Full moon – Rohatsu
Moon orbit to the left. Neighbor’s orbit to the right
It’s freezing cold and I ran outside to take this photograph with my hand held camera. It’s out of focus but no matter. It’s Rohatsu. December 8.
Buddhists around the world are sitting in meditation/zazen tonight, all night until dawn to acknowledge and join in the Buddha’s actual experience of sitting through the night until he saw the morning star and attained enlightenment.
I’m seeing the full moon and my neighbor’s Christmas lights.
What was it that he realized?
It was revolutionary…for us all to discover and actualize every day, every moment of our lives.
On the day after an autumn rain
Today
Acorns falling
Frogs jumping
Leaves scattering
With you
On the day after an autumn rain everything moves one deeply. The fields are woven in a brocade of color. In the woods, under the oak trees, acorns fall in a torrent. Light evening rain; frogs cross a dirt road in the black night jumping everywhere.
We make up poetry.
I suddenly looked around
It’s late September and yesterday was the first day of autumn – officially. The days have been getting colder but I’ve been more concerned about the drought we’re in and the new plants I need to keep watered to notice much else.
But today I drove to town and everything seems to have changed. Even the most ordinary things are beautiful: farm fields, newly harvested squash, an old rusty fence.
Shadow and light
Last night we sat zazen during a wild thunderstorm. It was early evening and still light; the clouds came and went furiously illuminating the room with lightning and then darkening it. The wind blew the trees outside and rain pelted down on the roof. Inside all was quiet and serene. Dark and mysterious. We disappeared into the shadow and depth of twilight.
Evening twilight, my favorite time to sit zazen.
A spritz party
The Tivoli Garden Tour came to visit my garden and tea house. Instead of making everyone tea I hosted a Veneziano Spritz “ceremony”.
Ice bucket, silver tray with wine glasses, Perrier, Aperol and Prosecco. Someone added ice to the glasses, I poured the Prosecco with a good splash of Aperol (made from Orange and Rhubarb) and then a dash of Perrier. Kampai everyone!
To describe how I feel about my tea house and garden I read this poem by Wang Wei (699-759)
Late in life, I built a cottage at the foot of South Mountain.
When the feeling comes, I walk there alone;
Wonderousness vainly known to me alone.
Walking I reach where the waters well forth;
Sitting, I watch the moment clouds arise.
I chance to meet an old woodcutter,
And our words and laughter know no hour of return.
