Beauty everywhere 20200430

Feeling very depressed and so grateful to find this little beauty on our snake gourd plants.

Golden glow 20200429

I did this picture some days ago as a homage to the flowering marigolds we have got left.  In the increasing heat many of them have dried and gone black, but the ones still flowering look like they are glowing in the bright sun.

Holding tight 20200428

Rajan told me about all the little twirly bits that the snake gourd plants are putting out to hold on to the new branches he and Narayan have put in for them to climb up.  They are so small and delicate, but very beautiful, as this picture shows.

I love the way the hold on SO tight even when they are so small and delicate

Swirling brain 20200427

A day when I have felt rather confused about what I should do about lots of things.  Writing, the farm, traveling.  The picture shows a load of garden rubbish which I think shows it quite well.  I have a lot of things swirling around in my brain.

Which is probably why I did some sewing.  It was very soothing.

Unexpected rain 20200426

Unexpected rain in the form of a thunderstorm this morning.  For a while the atmosphere was fresh and everything felt clean rather than hot and heavy.

I’ve made another face mask.  Now I need to go somewhere that I have to wear it.  Maybe after May 3^rd when the lockdown may end?

White ant sculpture 20200425

Got up early and finished the video which I uploaded to Facebook.  Still got the uploading problem on YouTube which is apparently a YouTube problem, not a wifi problem.  From the sound of it there are quite a lot of fed up people out there who cannot upload their videos. I wonder if it is anything to do with the virus

The picture is of yet another white ant sculpture.  There are so many I want to feature them in the next video.

Last year 20200424

Feel at a loose end without the book to be getting on with.  So started doing the video.  I still feel very empty.

Unable to find a picture for today I looked at what I was doing last year and found this picture of Pierre’s falling down fence.  I remember I was trying to bring us together again, but I wasn’t successful.

First draft finished 20200423

I finished the first draft of the student book which is now ready for editing.  I am very pleased but feel rather empty. 

We picked the first cashew today and the picture is of the chickens eating the cashew fruit for lunch.

A lot happening 20200422

Got back to the book today and basically pleased with it although there are a few more things need doing on it before it can go for editing.  As I work I seem to be insulated from the heat, but when I stop – it all hits me and I feel very hot and tired.

We got the chillies drying today and I love this picture of Narayanan with them.  He mended the dryer table so we have a good place to dry them that is the right temperature.  We also started picking cashews today.  So in many ways its all systems go although lockdown doesn’t finish until Sunday week and could easily be extended.

Back to...? 20200421

Took a day off from doing the book and found it most peculiar to get back to doing admin jobs again.  It all went much slower than I expected.

The picture is of the small nursery that we made for one of the school vegetable garden projects where we couldn’t build a full size nursery.  Once the lockdown is finished we can hopefully finish it completely.  I think it would make a nice domestic nursery.

First draft 20200420

Finished the first draft of the book today and have decided that I need a day off from it tomorrow.  Its starting to get a drag to go through it.  I also feel I need the time to write proposals and a lot of admin stuff that I can get away with not doing because of the lockdown.  It will be time to do it tomorrow.

I took pictures of lots of dried up flowers as a prelude to the next video.  I really like this one of a sunflower head.

Phew! 20200419

Have worked very hard today doing a total of 19 illustrations for section three of the book.  I am SO pleased as I can feel that the book is not almost finished, but in a good first draft.

I’ve chosen this picture because I drew it from a picture of Jana planting seedlings.  She hasn’t been back for some years now and I hope she is getting on well.  She came to Buddha Garden several times and was hoping to stay in Auroville but it never happened for family reasons.

The video spent all day getting uploaded to Youtube.  I think it may finally have happened, but will have to wait until it is fully processed - if it gets fully processed.

Difficult day 20200418

Had a really difficult morning as I tried to finish the video.  In the end I managed to do it but not without a lot of anguish.  At least I don’t have to do it tomorrow.  Then I got the video uploaded on Facebook but it got stuck on Youtube.

The picture is of what I call a ‘white ant sculpture’ of which there are quite a lot I find as I walk around Buddha Garden.  I wonder if there will be enough of them to make a video.

Trying to find a balance 20200417

Don’t feel I have done everything I want to do today but very pleased with what I managed to do on the book.  Have finished the introduction section illustrations.  Surprised that I have managed to bring together everything for Section two as well.

Have also got ideas about how to create a package of book, workbook and videos that I can develop as an online teaching course for which people will hopefully pay. 

Also managed to sort out work and workers for the next two months as it seems the lockdown will be eased.  Will only have one resident volunteer for the next six weeks so have decided that workers will have to do some work in the garden.

The picture is of tamarind that has finally got ripe.  Not so much this year as last but not sure why. 

Pleased 20200416

Really pleased with the illustrations that I did today which have come out much better than I expected.  As the picture shows.

Feeling very pleased.

BAck to work 20200415

I took quite a lot of pictures this morning of people in the farm that I was going to use for a picture entitled ‘farmer’.  Then I turned up this picture of a woman farmer that I took years ago when John grew rice and needed women to do the weeding.  I realized that all the pictures I had taken were of men and how unconsciously biased I am.

