My House

Today it has threatened to rain.  I think I can hear some thunder in the back.. but I am fine with a fully charged tablet, phone, and laptop.I left the bungalow to check out a poor, but their was a sense of mist in the air.  So....today I will send you some idea of my home away from home.
This is my second year here and so I knew what to expect and what I will need.  so...This is the entrance and the post for the night gate.  There is a gate that comes accross the drive and if it is closed, you must right the bell which is the small while thing to the right.  The left is a case that identify s the address and supports the mail box.  The right are the units that are to the left of the drive.  It is more like a motel and in the shot below you can see this even more.

there are many flowers and garden location on the property and as you can see, each has an outdoor place that is sheltered.

 (the rain just started) This is the view from my door toward the front of the area. and toward the other units.

i can walk almost the entire way around the complex under an awning..to the restaurant and the other units.

The rain is making a ping sound on the metal roof.



The scooter is also under a cover


and it is the same one I had last year and this year the helmet is a little better.  It stays on my head.

number 3 that is me... I never need the shade but it does come down.

the porch isn't used too much because it is hot most of the time so I tend to come in to the AC

the pic above is walking in with the frig on the right and the pic to the left... is my desk and looking toward the bathroom 

and this is a view from the bathroom toward the door

 and finally the bathroom

The brown jar on the sink is my new treatment... coffeeberry   it is three steps down... and I need to turn the light on at night to be sure I don't fall ...   so this is it... Nov 20 to Mar 23... with a scooter for $1045...    so happy bonny.... great food

A good place (SB)

I am coming to have more respect for the QiGong teacher. Reading Qi Gong for total wellness and I can see how much of the master works are in his practice offering.. I have two audio books by Penna Chordron which are really hitting the spot for me. It has been my philosophy that we all need folks that care enough to help us see our blind spots. While I still feel that is a good short cut it is my responsibility to see if what someone says it my truth. If someone says, you are too talk… I might be if the other person is a midget.. but I am short to the rest of the world.
Today I tried to figure out what feelings I want to have… manifest and hold as my goals. Feeling bad about myself over someone else's fantasy is not it. I have been feeling like I should not be helpful to people. I can offer help and they can reject it .. but it is my bonnyness that will offer the help and that is part of who I am. I want to be calm inside.. that does not mean calming.. not does it mean that I will not have passion.. but calm about my passage.
There has always been the "deserving" and the not so deserving poor or people in need. Anyone can jump onto a popular or high cause but it takes a mother Theresa to help the leaper.. the homeless… the alcoholic. The big thing I am learning is that you must do what you can do.. charitable I will do my thing.. and it is all good.
Optimistic is another feeling that I am comfortable about seeking and enhancing. No matter how much bleak I have seen… I still believe in me and all that I am oneness with…. I am glad I have a strong personality.. not everyone's cup of tea… but I would rather be on a quest, honest accepting with myself and stand for who I am. I don't like cookies.. and have never been fond of cookie cutter people.
I don't think I could ever be happy just sitting back and vegetating.. nor not trying to smooth out the corners so I don't lose my edge but I am not sharp. So I am excited about evolving.
Tomorrow, I will put the card in the camera so I don't just write about the soap box

New Year Thoughts [SB]

I am reading three book – Towards Truth and Wisdom – Ajahn Sumano Bhikkhu, Mindfulness with Breathing – Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, and The Way of Non-Attachment Dhravamsa. This is the third Ajahn book I have had and again it is in the answer question from people who come to the forest Dhravamsa is a famous author and Thai scholar. Since it is not a novel, it doesn't matter which I read and in what order but when I just go with asking my inner self what is what I need… I pick up the right book at the right time.

On New Year's Eve, I picked Mindfulness and read…. Take a good clear look at your problems and suffering before you read further. At first glance, I thought, there are no problems and suffering. I have enough money to do things I want to do, health to not be limited, an attitude toward life that brings me many smiles, and an ability to see the small (minutia) as well as the big picture.

I sat with myself and while I am not in pain, I am not content with the way – manner, amount, quality, type of food I eat. I am constantly looking at the scale or regretting my consumption. My intention is greater than my practice of meditation and qigong… I should, why didn't I ,,,tomorrow I will. This has been my pattern… Unless I have a class and must….I often don't. My conflict of person – I want to right what is wrong but need to be "loved". I put distance to avoid issues and then feel the isolation. I can see movement toward a universal connection of self with self and others, but still have not found the balance… be me… hold to principles… accept the "other" as myself.

I can see how interpreting why someone does something is a very faults process. If I jump in a puddle.. is it to get my feet wet or wash my shoes…. To the observe, both are crazy… however, if my feet are hot.. it is relaxing.

