Yaya Wellness

09/29/2025

09/03/2025

Summer is winding down and so is the Ashram de la Hood garden. The harvests were sustainable, yet, the heat 🥵 tested productivity. We let nature do her thing. So many aha moments b/c we direct sowed seeds or from produce slips (eg. Ginger, purple potato, turmeric, pineapple, rambutan, onion, to***co, etc); hence, things took a while to mature.

As we prepare for the fall, some observations include: 1) avoid overthinking --provide the best conditions available to you for your region, but use what have; 2) SOIL is gold, natural is the way to go --wood ash (biochar), leaf mulch, compost - leaf cuttings/ pruned twigs, earthworm tea/castings; 3) insects are inevitable --some good, some not so good --rotate crops, companion plants, be grateful for what thrived (save the seeds cause they are the strong plants!); 4) avoid commercial pesticides --neem, onion/garlic/lemongrass/peppermint soap, ladybugs 🐞 still work!; 5) observe insect diversity, sunlight patterns, drought tolerance, and share plants/seeds to create a living space; 6) learn to use the yield from your garden mindfully --waste nothing -- learn new cuisines, recycle waste, share or store harvests; 7) be amazed each day to find gifts of nourishment, beauty, and sustainability.

As this season ends, a cup of butterfly pea tea w/my Yaya Wellness honey in hand, a bowl of soup with w/ loofah, squash, and veggies, I will enjoy and reflect on the lessons learned.

06/22/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1CGgnS4LcW/

06/15/2025

Father's Day is bittersweet for me, as my dad is no longer among the living. There was a lot of emotional sparring as I, 'adulted', but he always had his eyes on me. His pioneering spirit, love of nature, wanderlust, and curious persona are so ingrained in me.

He existed in an era of mass awakening in the dirty South - Jim Crow, segregation, redlining, etc.
His parents, a US letter carrier and laundress at cleaning plants provided stability, a village in the hood, and mantras affirming his capacity to (and MUST) thrive. A product of segregated public schools. He had educators who expected every student to work to the best of their ability. My dad was a polyglot - German, French, and Spanish; matriculated, after a vigorous legal battle, to UT-Austin when blacks weren't readily allowed admission; a Fulbright scholar to Bonn, Germany studying periodontal surgery; a vocal civil rights advocate; and, quintessential joie de vivre that exhausted my mom.

He took pleasure in being a ranch hand at the Stevenson ranch (Buffalo Soldier descendant), teaching swimming at Finegan Park, hunting, fishing, and teaching me about entomology (insects) and etiquette, in that order. "You never know when you'll dine at the UN," he'd say.

And through those markers, he died before his 65th earthstrong day. While I've surpassed his time on earth, there are so many questions I'd like to ask him. This current time eerily feels like the conversations I overheard my elders speak about at the dinner table - safety, security, next actions, and plans going forward.

I honor my dad and pray that he, and his elders, continue to keep their hands on our shoulders to rise, thrive, and protect each other and the planet. If you're lucky to have your father (patriarch/parents) still about you, love them. Hug them. Cajole and laugh with them. Ask them. Help them. Because with you, it is their first life, too. Bless.

06/04/2025

May brought blooms, creativity, harvest, and rest. Spring unfolds. Summer warms.

05/17/2025

Yogis join me today! Our session begins at 1PM.

11/28/2024

T-day eve dinner prep is gonna be low key. Need a break tho... butterfly pea tea and vegan sweet potato pie tart.

Hope y'all aren't up too late prepping and cooking. 🤞🏽

11/06/2024

When you don't care enough about yourself or others, this is justification...

07/20/2024

Family, consider creating your smudge...sage, lavender, to***co. You can grow these in pots, harvest, and dry plants for your own blends. More meaningful, mindful, and less costly. Migwëch.

06/26/2024

What2Doula? Fourth "trimester" postpartum support is advocacy for moms.