Tumbleweed Yoga Studio - Oroville, WA

Tumbleweed Yoga

1117 Main St.
Oroville, WA 98844
(509) 476-2820

Practicing yoga at Tumbleweed with Kathy Fulmer was special in many ways. First, her studio is in my hometown of Oroville, WA. I was born and lived here for the first 18 years of my life. Oroville is a small town (about 1500 people) on the border of Brittish Columbia, Canada - in the central part of Washington State. Oroville shares Lake Osoyoos with its neighbors to the north and is home to the Similkameen and Okanogan rivers and many small mountain lakes. It is remote and beautiful.

www.orovillewashington.com


Tumbleweed Yoga is located in a log cabin styled building that is also home to Kathy's adorable gift store. Her gifts are sold in the front and the yoga resides behind the store. The yoga space is very cozy. She used natural materials, greens, beiges, and brown/red tones throughout which give it an earthy feel.

While this is the first time that I had met Kathy in person, I had been told that she was a very sweet and good person and that I was sure to enjoy both her and her class. Kathy has a way of making you feel immediately 'at home' in her presence. She welcomed me into her store/studio.

Right off the bat Kathy had a bit of a challenge. My childhood friend, Shelly, made the trek up from her home in Okanogan, WA to join our class and she is 5 months pregnant. Kathy explained that she did not have a lot of training in prenatal yoga but that she would give options in all poses with Shelly in mind and encouraged Shelly to do what felt right to her.

As we were getting settled my Dad burst into the store (in true Gary fashion). "Do you know what time it is???" he candidly asked. "Aren't you finished yet??? The passes are getting snow, you know!" All of you who know my Dad can picture this scenario, I'm sure. After I explained to him that we had not yet started and that I would be finished in about 90 minutes, he made his exit very similarly to his entrance noting that "I had better not forget about the weather!" As I was driving over Stevens Pass to Snohomish, WA that day. Everyone knows everyone in Oroville, so Kathy didn't seem too surprised by this interruption. She took it in stride (but I think she locked the front door after that :) and we got started.



Kathy explained that one of her reasons for opening her yoga studio was to maintain and foster her own personal practice and that she was largely self-taught. She usually has two to three regular students, but she was glad that Shelly and I were there because her regular students had all called that day and cancelled.

When she was a teenager, Kathy was very passionate about dance - specifically modern dance. She wove that passion throughout her class in many different core based poses and sequences. Kathy also incorporated many of Bikram Choudhury's poses. I have practiced Bikram Yoga (hot yoga) before. For those of you unfamiliar to this, Bikram Yoga is a system of yoga that Bikram Choudhury synthesized from traditional yoga techniques and popularized beginning in the early 1970s. Bikram's classes run approximately 90 minutes and consist of a set series of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises. Bikram Yoga is ideally practiced in a room heated to 105°F with a humidity of 40%, making it notoriously known as a form of hot yoga. I completed a 30 day challenge (you have to complete 30 classes in 30 days - doubling up on days if you miss any - it's no joke) a couple years ago but have not returned to continue a Bikram practice. It was interesting to incorporate these poses without the heat in the room - much more pleasant, too!

Kathy did a nice job sequencing her poses and was very aware of Shelly's pregnancy throughout, reminding her to pay close attention to what her body was telling her. Kathy's voice was smooth and calming. She guided Shelly and I through a relaxing savasana and I felt great! Following the class we had a nice talk with Kathy. I very much enjoyed meeting and practicing with her and Shelly did great! It is fantastic that she has followed her passion for yoga and opened a studio in Oroville. What a gift she and her practice are to that community!

Thank you, Kathy, for a wonderful class! It was great meeting you, and I look forward to practicing with you more when I come home for Christmas!

ps. My abs were pretty sore the next day, it was an awesome workout ;)

Landscaping for the Episcopal Church - Service in Oroville, WA

Growing up in Oroville, WA means being close to a lot of people (whether you like it or not :). For instance, there were 33 people in my highschool graduating class. Many of these people - including myself - had gone to school together since pre-school (3 yrs. old to 18 yrs old - that's a lot of years, people!). For all of you that didn't grow up in this fashion, this means that you basically have 32 brothers and sisters - okay so maybe not siblings but cousins at least. So now, take this even smaller and increase the bonds tighter - I mean reeeeeally tight...then you have the Oroville, WA Episcopal Church Youth Group. Starting in and around 5th grade Marilyn Wilder (glutton for punishment that she is :) wrangled us in church, in our weekly evening meetings, through confirmation classes and confirmation, and on multiple field trips to Camp Cross and other out of town churches. At this time Marilyn was a member of the Church, NOW she's the Reverend! She's bonafide! I can't imagine a person better for the job!

