Welcoming the Year of the Snake for Well Being

I bought this snake on Canal Street

The parade celebrating the Chinese New Lunar Year of the Water Snake started at 1pm on February 17, a very chilly but sunny day.   Some of the spectators were still leaving the area and headed to the subways on Canal Street when I got there and the clean up efforts were under way.  I had the narrow Chinatown streets (Pell and Bayard) almost to myself at that point.  I am sharing a few photos here.  Unfortunately, there were no dragon or lion dancers around (I can't get enough of them) and no confetti rockets went off.  I bought some to support the local economy but have not used them yet.  When I got home I found some unused ones from last year as well ;-), so I am now in the possession of five confetti rockets!  Now we just need an occasion.  The problem is that they create a big mess.  We may have to wait for another parade ;-), St. Patty's is probably next, just kidding.  

Garlic, Honey, and Kombucha/NY and VT

finely chopped garlic and honey

• Garlic

One morning about about two weeks ago I woke up sniffly and was then getting very cold during the morning walk with Mowgli.  Thus I decided to have some garlic, minced with honey to make eating it easier.  I had some more the day afterward, and after consulting with an acupuncturist friend, I decided to continue for a third day.  Doing my best to keep the flu at bay this year.  It seems to be a very bad season.  Hopefully nobody has been offended by my new scent. 

YUM: Extensive Relaxation BEFORE the end of the Year.

 

Time for yoga plus I thought, in preparation for the Annual Polar Bear Plunge two days later.  The plus entailing going way beyond asanas, namely, using one of my singing bowls, dumbbells, a golf ball (for hand reflexology), my selenite (which will be regifted to a friend of mine but I will continue to use it until then) - on December 30 in the late afternoon.  In the end it was just yoga, some facial Reflexology, and smooching with Mowgli - oh, which by the way is not called cheating, it's called pet therapy ;-) - in between.  He was lazying about nearby on one of his couches after his afternoon walk to the dog run.  I felt very relaxed afterward, and I have absolutely no recollection of what else happened that evening which may mean that I was in for the night....