2810[high]5: Places to Practice Yoga

Matthews may not have a dedicated yoga studio, but there are plenty of opportunities to get your Savasana fix. We’ve rounded up a few, but if you know of more, share them in the comments!

Matthews Community Center: Fit a work out in over your lunch break with Chris Robertson on Mondays from noon to 1 p.m. 100 E McDowell St, Matthews

Lifetime Fitness: Join Mandi Murrow Brown on Tuesday evening at 7:15 p.m. for heated Vinyasa yoga. Email Mandi for more info. 9915 E Independence Blvd, Matthews

Stumptown Park: Elinor Edvi Miller will guide you through Vinyasa and deep stretch yoga Fridays at 9:30 a.m. on the stage in the park. 120 S Trade St, Matthews

Brace YMCA: With classes for every skill level every single day, there’s bound to be a class for everyone. You’ll have to have a monthly Y membership, though. 3127 Weddington Rd, Matthews

McDowell Arts Center: Practice yoga while surrounded in art, Katrina Whelchel leads slow flow yoga in the arts center on Thursdays from 6 to 7:15 p.m. 123 E McDowell St, Matthews

#ThrowbackThursday: March 12, 2009

With permission, The Beacon is archiving past issues of Matthews Record (also called Matthews News and Record and The Matthews News) articles online. Throwback Thursday articles will include relevant content still facing Matthews today. This story was originally published March 12, 2009.

Back to reality

Spring fever has officially begun. Matthews has had five straight days of perfect weather after cold, snow and rain just last week.

Almost overnight plants seemed to pop out of the ground, trees began to blossom, and being out in the yard seemed a relief instead of a chore.

But every god thing must come to an end and temperatures will get a little more realistic as clouds and rain move in.

2810[high]5: Places We've Been

There’s always something going on in Matthews, and while we can’t cover it all, here are a few highlights from the past couple weeks.

Saint Patrick’s Day weekend was the soft opening for Grace O’Malley’s (157 Trade St.). Like any good neighbor, we nosed our way in to see what was going on. The staff, of course, graciously extended a warm, Irish welcome.

After attending Matthews 101 in the fall, Renee signed up for Civics 101, the Mecklenburg County introduction to local government. The five-week class covered some Charlotte topics, but provided a more in-depth look at the county, though Matthews came up a surprising amount. Topics included, among others, the justice system, the school board, and county government.

Good Cup and The Loyalist have been hosting pop-up markets for the past couple of months filled with vendors who lovingly hand create products. We’ve been to all of them, and the community just keeps growing. What a terrific way to support local folks.

We tried out a free Matthews Concert Band concert when on the hunt for live music in Matthews. The band is much larger than expected, and the show was an absolute delight. It’s a family-friendly experience, and well worth going to if you’re not sure your kids are ready to sit through the full value of a symphony ticket.

We’re at as many Town Council Meetings (and planning conferences) as possible, and when we’re not, we’re watching/listening online. Some are longer than others, and some are way more entertaining than others, but nothing beats being there in person to see and hear what’s going on.

2810[top]5: Spring Flowers

By now we’ve had enough of the February and March showers (fewer April showers, please) and the gardening bug is itching. Today we have five pretty spring flowers to brighten the waning winter landscape.

Azaleas: Though the knockout roses have displaced the popularity of the azalea, there’s nothing more southern than a fiery hedge of azaleas in full bloom.

Try a native variety such as Flame, Pinxter, Smoothleaf, and the rare Plumleaf, which blooms long after other varieties have faded.

Carolina Heritage Nursery has several types and is often at the Matthews Community Farmers Market.

Geraniums: Actually pelargoniums and not true geraniums, these colorful flowers popularly adorn front porches from early spring to summer.

Make sure to cover them when a hard frost is coming.

Scented geraniums have edible flowers and leaves and range from chocolate and nutmeg to orange and lemon. Dry the leaves for homegrown potpourri.

Irises: Native flag irises are popping up to greet the spring, with other non-native varieties trailing behind. The deepest purple varieties are nearly black, offering serious drama for those who enjoy a little bit of edge.

Have a low-lying wet area in your yard? The native Flag and Louisiana varieties don’t mind wet toes.

Snapdragons: Not only do snapdragons add color and character to the garden, but the flowers make a gorgeous addition to bouquets for indoor arrangements.

Why Grow Them? Snapdragon puppet shows are a favorite pastime for the Burke family, move their “mouths” and make them talk!

Violets: We’ve already professed a love for the Violaceae family (violas, pansies, Johnny jump-ups) but right now the wild violets are putting on a spectacular show.

Pro Tip: If you don’t spray your yard or have dogs peeing on them, go out and collect the leaves and flowers for a wonderful addition to fresh salads.