I didn't bother to set up community service in Oroville ahead of time because somehow I knew...that Marilyn Wilder would have something up her sleeve.

I was pretty ill with a cold the first few days I was in Oroville so I was running a little short on time - when I dialed Marilyn. About twenty words into the coversation she says, "Oh, just meet me at the church in five minutes - you're going to need Brick (the person not the wall material)." It takes about 5 minutes to get anywhere within the city limits of Oroville. Once at the church, Marilyn outlined a landscape project that she wanted me to finish involving setting some pavers - made by the current youth group - in a pre-determined design, in some crushed rock. She showed me where I needed to go for the rock and off she went to pack for her trip.

I immediately called Brick's house and cell phone leaving messages that I was in town and needed him to call me (I'm pretty sure that after this little stunt, he'll never return my call again). As you can probably guess, Brick was in youth group. He is definitely one of the most hilarious people I've ever met - I don't know how you could not be funny with a name like Brick Wall - I'm not kidding, that's his last name - his 'real' name is John but that's not nearly has funny. He has a way of delivering little quips that absolutely cracks me up. Not only was I looking forward to his help on this project, I was also looking forward to hanging out! So...Brick calls me back, I explain what I need to do, and without question he says, "Yep, I'll help you, see you tomorrow - my house - 1 p.m. Just like that - the project was set up.

Brick and I drove out to the landscape place where Marilyn had instructed me to get rock and we got to shoveling. I made sure to get photos of us at the beginning of the shoveling because I was pretty sure we wouldn't feel so much like smiling during or after. Sooo...

I shoveled....

Brick shoveled...

and I shoveled some more- I forgot how heavy rock is ... (see I told you Brick cracks me up)

and when we had what we thought was enough, we drove to the church. For once in my life I thought to take before photos.

We started with a bare patch of dirt that needed some leveling.

So level I did.

Brick and I laid the pavers in the pattern that Marilyn wanted. Brick brought the rock up wheelbarrow by wheelbarrow and I spread it out. We worked and worked trying to make sure that we ended up with something that at least resembled Marilyn's intention and finally.... we were finished!

Each of the pavers has a cross in it and when all said and done, it looked pretty nice.

We hosed off our masterpiece and went to Brick's house to warm up and hang out with his wife and kiddos.

Thanks, Brick, for being such a sport - I couldn't have done it without you. It's wonderful to have good friends :)

Wenatchee to Oroville - Heading 'Home'

Snowcreek Meditation and Yoga Studio - Leavenworth, WA

www.snowcreekhealth.com/yoga/

Snowcreek Yoga Studio from Charley Voorhis on Vimeo.

Next Stop...Snowcreek!

Snowcreek Yoga is housed in a Bavarian styled building in a gorgeous part of Washington state.

The Snowcreek studio has many beautiful elements, but one of the most immediately striking is the lighting, it's exquisite. This space is a re-purposed art gallery so the lighting is very well done.

The walls are painted a sunny yellow and some are the home of colorful art pieces, mirrors hang from others, and a ballet bar on another.

Chakra color inspired art ---

The wood floor and open beam detailing add to the warmth of this space.

Meditation with Marion ---

I was so very fortunate to practice both meditation and yoga at Snowcreek Studio. One of the co-founders, Marion Lodato, has been in regular contact with me from the beginning of 'The Trip and the Trade'. She has been very supportive and helpful along the way. Marion is the meditation half of Snowcreek Studio. Her business partner, Jenni Lund, is currently in Nepal so I didn't have the pleasure of meeting or practicing with her.

