Bryan Kest Power Yoga Master Class - Review

Welp. Last night, I finally got to attend the Bryan Kest Power Yoga Master Class at Amazing Yoga in Shadyside. It's very hard to put an experience like this into words, but I will do my best.

Bryan Kest Power Yoga

If you've never seen or heard Bryan Kest, he really has a presence about him. For some reason, he's always reminded me a bit of Adam Sandler. (I'm not sure if that's in looks, humor or accent, but either way, that might give you a base.) Famous for his blunt, casual style, Bryan isn't afraid to tell it like it is and his philosophy and thoughts about yoga are probably the most genuine and challenging ideas I've heard from a teacher. He was not there to lead us through physical postures. He was there to guide us on a journey of awareness and acknowledgement that asanas are a very small part of yoga practice.

"Can you think of how we're going to solve any problem on this planet with loose hamstrings?" - Bryan Kest

He went on to explain that "yogis didn't give a shit about looking good." It's true. Yoga was not developed to become an exercise fad. The only reason physical asanas were created was that so yogis could safely remain sedentary in their meditative states for longer periods of time. Each yoga posture is meant to gently stimulate certain areas of the body, but should only be approached and performed in a comfortable way.

"The objective of yoga is not to make you loose. It's to make you well. All these movements are creative ways to access and care for your whole body." - Bryan Kest

Just as we are mostly sedentary in our daily lives, so do we benefit from these postures stimulating various muscles, ligaments, joints, cartilage...etc. But this is all assuming that during the postures, we are achieving or working toward awareness of our bodies and mind. Yoga practice is meant to be a time that we spend breaking mental patterns and habits, not continuing them during practice. These could be patterns of anger, self-judgement, stress, competitiveness or distraction that we do not even know we have. We are all addicted to our own thoughts and breaking any addiction is not easy.

"We will experience withdrawal symptoms from our addiction to our own stupid thoughts. You give us peace in this culture, we get bored." - Bryan Kest

The goal of all yoga is truly the cessation of the incessant whirling of an uncontrolled mind. It's not blanking out all thought, it's not a creepy new age trend and it's not a religion. It's consciously practicing to become alert to what we're thinking, what we're doing and how we're acting. Bryan mentioned a Harvard study that a shocking 85% of the thoughts we think each day are the very same thoughts we had yesterday:

"85% of the stuff if your head is complete shit. And I didn't say that, Harvard did." - Bryan Kest

What an amazing wake-up call at how the mind can wander in circles without us even realizing it. He went on to explain that many yoga practitioners in our culture never really challenge this mental state. We sit quietly. We endure the quiet time, trying to keep our thoughts from wandering. But how many of us would have attended this class if it was a Bryan Kest meditation workshop? Many people only practice for the physical benefits. Though he coined the term "Power Yoga," he called it 'stupid.' He wanted it to mean that it was 'empowering' and 'powerful,' but the term has been warped to mean something totally different that we cannot even define.

As for the physical aspect of Bryan's class, he warned us repeatedly that it would be the longest class of our lives, that we would be glad he talked so long, that it might feel hypocritical to everything he just talked about, but at the same time, reminded us that doing any pose that doesn't feel good is pointless.

"Proper form does not keep you safe. Gentleness keeps you safe." -Bryan Kest

Bryan did not want his class to look like "a bunch of programmed robots." He encouraged everyone to truly drop their ego and have the humility to modify each and every pose as necessary. The class was extremely challenging, both physically and mentally. We were packed like sardines and toward the end of class, even breathing the hot, sticky air felt like a real challenge. But technically, anyone could have done that class. Based on what he said, choosing to be aware of my body's warnings, I was not at all ashamed to modify. It felt good to move how I wanted, in and out of poses when I needed to and choosing whatever form or modifications I needed. He encouraged us to never take your eyes away from your own mat. With all that on my mind, I felt exhausted, but great when class was over. I was not sore because I was careful and gentle with my body. I wasn't there to throw myself through a series of poses. I was there to learn to control myself, my mind and my tendencies and it truly felt like the most powerful class I've ever experienced.

