The Pope, a Portabello and my friend Skyler

The Pope is just finishing his final mass in Philadelphia and people are so excited here because he frequently peppers his homily's, talks etc with the word LOVE. How unusual. In the history of the Catholic Church and the Papacy there has been equal if not more measure of conflict, politics, war and torture than love - and of course the Catholic Church continues to be a bastion of conservative and at times reactionary values. How far removed can one get from the original teachings of Jesus I ask myself? However the Pope in person comes through as a genuine love filled person. Here is the link for the official  I love Pope Francis T-Shirt site!

I wanted to share another something starting with 'P' with my brother Simon who is a wonderful cook - and once upon a time cooked the most amazing portabello (mushroom) tomato pasta sauce that I have never forgotten!

In Australia I never clapped eyes on a fresh portabello mushroom in the shops - only the dried Italian variety - but here there are oodles. I didn't realize this - but it turns out they're overgrown button mushrooms! I They make a substantial nutritious meal. They are as big as my hand which is probably not saying much. Here is the one I had for breakfast Simon. They grill and bake easily and go especially nicely with with pesto sauce. Yumbo!

And finally to something starting with 'S' - my dear friend Skyler - who is a new furry friend of just 8 months. I have been living with Skyler along with his 'Mom' - Ani Alyce Louise - and other furry friends - including Nebulous Norbu the Cat and Zoe Canoli - golden dog of unknown golden descendants. Skyler died at home on Thursday. His body finally gave out on him after 16 long years. He was a fusty, feisty, grumpy loveable dog and I  miss him. The Pope recently said all dogs go to heaven. If heaven is universal love - may you be there. Travel well and in peace Skyler. Really glad to have met you.

A sign of the times

There is nothing like signage to indicate a place - so I got snap happy on my way to the visit upper New York State. What distinguishes a USA sign in these parts from an Aussie sign? Well there's certainly more villes and bergs on the end of places names - that's for sure - and the English 'town' is perhaps in third place and perhaps the Latin 'ia' in fourth!

And there are always signs of somewhere else over the seas...Lebanon in this case...and the captivating name of Frackville  which is on topic these days as there is a lot of fracking/debate happening right now in the USA. The subject and procedure of fracking (hydraulic fracturing) is dividing parts of the nation in an earth versus economic equation.

I was pleased to discover that I was passing close by the Hershey's Chocolate Factory, but as Mum said one day when we were passing by the Chocolate shop on the way to Daylesford - no time to stop!

I don't think you would find a picture of a reindeer in Australia either...although one would in New Zealand. And I rather like this one of a Farmer on a Tractor.

And then there's the stand-alone commercial signs that constantly beckon you from the side of the road - old and new.

And  the legacy of the frontier wars between Native Americans and the new migrants is evident in this sign.

And the ever-present signs of post-settlement military history and the legacy of that.

And here is a blue New York sign as opposed to green everywhere signs!

Meetings with a remarkable Monk.

Dear Dad,

I always remember you regaling us about Gurjieff's Memoir, 'Meeting with Remarkable Men' and I feel that in many ways your life has been about these pivotal encounters with both remarkable men and women on the subject of the human spirit. How uplifting it is to meet such people. I had a recent encounter with a man that you too encountered in Sydney -  Buddhist Monk and former molecular biologist Matthieu Ricard. But how brief can these encounters be! After hearing Matthieu talk I had the opportunity to offer the traditional Tibetan white scarf to him - notwithstanding that he was flanked by a bevy of admirers - of which I was one - and that he was moving at speed making it difficult to even offer the scarf. One of my friends took this picture. They wanted to capture the moment I offered the scarf but apparently meetings with remarkble men - in this case a remarkable Monk can be very fleeting indeed. I have this post-event photo - a picture tells a thousand words even if it is rather blurry which means it looks like nothing particular happened or something particular happened!

And here is a picture of Matthieu on stage combining his scientific and environmental interests to entreat us to make sure that at least the next 7 generations have a place to call home.

Mattieu also took this opportunity at the annual Buddhafest in Washington DC to fund raise for his charity Karuna-Shechen especially in Nepal at this time to bring resources to those most in need after the devastating earthquakes caused so much death, injury to many, and loss of infrastructure and the basic necessities of life.

It is a long way to go before Nepal recovers - knowing that full recovery is not possible. The other day I encountered a Nepalese husband and wife going for a morning walk. Their son had brought them over to the USA to stay: they had no physical home to return to in Nepal.

What happened next

Well it's been a month or more since I last posted. Life is sometimes a gallop not a canter - not that I do either!  Perhaps I could say I have been trotting not around the globe - but to closer destinations at hand - one of which is upper New York State - in this case our summer retreat place. Here are some sunset pictures of a small lake I walked around and at which I attempted sitting meditation . I meditated in a gentle dawn sitting at the end of the pier but my mind was not clear at all - more like the fog rising from the lake! Oh well. I will keep trying.

