Soil and soul work

Had a very difficult Farm Group meeting this morning.  It ended up with a very toxic atmosphere with someone who has been administering the group for the last year deciding to leave.

Its heart breaking to see someone with so many wonderful capacities leaving because they feel they can’t do anything in the toxic atmosphere of the group.

Thank goodness for the work with the soil that keeps me sane.

the start of another week

Love this picture of a volunteer with one of the dogs.  This was just before we started work this morning.

Friends

This is a picture of my friend and myself.  She is now feeling rather fragile but much better than she was.  We are looking at the possibility of going to Yercaud which is the nearest place in the cool hills.

Busy day

After a lovely lunch together with my friend just arrived from the UK I had a horrible shock this afternoon when I went to see her where she is staying. I was met by two other guests saying that she had collapsed.

Rushed over to her room and found that she looked extremely pale and not feeling very well.  Later when it was cooler and after some food she was a lot more lively and looked and said she felt a lot better.  She told me its happened before when she’d got overheated in the sun.

I’ve suggested that she has a quiet morning tomorrow and then see if she is up for doing something later in the day.  It would really help if she could go to the cool of Kodai but it is quite a journey to get there.

I love the colour of pineapples at this time of year.

Last session of the year

Found out that today’s session in the garden was the last of this school year as the next Friday they have off for Good Friday.  Had a lovely time finally putting up the arch over the gate and then taking a video of them walking through it and saying what they liked about being in the garden.

Went to Centre Guest house to wait for my friend Sylvia to turn up in the evening.  When she was later than expected I phoned Rajan at the exact time that she turned up in Buddha Garden!  Had a lovely chat when she eventually turned up at the guest house.

A lovely surprise

I came back from my yoga class and was immediately pitched into an extra session planting beans on the research beds.

When I had finished who should be there but Devashish – a friend from way back when I first came to Auroville.  We went and had something to eat at the Secret Garden and had a lovely conversation.

At school

Had a really enjoyable session at Transition school today where we spent some time processing lettuce seeds.  I am so glad that we had the opportunity to do some work with seeds.

I love this picture which is of Moorthy, who is their teacher, tying up the tomatoes that had fallen down.  It shows how  he is really interested in the project in a hands on sort of way.

Nursery window

This is a view of the nursery through the ‘window’ where I have arranged things for the audio companion.  It includes an example of everything growing in the nursery as well as pots of all the different things we use to make the nursery mixture.

I am really pleased with it and so glad that it has got properly finished at last. 

Entrance cactus

I am really pleased with this transformation.  Originally the stone held a hibiscus plant, the roots of which grew through all the holes in the bottom.  Which meant that the water couldn’t drain away so the soil became waterlogged and the plant died.

I had to scoop all the smelly mud out, clean it and then decided to use cactus plants which don’t need much water and grow slowly.  I also put them in a separate pot so should there be too much water I can easily scoop it out.

I’m very pleased with the result.

Sunday quiet

This feels like the first really quiet Sunday I have had for a very long time.  Was able to do my hair plus some washing and all the cleaning.  I even went out this afternoon although I am still not good around a lot of people.

Looked at my schedule and very gratified to find that there are huge spaces in it now to hopefully do lots of different things. 

The picture is of a map of Auroville that I bought for a friend coming on Friday.  Unfortunately although I may have more time I am not keen on traveling which I think is what she wants to do.

The audio companion

Spent most of today editing the audio companion and then uploading it on all the devices.  Had a bit of a struggle with the audio software but got it working in the end.

Everything is now in the office and we will see how the Farm Tour works from there.

The picture is of the students from Udavi school making an arch to go over their vegetable garden gate.  Its taking more time than expected.  Fortunately Arpana, a volunteer in Buddha Garden and a trained engineer, helped them get the arch the right shape.

All of us

We don’t often get pictures like this of all of us.  I think some volunteers who are leaving soon wanted a picture and made the effort to get everyone together.  That’s the most difficult part of getting a general picture.

New posters

Rather pleased with what I achieved today.  Cleaned the poster area and put up the new poster.  Also put up the new poster on the entrance neem tree which is about the Farm Tour and how it is now going to be available every morning between 10.00 and 11.30am.

The office is now going to be responsible for giving out the devices etc.  Which means I will have time to do other things.

The bike

Gave the bike a good outing today as had to first cycle to Transition school and then to Foodlink farm for a meeting.  I still feel ambivalent about it.  The bike is heavy so I don’t want to take it on cycle paths where I have to heave it over cement blocks put up to stop the mopeds.  On the road its OK but if I put it on too fast it starts to rattle my teeth as the suspension doesn’t seem very good. 

I notice how it saves my energy but I certainly wouldn’t pay Rs45000 for it.

Tidy corner

Now the lettuce season has finished we are in the lovely position of still having lots of volunteers but less picking.  So we had the opportunity to tidy up what was a very messy corner.  I am so pleased as it’s the first thing I see when I come out my door.

