Work Camp
Under the grey sky we have been working. Adam has continued with laying concrete slabs to create an area that will eventually be a base for another wooden shed. He got quite a bit done today and we have now run out of concrete slabs so will have to order some more. It is good to see the job getting done. Elja has been busy repairing duvet covers. We are sorting out some things that have been stored over the winter. I started a new job, rendering the end wall of the house with lime. I have been planning to do this for quite a while. Taking it in small stages it is quite a good job to be doing and good to do at this time of year, sealing all the holes in the wall so that we do not get insect nests.
To Kill of Not to Kill
Our neighbour Robert came to visit. He had a list of things he wanted to discuss. We gave him some roots of fennel for his garden. Robert is a good friend, but, as Buddhists, we have an interesting relationship with him since he runs a "pest control" business, which means that he spends all his time killing sentient beings, sometimes in huge numbers, as when he goes to destroy a hornet's nest or repel some other insect invasion somewhere. When you live in the country you meet the existential problems of life and death head on. We have never called on Robert's services, but we have had occasions in the past when we have, for instance, had to expel wasps that had completely taken over one of our rooms after nesting in the house wall and burrowing through. In the process, although I did my best to deter them without too many casualties, a good many wasps did get killed. Sometimes it is like a war.
Bees
Also on Robert's agenda was the question: would we like two bee hives? So, we now have a new skill to learn. If we take the hives then it may be that local bees will set up house therein, or, if that does not happen naturally, from time to time Robert does have to remove bee swarms and he would rather that we took them than that he kill them. So there is a fairly high likelihood that we shall soon have bee-keeping on our list of activities. There are already a lot of wild bees living here at La Ville au Roi and everyday as soon as the weather is fine one hears their buzzing as they go around collecting from the flowers for their honey making.
Goats
Robert told us that an Englishman called Chris has moved into the nearby village and that he keeps goats. He has moved here recently from further south. He needs grazing for his goats. Would we be willing to graze them for him? This is a dilemma again since the goats will in due course go for slaughter. What attitude should one take? We decided to say yes, at least for a trial period. Our intervention is not going to make the lives of the goats longer or shorter and while they are with us we can probably give them a good experience. Robert went and fetched Chris and we showed him round. It seems that the goats may also help us to clear some ground so there may be a benefit all round.
Kitten?
We would like a cat and asked Robert if he knew of anybody who was trying to find homes for kittens. In this area there are a lot of semi-feral farm cats so it is probable that now that the word is out that we would like one, a kitten will show up before long.
Travel Problems
We were expecting this evening to go into St Amand, 20 minutes away, to collect our dear sangha friend Modgala. Late afternoon, however, we got a message that she had had some difficulty with connections in Paris and could not now get to St Amand. She would get a train to Bourges. Bourges is about 45 minutes away by car. We decided that it was not a good idea for me to have the best part of two hours in a car, so Elja and Adam set off into the rainy night.
Replies
Hard to believe that this mason high above was lying flat in a hospital bed a few weeks ago! Bonne chance Dharmavidya mais sois prudent!