training - Fall 2012 Class, Became a certified Bikram Yoga instructor, met a handsome, intelligent, funny fellow yogi who also happened to be my soul mate, flew to Vegas, sealed the deal, moved back to the Salt Lake Valley, changed my name to "Lockett", taught three Bikram classes, and then moved to Manchester, UK to be with my husband. And we lived happily ever after...<br />
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...and now the real story begins.<br />
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I have intentionally abstained from blogging for the past five months due in part to the fact that I wanted to disconnect from the world of electronics as much as possible during my experience. For those of you who know me, instagram had gone from my favorite past time, to my daily obsession. Half of the reason I drove from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles via Moab was so that I could capture and share the sights on IG. On the night before I arrived in LA, I dropped my phone - in it's case - on a soft pine wood deck and the screen cracked in to a billion pieces. I was mortified, but I immediately knew that the universe was telling me "You're embarking on the soul journey of your life. Put your fracking phone down!!!" <br />
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Once I arrived at Teacher Training, the breaks I had were short and sweet, but hardly left enough time to write about the experience. Once I was home from teacher training, I was too busy studying, teaching, practicing, planning, and packing to think about writing about the experience. Once I arrived in Manchester I was too busy with Christmas, New Year (they say "New Year", not "New Years" here, which is one of the few dialect thingys that makes more sense to me than the way "we" say it over in the states) and having my body introduced to it's first trans-continental flu, I was too exhausted to write about the experience.<br />
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Then, this morning the sun came out <i>all day</i>. I felt inspired by where I am and what I am doing for the first time in a while, and I felt compelled to start up my blogging again. I am hoping to do more with it this time around. To share, inspire, produce, and maybe even make some dough. (gotta put it out there.)<br />
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So here it is, the kicker, the kick off. I'll leave it at that for now except to say to all my friends who haven't been here before:<br />
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Welcome to Manchester<br />
<br />Miss Sara Barahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04220689521229676991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352957260189385793.post-81174091391430287002012-09-15T08:52:00.001-06:002012-09-15T08:52:33.595-06:00I'm Okay To Go<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Heading out in less than 24 hours, and feeling like I am ready as I'll ever be. The last seven weeks have been peacefully re-affirming for me, mixed with serious bouts of stress, confusion, anxiety, sorrow, and remorse. But no regrets. Coming back to Castle Valley has been magical. This place is even more precious and wonderful than ever. I never want to leave, but I feel I have taken it in and absorbed it to the fullest every day I have been here. Each time I watch the sun rise from the table next to the window over looking Porcupine Ridge, I take in even more. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">My focus must turn back to Bikram, to my soul, to my self. I want this experience to launch me in to a place where I am manifesting what I really want out of life. Learning, travel, love, communication. I need to remember that a lot of the reason I chose to be a teacher, the reason I love practicing Bikram is that it is self-induced self-love. To quote my sister in law Kathy "I don't know when the last time was that I paid that much attention to myself for an hour and a half." </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">My neighbor Adele read my astrological chart a few months back, and noticed that I had "Natal Mars Squares Jupiter" in my reading. She told me to go home and research this aspect to find out what it means and that it was prominent and unusual. Here is what I found:</span></span><br />
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MARS<img alt="Mars Glyph" src="http://www.astroscoped.com/astrology/images/ga1-mars.gif" /> SQUARE<img alt="Square Glyph" src="http://www.astroscoped.com/astrology/images/ga1-square.gif" /> JUPITER<img alt="Jupiter Glyph" src="http://www.astroscoped.com/astrology/images/ga1-jupiter.gif" /> - Mars and Jupiter in a square aspect generate abundant physical and mental energy. Of itself, this energy is undisciplined and uncontrolled, but you will learn through experience how to channel it into productive activities. You have a desire to achieve great things, and you have the capacity and determination to do so, but you would do well to examine your own motives to ensure that they are based on some philosophical ideal or guiding principle. It is only in this way that you can use this aspect to its full potential and achieve eventual success. If your purpose is simply for the glorification of your own ego, an equally possible manifestation of this aspect, then you are bound to run into serious problems.</div>
