Deserted Islands & Snow in Victoria on Vlog#11

Snow, Donuts and Deserted Islands

We start the week in my outdoor office, on a deserted island in oak bay, surrounded by seals, while I listened to a podcast preparing for this week’s episode of Namaste Yoga on patience. I reflect on the patience that I bring to physical pain, as well as the patience I bring to the pain of bringing compassion and forgiveness to personal relationships. I speak about how the teachings seem to dovetail with what I need in my life too and how I am in the trenches with you too. I love the teachings. You get to see lots of seals.

I get Trinity a special treat from Crust bakery. The highlight of my week was going to an art auction at Trinity’s school. Her teacher organized a day where artists came in and sat with the students all day long, working on pieces of art together. Then we came in to the auction and had to bid for the art. Trinity was paired with Marcia Semenoff.

I shared with you my passion for art and some new art supplies I picked up so I can continue doing art!

I had a special delivery this week from my friend Kelly Child’s this week from Kelly’s Bake Shop in Burlington Ontario. She sent me, her brand new cookbook, Made with Love.

Thursday we had a wonderful day filming in Gowlland Tod Provincial Park . It rained for the filming, but it is the most beautiful location with an incredible amount of wildlife. We had seals, otters, sea lions,eagles, loons, ducks. It is one of the most quiet and beautiful locations to hike and film.

On Friday afternoon we did some errands and I shared with you Victoria’s snow.

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Vlog 10: Meet one of the Creators of Moss Lady and lots of Art

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Creators of Moss Lady and lots of Art : Vlog 10

This week started with one of the creators of Moss Lady in Beacon Hill Park. You get to find out all about the creation of Moss Lady. Dale is a real sweetheart, as you got to see in the video, he created and shared a whole photo album with me on the step-by-step process of creating Moss Lady. Dale himself sourced the moss close to where he lives on the island. He said he can’t keep people from leaving money on her head! It was fascinating to me. I love how incredible the gardeners are at Beacon Hill Park and their dedication to their art.

We filmed Namaste Yoga in beautiful McNeil Bay this week on the water by the famous blue and red chairs. Trinity and I got to have a girls night that evening, we did some window shopping on Tuesday evening.

Thursday morning we did a photography session in Beacon Hill park to retrieve some photographs for a 10-video sequence on how to use my top three favourite props. I tried to show you some deer in the school playground with all the kids, but I was a little slow. It was really funny, because the deer were in the schoolground, but the kids could have cared less, as they went on playing.

I share a lot of art with you this week. I am doing Life Book 2016 with Tamara LaPorte. I showed you an angel that I created. I love Tamara LaPorte’s teaching because there is a huge meditative and spiritual reflective component to her teaching, just like mine! I did a piece of art where I incorporate the mail and letters that you send me. You get to see me with paint all over my face.

My new thank you cards arrived, they are another mixed media art creation. I’m so appreciative of all your support. I am looking forward to being able to hand write my thank you cards this week. I incorporated some of Hannah’s letter into my thank you card too.

I’ve enjoyed the new style of project collecting quotes and words that Mary Beth Shaw introduced me to in week 10 of Life Book 2016 that I started writing poetry this week as well.

We finished the week with a trip to the farm and a fresh fruit and veggies farm haul. I show you my new altar in our kitchen to create a sacred space. It has a very special offering tray, with gifts from you, my students and other items to invite nourishment of our family.

Let me know if you are interested in the poetry that goes with the art I have been creating.

Ha ha! Tim added in a video clip I sent to him when Trinity and I were out window shopping this week. So you can help us decide … do you like that duvet cover? Should I go for it?

Thank you for your presence here.

Namaste, Melissa

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Spring Cleaning – Vlog 9

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Spring Cleaning & Kite-boarders

This week was full on with a lot of filming and work. It started with filming some Ayurvedic focused classes for transitioning your vatta, pitta and kapha doshas into the spring. I also filmed a weekly challenge for our membership community on grounding through seasonal transitions.

We celebrated Easter by going to clover point, filming some time lapses and making Easter treats. The kite festival is in May. On Easter Sunday I did a ton of spring cleaning and set up my new altar as well. I show you my new altar with my intention for Spring. I cleared my work space as well for clearer boundaries.

I have been enjoying my detoxifying and replenishing yoga bath from Scentuals. This dead sea salt and essential oil blend softens your skin and relaxes your muscles. I am in love with this combination of salts and how it both relaxes and replenishes. I cannot get enough of it!