And here are some mini-inhabitants of the mini-lake. Can you guess what they are? You may need glasses - or a magnifying glass. The one you really can't see is a turtle's head!

I did go for a row in the boat though with my friend Mary and one paddle. That's a recipe for circling (not rowing). We found a snake skin near where the paddle was resting. Perhaps the snake skin was a symbol of regeneration and letting go old patterns - or a snake simply losing its old skin. The previous day we found a snake mesmerizing this frog. Perhaps it was this snake that shed its skin.

Nothing like to natural environment in a retreat landscape to feel re-connected. I felt rejuvenated by the time I left this part of the country.

Adventurous friends

I live about an hour away from Washington DC with lots of exhibitions and sites to explore. I have been on a few exploratory adventures into DC with my intrepid exploration partners - Noreen and Shelley. So far we've been to the photographic exhibition of 18th century Burma which I talked about in an earlier post - and since then we have been to the Eastern Market  and the United States Botanic Garden: the latter is essentially a giant atrium - but a very interesting atrium. Here are a few pictures. In the first picture I am trying to be a photographic artist as Shelley peers in the window. We had discovered the offices of National Home Care & Hospice but it was closed.

And here is Noreen's hand pointing at the site of purchase of the Tibetan carpet she is holding!

Nothing like good sweet potatoes - kumara - yum! Lots of fruit and vegies in addition to flying carpets.

And one should never lose perspective on an open sea!

And here are a few piccies of the Botanic Gardens. They had a particularly captivating exhibition on 'roots' - and out the front they had a 'tree root' sculpture which reminded me of overly active heart ventricles which the artist fittingly called Romeo and Juliet - or perhaps what's left of them in essential botanic form.

I thought this fellow's beard bore a strong resemblance to the exposed roots he midwifed into the air.

And here is some botanical plant life.

And guess what this is? It's a close-up of my sun hat - not a pink cycad! Can you believe that?

And here's a floating plant...sticker! What's real?

Thanks so much Noreen and Shelley - now on to the next adventure with...Shelley and Noreen!

Transitions

Well....just two days before I was due to board my flight while I was in  Costco with my friend Noreen (Costco is a supermarket warehouse for giants -everything is mega sized and the space looks like an airline hanger!) - I received a phone call from our Board President that set in motion a chain of events which resulted in me delaying my departure date indefinitely...Such is the nature of unexpected change. I still have to pinch myself in the face of such a turnaround of events. On the one hand I feel very blessed to be able to stay on here - it's like I've really come home to my larger spiritual family - but at the same time it's a bit of a shock to the system. I miss everyone in my other home in Australia and New Zealand deeply, particularly Mum and Dad. Boo Hoo! Of course nothing is certain and I could be shipped home tomorrow to the Antipodes. I am awaiting the outcome of my visa application as I write. And I am facing my fears - fears of having insufficient income and means to look after myself.

So it's a journey of trust right now which was highlighted for me when my shopping trolley scraped the outside of the mirror of a car in the car park of another supermarket - Giant (which isn't as gigantic as Costco). I left a note under the windscreen of the car confessing 'trolley collision scratched paint' crime. As America has a reputation for being highly litigious soI feared the worst and took a blurry picture of the scratch. I drove away and some way up the road my phone rang: I answered in a timid tone expecting it to be about the you know what.

Me "Hello" I heard a deep slightly irritated sounding gruff voice on the other end of the phone 

Him "Yes, I am the person whose mirror you scraped. The car that you left the note on".

Me "Yes. I am sooooooo sorry".

Him: "Well, it's not the first time this has happened to me in that car park" (I wondered if the Giant Carpark was hexed) And it was was good of you to leave the note on my windscreen" (He wasn't to know that the two hemispheres of my brain had argued with one another at the time of the incident - one arguing for running away and leaving no note so I wouldn't have to pay the millions I didn't have - and the the other arguing for the braver more honest course of action come what may....). He paused...my fate hung in the balance. "So, don't worry. Thanks for leaving the note".
Me: Oh thank you. (Huge relief)

Here is a blurry picture of the trolley scratch on my new friend's car!

So I have some fear but this is balanced by a sense of elation too. Here is a picture of potentiality that my friend Noreen took of me at the US Botanic Gardens. Lets see if that happens?

See you when I'm looking at you

I'm about to get on the plane to return back to Australia via New Zealand. I think I've got the 'blog bug' and will keep going with Down Under Tales! How can I encompass such a big year living here - I can't. But I am so grateful to all my friends here and my American family - who provided me with support on so many different levels. I just have a big heartfelt thanks. It was my spiritual teacher Jetsunma who asked me to come and I am so grateful I was able to take up the offer for this length of time. There's been lots of blessings.I am better for the experience in so many ways. May I return just like a well thrown recreational Boomerang. The other kind dispatch you! Here are a few snapshots of new friends and new old friends! Keepsake smiles.

A finally in a world first - a Boomerang Cake!