A little about Marion ---

Marion is a Co-Founder and Director of Snowcreek Integrated Health, LLC and is a Licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist. Marion has been in practice for nearly ten years as a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist, beginning with her Root and Branch Acupuncture practice in the Bay Area of California. Marion received her Master of Science degree from the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in San Francisco in 2001. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Denison University, Ohio. Marion has also been studying and practicing meditation since 1999. Her first yoga class was with her mother at the age of 7 and her love of yoga continues to this day. She became a certified Acu-Yoga teacher in 1996 at the Acupressure Institute of Berkeley. Marion is licensed in California, Washington, and nationwide. Continuing professional studies include Meridian Therapy of Dr. Richard Tan, obstetrics and pediatrics taught by nurse midwife and acupuncturist Raven Lang, and Internal Medicine studies with Tran Dzung M.D. at Bastyr University in Seattle. Marion believes in the body’s ability to heal itself. As a practitioner and teacher, she works to remind the body of this innate gift and gently guides the body back into health and vitality. When she is not spending time with her patients Marion spends time with her husband and young children.



I have dabbled with meditation on my own but have never attended a guided session. It was still dark when I arrived to the studio early Wednesday morning. The meditation started at 6:30 a.m. I was there about twenty minutes early so I could take some photos and speak with Marion before we began. When I met Marion I was instantly struck by the clarity of her eyes. It's always interesting how others perceive us ... here is how I perceived Marion (she'll probably chuckle at this). The minute I said hello to Marion I thought, "Uh oh...I better not be thinking anything but good things...because she'll know ... she'll know! Good things good things good things...channel good things...be sure to think good things! In our short conversation before class I was impressed with Marion's focus, her ability to be present, her willingness to listen.


People began to arrive for class and get settled. Marion explained that we should arrange ourselves however we felt most comfortable. A few people, including Marion, sat in chairs and the rest of us sat on the floor. I was a little nervous, to be honest, I wondered if I would be able to sit still for the full hour. I sat on a blanket with my back against the wall and waited. Marion talked us through our bodies giving us guidance in certain areas on ways we could visualize things, release tension, and rid ourselves of the unnecessary information and stimuli that we pick up every minute of every day of our lives. One thing that really struck me was when we got to our throats, specifically our voice boxes. Marion suggested that we picture our voice boxes and the contents. She suggested that we turn them upside down and let the contents spill out like butterflies - is how I believe she put it. Let all the communication we hold from thoughts, media, phone calls, etc. just spill out and dissipate. She asked us to visualize what our voice boxes look like. Immediately an image came to my mind of a rusted out old steel mining car - the kind that hung from cables and were pulled in and out of the mining shafts carrying whatever material their operators were seeking. This image was so clear - I could see the bolts and hinges that held the cart together. It seemed so obvious to me that that is exactly what a voice box would look like - of course! What else would it look like?? Everyone's looks like that. Then...Marion asked us, "Does your voice box look like a beautifully carved wooden box? Perhaps a decorative metal box?" What? Wait a minute! People have pretty voice boxes? Why the heck does mine look crappy and old?? Uh-oh... what could this mean? Is my communication rusty and old? Outdated? Ineffective? The jury's still out.


Marion guided us through our entire body and all of a sudden we were finished - the hour was up! Time had flown by and I had made it!



I tried to stay present throughout the class but I have to admit, I think that I fell asleep for a few minutes here and there. After class I asked Marion if this was normal and she assured me that it was. She explained that she thought that sleep during meditation occurs when we hit "pockets" of conscious (or did she say sub-conscious) and that as my meditation practice developed, this would probably happen less frequently. After class a man new to the area but a veteran 'meditator' (can that be a noun?) asked if Marion and I were sisters. When we informed him that we had just met that morning, he suggested that perhaps our similar energies had made him think we were sisters. Boy, I can only hope that my energy is similar to Marion's because I think that she is pretty great.


Thank you, Marion, for the wonderful introduction to guided meditation ---

A few minutes after I left the studio, I pulled into an espresso shop by a fruit stand called 'The Country Harvester'. I asked the lady running the shop if she accepted debit cards because (as usual) I didn't have any cash. She said that she didn't take debit cards so I told her that that was okay and I would wait to get my coffee until I got back to Wenatchee. She suggested that, "She could just make me a coffee." Just give it to me? I asked. She smiled and said that she was pretty close with the owner (I took this to mean that she WAS the owner :) and that she was pretty sure that it was alright if she just gave me a coffee. What a kind gesture! As I travelled the highway from Leavenworth back to Wenatchee I noticed the beauty of the sunlight and the equally beautiful shadows it created. I made a conscious choice not to wear sunglasses and proceeded to enjoy contrast, my coffee, and the fact that I was so lucky to have connected with such wonderful people in such a wonderful place.