If you ever get a chance to see or meet Bryan Kest, I can't recommend it enough. His class was a freeing experience from what might be considered as "yoga bravado" present in many studios.

  "I don't give a shit if you do yoga or not." - Bryan Kest

10 air purifying house plants

If your thumb is not green and you're more of a 'fake plant' type of person, never fear! Many of the coolest and most beneficial house plants require very little attention once established. With a little knowledge of what your plant wants, you can naturally clean the stale air in your home. 

Check out the following list, 10 of my personal favorites. I own and care for all of these plants, so let me know if you have any questions!


1.) Boston Fern: Often named the "most efficient filtering plant" for its time-tested ability to expel mold and toxins from indoor air, this beautiful fern cleans out formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, xylene and trichloroethylene.  
How to: Boston Ferns love humidity. Keep the soil moist and mist the leaves every once in a while. Position in a bright location (out of direct sunlight) and transplant when root bound.

Boston Fern

2.) Peace Lily: Number one on many lists, the easy-to-care-for lily is known to reduce harmful indoor toxins that may cause cancer. It helps in removing benzene and formaldehyde present in the house.
How to: This plant can grow in many spots where other plants have failed. Too much sun and the leaves will actually get burnt brown spots. Peace lilies will tell you when they need to be watered, so wait for the leaves to droop and water thoroughly.

Peace lily

3.) African Violet: As one of the top natural air purifiers, don't let it's delicate features and small stature fool you...this tiny plant packs a punch to air pollutants!  
How to: They need partial sun, warm temperature and well-drained soil, so water no more than once a week, tops. (To avoid spotting on the leaves, I water by simply placing a few ice cubes under the leaves to melt. They don't like having their leaves damp.)

4.) Aloe: Not only is aloe a great home remedy to have around for burns, but it removes nasty formaldehyde from your air! The bathroom is a great place for aloe to work it's magic. 
How to: As a succulent, they prefer well-drained soil. They may go dormant in winter, requiring even less water than usual. Larger aloes prefer full sun while smaller varieties prefer a bit of shade.

Small Aloe

5.) Spider Plant: This elegant plant is great at removing poisonous gases as well as other impurities like formaldehyde and xylene. Try one in the kitchen or near the fireplace, as these are the places where carbon monoxide accumulates most.
How to: Thrives in many varying sun conditions and doesn't require much attention. A healthy spider plant will sprout babies that can be easily pinched off and rooted in water. The spider plant grows rapidly, but likes to be a bit root bound.

Spider Plant (only about 1 year old in this photo!)

Baby Spider Plants rooting in water

6.) English Ivy: A great choice for people with asthma and allergic conditions, this plant has the amazing ability to remove benzene and formaldehyde and to off-gas various chemicals released by synthetic materials. WebMD noted that 60% of airborne mold in the room vanished just 6 hours after English ivy was brought in, as well as 58% if airborne feces! (Ew.)
How to: Keep in partial shade to bright light and water when dry. Be sure the roots are well-drained and mist leaves occasionally.

7.) Chinese Evergreen: An excellent air-purifier plant, Chinese evergreens filter out airborne toxins such as benzene and formaldehyde. Beautiful variegated leaves and a compact shape make this an attractive house plant.
How to: This is a great "starter plant" for those who lack green thumbs. A hearty and durable plant, it grows even better with less water and minimum light.

8.) Hoya or Hindu Rope Plant: A natural air purifier, the hoya is efficient at removing carbon dioxide. One of the more exotic plants I own, the rare, star-shaped, aromatic waxy flowers are unbelievable.
How to: Hoyas prefer bright light, well-drained soil and a temperature range between 55 and 75. Mine has done best in African Violet soil. Trailing vines may be trimmed and propagated to keep the plant full.

