someone the other day lovingly reminded me that i am a spoiled little girl. luckily, i agreed wholeheartedly with that comment, which was nice to ward off any offense i may have felt

for my birthday month, i have indeed, been spoiled rotten. let me share just a little bit with you. by the way, being 30 RULES so far!!

the festivities began here. this beautiful cabin at hobble creek canyon was used my b-day weekend with the intent to be the place for a “healing retreat” to occur. my dear friend terri knew what my heart needed for the weekend and created a beautiful space physically and emotionally for this to happen.

this photo was taken in the morning, reflecting the beauty of the earth from the front of the cabin.

the was the view of one of my “solo” retreat areas.  this provided me the space to be alone in nature, write, ponder, sing, rest, and rejuvenate.

maria came to join me for a moment at the end of our solo time.

here is the glorious view on the way back from the cabin.

as part of the healing theme, i was given the opportunity to do some “art therapy” including making clay creations and a collage.

the girls didn’t think my day would be complete without a pretty pink birthday hat, birthday cake, and “pin-the-sticker-on-the-princess” game. how DID they know i love princesses and pink??

i don’t have a photo for evidence of this one, but i also received the gift of a Thai Yoga Massage.  WOW. is pretty much all i can say about that experience. but i’ll try to say more.  this type of massage is an ancient art of healing yoga that was practiced in sacred settings in Thailand that is now recently used in the western world. the giver takes the receiver (in this case, spoiled me) through a series of stretches, twists, breathing,  combined with energy work, acu-pressure, and palming massage strokes.  this experience was incredibly moving to say the least. thank you terri! and thank you to maria and shaina for that magnificent day!

the last night at the cabin we were blessed to have a beautiful full moon.  i was able to have another solo experience outside under this moon and the stars.  as i cried tears of gratitude for the weekend, and tears of nostalgia and sadness for the end of this decade, i expressed these feelings to the moon.  she and i had a little “heart to heart” conversation (no, i’m not clinically psychotic, and i wasn’t on drugs), which resulted in a new song. thank you ms moon!! here it is, for those who would like to hear:

30 moon 

the next prize for this spoiled little girl included a surprise YOGA RETREAT as a gift from my loving and WAY too generous family. i almost peed my pants when i read my top secret email from them NOT to be opened until my birthday day (felicity gave very strict instructions…). they were intuitive to my heart’s needs, and continued the healing theme from the weekend before. i have too much to say about this retreat, and many of you have probably stopped reading by now, so i won’t say much. what i will say is that i learned so much during that time about not only yoga, but about myself personally and professionally, and was provided insight and clarity on some exciting directions to move in my life. THANK YOU MY DEAR FAMILY!!

so these next few photos can’t even begin to accurately depict the gloriousness of the little cottonwood canyon, home of the yoga retreat.  i took SO many pictures…i will have to do another post one day to give you some more. it was SOOOO gorgeous!!

and this is the view from my room. ummm…..seriously?? i was pretty sure i had died and been welcomed to heaven.

it’s yoga time:

flying has never been more fun!

partner assisted sitting buddha…

we attempted this train and fell ridiculous amounts of time.  i didn’t know yoga could be competitive, but the folks on the opposite side of the room beamed with glee after they all succeeded, watching us fall over and over and over…

…right after we crashed…again.

some crane action

just about in the headstand

warrior 1

this was an absolute treat: for final relaxation (savasana/corpse pose), Leraine Horstmanshoff (an incredibly talented musician) played her didgeridoo to help balance our root chakras.

and the happy yogis…

for the last evening we were blessed to be part of a Kirtan (call and response devotional chanting) led by Leraine. she played the didgeridoo, guitar, banjo, and flute.

ahhh….by this time in the retreat i didn’t wonder anymore–i KNEW that i must have died and gone to heaven

for our final morning we woke up early for a sunrise sit and meditation. the snow was gently falling all night and created a beautiful white blanket over the earth.

my final picture as i descended out of the canyon and away from the retreat.  this experience will forever remain in my soul.

nAMASTE

hello to my dear ones!

(before i continue on to the real message of this post, let’s all take a moment to enjoy the INCREDIBLE beauty that Mother Earth blesses us with, shall we? i may have “accidentally” been playing hooky from work the other day and ended up in this glorious spot in the mountains. shhh don’t tell my boss.)

