I love fresh veggies however I can’t stand getting dirt under my finger nails.
Gardening up until now has appeared to be a LOT of work.
I now feel like a pampered gardener reaping the benefits of our Tower Garden.
Ordering the Tower Garden and seedlings was a pleasurable breeze.
Joe and I had fun constructing the tower (less than 20 min!)
Planting seeds was simple, easy and CLEAN (less than 30 min!)
5 weeks later look at how much our seedlings have grown and how wonderful they look.
Tower Garden Top 9 Questions
Joe and I are having fun with our Tower Garden. My problem is I’m addicted to going out and checking on the progress! So much joy and fascination! - I think every school should have a Tower Garden. Here’s the main questions folks are asking us. I highly recommend you consider getting one. It’s a perfect time/season to start your garden. Let us know how we may help more.
1. How does it work?
The bottom of the Tower Garden is filled with water. Every 20 minutes water (with nutrients) pumps through the system. (an added bonus I didn’t expect is the tower sounds like a water fall)
2. What is growing?
We have 28 plants growing:
| Greens | Arugula, Swiss Chard, Kale, Red Russian Kale |
| Lettuce | Bibb, Romaine, Spicy Mix, Red Crisp, Spring Mix |
| Tomatos | Goliath, Washington Cherry |
| Herbs | Basil, Chives, Oregano, Dill, Parsley |
| Salad | Red Bell Pepper, Cucumber, Celery |
| Squash | Eggplant,Zucchini,Yellow Squash |
| Beans | Green Beans, Sugar Snap Peas |
We bought seedlings from http://www.livingtowerseedlings.com/ you can grow from seed, buy from a local store. To optimize our first attempt, for speed, ease, reliability and fun we ordered on line. It was an awesome experience, super quick, easy and pleasurable.
3. What kind of maintenance?
The Towers’needs are few and simple: Needs to be plugged in, then check PH, add water and nutrients once a week.
4. When will veggies be ready?
Some friends thought the Tower Garden was simply growing seedlings ready to plant. NO! the https://ht64608.towergarden.com provides excellent water, nutrients and structure for Veggies to be fully grown in 5 - 8 weeks!
5. How much does it yield?
The plants keep growing/producing for MONTHS. For example with the lettuce we take the outer leaves off (rather than pulling the whole plant)and the plant keeps growing more leaves.
6. What can you grow?
Almost all vegetables (unless they grow underground like potatoes), herbs, most fruit (except those who grow on trees!) and even Flowers!
7. How much did it cost?
The regular tower costs $500, we also bought wheels and an extension tower.
8. Can I grow in doors?
Yes! we have friends in Colorado who have already brought their tower indoors for the winter. We cover ours over night if we hear it’s going to be cold and wheel it inside the garage if there’s an overnight freeze warning.
9. How can I buy one?
Super simple, takes less than 5 minutes! Click HERE. Call or email us if you’d like us to help you process your order.
| Common statement: | wow! that’s expensive isn’t it? |
| My response: | no! it’s an investment! |
| Cost of Tower: | $500 |
| Cost of seedlings: | $40 |
When our veggies are grown we plan to eat 100% off the tower daily.
Spend $50 a week on organic veggies the table is paid for in 11 weeks.
Continue to enjoy fresh, convenient, yummy veggies, for years!
List of Nia Routines
I’m so WHOPPING excited about a “new skill to me” I discovered on my own website! Some one asked for my Whitney Houston Play list. I knew I’d listed lots of play lists and information about Adapted Nia Routines on my blog and have wanted to create some easy way for folks to find them rather than flipping through the many blog entries. This evening I discovered the way! my search button on the front page. DAH! Simply entered “routine” and 30 references popped up. I think this link takes you there directly - enjoy /display/Search?moduleId=12236317&searchQuery=routine
Tower Garden Update
Joe and I are SUPER excited about our Tower Garden. In my opinion EveryBody needs one. Look how much our plants have grown in 2 weeks and how beautiful they are. We’re saving money and time. It will help us be even more healthy. We’ll soon be enjoying fresh vibrant veggies from tower to table every day!
