June brings many events, and with it many emotions. June 1 marked one year since my dad's death, which you can read about and watch a white water rafting-themed slideshow honoring his life in my February 15 post, Anniversary, Valentine's, Birthday. 
    When I woke up this year on Sunday, June 1, I reflected upon the emotions I was feeling one year ago. First, I cried as I listened to Waylon Jennings' Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line, Whiskey River, Good-Hearted Woman and I've Always Been Crazy, some of my dad's most beloved songs. Second, I washed those tears away in a hot shower and adorned myself in a silk blue dress and colorfully beaded cross necklace that I bought in the Dominican Republic several years ago. Third, I dressed my baby boy in his white baseball tee and white American Apparel karate pants, bought specially for this day, June 1, the day Eric and I chose for Avie's Catholic baptism.  

     Nothing lifts my spirits more than gatherings and celebrations with friends and family. So, what better way to commemorate my father's death than to baptize his grandson and spend the day with loved ones? Eric's parents drove all the way from Wisconsin to join in the celebration. My mom, Marci, twin sister, Tara, good friend, Brian, and Eric's mom and dad, Marge and Fenton, met me, Eric, and Avie at St. Joan of Arc Parish for the occasion. Tara became godmother, Brian became godfather, and Avie became baptized by Father Jim under the Roman Catholic faith.

     My dad was not Catholic, but I'm sure he was watching from above, thinking, "well, that's pretty cool."  Or perhaps he was muttering, "those damn Catholics," as he often liked to say in his lovingly honest, funny manner. Either way, it was a day well spent! We had a long, slow, healthy, outdoor lunch, my favorite kind, at Nemacolin Woodland's Sunset Terrace. After a nap and downtime, we wrapped up the day's events with the spreading of some of my dad's ashes and a good ole white water kayaking session with some good people, including Avie's new godfather Brian and our friends Andrea, Erin, and Steve. Inadvertently, this became the Second Annual A.J. Cunningham Memorial Paddle.  
    Last year, my dad passed after midnight. When the sun rose, and the news settled, Tara, Eric, and my lifelong best friend and cousin, Laura, who was very close to my dad, felt that the only right thing to do was to go downriver together. So we did. Brian joined us. We were sad, but the river gathered us up and carried us through on a beautiful first day of June. Such was the case this year as the renewing baptismal waters washed over Avie and the revitalizing river waters splashed over me. Next year, a third annual paddling event will occur. It may be as spontaneous as this year's, and it will certainly be as special, because we will be paddling in honor of my dad's death plus my baby's baptism. Doubly special, indeed.    
     This post is titled June Goodness, but I have so far only spoken of one, single good day in June! You'll have to stay tuned to hear about the rest of the good June days, which have involved Father's Day, my sister's bridal shower, more rolfing (read about it in the May 16 post, Rolfing Away Plantar Fasciitis & Heel Spurs), as well as pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, Bowen therapy, and ChiRunning, which I'll tell you about in the near future. Blessings to all! 

     When the weather warms, I wipe the dust from my blender and juicer and retire my typical breakfast of old-fashioned oats for smoothies and juices. I crave the coolness, and with Avie at my side, it's fun to try new recipes. His personal favorite so far was the Berry Green Smoothie, listed below. 
     Variety is certainly the spice of my life. While I may eat the same basic thing every day, I enjoy eating it in many ways. Take, for instance, my cold-weather morning staple of old-fashioned oats. I typically combine any of the following ingredients: flax seeds, chia seeds, almonds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, tahini, sunflower seed and almond butters, raw & unsweetened organic coconut flakes, coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut sugar, organic blackstrap molasses, pure maple syrup, honey, dates, raisins, brewer's yeast, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, fenugreek, cardamom, coriander, sea salt, crystallized ginger, cacoa powder, cacoa nibs, avocado, peas, and eggs. 
     I've been experimenting with these ingredients in my smoothies as well. Listed below are my go-to oatmeal recipes from this past winter, followed by my favorite springtime smoothie concoctions, so far. With the summer solstice a couple weeks away, I look forward to new, fresh produce to blend. The possibilities are endless! 

Oatmeal Recipes
     Depending on how hungry I am, I use one half to one cup of organic, old-fashioned oats. Steel cut oats can be substituted. You can tweak other ingredient measurements per your liking. Cook oats according to package directions, adding ingredients as you see fit.  

Chocolate Ginger Oats
old fashion organic oats
a heaping tablespoon of organic raw cacoa powder
a few hefty dashes of ginger powder 
chopped crystallized ginger

Curried Oats
old fashion organic oats
1/4 tsp each of turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon powders
top with three tablespoons of toasted, raw & unsweetened coconut flakes
top with a couple dashes of cardamom and coriander 

Lactation Oats (fenugreek, oats, Brewer's yeast and flax help aid healthy breast milk production)
old fashion organic oats
quarter teaspoon each of cinnamon and fenugreek
1 tbsp ground flax seeds
1 tbsp Brewer's yeast

Chocolate Chia Oats
old fashion organic oats
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp cacoa nibs
a heaping tablespoon of organic raw cacoa powder
top with several dashes of cinnamon and cloves and a small spoonful of pure maple syrup 

Gingersnap Oats
old fashion organic oats
1/4 tsp each ginger powder, cinnamon and cloves
top with 1 large spoonful of molasses (I like to make swirls with the molasses before digging in!)

Post Workout Recovery Oats
old fashion organic oats
one egg over easy, fried in a frying pan in copious amounts of coconut oil
top with avocado and an overflowing spoonful of honey
sprinkle with Himalayan pink sea salt

Smoothie Recipes
     These smoothies are meant to be a meal and sustain me for two to four hours. 

Dark Chocolate Cherry Smoothie
1 cup dark pitted sweet cherries
2 organic bananas
1/2 cup Just Black Cherry Juice
2 tbsp Brewer's yeast
1 tbsp organic, raw cacoa powder
1 cup kale
1 cup water

Salad Smoothie
1 cucumber, diced 
1 avocado
2 oz. aloe vera juice
2 cups spinach (or any greens)
2 cups carrot juice
1/4 tsp turmeric
top with spoonful of bee pollen

Spiced Stewed Fruit & Banana Smoothie
2 bananas
4 prunes, 1 date, and 1 tbsp raisins in 1/2 cup boiling hot water
a dash each of cardamom, coriander, fenugreek, ginger and cloves and three dashes cinnamon
1/2 cup full-fat, organic, plain coconut milk (I use the brand Taste of Thai, canned)
1/2 cup organic prune juice
1 tbsp raw cacoa powder
1 tbsp organic, toasted coconut flakes
2 tbsp Brewer's Yeast

Berry Green Smoothie
1 cup dark sweet cherries
1 cup blueberries
1 banana
1 cup greens
1 cup coconut water
1 tbsp cacoa powder 

Strawberry Spinach Springtime Smoothie
2 cups strawberries
1 cup spinach
1/2 cup rhubarb, cooked in extra virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup full-fat, organic, plain coconut milk
1/2 cup water, or more, depending on preferred thickness 
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp ground flaxseeds

Avocado Power Smoothie
1 avocado
1 banana
1 cup fresh carrot juice
1 cup greens (spinach or kale)
1 tbsp chia seeds
top with 1 tsp bee pollen
*slowly add water if too thick to blend