Sitting under the walnut tree
I watch the full moon rising.
The sun has set, the birds are settling,
night is on the way.
A great peace enfolds.
Under the tree, daffodils shine
amidst a carpet of wild spring flowers.
I sip my tea and ponder.
Yesterda
Today I did not set eyes upon another human being all day. That is not an unusual occurrence here. Life as a hermit is quiet. Sometimes my mind become very quiet in the midst of ll this tranquility. Nonetheless, I do like to keep abreast opf what is
Read more…After two months in Italy, teaching and learning, it was good to get back to La Ville au Roi and see that the walls and roof were still in place and nature had not completely taken over. Then, almost immediately, I had a trip to Belgium and Netherlan
Read more…Sometimes i think that I have been travelling all my life. This is somewhat true, both literally and metaphorically. The endless spiritual journey takes one to ever new domains of life-meaning, especially if one is willing to take the risks that pop
Read more…What did I do this week?
In the States we celebrated Thanksgiving the traditional beginning of the season of conspicuous overconsumption, for no other reason than we can, though it is cloaked in turkeys and santa suits.
I met with a Chaplain peer gr
Read more…I got back to La Ville au Roi last night. It is cooler than when I left ten days ago. Autumn has arrived.I shall have an easy day today after travelling. Unpack the car - I have brought various things back - a chair, a bed, some plates, other small i
Read more…The year is turning, the leaves are going yellow, wind and rain break up the sunnier times.
My trip to Korea proved to be a great success. Last year I was unable to go due to illness, so it was good to get back into the swing of the work and the prog
Read more…I have given up giving daily reports for a while now as one day can be much like another at Eleusis, but when one looks back there has been a lot of work in the garden and keeping the place in good order, visitors coming and going with wonderful conv
Read more…It is a delight and relief to see tiny fresh leaves growing on the lower twigs of the walnut trees. They all sent forth optimistic sprouts six weeks ago and then were hit by severe late frost, turning all black and forlorn. Recovery started at the cr
Read more…The strawberries are ripening...
The strawberry patch...
Tomato plants...
And the first rose...
A new crop coming
The garden and land around the house is rather demanding these days. When the sun shines there is lots to do before the next downpour. Yesterday we had a whirlwind passed through. It only lasted half and hour or so but it bent the
Read more…After some hot days that dried the soil out completely we are now plunged into a cold snap. It is actually deluging down hail as I write and a very cold night is forecast. This is not great weather either for plants or folk. I tried planting a few to
Read more…I am all ready for the drive home. It has been a very pleasant experience of being on my own but knowing that I fit into a family who fits into a Buddhist family in England and that family fits into a bigger family internationally.
The family servic
I am not sure if this is news or not but it feels pretty important to me so I thought I would share it here.
I have travelled to Amida Mandala in Damian's little sports car all by myself and have left him (daddy-Damo) with our two small children. Se
Well, I said it was going to get warmer and wetter. Right now it is blowing a gale here at La Ville au Roi and as this house is on a small hill we are getting the full force of it. During the day it has been grey yet strangely warm. I sat out in a de
Read more…Early it was one of those mornings that makes you truly glad to be alive. Calm, clear, bright with blue sky and the sound of the rooks competing with the wood pigeon. I nealy missed it because there is grey cloud edging in from the West and we can ex
Read more…