Monsoon rain?

All the grass cutting has shown how my British shorts aren’t up to the life here in India.  The hole shown in the picture was caused by the grass cutter rubbing against my leg.  One of my daughters has suggested that I wear a little apron to protect it.

Had a really nice session in the garden with the class from Transition school.  Fortunately that happened before the rain came which at last seems to be coming from the direction from  where monsoon rains come.  Lets hope so.

My life with grass

Another busy day with loads of grass cutting.  Every time I close my eyes I see this line of grass that needs cutting….. I had a group meeting to attend today which means another job doing the notes and writing letters. 

And then there will be more grass cutting.

Rather tired

Another busy day and I’m feeling rather tired tonight.  The picture is of a teacher and student doing a rather good job of mulching some of our fruit trees.

They were part of a group from a local school who are coming once a week.  One of the teachers was very pleased that some of them were actually sweating from doing the work!

Bringing in the energy

Been looking through my pictures and have just come across this one of Ram, a volunteer, chanting in the Pryog orchard that we have just been clearing up. 

It feels like Ram is bringing more energy into the garden which is just what I need at the moment.  Got a lot of catchup to do on things like Facebook as I recently haven’t had time to sort out pictures etc

Sooooooooooo busy!

Spent a lot of the work time clearing up the Pryog orchard which, when we started looked like a jungle.  All the grass has now been cut and used to mulch the trees.  We just have to clear up all the overgrown glyricidea that we cut at the back of the plot and then I think we are finished until the grass grows again.  Which in this weather won’t be long.

Making podcasts, organizing builders to come and finish the cabins, trying to get the tree planting done before the monsoon  starts, getting things organized in creating the school garden ………. Phew!

Podcast work again

Today I painted all the numbers in different places for the podcast.  I did it using granite pieces because that is what we have got and it is also something I can manage on my own. Maybe when we have some money I can do something more sophisticated.

I’ve also re-edited the podcast and inserted an introduction of ambient sounds in the morning.  Not sure how successful it is given that most people won’t know what the ambient sounds are…….

Looking at land

Another busy day when I went out and looked at land and talked to a couple that want to steward it and start a herb growing activity.  Then wrote a report for the group who are going to decide whether they can do it.

Got another feather today – a black one this time.  The angels really are protecting me!

I got this picture several days ago of Elsie choosing her new shoes.  Which she seems to be doing in a very determined way!

In the school gardens

This morning we had a group of long term volunteers on a course in Auroville come during the work time.  It was lovely to work with 12 people to clear up the Pryog orchard.  There is still quite a lot to do though.

We then went to Transition school to measure up for the new garden.  This led to a discussion with the students about perimeters and how to measure them. Lets hope the very practical demonstration installed the information in their brains. 

In the afternoon went to Udavi School where once again they were very noisy.  Got some of the girls to draw ladies finger pods which will eventually make seed.  Talked about proportions – the difference in size between the pod and the buds – and then tried to get them to draw it on the page.  Which they eventually did quite successfully.

Diwali gift

Yesterday I spent some time trying to sort out my money.  What with Brexit and a new tax here in India it is getting more and more expensive to live.  I also couldn’t see how I can pay the yearly amount for the Buddha Garden wifi, plus Christmas plus my airfare.  My savings of last year didn’t cover all the expenses I had in the UK at the last visit.

Its OK as I have a lot more money than a lot of people and I do trust that I will always have enough for my needs.  This was borne out this morning by the beautiful gift I found on my doorstep this morning.  A beautiful blue feather which I think comes from a kingfisher.

Just found out that a blue feather is a message from the angels of calmness and peace.  The kingfisher symbolizes peace and prosperity and promise of abundance. Wow.

Diwali holiday

Was invited to go to a friend in Pondy for a Diwali meal but couldn’t go as I couldn’t find a taxi.  Everyone wants to stay at home.  So ended up being on my own and having a rather introspective time. Had some lovely food though – lunch from Rajan and Sangita’s celebration at their village house and dinner was a special Diwali meal from the Neem Tree restaurant.

It gave me the chance to finish writing the podcast.

In the evening I joined in the fireworks with Sangita and Rajan.  Magzhiran wasn’t too keen at first but gradually started to enjoy them.

New entrance

At last we have put up the new entrance poster.

I love it.

Trying out the podcast

This morning we tried out the podcast with a group of guests. They were very positive about the idea of the podcast and gave me a lot of ideas about how to make it better.

I really enjoyed myself.

Sunday work

Today I recorded and edited the podcast.  As a first try I am very pleased with it.  Am particularly pleased with how I managed the editing.  Last time I tried I just got hot and cross but this time it seemed to work much better.

Yoga is back

So glad that my yoga teacher is back and that classes have started again.  Felt much more tired and weak during the class than usual.  Made me realise how hard I have been working.

Went to Udavi school this morning with some bits and pieces to try and see how the automatic watering device can be put into the irrigation system.  Nothing I took had worked so have given it to Rajan to see if he can come up with something.