Something I didn’t expect was the lovely waterfall sound we now have in our back garden. All we are doing is keeping the unit plugged, every 20 minutes the water pumps nutrients through the system and watch the plants grow. No watering, weeding or attention needed. My main problem is retraining myself on popping out to see the progress. It’s so fast it’s addictive.
A Week of Thanksgiving
I’m following this devotional for 7 days. Would you like to join me we’ll be full of gratitude by Thanksgiving. It’s Christian based however I think it works for everyBody.
A Week of Thanksgiving
Nancy Leigh DeMoss:
Revive Our Hearts
God’s Word teaches that thankfulness ought to be a way of life. However, it is easy for discontentment, murmuring, complaining, criticizing, or even bitterness to displace the “attitude of gratitude.” Cultivating a thankful heart will result in speaking thankful words. We all need periodic reminders to be thankful, and, for most of us, developing the habit of thankfulness may require some practice! Here are some practical suggestions for devoting one week to practicing thankfulness.
Day 1
Every chapter in the book of Colossians has at least one reference to thankfulness. Read the following verses and jot down a thought that stands out to you (Colossians 1:3Colossians 1:3, Colossians 1:12; Colossians 2:7; Colossians 3:15, Colossians 3:17; Colossians 4:2).
Someone has defined gratitude as “learning to recognize and express appreciation for the benefits which I have received from God and others.” Try to memorize this definition today, and review it at least once each day this week.
Day 2
Before we can express our gratitude, we must take time to recognize and identify specific blessings we have received from God and others. Make a list of all material and spiritual blessings you can think of that you have received from the Lord. Then stop, thank God for each item on your list.
Day 3
Today, focus on expressing gratitude to and for your family members. Make a list of each member of your family (mate, parents, children, brothers, sisters, etc.). Then next to each name, write one quality about their life for which you are particularly grateful.
Take time to thank God for each member of the family He has given you. Then pick three individuals from your list to whom you can express gratitude today, either in person, by phone, or by means of a note. (You may want to express gratitude to someone on your list who has been especially difficult to love!)
Day 4
Make a list of other individuals who have blessed or touched your life in some way. You may want to include pastors, teachers, friends, business associates, neighbors, authors, leaders of Christian ministries, etc. As you write each name, ask yourself, “Have I ever thanked that person for the way God has used him/her in my life?” Put a check mark next to each individual to whom you have expressed gratitude.
Day 5
Call or write three people on the list you made yesterday, to express your gratitude for their influence and ministry in your life.
Day 6
Paul instructed the Ephesian believers to “give thanks always for all things …” (Ephesians 5:20).
One man of God told of meditating on this verse while he was brushing his teeth one morning. He was challenged by the thought of thanking God for everything! He said, “I began by thanking God for my toothbrush. Then I thanked Him for the toothpaste. Then I realized that I had never thanked God for my teeth!” He went on to ask this probing question: “If tomorrow’s supply depended on today’s thanksgiving, how much would I have tomorrow?”
As you go through this day, try to consciously thank God for all things … small things and big things!
Day 7
As you have been focusing on thankfulness, have you found some people, items, or circumstances for which it is not easy to be thankful?
Make a list of past or present circumstances, events, trials, or relationships for which you may never have given thanks. Then, as an expression of faith and an exercise of obedience, say, “Lord, I choose to give You thanks for ________ and ________, which You may never give me the privilege of understanding.” In so doing, you will be acknowledging that God is the “Blessed Controller” of everything that touches your life, and that you trust Him and His sovereign choices for your life.
Now that you’ve spent a week focusing on gratitude, we’d like to challenge you to make a lifetime habit of giving thanks. In fact, you’ll discover that the whole world looks different, when you learn to see it through eyes of thankfulness!
© Revive Our Hearts. Taken from The Attitude of Gratitude by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Used with permission. www.reviveourhearts.com
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
- Melody Beattie
Psalm 95:2-3 (NIV)
Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods.
260 Day Natural Time Journey Feedback
Frieda Fox (a stellar Nia fan) shared how she’s enjoying and benefiting for the daily Natural Time updates….
