Catching up

Trying not very successfully to catch up on a lot of stuff that needs doing.  My sore sinuses seem to slow me down and I feel that’s why I seem to be rather bad at organizing myself right now.

I also have three different projects that need attention.  So I just have to keep going step by step.

The picture comes from Gokarna where two friends are staying.  Looks wonderfully peaceful.

Busy

Feels back to normal and very busy.  Once again haven’t got around to taking a picture.  So I’m using a picture sent to me of Elsie all recovered from her fever.

All over

As I write this I’m feeling so relieved that the Modi visit is  over.  It did give me time to do a lot of writing though.  Very depressed to see that apparently the two Tamil members of the Working Committee were not allowed to be part of the Modi welcoming team.  Found out later this wasn’t deliberate but because they couldn’t get the right tickets.  These being given by the Prime Minister’s security team at 1.00am on the day in an apparently rather random way.

Sinuses very painful again but so far have managed without pain killers.  I don’t like the idea of taking them every day.  I wonder if it is caused by the cashew spraying which has started.

Didn’t managed to take a picture so am using one of my dear daughters that was sent to me today.

Lock down

The Prime Minister is visiting Auoville tomorrow so the whole place is in chaos today.  Police and cordons everywhere and everything closing down this afternoon.

Sinuses a bit better today and I had time to finish the video which isn’t bad. 

Picture mistake

This morning I spent all the work time taking videos of the work.  With the idea of making a video for Facebook.  The problem is I only took two photos.  And that was by mistake as I forgot to press the right button for doing a video and got a photo instead.

Tried to do start the editing but I was tired and my sinuses were hurting.  So will have to leave it for tomorrow.

Churning

Spent quite some time this morning taking photos of Rajan and Giri for the annual report of Buddha Garden.  Vivek asked for it and I thought it was just going to be a poster, but it looks like a proper report.  Hardest thing was to get them both to smile when I pointed the camera at them.

Sinuses really bad this afternoon after a yoga session of all things.  Feels like I have another cold coming.  Where did that come from?  Why does this keep happening?

Things feel very churned.  Upheavals on the roads and an added police presence because of the Prime Minister coming on Saturday.  Listening to inner and outer upheavals from a lot of individuals as well.

Contemplation

This is one of our volunteers underneath the Peepul tree.  It seemed appropriate for today which is Mother’s birthday.  Needless to say I had no time to go to the morning meditation at Matrimandir.

My sinuses don’t hurt as much as they did yesterday.  Realized that they are fine until the breeze starts about mid morning.  Then they hurt less when the breeze stops in the evening.  I think they are just sensitive.

Last of the lettuce madness

Yesterday we planted the last of the lettuce seedlings.  Today we planted bean seedlings which are the first of our new season crop of vegetables that won’t include lettuce.

Went to a planning meeting today and came across a whole new vocabulary.  Had to sit under a fan that made my sinuses really hurt.  I don’t think I am cooking up another cold but you never know.  Its desert weather with cool nights and hot days.

First tomatoes

Our first proper harvest of cherry tomatoes.  Only half a kilo of small ones that went straight to the kitchen.  They were delicious.

A quiet day

Had a nice quiet day today doing the cleaning and in the afternoon finding time to catch up on my pictures.

The image above derived from one of my dance classes.

Another sort of dancing

Was rather upset to get to my dance class to find that it had been cancelled.  And it was too late to go to yoga instead.

So instead I danced around Auroville putting up posters about our farm activities.

A good session

Had a really good session at Udavi school today.  The students made another bed which they are going to use for growing seeds.  It was all rather chaotic but they managed to finish it OK.  I really enjoy having Aparna with me – a volunteer in Buddha Garden who I think may have a real talent for teaching.

Have just heard that the school will pay for a proper irrigation system.  Yippee!

Seed time

Its that time of year when I find myself processing a lot of seeds.  They look lovely being dried in the sun.

Once again it looks like I won’t have much roccolla seed but everything else seems to be fine.

Friends

Since its Valentine’s day thought I would put up a picture of friend Dirk who is staying in Auroville at the moment.  With him around and Jeff staying in Buddha Garden I feel I have more friends around than usual.