While at the school I had the chance to see how the students are getting on with the beds that we used last year.  As the picture shows, they are still growing food.  I wish that all the gardening activity took place in the new garden, but this is something they are doing completely on their own and I don’t want to stop it.

I was very pleased to see how they are still interested enough to carry on the work on their own.

Agitating day

Vivek was spitting mad about the article and has been talking about it for most of the day.  He has talked to the person who posted it and it has now been removed.  We are in the process of creating another article together so I think it will be OK in the end.

I had to speak to a volunteer who is getting drunk as a way of numbing himself.  He is getting very worried about certain things that just go round and round in his head.  I think he finds the cultural shock of being in Auroville difficult to deal with.  At least when he stopped talking to me his hands had stopped shaking.

Had the first session at Undavi school after a two week break. They were noisy and sloppy and my ears are ringing.  One of the students has come up with an automatic watering device in the picture.

Is it wasted time?

Have just spent a sweaty hour or two writing up something about our irrigation research for AVNet.  It included this picture showing Rajan measuring the ladies finger.  Then I found that another group had written something and put it in before me! Most annoying, especially as it wasn’t written from the Buddha Garden point of view and what we have contributed to the research.

Oh well.  Maybe it will be useful in the future.  I feel I could have used the time to catch up on my school program write ups though. 

New student programs

Today two new student programs started.  First a group from a school came to Buddha Garden (in the picture) and worked in the wild garden.  It was quite heavy work as everything was infested with weeds.  But they seemed to enjoy it.

I then went to another school where we are just starting to set up a vegetable garden.  The students were very attentive and listened intently to what I had to say in answer to their questions.  It was a good experience.

Feeling better

Felt much better today which was just as well as I have been very busy.  This afternoon I went around some old buildings that have just become available in Auroville.  The idea is that perhaps they could be changed to volunteer accommodation for those working in farms and forest.

The buildings are very run down and there are huge amounts of junk everywhere.  There is a rumor that there is also asbestos in the building which would obviously have to be very carefully removed.  I also felt quite a tragic energy there.

So perhaps the whole thing needs to be removed so we can start again.

Overdoing it

After having all that pain in my back caused by not respecting my body here I am again having done exactly the same thing.  This time I’m feeling dizzy, hot and dry because of overworking this morning in the heat. Probably heat exhaustion.  I worked hard yesterday getting the posters done and carried on this morning in the heat after breakfast.  Now I feel weak and woozy.

Why don’t I respect my body more?  I guess its because I don’t like the feeling of weakness I feel when I decide not to do something because I don’t feel strong enough.

This is what the banner frame looks like now we have taken the old banner down.  Of course I feel it is my responsibility to put the new one up although Rajan says he will do it. 

Posters ready to go

Spent the morning getting the posters ready to put up.  This meant taking the existing posters down and recycling the nylon string that holds them up.  As well as recycling some of the boards on other posters that we have never got around to using.  The picture is of the posters I have finished which are ready to put up.

Have got about four or five more to do but didn’t have enough wood boards.  So will have to wait until we get some before I can completely finish the job.

Met someone gorgeous

Went shopping today and who should I meet but a friend of Emma’s with her baby.  She is several months younger than Elsie and is just beginning to walk.

So lovely.

More posters!

I spent a lot of time today creating yet more posters for the ‘walk around Buddha Garden’ podcast.  Unfortunately most of them had information in words rather than pictures so they couldn’t really be described as ‘pictures’.  Apart from the one above which is about our latest piece of land called New Horizons.

The big poster

This is what I was working on most of day.  Much to my surprise I finished it.

Posters

Spent a lot of today working on finishing all the posters and getting them ready to print.  I hope we will be able to get them all up by the end of the week but I think I might be getting a bit over optimistic.  

The picture shows the variety of stuff that we picked this morning.  Pretty good as this is a difficult time for a lot of crops as it gets wetter and colder.

Did yoga three times today in an effort to cure my sore back.

A special sort of bug

Recently I received a whole set of pictures from a volunteer who has been here for a few weeks.  I was amazed at how many beautiful pictures of butterflies she managed to take.  She must have been very patient because I find it very difficult indeed to do it.

Had a very busy day again.  Suddenly there is a lot to do with a lot of people coming.

New entrance

We got the estimate for our new entrance today – Rs1.5laks.  Goodness knows how we will afford it but Vivek thinks we can manage a loan.

It will make a lot of difference to the farm because at last we will be totally independent.

New toy

I have been waiting for weeks for this mechanical scrubber and it arrived yesterday.  Spent a lot of today playing with it.  I found it doesn’t remove stains quite as easily as they suggest in their adverts.  But maybe its because the stains I want removed have been there a long time.  I think its one of those jobs that I will have to do every day for a while to see an improvement.

I also did a lot of writing – mainly of leaflets which we are going to sell to raise some money.

Repairs needed

Two long term volunteers moved in today which has intensified the need to repair the remaining two cabins.  The picture shows just how much repairing needs to be done!

We have decided to patch up the two cabins until February and then use the money we get from them to pay for a larger and better building.