“I am a Red Galactic Dragon this is my signature…
kin 21: Red Galactic Dragon
I Harmonize in order to Nurture
Modeling Being
I seal the Input of Birth
With the Galactic tone of Integrity
I am guided by the power of Life Force
On Wed I had fun playing with Nurturing Myself while nurturing my work, family, community etc. Several times I made choices to do what was right for me rather than running around madly trying to “nurture” others when the timing wasn’t right. Including myself is to me part of Integrity which is also part of my signature.
On today, White Solar Wind, a portal day, I’ll share that on every portal day I now write on that day’s to-do list, “Portal to Power for ____” and then I pick one or more of the key words for the day. Like today is “Portal to Power for Intention” for me. This helps me focus on the “portal” and not the “pot hole” if you know what I mean!
I am really enjoying your messages. You had suggested this as a time of clearing out, completing, redefining etc. So far I’ve cleaned and organized our front room which held the kitty family this summer; cleared a corner of the kitchen that had become a catch-all; gently lured a large feral tomcat into an enclosure with rotisserie chicken and got him neutered - I had been trying to “trap” him for 3 years and suddenly I realized this easier gentler way; set up a new filing system for a friend I’m helping. Getting other completions done step by step. Thanks for sharing this energy and intention.”
Thank you everyBody who’s joined our 260 day journey. You can still join us if you like click HERE.
Tower Planting
Our seedlings from http://www.livingtowerseedlings.com arrived. We had a great and EASY time “planting” seedlings into the tower. It took less than 30 minutes! The unexpected was how elegantly appealing this living structure is, like a sculpture in our garden! AND the sounds of the trickling water is likely a tranquil water fall.
Click HERE for great facts and more information.
What is a Tower Garden
Thanks friends for your curiosity and support with regards our Tower Garden. This link lists and answers most of the questions we had (and likely yours).
https://www.towergarden.com/what-is-a-tower-garden/faq
We ordered our Seedlings...
Upon recommendation for the easiest and most successful start in our relationship with our Tower Garden we have ordered Seedlings from www.livingtowerseedlings.com
Both Tower and Seeds will hopefully arrive by Friday and we hope to set up and seed by the end of the day :-)
Roof to Table Restaurant in New York...
I adore the passion restaurant owner John Mooney’s has about the concept of growing veggies aeroponically, on his New York roof top, to feed 80 a night at his “Roof to Table” Restaurant.
Click this lovely lettuce photo to be transported to the fabulous story shared on an ABC news report.
We're growing Aeroponic Vegetables!
We’ve ordered a Tower Garden to begin growing our own vegetables. Tower Garden® simplifies traditional gardening, using a unique vertical garden system that makes it easy to grow your own fresh fruits and vegetables at home.
Click HERE for great facts and more information.
Nia Time ~ a most romantic, sexy, personal experience.
“Time” is the most sexy & personal routine I’ve ever created. The lyrics are very moving and romantic.
I created this routine when Liliana was young enough to be in a car seat that faced the back of the car, which means it’s about 17 years old! I used to click my fingers to stop Liliana from crying. It was one of my funniest, handy little trick to distract her from tears to fascination. One time, driving to class, I was listening to the Lionel Richie CD (my “routine work in progress” at the time), Liliana was playing (as usual) with her fingers, mushing them together to see if she could click them like her Mommy… and there, in that moment, Liliana clicked her fingers for the first time. I remember hearing the noise, looking down to see Liliana’s beaming face, her eyes sparkling with joy, communicating “look! yes! I did it! I clicked my fingers for the first time” it was a most remarkable moment in time that I think I’ll remember forever. I did the usual “relay takeover” with Joe in the parking lot of the YMCA and dashed into class.
I put on the CD and begun “teaching on the fly” ~ teaching class and creating the routine as I went along. In the first song I began in a closed stance and began clicking my fingers from side to side, the movement was an instant match to the music and the moment, something in Nia we call the “accidental click”.
I use every song from the CD with the exception of “I hear your voice” which I refuse to include in the mix. It’s a moving, heart felt song that I depressing ~ a good one to play when I want a good cry!
