We just had our annual Earth Day Retreat!  I am forever amazed by the groups of people who gather here at the coast with us.  I felt like this weekend, I was with a group of insightful and wise old souls.  Most everyone did not know each other before hand, but some friendships were forged that will last beyond this time together at the coast.  Mainly, I think if you get a group of individuals who  love yoga and love life and who are searching to become more fully human, you can’t help but to discover a profound commonality with the others in the group.  That is what I felt very strongly this weekend.

We were blessed with great weather!  Every time the sun shines here at the coast, I celebrate the light and the warmth!  It can be such a stormy gray wet place.

Below is our weekend in pictures!

Rick and Marsha

Explorers Matsuda and Clark

Ashley in Ocean Shores

Kristin with snow covered Olympics in background

Marsha on the wings of giant drift wood

Arlene and Ashley

Beach Yogis

Granola for breakfast

GRANOLA

3 cups steel cut oats
1 cup chopped almonds  (you can also use pecans or walnuts, instead or combined)
2/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup flax seeds
3 tablespoons wheat germ
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
(you can also add other seeds like sesame seeds etc)
1 teaspoon cinnamon  (more if you like)
dash of salt
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Mix the above ingredients.

in a pan, melt:
2 tablespoons coconut oil  (you can use flax seed oil too as I have done in the past)
2 tablespoons of honey  (use more honey if you like it sweeter!)
after melted, add to the pan
3/4 cup of water

Pour this mixture over the oat mixture.  Mixture will be slightly wet.  Using two oiled cookie sheets, divide the granola mixture in two batches.  350 degree oven.  Every 15 minutes, mix the granola and switch pans from top to lower racks so they bake evening.  Should be ready in 45 minutes to an hour.  When done the granola will be golden.  Your house will smell divine.  Sometimes I am close but not sure if it is cooked, so I turn off the oven and let the granola sit in the warm oven with the heat off.  Cool completely and store in airtight containers or zip lock bags.  Serve with raisins or fresh fruit.  I don’t  store the granola with raisins because it  loses its crunchiness.

Here are the images I take from the Earth Day weekend: lovely yoga, light filled house, wonderful group, homemade healthy meals, garden in bloom, retreat-ers soaking in the hot tub (first time we have been able to share the tub with a retreat group!!!), lunch outside at the round table, Lisa singing Amazing Grace (I don’t yet have the capacity to download videos…coming soon!), Brent showing his slide show of his world travels featuring our beautiful Earth and all She holds, and celebrating Earth Day as we walked the beach and soaked up the April sunshine!

Our Lovely Group (minus Brent who is taking the photo)