I bring to you a blog post capturing my year in photos. It was a good year, overall, with some bumps along the road, especially this last month of December, when I had to close my yoga studio for one month due to flooding and the damage it caused.

Though many of the photos below are beautiful, my life is not all a bed of roses, you see. I’ve been around long enough to know that no one’s life is easy all the time. So when you see gorgeous retreat photos of Sicily, Iceland, and Greece below, you must know that a lot of work goes on before the start of each retreat. That smile you see is real because I did all the work behind the scenes to get to the point where the photo is being taken. And when you see a welcoming yoga studio, you have to know that it didn’t just appear. For years, I worked for everyone else until three and a half years ago, when I set up my own studio. When you see me smiling on one of my retreats, alone or with a group of yogis, you have to know that seemingly perfect moment or posture (asana) didn’t just appear out of thin air. Effort, consistency, fortitude, hard work, tenacity, honesty, a strong work ethic, a strong sense of putting one’s best foot forward, genuinely believing in the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual benefits of the yoga practice…and, quite simply, showing up day after day, even if just one person shows up for class, and showing up even when your sister is dying of COVID..that’s the real truth behind the photos.

It’s no secret. You just show up and do your best, day after day. When I teach, I leave my  problems behind and step into the sacred space that is love and kindness. There’s a Sicilian saying that goes along the lines of The Bitter with the Sweet or The Thorns  With the Roses.  It goes like this, according to my mamma: “Lu Signiuruzzu li cosi, li fici dritti, vinni lu diavulu e li sturcìu.” God made things straight, and then along came the devil and twisted things up.”  Yeah, mamma got it right. Things get a bit twisted every now and then. People die and then we learn to carry the memory of those we love in our hearts. Studios close. Repairs are made. Studios reopen!

I was looking through some papers and came across this beautiful quote written some years ago by Leslie Shattuck from Vashon, Washington:
Appreciate what you have, because someone, somewhere, only dreams of being as fortunate as you are.

Mostly what I want to say is Thank You.

Thank you, family and friends.

Thank you, to the yogis who have taken classes with me for nearly 28 years and thank you to the yogis who have just recently discovered the studio and my teaching (in-studio and online) and who have started taking classes with me.

Thank you to my blog readers, for your interest and your comments.

Thank you to small business supporters. I could not do what I do without your support.

Thank you to everyone who offered to help me during my horrible studio flooding. I’ve had a really hard time, emotionally and financially, and I so appreciate your reaching out. I am feeling better now that the cracked foundation has been repaired, the dry wall done, and the flooring installation now underway. All restoration will be done at the 11th hour and I will reopen the studio on Tuesday, January 2.  The best way to help me is to help spread the word about my classes, workshops, and other offerings in 2024.

Most importantly, thank you to all who help spread light, joy, and peace in this needy world, a world hungering for kindness.

Wishing you, to all of you, a health-filled, joyful, successful, and peaceful New Year 2024.

Namaste, Fran

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January and February

Off to a strong start with the in-studio and live stream classes in full swing. My heart is so happy because I have a studio where yogis have a welcoming space to practice yoga in a peaceful, healthy environment. As you do yoga, you can relax and let the best of you shine through.

March

A yoga retreat in tropical Costa Rica.  Our youngest yogi was Baby Nora. So much fun to have her on board. And running a retreat with Laurie Leonetti is one of the best experiences.

Hard to pare down to just four photos, but here you go: Pura Vida!! 

April

Another year without Toni in this world. On the two-year anniversary of her COVID death, I made an altar for her once again.  My heart still aches from the loss of my special sister Toni. She comes to me in my dreams. In my dreams, I see no traces of the tracheotomy, no traces of pain.  She is loving, wise, and beautiful. She is whole. I think about her every day. She is a part of the fabric of my being.

And then there is Yoga in Sicily. Dreamy! This was the year of retreats. In 2024, I will take a break from leading international retreats and resume in 2025.  Here’s a memory of Sicily, the Pearl of the Mediterranean. It’s hard to pare down the Sicily photos!

And I celebrated 35 years of my life with Rick!

May

I celebrated Kathryn’s birthday in Santa Barbara, California. A short sweet visit. We enjoyed each other’s company. Enjoyed her Bengal Kitties, and I took a bunch of rose photos at the Santa Barbara Rose Garden.

June

Get Fit Yogis class goin’ strong. After a half hour of yoga, followed by weights, cardio, and core workout, the class gets to chill out for 15 minutes. Pure Bliss!

July

I guess you’d say I work a lot. I do!  I love teaching. And here is Yoga in the Park. It’s an annual summer highlight! Next year, I will start as soon as it is warm enough to be outdoors!  And I will go as long as weather permits us to be outside doing yoga!

My nephew John and family came to Washington for a visit! We went to Leavenworth for a week. OH, my heart!  I love them so much!

August

For the first time, I floated a lantern at Green Lake on the 78th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima. This is a sobering and  meaningful annual event promoting peace.

September

And a retreat in Iceland. A week filled with Yoga, hiking, hot springs, glaciers, and otherworldly Landscapes. One of my favorite places!

October

I came home from Iceland, taught a week and a half at the studio, then took off again for two two-week back-to-back retreats in Greece. OY!

As I mentioned above, I overdid the retreats this year, so I will be taking a break from International Retreats until 2025. In 2024, I will focus on my studio offerings. Maybe I’ll even be able to blog a bit more in 2024. That’s the plan, Stan.  Some cool events/classes/workshops/local day and weekend retreats coming your way. Stay tuned!

Came home from Greece and immediately flew back east to Massachusetts to attend my cousin Fran’s Memorial Service in Plymouth. A grand adieu to my dear cousin. Sis Zina and I were hosted by our cousins, John, Anne, and Chris Gallo.  We loved our time with them. We hope to see more of them, under happier circumstances.

November

A home-style retreat in Gig Harbor, Washington. Tiffany & Family & Friends used to attend an annual weekend yoga retreat at our Ocean Shores sanctuary and home until we sold it in 2019.  Post-pandemic, we have started up again in Gig Harbor.

And the end of November holds two bundled celebrations: Thanksgiving and my birthday. Thank you, Barbara and Denise, for hosting us in your new home on Whidbey Island. This photo was taken on the morning of November 25, my birthday:

December

A flooding incident forced me to close my studio most of December. It’s been a hard time, though I am happy to report that the studio is being renovated and I will be able to reopen on Tuesday, January 2. Note: I am not including photos of the damage until the renovation is complete on Friday evening this week!

Hallelujah!

And here is the dreamy sunset of December! If you live in or around the Seattle area, I know you saw this sunset, too!

Wishing you a happy New Year 2024!