I find each of these songs very meaningful, there’s a click that connects with a personal story in every track. Maybe later I’ll fill in the gaps. For now I’m off to celebrate 20 years of marriage to Joe - it’s my wedding anniversary. I look forward to many more clicks…
Whenever I can I prefer to create routines to follow the order of the tracks on the CD. This routine is an exception, the songs click better slightly shuffled, Michael Buble is the perfect ending to the experience. I encourage to to take a fun safe risk, download the CD, freedance to it, entertain teaching class with some simple Nia moves (at least with your teddy bears!) Here’s the order:
Lionel Richie: CD Time
Closest Thing To Heaven 4:01 That’s The Way I Feel 3:07 Zoomin’ 4:23 Touch 5:08 Forever 6:13 Time 6:12 To The Rhythm 5:14Stay 4:10 Someday 4:23 Everytime 4:16 Lady 4:28
Feeling Good 3:57 Michael Bublé It’s Time
Why this routine today?
simple:
1. it’s the most personal - every song has a hidden story behind it about my relationship with Joe, lines like “you’re my everything”, “you’re the closest thing to Heaven”
2. it’s got history - I can think back on most “stages” of my marriage with Joe, (the good, the bad and the ugly) teaching this routine and the feelings I had. I have a sense of accomplishment playing the music and dancing to it today.
3. it’s sexy - oh my! Lionel Richie is up there with Barry White for me with regards sexy - and fortunately I still regard Joe as being top of my list when it comes to sexy :-)
Now off to enjoy our day, swim swim brum brum :-)
Nia Mantra Routine
At 8am Sat we’re playing with the classic Nia routine Mantra, one of the first routines I ever learned, designed by Carlos Aya Rosas.
Focus: movement as mantra and a metaphor for self, community, life.
Beginning with sensing the belly (our core) notice how this “moma cell” can contract/extend, bend/lean, figure 8. The Belly is a substance with strength (resilience), elasticity (the ability to bounce back), and fluidity (go with the flow). After embodying the focus in the Belly we expand awareness to the belly of the 700 muscles in our body, then to each piece of connective tissue, the 7000+ cells. All the same mantra of movement.
We sense inward (Body, Belly, Muscles, Connective Tissue, Cell)
We can also sense outwards (Body, Self, Others, Class, Community, Global)
and realize it (and we) are one.
The Mantra, our lives, the community continues. We are strong, we bounce back, we go with the flow, we celebrate, there is much love.
I’m inspired by the words of David Foster Wallace, This Is Water
There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says, “Morning, boys. How’s the water?”
And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes, “What the hell is water?”….
….the immediate point of the fish story is merely that the most obvious, ubiquitous, important realities are often the ones that are hardest to see and talk about.
this first track is super for before and after class…
Glass Mantra 21:24 Silvia Nakkach Ah The Healing Voice
here’s the playlist for Nia Routine Mantra ~ it’s a classic :-)
Mantra (Organics) 4:43 Michael StearnsPower of Love 5:42 Celine Dion Father Figure 5:37 George Michael Turn The Page 6:07 Terrence Trent D’Arby SkinThieves 6:08 Moodswings Conga Te 3:35 CoublePlusGood Tied Up 6:11 Yello Fractal Zoom 6:24 Brian Eno When I Fall in love 4:20 Nat King Cole With This Love 3:39 Peter GabrialWith this Love - Choir 3:18 ChoirWall of Breath 2:29 Peter Gabriel
2 for 1: Sade "Lovers Rock" to Nia Routine AO
Fondly called “Flounce” this routine begins and ends with the same song. A fun way to deliver the promise. Notice how you feel in the song at the beginning of the routine, then notice how you feel at the end with the same song. In Nia we define Self Healing as any thing that feels better. If you notice anything feels better, recognize this as self healing and give body gratitude.
Focus: At the beginning of class I introduce the concept flow and bounce, how the body thrives on the dynamic ease. We physically get a sense of shifting our connective tissue by softly moving arms in the circle. We Step In with a question. Choose to step in with what will serve you best for class: flow or bounce.
