Karaoke Ride Home

Day 10 Turtle Mountain 2010
We drove last night and then pulled over in Mount Shasta off HWY 5 and slept at a rest stop middle of the night. We all woke up to multi colored beautiful sunrise over Mt. Shasta. The water at Lake Shasta is low. The Sacramento section of the drive was a killer, super boring and stagnant zombie energy to have to move through. It was already hot at 7am. Loc turned on Teresa Tang and the boys watched DVDs in the back. I drove 4 hours this morning to Michael’s house where their parents had food ready for us.  Lovely food, better than the restaurant! 

Pack Out Day

Taking down all the tents, it really does take a lot more time than it looks

Last look of this trail of wild flowers, until next year

What does Uncle Nam not know how to do?

Early morning pretty faces

If we push it maybe it will then start to run

I love this view especially with these tress in it

I love to watch the sky

This is Diamond, Silver's friend

Tea from Loc the Master

Day 9 Turtle Mountain 2010
I got to lay on the bench and watched the sky for an hour. When I was little I used to do this on the front lawn grass. I used to think the sky moved. Now I feel the earth move and rotate.

The Half Can seems to be a place that draws out venting sometimes. I dragged a chair out in the meadow and sat underneath the aspen trees. It was wonderful to sit out in the meadow on Saturday afternoon to just feel the sun, breeze, and listen to the mountain. What a treat this is.

When the night fell, I went into the van to plug my ears to enjoy quiet time and rest.

Brown Bear Cub Sighting

  Day 8 Turtle Mountain 2010

Today was Kentucky Falls day. A very special trip each year for me and I feel it is the same for others like Henry. It’s almost like a sacred annual ritual. It is something we all look forward to. So is sitting on the back of the truck in the cold wind. There were sightings of baby black bear cub off the road before the ‘Y” intersection. The truck slowed down and I stood up to take a photo. Mayra helped and held my left arm and David Williams help me up from behind all to keep me from falling off the rolling truck or startling the cub or the mama bear whom must be nearby. I have always wanted to see a cub. Mayra held me with unsteady arm and ended up swinging me forward and backward in and out of the truck. She meant well.

I handed Henry a fresh bag of High Mountain Tea. I wanted to cheer him up. He was pretty worried and upset over his car breaking down on the way to Kentucky Falls. I stayed behind and accompanied in time of hardship. What happened? His truck over heated, the radiator had a 3-4 inch crack. Henry must have sent a distress call telepathically because both his parents called him at the same time. We laid on the truck and watched the trees, drank tea, chatted about our love for Great Compassion Mantra, Dharani Sutra, meditation and caught up on the past decade of our lives until help came. Matt came with his truck to towed us back to Half Can.

Michael’s DVD of the retreat was awesome tonight. The reflections are usually quite something, not to be missed. It is like the best part.

Majestic Elks

Day 7 Turtle Mountain 2010

Instead of the Sand Dunes I enjoyed time at the creek. It was a wonderful 45 minutes to myself. I stayed until the mosquitos attacked me out. I soaked my legs and prayed to have the fatigue be washed away. People from the Dunes came back unhappy. I guess the group of 50 got lost with Tina’s local directions.

This evening I saw majestic elk by Half Can Meadows. There were 8 of them in my view. The raw beauty was so captivating. But they seemed too majestically sacred to approach or touch or even be near and especially not to be disturbed. They seem so magical and so unreal. I was so surprised to see them. This is my first time seeing them in all these years I have been here. I only dared to breath in their presence. I did not want to move. I felt honored to experience this sight. What a special treat this was. I would not have seen them if I wasn’t here working away.  What a gift!  It's a good a spotting a four leaf clover. 

Solar Charge

Day 6 Turtle Mountain 2010
No matter how much I plan before hand, the menu still changes day by day to adjust to people and the weather. I am grateful to have this opportunity to be of service.

My body was fatigued and my spirit was unburned. Although my body was too tired to crack a smile, the sweetness was in my tongue. I could not enter deep sleep at night. The solar recharge of sunbathing 15 minutes here and 20 minutes there did more for me than sleep or food.

Better Then Good

Day 5 Turtle Mountain 2010
My meditation is found in 15 minutes on the chair in front of Half Can. It is found in 30 minutes on the newly built back stops of Half Can with a hand rail. My meditation is found the Chan Hall during the lecture 10 minutes here and 20 minutes there. It was all wonderful. At night in the tent, feeling totally wired by good chi of the day and lecture, it just felt right to continue to sit and meditate.  This life is better than good.   

Prickly

Day 4 Turtle Mountain 2010

Saw a cute bunny this morning at 5:30 am on the way to Half Can to make breakfast. It was a bunny not a jack rabbit, very gentle, seemed too gentle for the environment. Maybe in this forest there is enough protection for this gentle spirit to roam free of worries. What a treat, a dark bunny hopping with white tail on this misty foggy morning.

This evening at camp, 4 adolescent females were super loud in their tent. What screamed louder than their voice was the pain that pricked all along the edges of their chi onto whoever they come across. I had ear plugs on and still their sound penetrated.