…and now on to the message intended…

i love you all!!

as i approach this “milestone” birthday that marks the end of my  ”fancy free and footloose” 20’s, i find myself with various sentiments: sadness, nostalgia, a hint of fear and excitement, and gratitude.  i will focus on the gratitude part today and leave the fear and sadness out of this

as i reflect upon the many gifts that i have been blessed to receive all these years, i am filled with overwhelming love, appreciation, and wonder.  how did I get so lucky? this question continues to stump me as i receive continued support, prayers, love, tears, knowledge, nurturing, touch, food, financial help, treats on my doorstep, uplifting emails, friendship and love notes, and a general feeling that i am important, worthwhile, and lovable.  year after year, the day of my birth is marked with a showering of love, undeserved gifts, and attention. (i say undeserved simply because, as most of you know, i am not the best at remembering birthdays or sending cards or being creative or planning parties or doing all those other fun birthday things.) needless to say, i am eternally grateful to YOU for blessing my life in innumerable ways, even when i don’t always give back.

sooooo….i am taking this opportunity to share with you a song as a token of my appreciation, and a belated birthday gift for those of you who i neglected to make feel special on your day of birth.  this song was written originally for my eternal and earthly Fathers.  however, as i continue to sing it, listen to it, and ponder what i am really trying to say, i realize that this song is relevant  for each of you. every single person whose path has crossed with mine has given me something to learn and grow from.  i have been taught love, strength, knowledge, courage, how to overcome trials and obstacles, gratitude, and most importantly–who i am. i truly am “forever in your debt”.

thank you.

am i DREAMing? if so, please don’t pinch me, for i don’t want to wake up…

i’ll begin by expressing my gratitude to be ALIVE during this historic, incredible, uplifting time in the world.  i feel strongly that there is some force that is pushing us forward as a collective group of caring citizens of the earth.  there is a forward momentum that is rolling along, an unstoppable power that won’t stop until we get where we need to be.  i feel that PEACE, a word that is commonly thrown around, is now truly being recognized as the life-blood of relationships and of the world. HOPE isn’t so much of an abstract idea, and CHARITY looks more now like a verb than ever before.  i think that people are starting to get it. and i am tickled pink. yes, pink. January 20 2009 was indeed a remarkable day, which to me, marks the change i have been feeling in the world. let’s all do our part to REMEMBER what happened this day, and what this particular event symbolizes to us personally and collectively. 

with that said, there is a need for me now to speak out from the other half of my heart, as i was recently reminded of the importance of yin-yang, and i have never been one to have enthusiasm without skepticism…

i have a concern that we will look at what happened as truly incredible, and then forget.  i am concerned that as more societal, financial, environmental, and other problems are created, we may be a little too quick at pointing the finger at our leaders (whether in the U.S.A, Canada, or elsewhere) and not turning that little finger right back at ourselves.  i am concerned that we may expect that with new leadership comes immediate changes or solutions to problems.  i am concerned that we will continue to live our lives the way we have been for years, without reflecting and identifying what we can do to help find solutions.  i am concerned with the easy way of blaming others for our problems rather than gracefully accepting responsibility for the way our lives and our world looks.

i love the message of peace that President Barack Obama offers through his dignified words and actions.  in order to truly see his vision though, and become part of the change he speaks of, don’t we all need to find something in our own lives to change first? i am convinced that peace needs to be nurtured within our own personal hearts before it can be extended most fully to others.  so what will we do to generate true peace internally? what will we do to establish peace in our homes and families? what opportunities will we discover to offer peace in our communities, local and global? can i, at the end of every day, ask myself, “what did i do today to assist in the cultivation of peace” and sincerely answer, “a great deal!”…or will i be disappointed with the outcome of an honest answer? feelings are energy, and energy is a thing that can’t be created or destroyed, but simply changed. with this in mind, how can i seek to change the negative energy of hatred, anger, depression, and guilt into the positive energy of love, calmness, joy, and peace? 

the past 5 days i have experienced excitement and witnessed it in others.  my mind is continually brought back to other influential people who also proclaimed the messages of peace, hope, charity, and human rights through words and actions, in their own unique way. here are a few of the images in my mind…there are obviously many more pictures that could be inserted here, but i chose these ones:

as i contemplate the lives and sacrifices of these (and so many individuals i actually know personally) i wonder what i can do to emulate their lives, and to not let their sacrifices and hard work be in vain.  i can’t help but let my less-than-positive side of my mind (remember yin yang…)  take over and see how easy it is for us to forget these other incredible men and women, and not give them the credit they deserve by following their example. so this is why my concern dulls my enthusiasm for the historic day of January 20, 2009. will we be so quick to forget now as we have in the past? or will we step up to the plate, truly reflect on the direction of our lives, and choose to follow and support all good leaders and people of peace? will we be the first to say, “i’m sorry” or bite our tongues when needed, even though we feel justified in our verbal attack? will we be more aware of the pain and suffering of the people around us–those we work with, live with, go to school or church with–and then let our intuition be our guide to help them in the way that they need help? will we reach out to our brothers and sisters in the global setting, and find ways to sacrifice our money or time to make their lives a little more comfortable? will we provide more simple hugs where needed? will we forgive ourselves for our mistakes and shortcomings, and love ourselves despite our inward and outward flaws? unless we do these things, then what right do we have to be hopeful for the direction of the future, regardless of a political leader? i have no doubt that we can all do these things if we put our hearts and minds into it. no doubt at all.  if you’ve actually made it to the end of my lengthy discourse, then kudos to you!! thank you for indulging me. i am excited to see more examples and hear more stories of this positive, forward momentum, so please share!! love you all. jess.

well, as much as i have enjoyed the “college life” living situation i’ve been a part of the past 11 years (sharing a place with 4-9 people at a time, noisy nights and early mornings, girl drama, live-in animals, very little free or quiet time, everyone knowing your business…or at least wanting to know, communal kitchen, communal messes…etc.) last month i finally took my dream of living alone seriously and put a deposit down for a 1-bedroom basement apartment. which i LOVE. i took the liberty of painting it the colours i want, and am still in the process decorating the way i want. did i mention i LOVE it? the solitude, the freedom, the responsibility to clean only when the mess is mine, the singing at the top of my lungs and no one hears me, the quiet, the “feeling-like-i’m-finally-a-grownup” are all part of the draw for me. and no, i don’t get lonely here, to answer the funny question that so many people ask. to me, that is a strange concept these days. lonely? no. long-awaited alone time? yes.

here are some pictures of the place…hope the pics give you a true feel for it. imagine beautiful music playing in the background, along with the loud rrrr of the fans (the home gets quite stifling hot), and of course the ever-present smell of garlic wafting from the kitchen.  mmmm…enjoy! 

these are some pictures of the bright living room.

if these details bore you, i apologize…but i really like these light switch covers i found…

i still need to decide where to put that lamp…

…and me with the parents in the living room…

and a quick peek in the bedroom…

and a quicker peek in the bathroom…

and follow me through this lovely Islamic-style doorway

isn’t it pretty?

 to a rather unusual sight in the kitchen…me cooking…

here is a reminder, just in case i forget…

leaving the kitchen will take us into the next room…the “torture room” as it appeared to me until i made some changes and turned it into the dining room…or at least the dining room in progress. lots of work to be completed yet until it’s a visitor friendly room

i am quite pleased with my little palace.  thank you for taking the virtual tour!! come back any time.

hurray for one of the most wonderful holidays of the year! may i just take a moment to express gratitude for the most significant man in my life currently-Douglas Walter Salmon, my father.  for those of you who may be reading this and don’t know this man, all i can say is that i hope one day you are blessed to cross paths with him.  he is a man of integrity, humor, compassion, work ethic, sensitivity, intelligence, GREAT talent, a desire to sacrifice, and above all, a spiritual giant. in my field of work, i see numerous examples of poor parenting, and men who don’t take their role as fathers seriously. i wonder why i was blessed to have a father that has presented me with a great example of how a man should be. i believe that my Father in Heaven weeps for joy when he watches my father in action.  THANK YOU to my daddy. i love you.

i also want to pay a wee tribute to my mother, Valerie Elizabeth Timmins Salmon, who without her example, neither my father nor i would be what we are today. she is a pillar of strength with compassion, talent, wisdom, creativity, mindfulness, independence, and beauty.  she has been an example of womanhood and motherhood to me. THANK YOU mom for being so wonderful to me, dad, and our family. love you.

every time i browse the incredible blogs of my family members, i am a little more motivated to add to my own blog. so here is my meager attempt to get my site up and running. after a 6 month absence. here goes.

yes, even in the winter i was able to find beauty, despite my incessant complaints about the cold season. 

these colourful leaves were in our backyard.

 these next two were taken up the canyon on a ride just prior to the first snow.

the whole family was together this year for christmas…first time in many, many years. loved every minute of it! our time was spent in St. George, UT.

this one’s for you mom 

maria and i for halloween…not really sure what we were. we just had fun dressing up.

this was probably the coolest room i have ever danced in my life. graffitti, black lights, all the best people…what else could a girl ask for?

way too much halloween fun this year. here are some of the roomies all decked out for the halloween party.

why are sleeping babies so cool? seriously, you could watch them for hours. sleeping adults? watching them for hours at a time would be weird and not so cool.

asher was just a few weeks old in this picture. he looks so different now! what if we were like babies and looked totally different every few weeks? i kind of like that idea…