Author: Cheryl

    Most people do something extravagant and memorable for their 25th wedding anniversary, like going to Hawaii or the Caribbean for a week or two. We kept it simple. We combined our anniversary celebration with our Thanksgiving holiday and spent three days in Estes Park.     Estes Park is located north of Denver and is at the foot of Rocky Mountain National Park. It is also the home of the historic and beautiful Stanley Hotel, where we got married all those years ago. We spent the next three days visiting the hotel, hanging out with the local residents, hiking a few trails, and cooking a Thanksgiving dinner in small, unfamiliar kitchen. All in all, it was a great anniversary and the best Thanksgiving we’ve ever had!     Having our photo taken under the watchful eye of the hotel’s...

    I have always loved Thanksgiving. For me, Thanksgiving marks the end of fall, and a quiet time for reflection before the mad rush of the Christmas season. This Thanksgiving is even more special as my husband and I celebrate our twenty fifth wedding anniversary.     So, I approach this holiday, as usual, with time for quiet reflection. And as I look back on the cornucopia of blessings that have been showered down upon me over my lifetime, the most precious and most sacred of all was the one I received twenty five years ago, when I looked into the eyes of the man I love and said those two simple words that changed my life forever….”I do.” Be healthy!Cheryl Ilov, PT, GCFP

    I love the autumn. I always have, and I always will. I love everything about it. I love how the long, hot, summer days transition into the short, cool days of fall. The days are shorter, but so much brighter and more beautiful. It’s almost magical watching the trees slowly change their deep green leaves to  vibrant yellow, gold, scarlet and orange. I love watching the pumpkins and corn stalks appear, and seeing the fall festivals in full swing. It’s harvest time. A time to reap the final rewards of the end of a season of growing.     After the heat of summer, fall feels like a glorious relief; a time of renewal, of new beginnings rather than endings. Of looking back on a year gone by as we put on heavier clothes, close our windows against the cold nights, snuggle in and...

    My sisters and I often joke about the tribal belief system under which we were raised. We start  each day with a schedule and run around as if we had little propellers under our feet until we complete our Agenda. We  even refer to our Agenda with a capital letter “A”, as if to give it more importance and reverence. Any interruption or obstacle in our Agenda causes mild consternation and a flurry of reorganization to make sure that every item on our list will be successfully completed. Although we laugh and tease each other about our Agenda, it’s even funnier how we take turns admonishing each other to take some time for ourselves and slow down!  So far none of us are taking the bait.     Last Saturday was a beautiful fall day. I kept looking out of the window as I composed...

I just completed teaching a three week series applying the principles of  Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement(R) lessons to Pilates. I began each class with two or three classic Pilates mat exercises, followed by a Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement lesson (ATM). After the lesson, we repeated the Pilates mat exercises to notice any changes that may have taken place in the student’s experience of the exercises. The first workshop began with the Pilates mat exercises The Hundred and Leg Circles. I taught my favorite  ATM “Movements in Opposition.” The basic principle of this lesson is, quite simply, when something goes forward, something goes back. After the lesson, we repeated The Hundred and Leg Circles. The second week we began with The Hundred, The Swan, and The...

  In my Feldenkrais Advanced Training last month, we talked about going barefoot. Barefoot walking, barefoot running and even barefoot hiking. Yikes! I can’t even stand the thought of walking barefoot in my own home, let alone in the great outdoors. Feet were meant to be kept out of sight and supported by shoes. I used to believe that going barefoot was somehow uncivilized. However, after listening to my colleagues relate the richness of their experiences of walking barefoot, I was intrigued. I was curious, but skeptical as I considered the subject.      My feet often hurt. Walking barefoot would hurt even more, wouldn’t it? But I couldn’t stop wondering what it would be like to be barefoot outside. So, during the next break, I ventured outside. I looked around to make...

    For some reason, this year has proved to be most gratifying in experiencing Colorado wildlife. I thought I would share some of these sightings with you. MOOSE SQUIRREL DEER ELK ITALIAN GREYHOUND     This last one is Bruno, my Italian Greyhound, letting you know that it’s okay to get a little wild sometimes! Be healthy!Cheryl Ilov, PT, GCFP

    I spent a lot of time back East last fall. I love autumn. And I love the outdoors, as long as I don’t have to get too dirty. There is a beautiful park not far from my parents’ house that had some nice hiking trails. I spent a lot of time in that park and on those trails.     One late afternoon I went to the park for some serious exercise. I climbed the familiar trails and started to feel adventurous. So, I wandered off the trail and went exploring. It was exhilarating! The weather had started to turn cooler and I could feel the dampness and the chill in the air even though the sun was shining through huge white clouds. I loved the fall colors and the smell of the woods. Fall has always been my favorite season, and I was having a great time. Eventually it was time to head...

    We went hiking in  Rocky Mountain National Park last week. We were happy to be in the mountains and see the beautiful fall colors. We chose a trailhead that was at the base of a picnic area where dozens of people were making all sorts of loud and delightful noises. I figured that meant the trail would be busy with other hikers. That ruined our chances to see any wildlife. Oh, well.     We hiked about 300 yards up the trail. The trail was deserted. I heard a noise in the woods to my left. I grabbed my husband’s arm and whispered, “Mike….look!” We saw two female elk with a young calf, less than 30 feet from us! Never before have we come this close to a small herd of elk. My husband immediately pulled out the camera. He whispered back, “Oh, wow! The calf is...