Quarantine Food DIairies, First corn crop, Mother's Day

Rosa and Franco, 1975

It all started with these two Mammas, my Mom circa 1974

Then came these three beauties 

Sebastiano 2002

Sonia 2003

Simona 2006 

 Motherhood maybe the singular most effective place to use the practice of yoga in our daily lives. There is no more demanding and important job then that of ushering into the world mindful, loving humans.  I love that I was born a woman, capable of bearing new souls into the world, it is the mightiest super power I know, but that was just the beginning of this journey. It's impossible to get it all right, three kids, an 18 year marriage and divorce, teenagers, hormones, and all the rest. I have found, better late than never, that my practice of mindfulness is sneaking into who they are, little by little by way of example instead of brute force. I was never a "tiger Mom" my kids will attest, a complete Libra, authoritarian consistency was not me. I was mostly in love with my babies, but clueless as to how to get them to behave if they were not, I used self help books and the nanny show, a had a time out step and counting to 10 routine, and yet I very rarely felt like I was a good mom. I felt overrun and lacking most of the time. Now, almost two decades into this incredible job I think I may be getting the hang of it, more days than the days that I think really suck.  I have raised three incredible humans who, the last four years have witnessed a really different kind of Mom. I am more mindful and less judgmental of myself and of them then I have ever been before. I am more patient and more resilient and I have yoga to thank for all of this.
In Yoga, like in Christianity there are rules for living a good life ethical principles and spiritual guidelines before a physical or Asana practice is ever even considered. These are called the Yamas and Niyamas and they along with a consistent physical practice have changed the way I interact and think about everything and everyone, first and foremost my babies.
Ahimsa and Santosha, the two places my practice resides these days.. the Yama of Ahimsa means to practice non violence, a peaceful approach to the self and other. It is the consistent practice of awareness, mindfulness in all actions and thoughts that they be non harming.  Santosha is  one of the Niyamas or rules of spiritual observances, that asks us to find contentment in all things. The first I heard and understood of this Niyama was in a yoga class on a rainy day. The teacher reminded us that without the rain, the flowers would not bloom, the crops would not grow to be harvested, the earth would not offer the lush green return of spring, so for this we were to be also in a state of Santosha for the rain.
As I see mothering now it is all a balance of Ahimsa and Santosha. I am happy to softly model mindfulness and have the patience and contentment with all the phases of growth to watch and be in a constant state of awe over what the development of a human in my care looks like. It's ok that I don't always get it right, I too am still learning and growing.  My children are mine but for a short period of their lives and then they are released on the world like arrows, hope that the bough that has launched them was sturdy and mindful so that this is what they bring with them.
Love,
Mom


First fresh corn of the season and one brilliant day of wearing shorts and feeling the warmth of the sun had me wanting to make a corn salad to scoop up with chips!!

Roasted Elote Corn Salad

 ( Mexican Street Food) 

4 cobs of corn 

1 avocado

5 cherry tomatoes

1 cup quinoa

4 spring onions 

queso fresco or feta 

1 tbsp mayonnaise 

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tsp chili powder

1 lime, zest and juice

1/ 2 cup Cilantro

Boil corn if you are short on time, if not keep in their husks, soak 3 hours and grill ( super good this way) 

boil water and follow instructions for quinoa, salted water

chop cherry tomatoes, avocado, spring onions and feta or queso fresco if you could find it. 

mix in a little bowl mayonnaise, and spices and lime.

mix all ingredients 

salt and pepper.

Scoop with tortilla chips, add to a taco or add a soft boiled egg and lettuce to bulk up to a full meal.