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You have a tendency to overdo things, in your desire to get ahead you are prepared to work long and gruelling hours at the expense of the needs of your physical body, and also of your domestic life. You need to learn when to rest if you wish to avoid nervous exhaustion, and to say hello to your family occasionally, if only to let them know that you are still aware of their existence.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">I feel that Bikram yoga has helped me to balance this aspect of my life. Bikram requires that you drink more water, to eat healthier, to make exercise more than just a priority - it's a way of life. My list of reasons for doing Bikram could go on and on, and I will dedicate a post to this while at BYTT. The point is, I have a tendency to overdo things at the expense of my own physical body. Some people see Bikram yoga as an extreme thing, but to me, it is more extreme to go throughout life without having something to remind you to breathe, slow down, be in the moment, drink your water, and just be. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">I'm about to do that for nine weeks, and it is my hope that I will stay in that frame of mind, not get caught up in any drama, and stay true to myself. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">I'm okay to go...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/EtaBI84tmOI" width="560"></iframe></b></span></span>Miss Sara Barahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04220689521229676991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352957260189385793.post-56336900448264539482012-09-15T08:50:00.000-06:002012-09-15T08:50:11.145-06:00Slight Change in PlansI made it to Williams last night, and am staying at the sweetest little B&B called the Grand Canyon Bed and Breakfast. Sheri and Del are super sweet and kind, and have a lovely place here. If you are visiting the Williams area, I highly recommend staying here.<br />
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I dropped my phone last night while checking in here, and the screen shattered into 100 pieces. :( Wah! Because of this, I found the nearest Apple store, which is in Palm Desert, CA - just outside of Palm Springs, so I will be heading that way instead of Joshua Tree and staying there tonight at the Inn at Deep Canyon. Updated Travel plans below:<br />
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<br />
<ol>
<li>Castle Valley to Williams, AZ (by way of the Grand Canyon)</li>
<li>Williams to Joshua Tree, CA (by way of Lake Havasu)</li>
<li>JT to Cabazon (To see the dinosaurs from Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, duh!)</li>
<li>Cabazon to LA!</li>
</ol>
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Castle+Valley,+UT&daddr=Grand+Canyon+Village,+AZ+to:Williams,+AZ+to:Joshua+Tree,+CA+to:Cabazon,+CA+to:Los+Angeles,+CA&geocode=FUSXTQIdEo16-SmL57vOx-dHhzHSQTN0qq2Tcw%3BFawlJgIdseBQ-Skl4_-VTxczhzGhniKadMLMuA%3BFTHdGQId5RlQ-SlVpQFT6Z4yhzGGU8DNx-elHQ%3BFcjaCAIdFjQR-SkBUMn7RdDagDHDaxQAWv7n5A%3BFUuKBQId2PcJ-SkzCaNAcj_bgDEAsDXWYyiE1Q%3BFYqYBwIdm77z-CkT2ifcXcfCgDH0CEYlb98v4g&aq=0&oq=los&sll=36.297418,-113.060303&sspn=5.081707,10.206299&hl=en&mra=ls&ie=UTF8&ll=36.297418,-113.060303&spn=4.76928,8.90759&t=m&output=embed" width="425"></iframe><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1TD_pSeNelU" width="420"></iframe>Miss Sara Barahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04220689521229676991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352957260189385793.post-9060906423453484272012-09-11T19:44:00.000-06:002012-09-12T12:02:44.848-06:00Words of WisdomBefore I left Salt Lake, Niki took the time to read me this week's CW Horoscope. I love when stellar advice comes to you in the form of your best friend reading it from the local independent paper...<br />
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LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)“Disappointments should be cremated, not embalmed,” said the aphorist Henry S. Haskins. That’s good advice for you right now, Libra. It’s an auspicious moment for you to set fire to your defeats, letdowns, and discouragements -- and let them burn into tiny piles of ashes. I mean all of them, stretching back for years, not simply the recent ones. There’s no need to treat them like precious treasures you have an obligation to lug with you into the future. The time is right for you to deepen your mastery of the art of liberation.<br />
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<br />Miss Sara Barahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04220689521229676991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352957260189385793.post-21676591683170997432012-09-10T12:47:00.001-06:002012-09-10T12:47:30.967-06:00Seven Days SPOILER ALERT! This post contains a Sting song.<br />
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In just seven days, I will be at the Radisson LAX practicing my first of many, many, many Bikram classes with 450+ other people. I have been following the BYTT Fall 2012 Facebook group very closely and am taking comfort in the fact that we are all equally freaked out, equally relatively oblivious to what we are getting ourselves into, and equally ready to help each other through it. There are many very encouraging posts from instructors, posture clinic teachers, and people who have been through the training. Some of my favorite quotes so far:<br />
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"<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; line-height: 13.600000381469727px;">You will all soon join the ranks of other TT grads who smile knowingly at the following phrases..."You have NO idea", "He was my best friend", "I hate lazy people", "Check, check, 1-2-3-4", "Hi, Guys!", "♪ ♫ I'm so lonely...♫ ♪", "Let's start the movie", "Is my English clear, yes or no?", plus so many more."</span><br />