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Yoga at Snowcreek ---



I chose to attend the Power Vinyasa I/II class at the Snowcreek Studio. Typically, Jenni Lund co-founder of Snowcreek, teaches this class but while she is away in Nepal, Joanna Dunn is substituting.

Joanna Dunn...

"It was through Yoga that I first learned to really listen to myself, to tune in to my body-mind-spirit. Yoga continues to be my touchstone – whenever I feel ungrounded, I go back to the body, back to the breath and then I remember…Namaste.” It was while living in Massachusetts (and under the illusion that she was working on a Master’s degree) that Joanna began her study of yoga in 2000 as an apprentice to Lynn Kingston during Lynn’s forth decade of teaching. Under Lynn, Joanna practiced choreographed vinyasa (posture flow) and Yin Yoga. In 2001, she received a 200-hour certification through Kripalu Center for Yoga. In the course of the last decade, Joanna has studied restorative yoga, yin yoga, yoga therapeutics and has recently delved into alignment-based yoga. In May of 2010, she completed an advanced teacher training program through Pacific Yoga in Seattle. In addition to her weekly classes at Snowcreek Yoga Studio, she offers individualized therapeutic yoga sessions for those who are recovering from injury or illness, coping with chronic pain, stress or insomnia. Joanna also offers on-going group classes in Plain, as well as workshops and retreats. As much as Joanna loves her native state of Washington, when she gets the chance, she travels, abandoning her adorable dog and cozy home to wander and explore.





The Power Vinyasa class was my second visit to the Snowcreek Studio that day and after a full day of mowing and raking grass (long story - thanks, Stephen), I was definitely ready for some yoga! As I walked in I was greeted by the toasty room - so cozy! I was then, just as warmly greeted by Joanna. As I situated my mat I watched my classmates arrive and was glad to see that a few men would be attending.







Joanna took us through some challenging sequences that involved some great arm balances. The heat of the room really got us warmed up and helped with flexibility. The woman to my right had a beautiful practice which really motivated me! Once we finished these sequences, Joanna began to talk about inversions. Yay! This was the first class on my journey that was going to incorporate inversions - I was so happy! Joanna spoke for a bit about the benefits of inverting and some reasons why some people may not want to choose this option. Once she went through these items she explained the proper way to move into a hand stand. Now, I don't have a very developed handstand in my regular practice...okay...okay...I sometime overstate things...this was going to be my second time doing a handstand in class :). Joanna had us find a spot on the wall. I positioned my hands about 6 inches from the baseboard, elevated my tailbone, walked my feet toward my hands, bent one leg, straightened the other, kicked up and over with the straight leg, brought the bent leg up to meet it and ...voila! I was in a supported handstand! I slowly moved one foot off the wall and then the other and I was able to balance myself for a bit in an un-supported handstand - awesome! So, okay - for all you non-yoga peeps, this may sound like no big deal and let me tell you why... this is either because you're still living in your pre-12 year old glory days OR...you've never tried it. Now, I'm not saying this because I'm so awesome and yoga is above everything - quite the opposite. I'm saying this because I WANT you to try it, and try it, and try it - until you do get it because being able to trust yourself, your awareness of where you are in space, and your strength to not only GET you there but to KEEP you there is a great feeling of accomplishment. Try it!



Joanna's open and kind teaching style was a welcome end to my day. Thanks for a great class, Joanna!

Barn Beach Reserve - Bridging Environment, Arts, & Cultural History

http://www.barnbeachreserve.org/









The Reserve: Bridging Environment, Arts, & Cultural History


Celebrating a Special Place




Barn Beach Reserve, just downstream from the confluence of the Wenatchee River and Icicle Creek and only two blocks from the Bavarian Village of Leavenworth, Washington, is an extraordinary site that borders the Wenatchee River and features a panoramic view of the Stuart Range, the largest granite batholith in North America.


The Reserve consists of 5.5 acres with a 108-year-old, 9,500-square-foot historic home (the River Haus) and a new, "green-built" learning center (the Barn). The building is a model of energy efficiency that provides space for everything from science labs and art classes to lectures, films, and acoustic music performances. Most programs are held in the Barn. Please click the "Events" tab for a current list, and come visit. Tours are given by appointment.