Cycle 3 Warm Up: In the first song we play with rhythm and flow through the 13 joints, starting with one side, then the other, the whole body. The next few songs follow the choreography to AO, sometimes tight sometimes loose. In Slave Song, the peak of Cycle 4* Get Moving*, I play with the concept of bouncing a ball like playing basketball and acting as if we have high level skills :-). The songs progressively move into flounce (a combinations of flowing and bouncing). Lovers Rock is my favorite song, rich words, music and something magical comes through from flow, bounce and flow. My favorite song for choreography is Immigrant: simple bounce, flow and flounce moves that work forwards, back, lateral and diagonal travel in directions.
At the end of class we often Step Out with a 2 question quiz:
1. what do you choose to step out with to serve you in your day best, flow or bounce?
2. what do you choose to step out with to serve you well if you can choose flow, bounce OR flounce.
Sade Lovers Rock
By Your Side
4:35
Flow
4:34
King Of Sorrow
4:53
Somebody Already Broke My Heart
5:01
All About Our Love
2:41
Slave Song
4:14
The Sweetest Gift
2:19
Every Word
4:04
Immigrant
3:49
Lovers Rock
4:15
It’s Only Love That Gets You Through
3:54
By Your Side
4:35
2 for 1: Hotel Costes to Nia Routine Walking on Clouds
A perfect European Staycation Experience 
Focus:
- Dynamic Tension with Crazy Silliness :-)
Intent:
- Feel incredible release through body & mind, leaving spirits lifted
- with the inability to keep a smile off your face.
| Best of Hotel Costes | ||
| Sympathique | 2:42 | Pink Martini |
| London in the Rain | 3:26 | Variety Lab) |
| L’amour | 4:09 | Rouge Rouge |
| Adore | 5:09 | I Cube |
| My Funny Valentine | 4:18 | Big Muff |
| Latazz | 4:45 | Funky Lowlives |
| Morento Feat, Celmentine | 5:11 | Stephan Pompougnac |
| Doctor Rockit | 6:40 | Cafe De Flore |
| Where I do Begin | 3:19 | Shirley Bassey |
| Surround me with your love | 4:51 | 311-Porter |
| Night over Manaus | 5:49 | Boozoo Bajou |
| One Night in Rio | 6:21 | Louise Austen |
| S.O.S. (The Sounds of Silence) | 2:57 | Trinity FM |
Invitation:
- Consider Blue Electric Storm Retreat to extend your Staycation Experience
Enjoy:
- More Information on how this creative class came together….
Do you ever get low? heck yes! and thank God for Nia...
Fabulous class this morning. Thanks to Megan for her patient and persistent request for Hotel Costes. I discovered surprising delight when revisiting Nia adapted “Walking on Clouds” routine this morning, after being left “on the shelf” for 5+ years. A participant recently asked “do you ever get low?”, ha ha yes! this morning for sure… I hadn’t slept well, my to do list is long, stress level high, I love my job and yet an occupational hazard of this is I fill my schedule and limit the time needed to catch up and spend valuable time with my family. Magic happens in a Nia class ~ things appear and disappear! This morning I arrived feeling low, tired and rather anti social. Without my commitment to teach class, I likely would have stayed in bed! Within 10 minutes my low disappeared and many delightful things had appeared.. Why and How does this happen? I’ve pondered a few points of my own and encourage you to share any others you’d like to add.
With a Nia community like NiaMoves, in Cycle 1, when setting the focus and intent of class, happy, smiling, faces provide an immediate pick me up and warm sense of community.
Then great music begins in Cycle 2 “Stepping in”, lifting spirits, the dance begins…
In Cycle 3 “Warm Up”, systemic body moves begin to match the music and magic happens.
We “Get Moving”, Cycle 4. Expression and intensity increase as endorphins kick in with a sense of community groove.
Cycle 5, we “Cool down” in a community circle, our safe and sacred space honors uniqueness and allows my creative spirit to play in to Floor Play, Cycle 6.
I relish the sense of connection to self, body, group, ground, music, movement and yes heavenly magic. I cherish friendships that have been cultivated for over 2 decades and feel supported.