Hindu Rope Plant or Hoya

9.) Money Plant or Chinese Jade Plant: In the Chinese culture, Money Trees are said to bring luck, but they also bring fresh, purified air! The wide, flat leaves make this plant more efficient.
How to: Keep this plant in bright, filtered light. In the growing season, the plant’s soil should be damp, but during winter when the plant is slightly dormant, you can let the soil dry out more between watering. The leaves are critical to air cleansing and pruning encourages lots of them. 

Baby Money Tree

10.) Janet Craig Dracaena: Janet Craig sucks toxins such as benzene, xylene, trichloroethylene, toluene, and formaldehyde from the air you breathe.
How to: Dracaenas love moist, warm soil in indirect bright sunlight. The Janet Craig I have has survived much neglect, small college windows, a pestering cat and 3 moves. It's over 20 years old and 8 feet tall with lush green leaves, so I'd say it's a pretty hardy plant!

Janet Craig Dracaena

As a rule of thumb for the most possible benefit, allow one 10-12" potted houseplant per 100 square feet of living area. The more vigorous the plant, the more air it can filter. When it comes down to it, any plant is better than no plant, so if you're not sure whether or not a potential plant is going to clean your air, just rest assured that it works a lot better than the fake ones. :) 

If you ever need a little boost with your indoor air, maybe the flu is going around or you've recently painted, Purify essential oil is meant to do just that. It's made up of six essential oils that have been shown to deodorize the air, disinfectant and remove harmful airborne micro-organisms. Simply diffuse it into your home and breathe easy!

Good luck with your indoor air this winter! :)

raw food break-down

"The food you eat can be either 

the safest and most powerful form of medicine

or the slowest form of poison."

Ann Wigmore

I am most certainly not a raw food purist. (Very far from it!) I only recently began getting more serious about a raw vegan lifestyle for the benefit of my husband's various health issues. We've all probably heard people or organizations touting the benefits of going vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, low-sodium or low-carb, but our culture has warped the word "diet" into meaning something temporary, inconvenient or restricting. 

Di•et (DIet): a special course of food to which one restricts oneself, either to lose weight or for medical reasons.

In my opinion, a diet shouldn't give off that vibe at all. If you're "on a diet" and feel restricted, hungry, moody or sick, then reconsider your motives and choices. Regardless of what you're eating, food should always provide energy and vitality; that's what it's for! Just as everyone's body is different, so are everyone's dietary needs. Wherever you are, practice non-judgement/harming. (Ahisma)

If you really pay attention to your own bodily functions, rhythms, mood, stability and energy level, it should be pretty obvious what types of food make you feel best. For instance, at a recent Fall Festival (and after a refreshing week's-worth of juicing and raw foods), Dave and I enjoyed a bit of what can only be described as "carnival-food." I won't deny that fresh homemade French Fries with neon-orange "cheese" didn't taste good, but we both felt truly sick and sluggish the rest of the day. (As if neon-orange "cheese" goop was coursing through my veins.)

I am in the process of reading this book, among others, pertaining to a raw food diet. There is definite science behind the fact that eating raw (living) food provides significantly more nutrients than eating cooked (dead) food. There are a lot of misconceptions about eating raw and a ton to learn and consider!

In a previous raw recipe post, I received a wonderful question about raw food from Mila of Cheerfully Chaotic blog. It's surely a common question!

Q: "I've always wondered - what about cold days when you just really want something warm? What would a raw foodist do?"