Went to my dance session and felt really tired.  I felt that all my muscles had dried up and I had no energy.

I was able to keep moving and tried very hard not to force myself to do things that were beyond what my energy could support.

New Direction?

After not getting the rest I needed yesterday, today I had the idea that I need to act in a more yin way.  Then I read something on AVNet from the 13 Grandmothers about how the need of the moment is to be rather than to do.  To draw on ancestors, who mostly understood this, to see how to do it.

All that really resonated with me and I created the above picture.  I think it shows that I need to find ways to radiate rather than to do. Maybe I should try letting life come to me rather than me going out to grasp it.

From my outside desk

A picture from the desk where I sit on Monday and Thursday mornings welcoming people for the Farm Tour.  Today no one came except a couple who didn’t want the audio companion because they spoke Italian.

I had a very quiet time and I can only suppose that the universe is giving what I need to get better!

Why do I?

Woke up with a cough and sore sinuses again.  Why do I keep driving myself to my limits and then get sick?  And then rush out to do things before I am properly better and then get sick again?

Funnily enough yesterday I got this picture of myself and my family from one of my daughters.  The man standing on the left is my ill father who used to do exactly the same thing.  He worked like crazy all his life to support his family of eight children. Then he got cancer and was looked after for the last two years of his life.  The only time in his life when he allowed this to happen.

I want to find a way to stop this similar pattern in me. 

Monument

Another busy day although in the afternoon started to feel very fragile so went to yoga instead of dance class.

The above picture is a monument to our collective stupidity and lack of consciousness in Auroville.  It celebrates the money that was given by a coal mining company to build an Auroville road.  Its obviously all part of the company’s greenwash activities and the community fell for it!

It’s a reminder I think that we have to change; both individually and collectively.

Busy again

Felt much better today so was able to do two school sessions, one at Transition and the other one pictured above at Udavi. In both places things seem to be going really well.

I hope I have not done too much but so far so good.

Present

Felt better today to the extent that I was able to get up and work although I had to keep stopping for a rest.  My present from Rachael arrived today and was intact despite the fact that it had had quit a battering in the post.  It was some Lush shampoo and conditioner.

Unfortunately the smell affected my poor sinuses that are still inflamed so I have had to put them in the cupboard for now.  I look forward to using them when my sinuses are less sensitive.

Went to yoga class and feel tired but much better although still not very hungry.

Feeling rough

Decided that I really couldn’t work today and have spent all day in bed.  But getting up every so often to do a special set of yoga asanas for getting rid of colds.

At this stage not sure whether it is working or not.

This morning

I really like this picture which I took this morning of a group of volunteers cleaning rosella.

Face still hurts and nose still drips.  Another day not feeling so good although I have managed to get everything done.  This includes writing about what we did last year in Buddha Garden for a poster that Vivek wants to put everywhere..

A cold

Finally finally the cold that has been hanging around me for the last week has manifested itself.  Have got pain in my face everywhere – sinuses, teeth, jaw, nose – along with a very drippy nose.

Haven’t felt too bad today although it has felt worse as the day wore on.  Early night for me I think.

Saw this little scorpion under a towel but he didn’t run away probably because it was first thing in the morning and quite cool.  It makes all cold blooded creatures quite sluggish.

Lonely

Felt very lonely today although there hasn’t been a lack of people to talk to.  I seem to so get easily upset these days.  Situations seem very wrong and I feel hopeless about even trying to change anything.  Which makes me feel depressed.

Two volunteers with Mani and Rajan made the terrace at the side of the house.  After waiting so long I am SO pleased with it.  I look forward to putting my pot garden there when its completely finished.

First harvest of the new school term

This is a picture of the first harvest of the new term from the Udavi school garden.  These chilli grew on the boy’s bed and they were SO happy and took them to the School Kitchen.

Had a very intense dance session.

Glorious red

Its rosella time of year and I love the colour.  A treat for my eyes.

This afternoon Rajan and I went into Pondy as there were a lot of things we needed to buy for the farm.  That was like an assault on all my senses.

Clicked!

I am so pleased with this picture.  I was just walking in Buddha Garden in the morning and there it was.  So I clicked it.

Its times like these I really appreciate the phone on my camera which is there when I need it.