THE LIVING SPACE

RAKU

Raku is a Japanese firing technique that takes only about an hour. I had two bowls fired today and that was the first things finished this semester. I haven't been too happy about this class but today's result made me feel better.

PAINTING AGAIN

This painting is called 'Summer Things'. That was the badly translated title of a French movie that I didn't particularly like, but it fits the picture better.

PARANOIA-DIALOGUE

I tell myself I’m so lucky – within the frame of the possible.

Do you know the possible - or the impossible for that sake?

Well, I know one thing that’s impossible! – You cannot live forever.

So, within your slow descent towards mortality, you are lucky? That’s what you’re saying?

Yes, I know I am lucky – but I do not always feel it.
And then I feel guilty for not appreciating my luck.
There are also assaults of negative moods that must not take root.
And then sometimes I feel that I should not give in to the pleasures that accompany my luck – like I’m using up my good karma.

You complicate things. Just live your life and keep your heart open.

But I’m kind of misanthropic. I mostly just tolerate people.

Oh, you are just too focused on young male beauty.

And so what? It doesn’t hurt anybody - au contraire!

What do you mean?

Well, I mean it could help someone – it could be my natural way to be positive.
I think openness is positive. And I just do open up towards young men - like a flower turns to the sun.

But you always sit and gape at their beauty.

Just live your life, you said – and now you want me to cramp my style. I think you are the one who complicates things.

We are just driving each other crazy!

Shit, no! We are just passing the time.

Are you actually going to post this?

What do you think?

It was you who said openness is good.

But it can be boring.

ALIEN FRIEND

My friend, whose name is Ned Lap Ehsey, comes from a parallel universe where he is in fact something like my alter ego. Because of our super-universal connection he succeeded in transferring himself to our universe for a short visit and this is how I am able to present you with this authentic photo of a being who is truly alien.
Ned says: "What do you need two eyes for? To have one is like only having the 'Third Eye' - I can see things with mine that you can't even see with your two eyes . And what do you need nostrils for? You can breathe through your mouth, just keep it open!"

ANOTHER DUNUN VILLAGE

This Gathering was small and sweet. Early September Indian summer weather.
Wadaba, The Great Panther, blessed us with his presence thanks to Aaron who raised money for his transportation. For those who don't know: Wadaba is a master drummer in the traditional village music, right at the source of African drumming.

The blogger with Wadaba

Peter and Nathan

Wadaba dancing Dununba, the Strong Men's Dance

The Dunun section

A perfect tomato

Cooling off at the swim hole

Mister T

Nuyma

Ronin and Madu

FLOWERS

In the evening the house on the other side of the street reflects the rays of the setting sun:

STARTING UP AGAIN

I lent Shawn a book on Daoist art and seeing it inspired me to try out my Japanese brushes:


My next experiment resulted in this minimalist drawing:


Tony didn't think it was finished. Looking at it he took a paper and drew some lines with a ruler and said I could use that. Since he had used a ruler I thought I would continue with the templates used for curves in technical drawing, but in the end I drew over it all by hand:

THE PARTY

The house-warming party was great. The house is ideal for party and we drummed for hours without any complaints, which is promising for the future.

HOUSE WARMING

The best part of moving is when the boxes are unpacked and the rooms are taking shape. This is the creative part, finding a place for each thing you brought and making new things where needed. Our old kitchen table has got new life with white paint and wood finishing:

Here are two pictures from the living room, my work table transformed into coffee table:



And two from my room; so far only my thanka and Lama Yeshe on the wall:



Tomorrow is the house warming party and everything is clean and ready - that is almost clean and almost ready - but who will see the difference?

IT'S COMING TOGETHER

For almost three weeks I was without connection to the net, but anyway I was too busy moving and unpacking to want to post. I took some pictures of the living room and my room:

THE NEW HOUSE

In two days we are moving into the new house! It's been good to be spoilt by my friends for a month, but I'm ready to be on my own.

POGONIP

The Pogonip is a nature reserve in San Lorenzo valley just behind Santa Cruz. Today Shawn took me there for a hike. I have lived 30 years in Santa Cruz county but I had never been there before, that's incredible, isn't it!

AT LAST

Today we got a new home!
It is the one that, all since I saw it, was the one I liked best, but I had given up on it after not hearing anything for ten days after we gave in our applications. The landlady had been out of town and she called two days ago and wanted to meet us. So we had lunch together yesterday and she is really nice and cool, and today we looked at the house again and struck the deal. The house will be ready for us to move into at the end of the month.
I was beginning to get depressed after more than four months of house hunting in vain, but all the ones who said: "You'll get something!" were right after all. I feel I'll be happy in this house.

PASSION FRUIT

MORNING GLORY

I have a hard time feeling confident or thankful in the morning and the days are long. This house hunting seems hopeless. Or do we have too high hopes? Either the houses are too small or too far away or there are a hundred people competing to get in.

ABUNDANCE

VAJRASATTVA

Even though I had help with the heavy carrying, the move of all my stuff into the garage was exhausting. But I'm getting over it and I have no more excuses for not posting.

So here is a thanka of Vajrasattva, Buddha of purification, painted during a retreat in 1986. He is manifesting in the landscape of Utah that I had just explored with my friend Tyler

FUJI-SAN

This is inspired by a Japanese print in a series of views of Mount Fuji.
I forgot who did it.
I guess I'm a little distracted.

Today I passed most of the day having a moving sale. The weather was cold and smoky in the morning and few people came by and bought only small knick-knacks, but later friends and neighbors passed by and some of the best deals were picked up. I ended up having sold for about $60!
I'm moving out the first of July, to the day 15 years since I moved in. That's in three days and the mess is growing around me!

Susanne and Toby, who are to live here, are already working in the 'studio' and in the back yard. They are a sweet young couple - and Toby, tanned and golden-haired, trim and muscled - well, it's hard to not stare at him all the time. He's cool, and he says I can put all my stuff in the garage till I find a place, so I'm free to float around.
First I'll house-sit in Shawn and Michelle's nice house for a couple of weeks. They have internet, but I may run into problems and you'll have to bear with me if it takes time.

THE GOLDEN GATE

When i first came to the West Coast I stayed in the Berkeley hills with a view right through the Golden Gate. From that time dates my love for this bridge that has become for me a symbol of connection between opposites, a crossroads between a natural water way and a man made road.

FULL MOON BY THE SEA