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"<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; line-height: 13.600000381469727px;">Its just 90 minutes of breathing interrupted 26 times."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; line-height: 13.600000381469727px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; line-height: 13.600000381469727px;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; line-height: 13.600000381469727px;">Think bigger picture. And learn your dialogue."</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 13.600000381469727px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 13.600000381469727px;">"</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; line-height: 13.600000381469727px;">We must train from the inside out. Using our strengths to attack and nullify any weaknesses. It’s not about denying a weakness may exist but about denying its right to persist." </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; line-height: 13.600000381469727px;">~Vince McConnell</span><br />
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Let the soul journey begin!<br />
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Of course, I had to include a song to go with this post.. even if it is Sting. If you can think of a better, more appropriate song with a "seven day" theme, let me know.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/pG7_gceIFL4" width="560"></iframe>Miss Sara Barahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04220689521229676991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352957260189385793.post-67159701740014468392012-09-07T23:04:00.002-06:002012-09-10T13:03:43.292-06:00Life MilestonesNoteworthy Achievement deserving of blog post: I currently have two major movie star crushes who are both younger than me. I will not cry, I will accept this with grace, as I have a feeling I had better get used to this happening. I also have two crushes who are much, much older than me, so I've got that going for me.<br />
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My current crushes in no particular order:<br />
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One:<br />
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Two:<br />
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<a href="http://www.gq.com/images/entertainment/MOTY/2009/12/joseph-gordon-levitt/joseph-gordon-levitt-moty-2009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.gq.com/images/entertainment/MOTY/2009/12/joseph-gordon-levitt/joseph-gordon-levitt-moty-2009.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
Three:<br />
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcThS6_cpKtE0xJIwNr4W4X0uKxPkxJmWGubQrfDJmBHkCxNECIe" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcThS6_cpKtE0xJIwNr4W4X0uKxPkxJmWGubQrfDJmBHkCxNECIe" /></a></div>
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Of course, there is the original crush, one which never went and never will go away:<br />
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While I am at it, my Paul Newman crush grew three times last week when watching this piece from CBS Sunday Morning. I dare you to watch this without a hanky. As if I needed another reason to fall in love all over again, ladies and gentlemen I give you Paul Newman... be still my beating heart.<br />
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<br />Miss Sara Barahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04220689521229676991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352957260189385793.post-12192488320995375142012-07-24T12:46:00.002-06:002012-12-02T23:31:02.641-07:00In My SoulIt has been a while since my last blog post, and even my most recent ones have not given too much insight in to what is happening in my world. Today, that changes. ;)<br />
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It has nearly been 9 months since I moved to Castle Valley, and in just a few short days, I will be leaving for what could be the last time. Before I go in to my feelings about leaving, let me give some background info to catch us up.<br />
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In April, Patrick and I called off the wedding. There are several reasons for this, none of which I will go into here. Suffice to say it was the right thing to do. Once this was done, not unlike the rest of my time here in CV, I was forced to take an even closer look at myself and start making alternate plans. My view lead me to finally stop talking about doing the Bikram Yoga Teacher Training, and actually do it. Since my first Bikram class, <span style="background-color: white;">I have been compelled to take my practice to the next level, and to take this soul journey. Now here I am two years later, just days away from my departure, and my heart is full.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Packing to leave the place which I now call home is bitter-sweet. This town has broken me down, built me up, crushed my soul, and awakened my spirit. Without it, I would never have been able to make the breakthroughs, discoveries, decisions or changes I am making now. </span><span style="background-color: white;">On this "State Holiday" aka Mormon Independence Day, I want to celebrate South Eastern Utah, especially Moab, Castle Valley, Green River, Bluff, and all the sweet spots in between.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">I woke up this morning with Rod Stewart's words in my mind. I couldn't have said it better myself. This one goes out to you babe...</span><br />