Don't get me wrong, eating raw in the summer is much easier and feels more natural for most people. But including raw food into your winter diet doesn't have to feel unnatural. Especially if you're not used to eating totally raw, here are some great tips:

A: 1) Warming foods in a dehydrator or oven is acceptable for a raw food diet. Anything warmed gently under 100º is still considered totally raw.
2) Many raw soup recipes recommend additional blending in the blender to allow the soup to warm nicely from friction alone or adding to the stove-top until warm to the touch. (Be careful if you use a Viatmix, as they can easily boil)
3) Adding extra spices helps build internal "heat"
4) Allowing fruits and veggies to cool down to room temperature before juicing makes for a more tepid drink
5) And of course, enjoying plenty of hot tea! :)

Another common question: 

 Q: "So is eating raw just salads?" 

A totally understandable misconception, but eating raw is not limited to salads. Salads are an obvious and common way to include raw foods in your diet, but variety is important. (And if you're looking to eat 75%+ raw food, you'd get pretty sick of salads.)

A: Using raw foods, you can make things like fresh juice, smoothies, salsas, hummus, soups, sauces, sweets, trail mix, dips and more. Raw foods include:

• all raw fruits and vegetables
• nuts and seeds (not roasted or processed)
• nut butters
• sprouts
• roots, root vegetables and squashes
• fresh herbs and raw spices
• seaweeds (yay for sushi!?)

Raw Food Pyramid - ©vegan-raw-diet.com

As with any lifestyle choice, the more you learn, practice and prepare, the easier it gets.  Pinterest is a wonderful resource for raw recipe ideas that is helping me discover new ideas everyday. Sometimes, since we're new at this, it still gets frustrating to stay on top of meal-planning. But when I see how positively raw food is effecting us and I take note of how well I feel, I know that incorporating as many raw foods as possible isn't going to be a temporary diet.

So what do you think? Do you currently include plenty of raw foods everyday? Are you trying to include more?

mini yoga road trip

Since my sister has moved back home (where she belongs) from Philadelphia, my husband and I were feeling much overdue for a nice autumnal road-trip. Conveniently, we were invited to visit some awesome relatives and their amazing city, Annapolis, Maryland.

Though I might not be much of a world-traveler, I would venture to say that Annapolis will always be one of my favorite cities. It's history, water and cozy small-town feel make it an ideal area to visit and explore. And in the spirit of exploration, I'm always on the look-out to try a new yoga studio, especially one with a view like this!

View from the back of the studio - 411 Ferry Point Drive

Beautiful Annapolis sunset over the South River - Credit Annapolis Yoga Facebook Page

Annapolis Yoga Facebook page is always posting waterfront photos like this that make me swoon. Through their page, I came across a private studio that is run in a similar fashion to my own. With "12 students maximum to allow for personal attention," this home run studio at 411 Ferry Point Road boasted sweeping views of the South River. 

Here is the current schedule:
Saturdays
9:30AM Yoga on the South River with Lara Bontempo (This was the class I attended, subbed by Barry Brooks)

Mondays
9:30AM Weekly Yoga Miniretreat with Barry Brooks
6:00PM Sunset Yoga with Aimee Seal

Wednesdays
6:30PM Sunset Yoga with Lara Bontempo

Ferry Point Drive private yoga studio - tucked amongst trees in a cul-de-sac

I probably only recently missed the cut-off point to enjoy an outdoor class, but the indoor atmosphere certainly wasn't lacking! Just look at it!

View of the indoor studio, facing out to the South River

Instructor: Barry Brooks guided a beautiful class. Barry is in the process of receiving his 200 hour RYT, but you would never know it if judging by his knowledge and comfortable guidance. I always love a class that provides physical adjustment, so it was nice to receive some personal attention and soothing adjustments for my asanas.

Class: This 75 minute vinyasa class was very gentle and calming. We warmed up slowly and mindfully before moving into a relaxing flow. I enjoyed a few interesting variations on the usual Sun Salutations as well as some new foot massage techniques. Barry used Indu Lotion for savasana that put me into a total blissful stupor. I might have to get some for my little studio! :) It's always great to feel inspired or learn something new.