An adjacent 2.5-acre parcel has become an Audubon learning center under terms of a bequest from an adjoining property owner, and currently houses administrative offices of Barn Beach Reserve. The combination of these parcels with the adjacent city park creates a protected greenbelt of diverse habitats from upland ponderosa pine forest, to riverine and riparian habitats that include Blackbird Island, a popular stop on Audubon's Great Washington Birding Trail. The width of the river along this reach varies from 15 to 60 yards. The river spills out of the narrow, high-gradient Tumwater Canyon immediately west of Leavenworth. Upstream from this point, the watershed is relatively underdeveloped, so the water quality and aquatic habitat are superb. On most days, the river bottom can be seen through the clear water. Wildlife commonly viewed at the site include mule deer, black bear, neo-tropical migratory birds, bald eagles, woodpeckers, bats, salmon, steelhead, and trout.



















As I drove up I was amazed at the beauty of this place. The structures are great but the native landscape is absolutely beautiful! It is perched above the Wenatchee River and surrounded by large Ponderosa Pines, Birch, Maple, and many other types of mature trees. Fall color was really starting to emerge and it was spectacular! Seeing wildlife here is a common occurrence. I did not, however, run into any of the bears that I was told had been traipsing around only a few days prior.













I was first greeted by Ann, assistant to the Education Coordinator. She showed me over to the 'Barn' where I met Jody, the Education Coordinator. Both of these ladies are dynamic women with a passion for education. As far as my role for the day went - I knew going into this experience that I was going to be working with a 4th grade class but beyond that I didn't know much.



Jody was working away at a list of vocabulary words on the white board and I was put to work helping Ann set up the name tag area.











The 'Barn's ' sustainable construction principles are outlined in signs that are posted throughout the space (see below). Education is the name of the game at the Barn Beach Reserve!














The 'Barn' has aquariums and cages housing animals that the children get to learn about and the walls are covered with posters about regional plant and animal life.






Jody and Ann had set up stations for the students. Each class was divided up into groups of six and each group was rotated through the stations. The first of the classes arrived around 9 a.m. They went right to the the far wall, made their own name tags, and found their group (designated by the color of marker they used). Everything was remarkably organized and I was impressed by how well the students listened to and followed directions.





The stations involved the following: environmental interpretation through art, Bull Trout tracking in the Wenatchee River using the science of telemetry, native plant identification, and verbalizing natural systems and animals using haiku. It was like cross-training for the brain - awesome! Remember...these kids are only 9 years old - I'm impressed!

I worked with Jody on the environmental interpretation through art station.





First Jody and I had each group create a 'thumbnail' sketch using a pencil and paper. The environment around them was their muse.





Next, using sidewalk chalk, we had them translate these sketches onto their concrete canvases. It was fascinating to see how these children interpreted their surroundings. As each group passed through our station, Jody and I talked about how we could continue to push these kids to really connect with everything around them and deepen their creative expression of what they saw. Their art pieces were beautiful!

Oscar and I were really making headway with that sun - we had ALL sorts of shading and color mixing going on. We made a good team! Although...I'm not sure what that is in the lower left of their "canvas". He said it was a light (how that's part of their natural surroundings - I'm not sure) but I was pretty sure it was a camouflaged baseball sitting on top of a bat. That Oscar was a sneaky little bugger, but I liked him. :)

Barb, with the Deparment of Fish and Wildlife used a stuffed trout to show the children how the fish were fitted with transponders. She also described the other electronic equipment that was used to track the fish.

Ann headed up the plant identification group. These kids were learning about parts of the plants, simple vs. compound leaf structures, and all sorts of other identification techniques! Once they had the knowledge, they got to scout around the grounds, search for, and identify existing plants.

Jody's mother and another woman headed up the haiku station. They did a great job getting the kids to work with words and verbal description.

There were five volunteers including myself. This was a group of fascinating and kind people eager to serve their community by educating its children. Once again my faith in our Country's youth and the people who mold their educational experiences has strengthened. It was amazing to watch these kids collaborate and eagerly embrace the creative challenges we put forth to them. These little people were bright, respectful, and funny - and in each of them I saw the potential of a bright future.

The foresight of this community and the people who made this facility happen financially is astounding. Along my journey my belief that everywhere there are good people doing good things continues to be reaffirmed. Thank you Ann and Jody, it was wonderful working along side you!

If you have a couple minutes, please check out this video about educational programming for school children at Barn Beach Reserve. It will help you understand why I feel so very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with these people and this organization.