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<br />Miss Sara Barahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04220689521229676991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352957260189385793.post-55941352108107021402012-06-10T18:30:00.002-06:002012-06-10T18:33:34.140-06:00Lavender Lemon Scones --&-&-@It's 5:30pm on a sunny summer Sunday, and I have spent most of the day in the kitchen. Normally, this would mean that I was cleaning, washing dishes, organizing, etc. but today I was baking! Last week I picked up some beautiful lavender from the Day Star Academy Farm that is next door to us. Just look at that juicy, crystal-y lavender!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH9Rhtmw9WHUNMSSVoO7w-9eSrNIrPY6Cva9zKS1ToyM53jtlmjzvQk8_JP1sUV0OfOpp7GtZYBCHaN4Ty95aJA1VwF0fkP7mmFzYp5tgSIq-YF5765mnfEYcHdvSUT5P2TiaUPpZgn8o/s1600/Photo+Jun+10%252C+11+15+09+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH9Rhtmw9WHUNMSSVoO7w-9eSrNIrPY6Cva9zKS1ToyM53jtlmjzvQk8_JP1sUV0OfOpp7GtZYBCHaN4Ty95aJA1VwF0fkP7mmFzYp5tgSIq-YF5765mnfEYcHdvSUT5P2TiaUPpZgn8o/s320/Photo+Jun+10%252C+11+15+09+AM.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Since they are Seventh Day Adventists - which means they are vegan, and grow organic produce only, I figured their lavender must be safe to eat, so I decided to try and bake something I have sorely been missing since moving to Castle Valley: <i>Scones!</i><br />
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After letting the lavender dry out for a couple of days, and seeing as how today it was going to be 78 degrees and not 100 degrees, I figured it would be a good day to crank up the oven to 400 and get my bake on. I have never attempted baking scones before, as is the case for most of the recipes I have tried since moving out here. Necessity is the mother of all awesome baked goods, as they say. These were easy as pie, and oh-so delicious! Here's how it's done:<br />
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<h4>
<b>Lavender Lemon Scones (non-vegan, non-low fat ;)</b></h4>
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<i>If you are lucky enough to have a full-size food processor, you can use it to mix the entire recipe.</i> </div>
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Zest from 2 lemons<br />
2 Tbsp lavender<br />
1/2 cup granulated sugar<br />
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 Tbsp baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
6 tablespoons unsalted butter - cold and sliced<br />
2 large eggs - separate the yolk from one egg<br />
1 cup buttermilk or heavy cream<br />
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Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.<br />
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Add lemon zest, lavender and sugar into your food processor. (I use a 2-cup Cuisinart. If you do not have a small food processor, grind your lavender in a coffee grinder or mash it with a mortar and pestle first to start releasing the oils.) Blend until mixed well.<br />
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In a medium sized bowl, or in your full-size food processor, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add sugar mixture. Add butter slices and combine (either with the pulse function, or using a pie crust mixer as shown) until the mixture resembles corn meal.<br />
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Whisk your egg whites, egg yolk, and cream (reserving egg white from the 2nd egg for your egg wash later) and add to the sugar/flour mixture. Pulse/chop to combine.<br />
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Divide your dough in to two balls. Lightly flour a clean surface and shape one of the dough balls into a circle 1 inch thick. Using a pizza slicer, cut out triangle shapes for your scones.<br />
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Place the scones on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and brush with the reserved egg white, sprinkle with your granulated sugar, and pop in the oven for about 14 minutes - or until they are a light golden brown. Serve with your favorite tea, coffee, or other delicious beverage. Enjoy!<br />
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<br />Miss Sara Barahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04220689521229676991noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352957260189385793.post-55283688056002893012012-06-09T11:34:00.000-06:002012-06-09T11:34:01.568-06:00Fast Fresh Tomato SalsaI picked up 5 lbs of "over ripe" heirloom tomatoes from the Daystar Academy the other day and tossed 'em in a blender to make this yummy salsa! It was SO easy that I wanted to save my recipe and share with you!<br />
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<h4>
Fast Fresh Tomato Salsa (makes about 3 quarts)</h4>
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<ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">5 lbs. tomatoes, chopped</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">1 cup finely diced onion</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">1 serrano chile, finely chopped</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">1 habenero finely chopped</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">1 bunch chopped fresh cilantro</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">2 limes juice</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">1 tbsp cumin</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">salt and pepper to taste</li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">Chop up about half of the tomatoes, and put the rest in the blender along with the chiles. Combine remaining ingredients with blended and chopped tomatoes and enjoy!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div>Miss Sara Barahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04220689521229676991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352957260189385793.post-80780205925731743962012-06-05T18:34:00.003-06:002012-06-05T18:36:26.187-06:00Moroccan Green Bean Stew with Couscous, Homemade Harissa and Greek YogurtOne of my favorite iPhone aps is Stitcher which allows you to listen to just about any podcast that is in existence whenever you like. It's great to be able to pause and pick back up the podcast on the go, especially when you want to write down one of the mouth-watering on-the-fly recipes that Ms. Lynne Rossetto Kasper gives to her callers each week during <i>The Splendid Table, </i>like this one she gave to the reluctant vegan from the Herb Society of America last week. Let me tell you, it is SO freaking good!<br />
