Recall the well-known saying among Tibetan Buddhists that a pot with a little water in it makes a loud noise when shaken, but a pot full of water makes no noise at all.

People with very little realization often want to tell everyone about the insights they have experienced, the bliss and subtleties of their meditation, and how it has radically transformed their life. But those who are truly steeped in realization do not feel compelled to advertise it, and instead simply dwell in that realization. They are concerned not to describe their own progress, but to direct the awareness of others to ways in which their own hearts and minds can be awakened.

--from The Seven-Point Mind Training by B. Alan Wallace, edited by Zara Houshmand, published by Snow Lion Publications

poppy cardigan

progress is slow on this project.. started it in february, i think, and am about to the place to start the steek for the armhole. i think i've spun and dyed enough yarn for a whole nother sweater and there's still more of the dyed fiber waiting to be spun. there's a lot of alpaca and silk and cashmere in this sweater so it should be ultra-soft and warm. not sure when or where i'll need all that warmth... anyway, i love how it looks and feels so far. i've never done the steek thing in a sweater, but i'm feeling brave about cutting into it. it's all about attitude.

and here's todays nature photo. don't know what kind of butterfly it is. anyone know? anyone? bueller?
i've been taking my little olympus camera with me when i go to the garden to water and have my early morning meditation and nature appreciation time. the peace and quietude is lovely and deserving of being noticed and appreciated every day!!

Dharma Quote of the Week

Dharma Quote of the Week We have to admit impermanence into our lives. It's important to live with impermanence as a frame of reference so that we can approach each moment or each day with a sense of humility about what we are able to do and what we are not able to do and relinquish control over things we cannot have control over. It is important to live as if things are as permanent as stone. You have to invest yourself in love and concern for people, accept people's love as if that's the only thing that exists. The commitment to living as if everything is always there forever with the acceptance that nothing is going to survive. --from Impermanence: Embracing Change by David Hodge and Hi-Jin Kang Hodge, published by Snow Lion Publications

the dragonflies totally fascinate me! most of the time when i see them in the garden, they are perched delicately on the top of a stick, sometimes on the edge of a flower petal, and wherever they land it's like they suddenly just magically appeared. i've been told that the native americans believed that a dragonfly carries your hopes and wishes to the great spirit. i like that......

while i was making coffee this morning, dear Jim tied birthday wishes around the necks of the dogs. they went along with it, but going out for a walk is what's really on their minds!

i really had a lovely day! and it sort of morphed into a party. i'd wanted my niece Jen and her wife Maggie and sis Judy to come out for lunch and thursday was the only day they could come. and i know my dad likes to come out here, so bro Bud and he came for lunch, too, since thursday is their day for going out for lunch. Pop, who is 94 and not always completely with the program, does seem to love being here at dome central which is close to his old home up on the hill in the vineyard, and he always seems more lively and connected with what's going on.

even tho it was my birthday, it was not billed as a birthday celebration... just a lunch with people i dearly love... but Jim did go to Baskin Robbins and did come home with a chocolate ice cream cake, to which i had no objections at all and was very very happy to have!! especially since i've never ever had an ice cream cake for my birthday!

and Jen and Maggie brought me an unbirthday-we-love-you gift... which Maisy (their 8 year old daughter) had drawn and Maggie had painted and i LOVE it! sweet, huh?

for my birthday, Jim gave me 2 spectacular planters! and i went directly to my favorite plant nursery and found the perfect flowers for them! the mother goddess figure had been in a different location, but looks perfect here with this new planter!

i have been having lots of "deep thoughts" surrounding this birthday which i may get into at another time, but not tonight. for now... it was a happy day and i felt lots of love in my life and what more could i ask?!

fiber, frog, fruit.. tra la

fiber: I spent some time last week in my studio... doing some dyeing, sorting thru stash (including fibers i'd totally forgotten about) (and one nice thing about the "forgetting" affliction is that when i find it again, it's like all new and exciting!), packaging up some interesting combinations, washing some of the coopworth lamb fleece and 3rd cut mohair i'd bought at BSG.

and while i was watering a hanging basket filled with a lush abundance of thyme and lemon thyme... out popped a sweet little tree frog which i'm choosing to believe is the tree frog from last year, even tho i have no idea what their life span and/or hibernating habits are (yes, i know, jfgi). whatever... i was delighted to see her again!

and fruit!! i found a fruit stand which still had good looking strawberries... probably the last of the season unless i can find some of the ever-bearing variety. and these did not disappoint! i made another batch of freezer jam and had plenty left for just plain ole juicy eating. it's been years since i did any fruit preservation of any sort, so it was like the way-back machine to my pioneer-woman days when i'd stay up half the night to finish canning the fruit which was at that perfect stage of ripeness and couldn't be ignored. and besides... that was in the days before we put in the heat pump (AC) and the kitchen was hotter than the hinges at high noon in hell, so nighttime canning was preferable to sweltering thru the heat of the day in the kitchen!

hummingbird heaven and ladybugs at work....

wandering about my queendom this morning, i noticed how much bounty there is for the hummers... and how busy they and the butterflies were!

Jim brought home a net package crammed full of ladybugs, which i set free in the garden and greenhouse last evening. they seemed really anxious to get out of there and get freedom and a meal... and there they were this morning. some had gathered together on several plants like small work parties.

and that's how peaceful my morning was... and how easily entertained i can be...

simple gifts indeed.