On Tuesday evening we went for a walk through the beautiful gardens at Government house and enjoyed all the gorgeous spring flowers and magnolia trees. The mountains were in full view as well.

On Wednesday we filmed Namaste Yoga 325 on Generosity on Anderson hill. It was a beautiful warm and sunny day. 😉 On Friday afternoon we took a little walk and picnic and walk through Beacon hill park. We watched some kite surfers at Clover Point.

I finished the week celebrating my completion of the grounding through seasonal transitions weekly challenge with the Yoga for Grounding class in our membership community.

Thank you for watching. I appreciate your presence here.

Namaste, Melissa

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Double Hikes Photos Shoots and Whales : Vlog 8

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Whales-Photo Shoots and Hikes

We started out our week with a hike up Lone Tree Hill. We volunteered at Salvation army to serve hot lunch to those in need. Then we went whale watching with captain Tom of B.C. whale tours to see J-Pod our local area whales.

I did 2 photography sessions this week. One for Squeezed Yoga clothing and one for Tim to practice his portrait photography.

I had my birthday facial this week with Krista from Therapy Spa in Victoria B.C. We talked about our future YouTube collaboration to care for your skin with herbal tea.

I went to Simple Remedies, a herbal apothecary in Victoria B.C. that specializes in wild crafted, top quality herbs. I ordered the skin care tea that Krista and I are going to use for our video. I also got a dandelion tincture that they make fresh in-store in small batches.

We had a special mail time. I show you the skin care company, Scentuals Body Care from Nature that I am going to be collaborating with to introducing you to Ayurvedic skin care tutorials. Ayurveda believes that our beauty is a reflection of the beauty in nature. Thanks to the products from Scentuals Body Care I am going to be able to offer you many tutorials from facial massage, body massage, skin cleansing routines, bath soaking tips for sore muscles from yoga and much more 🙂

Our second hike was up Mount Work and that mountain deserves its name. We were greeted at that base of the mountain by highland cows. It was a lot of climbing. You will get to see multiple gorgeous lookout points as we climb and climb and climb.

Thank you for watching. We appreciate your presence and attention. Please press that like button and subscribe to our channel for a new vlog every Monday at 9am Pacific.

Namaste, Melissa

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Our Time In Ucluelet

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Join us for our time in Ucluelet.

We began Tuesday morning with the Light House Loop of the Wild Pacific Trail on the Pacific Ocean. The scenery in the rain forest is incredible, from streams, to trees, to the vegetation, and the beaches, it is all just stunning.

We got a lot of nutritious movement, walking over the uneven terrain of the rocky beaches between our time on the beautiful trails. We were overcome with the beauty of the natural beauty of the Wild Coast Trail.

We so enjoyed our time of rest and relaxation, with long naps in the afternoon, walks on the beach in the early evenings. We spent time on Big Beach in the early evenings.

On Wednesday morning we walked the Wild Pacific Trail again. I show you some local shell fish. I´ve decided that we are a true family of videographers and photographers now. The length of the hike is now determined by storage space and battery length. Exhaustion and hunger no longer seem to fit into the equation.

We snack on the rocks while watching the gray whales blow out in the Pacific ocean. There are 20K whales that migrate past Ucluelet at this time of year.

We really enjoyed our time together as a family getting some rest and relaxation. I finished up this week with our drive home behind a huge logging truck.

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From Victoria to Ucuelet – Vlog 6

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Victoria to Ucuelet

Join us as we road trip from Victoria to Ucuelet for a few days away this March break.

We stop and share several beautiful lookout points along the way and even film some gorgeous scenery from the car.

Our first lookout points were along the Malahat for a view of Salt Spring Island.

We continued along and after the turnoff for Tofino and Ucuelet we stopped at Little Qualicum Falls.

After Little Qualicum Falls it was the old growth forest called, Cathedral Grove. The biggest trees in the Grove are about 800 years old and measure 75 m (250 ft) in height and 9 m (29 ft) in circumference. They are the survivors of a forest fire that ravaged the area some 350 years ago.

After Cathedral Grove we drove through the mountains and snow, stopping to look at rivers, lakes and more mountains.

We arrived in Ucuelet or Ukee as the locals like to call it late in the afternoon and toured some of the local beaches and marinas.