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This dish is good warm or at room temperature, and it's the sort of thing that begs to be topped with fresh herbs. Thanks to Stitcher, I was able to pause, rewind, transcribe the recipe, and re-check it as I cooked. This turned out to be one of the best things I have made in a while.<br />
<h4>
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<h4>
Moroccan Green Bean Stew with Couscous, Homemade Harissa and Yogurt (Serves 4)</h4>
Here's what you need:<br />
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1 1/2 lbs. trimmed Green Beans<br />
1 lg onion chopped<br />
Lots of garlic (which in my book is 5-6 cloves)<br />
1 basket cherry tomatoes smashed<br />
1 can chickpeas (optional) or 1/2 lb carrot sticks or any other vegetable of your liking<br />
1 bottle white wine<br />
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Fresh Herbs:<br />
Basil, Thyme, Mint, Cilantro<br />
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Spices:<br />
1 tsp Cinnamon<br />
1 1/2 tbsp. Allspice<br />
<br />
Several Cloves<br />
1 tsp Nutmeg<br />
Lots of Black Pepper<br />
1 tsp Cumin<br />
1 tsp Sweet Paprika<br />
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Take a big skillet, film it with olive oil and cook the green beans and onion until they are starting to brown. Add chopped garlic, and then add chopped fresh Thyme and Basil. Blend all the spices in a coffee grinder or crush with mortar and pestle and add to the pot.<br />
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Let this cook for 2-3 minutes, and then add 1 cup white wine (or veg broth)<br />
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Let the wine cook down, and then again add 1 cup white wine (or veg broth)<br />
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Add tomatoes, chickpeas, carrots etc and then cover beans with liquid of your choice (more wine or veg broth) and cook until beans are almost melting, and liquid has cooked down to create a stew.<br />
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Serve over couscous along with a side of Greek Yogurt and Homemade Harissa (recipe follows) and you have a feast fit for the Queen of Morocco!<br />
<h4>
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<h4>
Homemade Harissa Recipe:</h4>
I made this in a pinch the other day as I cannot find Harissa in the markets here little old Moab. It is my new favorite condiment!<br />
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You will need:<br />
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<ul>
<li>1/2 can tomato paste</li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 18px; text-align: left; text-decoration: inherit;">3 cloves garlic, minced</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 18px; text-align: left; text-decoration: inherit;">1/2 teaspoon salt</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 18px; text-align: left; text-decoration: inherit;">2 tablespoons olive oil</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 18px; text-align: left; text-decoration: inherit;">1 teaspoon ground coriander</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 18px; text-align: left; text-decoration: inherit;">1 teaspoon ground caraway seeds</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 18px; text-align: left; text-decoration: inherit;">1/2 teaspoon cumin</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 18px; text-align: left; text-decoration: inherit;">1 dried ancho chile, or fresh jalapeno, whatever chili you have on hand</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Blend in a food processor and enjoy!</span></span></div>Miss Sara Barahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04220689521229676991noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3352957260189385793.post-40809820415359001092012-06-04T12:28:00.000-06:002012-08-28T21:26:51.196-06:00Cantaloupe Soup Recipe FAIL<br />
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It's 100 degrees today in Castle Valley, and I need something sweet and something cold to keep me from melting. Luckily, I stumbled on to this recipe today while listening to <i>The Splendid Table. </i>Let's see how it turns out...</div>
<ul>
<li>1 cantaloupe</li>
<li>zest from 1 lime</li>
<li>1/4 tsp fish sauce</li>
<li>1 jalapeno minced</li>
<li>fresh mint</li>
</ul>
<br />
set aside a few chunks of cantaloupe for serving, and add puree the first four ingredients. add reserved chunks of cantaloupe, garnish with mint and enjoy!<br />
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you can also drink this soup with a shot of vodka and ice. YUM!<br />
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UPDATE:<br />
<br />
This recipe did not go over so well in our house. Maybe try it with watermellon instead? Either that, or this type of thing demands to be prepared with a Vitamix. It tasted like a pulpy cold pile of savory-sweet strangeness. Maybe it's an acquired taste? I may never know...Miss Sara Barahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04220689521229676991noreply@blogger.com0