Atmosphere: If you've read much of this blog, you'll know that I'm a total sucker for old houses and I wasn't prepared for this delightful bungalow. Nestled at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, this charming old cottage had character to spare. With original hardwood floors, antiques and a spiral staircase leading to a loft, the interior designer in me swooned. 

Awesome spiral staircase heading up to a small loft

Great Room/Studio looking toward the kitchen area...check out the awesome old piano!

The Great Room where class was held opened up to nothing but the sky and the water. The location was amazing and really allowed me to connect with nature.

View from inside, looking down the hill to the water...wow.

View from the kitchen area looking out to the dock.

If you get a chance, take a weekend trip to Annapolis before December and take a waterfront class. (It's only about 4 hours from Pittsburgh, so it's a nice weekend getaway.)

What an amazing and welcoming class for my first Annapolis yoga experience. I only wish we had more time to linger in the area and enjoy more studios. Please let me know if you run across any charming studios in your travels...I always welcome guest-posts! Namaste!

plants > air purifiers

I am loving this fall weather. Everything feels refreshing and crisp. It's the perfect time of year to bust the windows open, poke your head out and sing some sort of Disney song. Nothing like the smell of fresh air, right? But once we shut the windows for winter, air tends to feel stagnant. It's not just your imagination, your precious air literally does get stale. Regardless of whatever filters, fans or air purifiers you may have in your home, studies show that nothing compares to nature. 

Butterball - enjoying the fresh breeze in her fur!

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):

 "Indoor air pollution is among the top five environmental health risks. The best way to address this risk is to control or eliminate the sources of pollutants and to ventilate a home with clean outdoor air. The ventilation method may be limited by weather conditions or undesirable levels of contaminants in outdoor air. While air cleaning devices may help to control the levels of airborne allergens, they do not decrease adverse health effects from other gaseous indoor air pollutants."

Ideally, our homes should be aired out daily all year round. It's not necessarily efficient to air out the house during a snow storm, but opening the windows in a room you spend the most time in, a room that feels "stuffy" or the bedroom window (for 5 minutes before going to sleep) can all make a huge difference to the quality of air. Indoor air grows musty quickly and over time, toxic chemicals from carpets, furniture, paint and cleaning products build-up.

FACTS:
• The average American spends 90-97% of their time indoors (Wow.)
• Many homes and offices have airborne pollutant levels 25-100 times higher than the air outside
• Over 1500 toxic substances may be found in the typical North American home
- Airpurifier.com

This air can lead to sick building syndrome for some people. As much as that sounds like an excuse to ditch work, it is a real problem that can cause very real symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, headaches, fatigue, anxiety, depression and weakened immune system. (Not to mention that no one will be able to figure out what's wrong with you!) But you're in luck. If you live in an area where opening the windows is not always an option, plants are definitely the next best thing to remove harmful chemicals and gasses from your air. If you don't have any plants or don't know where to start, here are a few simple tips:

Abnormal amount of houseplants. :)

Start small. If we all had the natural light, space and capacity to care for a large plant in every room, that would be great, but it's not realistic for many homes. Take it one step at a time, beginning with a small, low-maintenance plant kept in a noticeable place where you will remember to water it. You can also try using water bulbs to help with your watering regimen, but you'll still have to remember to fill them. :)

Focus on the worst areas in the home. The quality of air in the bedroom is often the worst room in the house. Considering that you lay in there and breathe deeply for about 8 hours every day, it's a logical place to put a great plant if you can.

Hanging Vases - Great for air ferns or succulents

Establish a good space for plants. If you feel like you don't have a good spot in your home for a plant or plants due to pets, kids, furniture or lighting, you might need to get creative. Plant stands are a simple way to store multiple plants without worrying about water marks, but where floor space is limited, hanging plants from the ceiling is a great option that works almost anywhere, even for larger plants! (See below)

For large plants, Styrofoam is your friend. Perhaps one of the best kept secrets of the houseplant world, recycled Styrofoam is a perfect way to allow your plants to drain, even if they don't have a hole in the bottom. For large potted plants, I fill the pot halfway up with Styrofoam to allow for drainage and make the pot significantly lighter!

