Discussing the results of a good day's work. Adam has been using the strimmer to cut grass and I have been cutting ivy from oak trees. I enjoy this work, as much because one develops a more intimate knowledge of the trees, especially the large older ones that have a character developed over many years. Adam's work, however, has a more immediate effect upon the look of the place.
In the background you can see some of our trees on the left and on the right the big stand of bamboo.
Modgala has also been busy and the area where we have had leeks over the winter is now being prepared for new plants to be grown this year. We still have a few leeks in the ground as you can see. We shall not plant until into May. One of our longer term projects will be to get a green house so that we can start things earlier. This will also give us the capacity to grow plants that are vulnerable to our hungry snails that appear every spring and much up anything green and tender that pokes its shoot above ground. It is very nice having Modgala with us for this four weeks. She has been retelling many stories of her times here in the past, the history of the Amida sangha and her own adventures over the years..
At this time of year everything is coming to life. Today was the first time any of us had spotted a green lizard. These are bigger than the more common brown or grey ones that run about on our walls and roofs. These emerald green chaps are more timid, despite being larger. Usually you just see a flash of green and it is gone.
This morning from our window we saw a little group of gold finches in the walnut tree. There are now quite a variety of finches, tits, sparrows and other small birds all busy looking for nest sites.
At the end of the day we gathered in the attic room and I read from my recent writings about Zen Master Dogen. It is nice to gather the community together and to share some of this material. For many years I have found Dogen's writing stimulating and challenging. I first encountered him through my studies as a disciple of Kennett Roshi in the 1960s and 70s.
Recently I have been doing a certain amount of translating from Chinese which has been fascinating because the culture and ways of thought are so distinctive. Sometimes there is a huge meaning and wealth of association in a single character. Having a language in which the writing system is basically a series of pictures yields a number of possibilities that are not available in a purely phonetic script.
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Thanks, Josephine. Really nice to have news and know what is going on at your place. We are also cutting grass that seems to grow faster than we cut it. Yes, always plenty to do. Nice to have you in our world :-)
Looks like fun. I cannot sleep tonight for some reason so am sitting here catching up on eleusis news , I have been spreading stones today on the drive which looked pretty shabby, now looking much better. I had some help luckily from friends as i think it would of taken me till next week .Like your room David with the light shining in looks real cosy.Cleaned up apartment today as well so been pretty busy. Got so hot shovelling those stones and a bit sunburnt , had to have a sit down this afternoon.these old houses and gardens are always a working process. I sat out watching the birds in the acasia tree, The leaves are just appearing a lovely time of the year indeed. Grass cutting is constant at the moment and seems to grow as i'm watching. I hope all goes well for you Elja on your trip back to Holland for the doctor, Thinking of you. Like the goggles Adam very fetching. Take care you guys , love Josephine ..Namo amida bu x