Picked up my new E-bike today which I have got to try for a week and then give in a report.  Its heavier than my normal bike and its one which has to be pedaled the whole time.  Then the extra power comes as you pedal.  So far I am very ambivalent about it but will see how I feel at the end of the week.

Repainting

Spent the morning repainting all the numbers on granite pieces that mark the different places on the Farm Tour.  Also rearranged some granite pieces so that people don’t lose their way any more.  Now I have to put up the new posters and a few more signs as well as change the audio guide. 

Then I’m done and won’t have to spend two mornings a week waiting for people to come..

So many people!

Had a group come today from the Green Centre to look around the farm.  I sent them out with Rajan and then we had a question and answer session at the end.  It was really good and several people spontaneously made a donation.  Wonderful.

Spent the latter half of the morning with Dirk moving granite bits about for the Farm Tour.  I want to tweak it so that it is completely up to date with information and that the directions are clear.  From next week anyone who wants to come on a Farm Tour will be able to do so from between 10.00 and 11.30am any morning Monday to Friday.  But they won’t get the question and answer session like they do at the moment.

Somehow I found time to do a map of what I think is the unsafe traffic situation at the Visitors Centre barrier. I will send it to the Town Development group and hope they can do something.

Catch up day

Caught up with work today and felt too tired to do dancing so went to yoga instead.

The picture shows new life in a new seedlings.  In nature at least the cool season has finished and I can feel the hot season starting.

Dinner with Dirk

This afternoon had a good session at Udavi school when Aparna helped the students build an arch over the garden gate.  Was pleased to see that several students had a good practical sense and understood how to brace the arch, tie up the sticks etc.

After a busy and tiring week it was good to have dinner with Dirk this evening.

From school

I took  this picture yesterday of three students with what they have grown in their new garden.  Like Udavi school the students at Transition have done really well with their growing.  We talked about how the harvest should be shared and the different ways of doing so.

Another busy day when we had a really good meeting of the Buddha Garden team. 

Hooray!

Managed to find the time to go to Pondy to get my glasses mended.  Not only did he mend them but didn’t charge me either.  I was so relieved as they are now so much more comfortable to wear and I can see properly.

He did warn me though that if it happens again the glasses will break because the hinge has been weakened.

This after earlier in the day unsuccessfully trying to sort out the gate at the Visitors Centre to make it less dangerous. And going with Rajan for his interview to become an Aurovilian.

So much work

Worked so hard today…..  The picture shows a huge variety of work we did this morning in Le Jardin. Diggin up sweet potatoes, taking the soil off the top of the bed for the nursery, weeding.  It was all there going on at the same time.

This was followed with a difficult Farm Group meeting and several informal meetings after that.  Thank goodness for yoga at the end of the afternoon.

Beauty

Had a busy day and glad to be feeling so much better.

I saw these flowers near Ganesha today and loved the colours.

Twisted glasses again

Last night I fell asleep and my glasses fell off and I rolled on them.  Consequently they have got twisted and they are very difficult to use.  It is not good for my eyes and I will have to go and see if I can get them seen to tomorrow.  I do hope I won’t need new frames but I fear that I might.

Spent a lot of today writing a letter to Pierre explaining what we are about in Buddha Garden.  Lets see if he understands although I think probably not.

Makes me smile

Felt I couldn’t go to the dance class after the experience on Wednesday so went to yoga instead.  There I met friend Appie who said that she can’t manage to be with large groups of people in the dance class either.

Didn’t create any pictures today so used one from yesterday.  Can’t stop smiling when I think of the vegetables that the students harvested yesterday!

Good harvest

I felt so much better today and feel I was able to catch up on my work with the Udavi students.  I am amazed at their harvests which are really good.  Especially considering this is only the second harvest from these beds.

There was a big noisy argument about who was going to take the vegetables to the kitchen.  In the end Ravikrishna stepped forward to do it.

Talking to the students its clear they don’t have the most basic information about what grows when in this area.  I’m going to think about a set of posters for next year with such information on it.

First beans

The first hot day reminding me that hot season is just around the corner.  I also feel much better as if my sinus problem has finally left me

Here are the first vegetables from my pot garden.  One of the volunteers wants to help me with it but seems to require equipment (he wants to do it scientifically) that I can’t put my hands on at the moment.  Not sure I have the energy to get interested in it which is a real pity.

Auroville's 50th birthday

Today was Auroville’s birthday and I tried to have a quiet celebration in Buddha Garden rather than face 5000 people at the bonfire.

I had to laugh though as in the end it wasn’t very quiet what with the automatic watering system making a racket and a new volunteer arriving.  It showed me that this practical stuff is my meditation and work in Auroville.

Went to dance session but had to leave early as there was a large number of guests there on a course.  I felt too fragile to carry on.