Grass cutter

This is a picture of the old grass cutter which we have to replace.  I’ve put it up on Facebook and invited people to donate.  I’ve done the same thing on the website as you never know…..and if I don’t put out that we need it no one will ever know and realise that we need financial help.

I’ve also been chasing money for the schools project which we are doing.  Every little helps.

We need some things

Vivek came to see me this evening.  He is off tomorrow to get the money for his Maharastra job.  We need it desperately in Buddha Garden as the grass cutter has finally given up the ghost and we need more nursery trays and pots so the nursery can work properly. As usual we have little money this time of year so we have to scrabble round and find some.

This came at the end of a tiring day when I have done a Farm Group meeting and started making the notes.  As well as going to a yoga class.  Fortunately a picture of a very tired Sam came as I didn’t have time to do one myself.  It looks as if full day at school and waking up very early in the morning is taking its toll.

A kind of development

I took this picture some days ago when I went to see someone in Adventure which is a community I helped to start many years ago.  When we started we all lived very simply in thatched huts.  Now they have brick two storey houses.

I sent the pictures to a friend who no longer lives in Auroville so he can see how things have developed.  As Adventure is still supposed to be forest I don’t think it’s a very good development.

Visiting

Went to see a friend today and even although I took my camera forgot to take a picture.  I’m using this picture of some flowers (a variety of Palmyra) that I took a week ago.

I think it is very appropriate as the friend has spent all her life working with flowers.  She is very knowledgeable about the names Mother gave the different flowers and the energy they express.  There were some of these flowers near her room.

Hooray for yoga!

This picture expresses pretty much how I feel about my yoga classes starting again.

It’s a real pity that I cannot actually managed that pose!  Although I have been practising head stands and maybe one day it will be possible. 

Lovely meal out

Had a lovely catch up with Appie when we met over a meal tonight.

The best I could do for a picture is the above as my tablet doesn’t have a flash.  In the pictures of Appie she looks like a ghost as the light from this candle wasn’t sufficient to light up her face.

Buildings

This is a picture given to me by one of my volunteers which shows how to build a cabin with the framework we already have.  It looks doable even although I have no experience with this sort of thing.

I spoke to Vivek this morning and he thinks it would be a good idea to build another covered area for cycles just at the entrance of Buddha Garden.  I think it’s a really good idea but of course we have no money. He had a talk with one of his mates and the granite pillars for the building turned up this afternoon.  I am amazed.

We also sorted out an easy way of doing the irrigation for the new land.  It costs – of course – but we can do it without a lot of difficult digging work.

School day

Did two school classes today.  The first was an introductory session at a school where we are creating a cereals course.  There were 17 students and the idea was that after my introduction they could decide whether they want to do the course or not.  I will have to wait and see what they decide.

This afternoon was the regular session at the school where we have a vegetable garden.  As usual it was quite chaotic.  Yet we managed to set up and plant a new bed as well as giving out covers for the work books and sorting it all out.  I always come away from that session feeling quite amazed by how much we manage to complete despite the chaos.

Both schools now have two weeks off.

Doodle

Went to a rather boring meeting yesterday and over the course of an hour and a half produced the doodle.  Unlike a lot of my present art work it was done with a pen and paper.  I have no idea what it means although its obvious that a lot is going on.

I felt quite soothed by doing this.  It has made me think that I could enhance this feeling by carrying on the doodle in colour.

Not quite sure

Spiros offered Magzhiran a ride in the wheel barrow this morning.  He wasn’t quite sure whether this was something he wanted to do or not.  In the end he decided ‘no’.

Its lovely having a child around in Buddha Garden.

The work goes on

Today I spent a lot of time painting a sign for the new notice boards.  I hope it can be put up tomorrow when we change the plastic on the roof of the nursery.

A lot of other people were out doing different things.  I had plenty of changes to describe to Auroculture when I went to see her this afternoon.  She told me how it has changed for her over the 45 years she has been here.

Transformation completed?

We had a magnificent day to day.  We finished off the new bike parking, moved the notice board from the vegetable preparation area to the entrance and put up white boards where the notice boards used to be.  The picture is of the notice boards in their new home.

I am extremely pleased although I wonder how long it is going to take for everyone to get used to the new places for everything.  In particular I wonder about the bike parking which has recently got completely out of control with some people thinking they can park and ride their bikes anywhere in Buddha Garden. 

I think it is going to take some time for everyone to get used to the new places for everything.  Oh! And it didn’t cost one rupee to do all this.

Transformation continues

Today we made a start on the new bike parking place.  That meant emptying and then moving all the waste barrels.

We cleaned at set up the new waste and recycling point.  I am very pleased with it and I hope we will be able to keep it cleaner now it is more easy for everyone to see it.

Much transformation

It has been a transformative day. This morning the JCB came onto the new land.  Now instead of a mess of overgrown thorns and weeds we have a circular path, a levelled area where the new tree nursery is going to be and seven new beds.

At the same time we have decided to move the rubbish bins to another place and use the area for bike parking instead.  Spiros and Caroline have already started the work and this area too, has been changed.