Consider adoption. If you're afraid of commitment or not sure that you're ready to invest in established plants, ask around. Over the years, I've accumulated many of my plants from friends, family and coworkers. Whether I inherited an unwanted or neglected plant or propogated from a healthy one, it's a great way to easily establish a variety. 

Armed with this information, you might be ready to take the first steps into refreshing your house air. You've got nothing to lose except pollutants! ;-)

Click here for a follow-up post on some of my personal favorite air-purifying plants!

raw breakfast "cereal"

Fall is a time for comfort food, but we still need to fuel our bodies with raw (living/uncooked) fruits and vegetables. Especially in the morning, it's important to give your body and metabolism a jump-start with a healthy breakfast. This simple raw cereal is a great way to get tons of nutrients in one hearty bowl. Eat it for an afternoon pick-me-up or savor it in the morning. 

Raw Cereal

Modify this base to accommodate what you have around and what you're craving!
1 chopped pear
1 chopped apple (I used Honey Crisp)
1T shredded coconut
1T raisins or dried cranberries
1/4c chopped or sliced raw almonds
1T sunflower seeds
Dash of cinnamon


Mix this all on a bowl, splash with almond milk if desired and enjoy your breakfast! :)

yoga for the hiccups!?

Ask anyone who's ever been around me during an episode and they'll confirm that I get very unusual, violent hiccups. There's no muffling cute little "hic" noises for this girl because my hiccups sound more like some sort of hungry jungle bird. A widely accepted consensus for the animal most closely resembling the sound is...a Velociraptor...and it's embarrassingly accurate.

Besides the terribly loud noise, my hiccups also manifest at an abnormally fast pace with intense diaphragm spasms. They're painful. And they don't go down without a fight. Holding my breath, chugging water, chewing gum, being startled, swallowing sugar, hanging upside down, and drinking water with a freshly snuffed out match are among a few of the worthless cures I've tried. (I would not have attempted many of these "remedies" on my own, but people try to "help" me...or something.)

Anyway, yoga continues to amaze me as it aids in healing many aches, pains and ailments. I've had luck with yoga helping me in so many ways, so why not hiccups? I tried various pranayama (breathing exercises) such as alternate nostril breathing, ujjayi breath and uddiyana bandha (abdominal lock) to no avail. I had no idea what I was doing, but since hiccups originate in the diaphragm, I knew that some sort of pranayama should work.

Vagus Nerve Image

After a ton of research, I ran across this blog and found that jalandhara bandha is believed to stimulate the vagus nerve. What's the vagus nerve? Apparently, the vagus nerves carry a wide assortment of signals to and from the brain and are responsible for a number of instinctive responses in the body (ie. hiccups). Stimulation of the vagus nerve can be used to treat various medical conditions such as epilepsy (or hiccups)! Interesting stuff.

"The home remedies used to stop hiccups are believed to work on two principles. One way to stifle hiccups is to overwhelm the vagus nerve with another sensation. The vagus nerve signals the brain that more important matters have arisen, so it's time to knock off the hiccups. Other methods interfere with breathing, increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the blood. This probably causes the body to become more concerned with getting rid of the carbon dioxide than making hiccups." - howstuffworks.com

This seemingly explains why some people/hiccups respond to being scared or distracted, while others have luck with breathing in a paper bag or swallowing sugar. Needless to say, during my usual violent inconsolable hiccups, I tried the jalandhara bandha and to my utter amazement, it worked within a few breaths. So for those of you who are like me, please enjoy the following easy instructions next time you get the hiccups!

How To perform jalandhara bandha (chin lock):
*Use caution or seek guidance if you suffer from low blood pressure, respiratory problems or neck injury.