Cycle 7 we “Step out” feeling glad to be alive. I appreciate those who choose to came to dance, honor my teachers, thank the space and am filled with gratitude for this medium called Nia. My body, mind, emotions and spirit are nourished. I feel better.
Thank you God for bringing all of this together like a well orchestrated concerto.
Consider Blue Electric Storm Retreat as an extension to this “StayCation Nia Experience”
Congratulations Nia Brown Belts
We’ve completed our first Nia Brown Belt training at Soma Ranch.
Congratulations Nia Brown Belts. Thank you for visiting Soma Ranch. We delight in how our facility lends itself uniquely well to the work of energy and transformation. We appreciate all the wonderful things you brought to the experience.
Nia Rising Routine
I’m super in love with my latest Nia Routine “Rising”
It’s an adapted routine, based on the classic Nia routine Mantra, originally designed by Carlos Aya Rosas and one of the first routines I ever learned.
Focus: movement as mantra and a metaphor for self, community, life.
Beginning with sensing the belly (our core) notice how this “moma cell” can contract/extend, bend/lean, figure 8. The Belly is a substance with strength (resilience), elasticity (the ability to bounce back), and fluidity (go with the flow). After embodying the focus in the Belly we expand awareness to the belly of the 700 muscles in our body, then to each piece of connective tissue, the 7000+ cells. All the same mantra of movement.
We sense inward (Body, Belly, Muscles, Connective Tissue, Cell)
We can also sense outwards (Body, Self, Others, Class, Community, Global)
and realize it (and we) are one.
The Mantra, our lives, the community continues. We are strong, we bounce back, we go with the flow, we celebrate, there is much love.
I’m inspired by the words of David Foster Wallace, This Is Water
There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says, “Morning, boys. How’s the water?”
And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes, “What the hell is water?”….
….the immediate point of the fish story is merely that the most obvious, ubiquitous, important realities are often the ones that are hardest to see and talk about.
| Track | Length | Artist | Album |
| Lift The Wings | 2:04 | Bill Whelan | Riverdance |
| Feeling Good | 3:57 | Michael Bublé | It’s Time |
| Everybody | 3:30 | Ingrid Michaelso | Everybody |
| Rise | 7:37 | Herb Alpert | Rise |
| Rise | 4:21 | Samantha James | Birth |
| Rise Above Remix | 6:17 | Afro Celt | StaCCAto |
| Womans World | 3:44 | Heart Music | Trib to Cher |
| Rise Up | 5:58 | Karsh Kale | Broken English |
| You raise me up | 4:51 | Josh Groban | Closer |
| Raise It Up | 2:28 | The IMPACT Rep | August Rush |
| Long Time Sun | 4:00 | Snatam Kaur | Celebrate Peace |
| Holy Morn | 2:25 | Tina Malia | The Silent Awakening |
How to enjoy time and avoid jet lag.
I’m back from a fabulous training in Japan.
My day began with glorious sunshine in Japan and ends with the same, home, in Houston.
After a 28 hour day, I’m ready for sleep in anticipation of some great dancing at NiaMoves at 8am in the morning.
Here’s somethings I do to be able to enjoy time and avoid jet lag
- Remove watch and don’t look at time while flying
- Drink lots of water before, during, after flight
- Get outside ASAP after the flight, preferably for a run/walk
- Avoid alcohol
- Avoid wheat
- Avoid sugar
- Avoid caffeine
- Take own food on plane when possible
- Stay awake until it’s the destination’s time for sleep
- Do Nia 5 stages as soon as possible upon arrival
- Minimize working on computer upon arrival
Center for Stress Management hosts day retreat for SMC
Thank you and congratulations to Kris Kerlin (and colleagues at The Center for Stress Management) for hosting a day retreat at Soma Ranch for the doctor’s group Symptom Management Consultants. www.palliativemedicine.us. They are a group of palliative care docs. Amazing women who take great care of many people. Super to witness them receiving some R&R and tools to help them manage their stress.
For more information about The Center for Stress Management check out their web page: www.center4stressmanagement.com.