It was also Sam’s first day at nursery school.

Some craziness

Had the regular at a local school this afternoon in a much better atmosphere.  Although as the picture shows there was some craziness breaking out from time to time.

Generally they were much more focused, willing to listen and work together.  I was also pleased to see that quite a few of them are filling in the weekly work sheets.  Even those who have not been filling them in asked me for some blank ones so they could catch up.  So it looks like they are settling down now.

Sunrise

Ever since I got back from the UK it has been very overcast in the mornings.  Even when the rain wasn’t around it was a sort of misty grey.  Often the sun didn’t burn through until later so we haven’t had a sunrise that we can see.

But today was different.

New resident

Rajan and Sangeeta moved in to Buddha Garden last night with Magzhiran.  He seemed really happy this morning and smiled at me for the first time.

Brother and sister

Went to a friend’s birthday party and loved the way they sang a Dutch birthday song.  Then went to see a friend with a piece of birthday cake.  I didn’t have my camera with me so unfortunately missed a lot of opportunities for some good pictures.

A lovely picture came through Whatsapp of Sam and Elsie with Emma.  I love Elsie’s expression as she looks at Sam.

Writing

Today was one of those days when I sat at my computer and just wrote.  Two and a half thousand words just like that. And all for an article on land exchange that I am writing with a friend.  I love it when words flow out of me like that.

Meanwhile, work on the new land has started with a brand new goat proof fence going up.

Ant fighting

Had my first trip to Pondy today since I came back to India.  My main purchases were several ant proof (I hope!) food containers and a large glass container for making kambucha.

Work on fencing the new land has started and Rajan thinks he will be moving in on Sunday. Suddenly its all happening.

Butterfly difficulties

For some days now I have been thinking about how to make an advent calendar for my grandchildren.  I have decided that I will do a conventional Christian one but using trees, flowers, animals etc from India.  Today I thought I would make a start when I tried to take some pictures of a butterfly.

I thought it would be quite easy as while I was in the UK Spiros took some lovely pictures with his phone.  I couldn’t seem to get close enough to get a good picture.  This is as close as I was able to get and it doesn’t make a good picture.

I have a very strong feeling about this new cycle starting.  We have talked about the first work on the new land and how to make the Pryog orchard look better. It sounds like Rajan’s room is getting finished which means he will be moving in soon. 

Strong woman

Last week when we went to do the school vegetable garden all the girls refused to do any hard physical work.  They said they didn’t have the strength!  I was cross that they were buying in to the cultural idea that women are weaker than men.

This week Rutvi, one of our volunteers, came along and showed them how it could be done.  With her example three of the girls started digging and cutting down undergrowth.  They were obviously enjoying themselves and even the smallest one was able to do the work.

Of course it remains to be seen whether this changes the belief they have about themselves that they are weak.

Flower of the day

Yesterday one of the volunteers noticed this huge cactus just by the entrance store room was coming into flower.  Only one was out but there are four or five other buds.  I don’t think they will all come out together, but you never know.

Had a long chat with Pierre who is going to open a restaurant just down the road.  As well as develop another plot of land. I hope he doesn’t spread himself too thin.

Ganesh Chaturthi

Today is Ganesh Chaturthi or Ganesh Puja as it is known around here – a celebration in honour of the God Ganesha. A day off for most people although we worked this morning.

Someone sent me this picture with an email which I thought was rather nice.

Sunday off

Oh it is lovely to have some Sundays off and not have to run around doing the watering.  Even although I spent today catching up on jobs that I hadn’t had time to do during the week. So not a day of rest exactly.

I didn’t know what picture to have for today but finally decided on this one of the new land being cleared of its silver work trees.  No one went on the land today, but I have been thinking about it a lot.

New Horizons

Had a very long meeting this morning with Vivek and others about Buddha Garden.  Rajan and Sangeeta are moving in on Monday with Maghziran.  Selvam is going to work in Buddha Garden towards his new cow farm.  We are setting up a support group of people from the community called ‘Buddha Garden Alliance’. I feel that we are the beginning of a new and exciting cycle for Buddha Garden.

We are going to call the new land ‘New Horizons’.  This is my picture of it which shows that new things are coming but we don’t quite know what they are yet. 

Simple pleasures

Meetings all day.  So lovely to get a picture of Elsie who is really enjoying herself with simple things like a home made mobile.

Reminds me of what is really important.

Red

This is a picture of a bush in Buddha Garden. It was covered in red berries.  The red colour was very intense.

Have had a very quiet day but managed to get a lot of admin and writing work done.  Just as well because it is meetings all day tomorrow.

Miraculous finish

Went to Udavi School for the second time this season.  It wasn’t as chaotic as last time but the students still had a tendency to play around and be very noisy.  Despite this we managed to get everything done including this bed composted, mulched and planted. 

A miracle!

Busy day

Its been a busy day with a Farm Group meeting and having to write up the notes etc  We have also had quite a lot of rain.

Rachael returned home after her trip to America.  She flew British Airways which had proper British tea.  Unlike American Airways which offered her cream to go with the tea.