1.) Find a comfortable upright position with a long, straight spine. Press the shoulder blades together to lift the chest upward toward the chin (don't press the ribs forward). Simultaneously, drop the chin toward the chest.

Yoga Journal tip: "Jalandhara requires the chin to rest comfortably on the sternum (neck flexion). Many beginners make the mistake of only lowering the chin; in fact your chin should be met half-way by the elevated sternum."

2.) Lengthen the back of the neck and begin to take deep, long diaphragmatic breaths in and out through the nose, pulling air from the pit of the belly. (Similar to ujjayi breath technique)

3.) Take 5-10 long, slow breaths through the nose with the chin tucked and the sternum lifted. Enjoy the rest of your hiccup-free day! :)

Namaste, people.

Wholehearter on Facebook: Normally, I don’t make a habit of taking pictures of people in savasana, but Zero's not a person. ...

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hiking trail or walkway?

It only takes 1 trip (pun intended) across this eyesore to realize that it is an absolutely terrible excuse for a walkway. Someone, sometime long ago, had the idea to nestle stepping stones at awkward distances between piles of large rocks. This person did not own a level and did not understand the function of a walkway. In less than a year's time, we've stumbled many times and twisted many an ankle just trying to navigate the ten feet from our driveway to the safe, level surface of our patio. Moving furniture in and out has been a joy, and trying to clean the path from grass clippings, ice, weeds or other junk is futile. And if you should ever forget to leave the outside light on at night, you might as well just fall down now.

The original genius path design...

When we began tearing it out, we really didn't have a plan for what to do instead, but we knew that bare dirt would be significantly safer than the current path (as would the path to Mordor). We were tired of worrying about guests and yoga students suing when they stumble across this treacherous obstacle and we already tended to walk around it instead. So, out it came...

We also decided to remove a treacherous strip of river rocks that was bordering the sidewalk all the way down. It was unnecessary and only served as (yet another) tripping hazard, harbor for grass clippings and home to unnecessarily large and terrible spiders. Plus, we wanted to move more rocks. ;)

The original area next to the sidewalk

Some progress removing the rocks to fill and plant grass

Together, it took us a few arduous days to load up all the rocks and relocate them to other areas.

Rocks removed, & peony bush was transplanted at an inopportune time (lower right)

If you're wondering, the small layer of rocks remaining along the sidewalk was left intentionally. We discovered a french drain underneath that is probably long filled up with silt, but just in case, we decided to keep it semi-covered with rocks to allow for drainage. Once we got all the rocks out of the way, it was time to transplant a few plants and then dig up the actual walkway.

As much as I like digging and gardening, none of this was really that fun. Thankfully, we only needed about 2 tons of topsoil to fill in our trenches. For now, we will plant grass even where the old walkway was. (When we're ready to add a new one, we won't be using the same angle to connect the patio to the driveway anyway.)

Filled in and grass seed planted!

Not quite done, but almost!

Turns out, I don't know how to plant grass properly. I would consider my thumb to be green, if I do say so myself, but I've never planted grass before and I guess I just assumed that...well, it's GRASS, how hard can it be? It'll grow if I love it and water it. I arbitrarily sprinkled some seeds onto my soil and watered it daily for about 2 weeks (using free water from our rain barrels!). I was excited when the baby grass started to sprout, until I noticed how sparse it was. Should I throw some hay on it? People do that, right?

Baby grass!

My loving husband (former landscaper of 5 years, but wasn't home when I "planted" my grass) lovingly pointed out that I probably should have poked the soil with some kind of tool I don't have and then spread peat moss over the top (also don't have) and covered it with something I do not have. Whatever. It'll still fill in, right? :)

Even if it's dirt and grass seedlings for a while, I'm still very glad to have the ugly, dangerous old walkway gone. I'm not going for an award-winning lawn, I just don't want to fall on my face. Stay tuned for updates and the new walkway installation to find out if it's a "do it yourself" or "do not do it yourself" project. :)