Anew start? 20200414

It is Tamil New Year today and was expecting to have a holiday, but Rajan said we should do planting instead.  We have to get this all done before the really hot weather starts very soon.  We all worked together and successfully planted almost everything that needs planting.  Very pleased and satisfied.

The picture is of a flower in Buddha Garden at the moment.  I am using it because I love the colour.  We are picking red chillies that look like Christmas tree decorations as they are bright red and sparkle in the sun.  All the colours seem very intense – maybe because of the bright sun?

TAking the time it takes 20200413

I am finding the writing is taking a lot longer than usual.  It is taking time to tease out exactly what I want to say and then think of the best way of saying it.  Once I’ve done that then have to think about the illustrations.  So far I’ve managed to come up with illustrations although sometimes this too has taken some time.  I am working much slower than usual.

I have to accept that creating this book will take the time it takes.   

Exhausted 20200412

This morning I made a garden of transformation using bits and pieces found in Buddha Garden.  The idea was to create something that resonated with what is going on in the world at the moment.  The inspiration was an Easter garden because the story of death and rebirth was I thought very relevant for these times.

I spent a lot of time doing my book and ended up extremely tired.

Very productive 20200411

I finished and uploaded the video which I have scheduled for tomorrow.  So nice to think I am going to have a Sunday when I don’t have to sweat like I normally do over a video.

I am so pleased with what we are harvesting at the moment.  We have so many papaya coming and I am eating a lot of them in the hopes they will help my digestive system.  I haven’t got rid of the problem yet but its not getting any worse and may be a tiny bit better.

Changing book 20200410

Had a difficult writing time but I think it is developing and gradually moving towards what I want it to be.  I guess it will take the time it takes and I have been feeling OK with that.  I didn’t feel that I had to drive myself to go faster or work harder.  Hopefully that is progress.

Did a good illustration so pleased with that.

Decided to use this as my picture for today as I love the colour.  It’s a baby pineapple that changes a lot before it becomes a pineapple.  Maybe a bit like the book I’m writing that has gone through many different versions.

Gratitude for a friend 20200408

Got very on edge today and found it difficult to work or to feel positive, especially about my writing.

Then I talked to a friend and felt much brighter.  Thanks to the universe for good friends.

Planting 20200407

I’m amazed at how well we are doing on the farm with so few people.  The picture shows two beds planted in the Souryan garden this morning.  I think it shows what can be done with just a few people who know what they are doing.

Tired 20200406

Got a migraine today so had to take things a bit easy.  Despite that I did manage to do some illustrations that I had really struggled with yesterday.

The picture is of the balloon decorations that Sangeeta made for Magzhiran’s tree house.  They danced in the wind and made me smile. 

Did a lot of things 20200405

Managed to get the video done quite early but didn’t get started on the second one as I had hoped.  Just didn’t have the energy after finding it really difficult to do some illustrations for the book.  The difficulty was in finding a way of presenting the information in a way to which the students could relate.

The picture is of what I see of the outside of Buddha Garden when I go to open the gate in the mornings.  I look outside but it is very quiet and it looks as if nothing is happening.  I wonder when I will be able to leave Buddha Garden.  The lockdown is going to go on until April 15^th but a lot of people think it will go on for longer.

Planted 20200404

Had a good time this morning planting the remaining beds in the Seed Garden.  It’s the first time we planted maize for a while. Now all beds are planted and all the plants have to do is grow food.

With my other work I didn’t feel I got much done today. I worked on two videos and on the book, but don’t think I did enough on any of them. Especially the videos which I like to get done early in the day during these times.  I think the internet is less congested early in the morning when I like to upload them.

Moving through 20200403

Sill got a bit of an upset belly but feeling much more energetic.  I did a lot of writing about water today.  The illustrations needed mostly just sorting out but I still have some to do which I hope I will finish over the weekend.  I was really happy to find out today that I have finished more of the sections on the different elements of food growing than I thought.

Had an idea for the two minutes of peace video – photos of the different gardens as the season turns.  Means I have to take a lot of pictures tomorrow of all the beds in each of the gardens.  I probably need some more video clips as well as I don’t feel I have been out and about with the camera much this week.

The picture is of one of the book illustrations.  The students all like colouring this one for some reason.

I love red 20204020

Not surprised I was tired yesterday as I had a stomach upset this morning – I hope its not the tummy bug I had two weeks ago come back.

Working hard on the farm and managed to finish another section of the book today.

This picture is of some chilli that we harvested today.  I just love the colour.

Worried 20200401

Today one of our volunteers left after she managed to get a flight back to France.  She said that she didn’t really want to go, but was concerned that she would be stuck here until June if she missed this flight.  In the picture she is leaving with another helper who took her to where the bus was waiting with a lot of other French people from Auroville who were also taking the flight.

Before she went she had this so called ‘test’ for the virus.  Which isn’t really a test at all. In that it doesn’t test for the virus but merely looks at whether an individual has a temperature or symptoms.  I’m quite worried as I feel without testing this situation is going to go on for a long time in India with breakouts of the virus here and there in different parts of the country.

Feel rather tired today so found it difficult to do any proper writing.