So better later than never, I am going to go on a quest to develop my life. First, I commit to keep from coming into my life, that which is dangerous. Second, I work to destroy, eliminate that which is in my life that is dangerous for me. Third, to work toward generating that which is useful and beneficial and finally, to maintain this lifestyle. To do this, I must be have 1) Mindfulness or reflective awareness. 2)Comprehension (wisdom in action), 3) Spiritual Knowledge and 4)Concentration, collectiveness or stability.

The more I listen, see, read, etc., the more I know the Vipassand practice with provide me the passage to progress on my path….and I am loved.

the band of gypsy's at the guest house.

It is taking a long time to download but I will try.  Robert is from Argentina and is a longtime vegetarian and ChiKong practitioner.  We were out at 5:30AM last Sat doing our morning routine.   Today, Robert is in the hospital having a hernia repair...

 There are two gents from Minnesota ...Richard was the navy man and was a principle of several schools in Alaska...    He is about the opposite of Robert...

His travel buddy was a fly boy... and is a regular Fox news junky....  We are very opposite.

 This is our host and owner of the guest house... Sopha...    she prepared a great spread.    This couple are from Canada and work in construction.  So why not come to Thailand for the winter.  I am assuming Marlinda and Kevin are hitched...but who knows... or cares









These two are from
Canada and Russia...
and I can see the ring on the gentleman so I am also assuming they are married.   She did not like this picture since it showed the wrinkle in her chin.. and who cares...

 This gentleman appears to be traveling alone...but he is very much enjoying the blond woman just ahead.

and this smiling person... is the "girl friend" of the fly boy... or is that flying older man... but who is judging.  











and so goes the ship of fools...............................

Flower garden

The purpose of  practice is to cut down your addictions and to correct your habitual patterns  Changing habitual patterns and getting rid of attachments, and replacing them with love, compassion, generosity, and patience.

The new year was spent bring in new life and seeing the humor in hats... Here are a few of my shots and thoughts.

 Most of the flowers of great beauty are orchads.  Like life, you can find interest and beauty in many places.. The brown orchad is unusual and the camera was drawing toward the purple and white... but when you really look at the brown wings with the yellow face.... the often over looked is very beautiful.

 While the eye is happy with this little fireworks.. when you touch the spikes.. and they go bong... you smile.

This pic is blown up to 2x the size... isn't this little green tree stick remarkable... look at the tail... that is a tail... not a leaf....  

zen and the art of motorcycle riding

I am feeling a slow shift into being not only more present with myself, but being in an observer role much more.... there is a sense of calm... and I am enjoying the now...

 I think this is some kind of bush that looks like blackeyed susannes.


and I think of the rake as ... rest and work.. work and rest... balance.










the pictures below... same same but different

This is a who knows by the side of the road.... so I call it Kilroy was here.

Friends in the sun with an ear up.... is below

 family picnic by the water

who said Khoy Soi Goi.... I know goi... that is me.

Today was a good day in the country.  It is a long windy hilly sharpe turn ride..but the scenery that can go by faster than our eye can click... Took some time to stop at a waterfalls.... so these are a few pictures of the waterfalls

 This couple were just sitting by the waterfalls enjoying a conversation.. ..it was a very heart warming shot......

I liked the rope look of the tree growing out of the rock and casting a shadow on the stone.

So we ventured on to Samong.. which I call strawberryville.  It is very hard to get a sense of the severe turns and steep grades.   I don't want someone there to be there with me but I think Joe and John would find the ride a kick in the head... miles of turns and climbs.... you really have to be in the moment... if you are not here and now and now and here... you could easily be there and then.... and gone.      This is just one of the turn and downs.

The view from the top of the Samung Valley look out... 

10,000 Monks

I got out of bed at 4:45 this AM after having been awake every hour on the hour.  I had to ring the bell three times to get out and pick up Jeannne... but we got there.   Note to self.. If you get there at 7...sit on the right side of the street...just as good as getting there at 5 and much better than sitting on the left.   All good  They laid out plastic sheets on the ground with red stripes where the monks walk.  in about a half hour, the streets started to fill and by 7 packed.

Chanting and speaches went on and on... In this pic, the woman with the glasses is passing a stick with money to the woman in the shall.   The sun is up now and it is starting to get hot.

 It is always amazing how calm and quiet the children are.  Many were there close to 5:30 and this big kid was having trouble sitting.          


There were some interesting adults.. and again the long lens can get some shots without intruding.  The girl on the left was munching on the monk food.  Maybe she thought sweet snacks would not be a good offering.

This woman walked by and while it is not a full face shot... I think it was interesting.   

There are many attractive women.. but the rugged is more interesting to me.

There are young old red brown monks of all discriptions