7/26/07 Riverplay at Bridgeport

7/26/07

Every summer we go to the beach, when you grow up at the beach, you think it's the best!
This week we've been playing at the river, runs right through the dense forest,
just the right temperature when it's 90 degrees outside, no lifeguards with their rules,
no chlorine, no salt, rapids that you can swim down like a natural slide, lots of
friends to play with, the river is very cool.

Luc is a God with his lifejacket on, invincible and fearless. Reese is very happy with
tree swings and rapids to swim down, and you can't beat the scenery, gorgeous.
We are sharing the space with loads of dragonflys and lizards, there is the strong
presence of life all around.

Today we went to Bridgeport and above us was an old fashioned wooden bridge,
a lady i met there told me she was married for 35 years and her first date was right
under this bridge, now she brings her grandkids here.

It was some high quality relaxing, reading, chillin and visiting with friends.
My best friend Alexis joined us at Ananda this week, such a treat to have
her, Dave, Ronnie her mom and Kaia and Noah join us! I don't think i have
ever seen Alexis so relaxed, a beautiful sight indeed.

7/25/07 Welcome to Ananda Village

Sweet retreat, an oasis where you can find peace for the soul, joy for your spirit, love for your heart..
Ananda is based on the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda, author of the spiritual classic Autobiography of a Yogi.
His teachings emphasize direct inner experience of God, which he called Self-realization.

We are camped out at the retreat center, doing yoga and meditation, eating delicous vegetarian meals in community, enjoying daily talks about self development, parenting, working with children and ourselves and also playing in the river and venturing to nearby lakes and taking in the incredible nature all around.

There are deer running all about, hawks, frogs, fish, squirrels, hummingbirds and many birds i can't name. There are 25 or so families and about 10 of them came from Taiwan and barely speak any english, so we have been enjoying hearing the interpreter at our sessions. The kids are playing games, doing art and soaking up all the uplifting energy from the forest, gardens and trees.

7/23/07 Ananda Meditation Center

7/23/07

Way off the beaten path, we arrived finally at the Ananda Meditation Center about 15 miles from Nevada City. They are off the grid, they get power from a windmill, solar and generator and water from a well. They property is in the midst of a vast forest but the most remarkable beauty so far for me is thanks to Charles the gardener.

We are here for a week of Family Camp, a chance to learn about the teachings here at Ananda and hear from the Director of the school who has taught for the better part of 30 years at the schools here on the property.

All through the property and gardens are sculptures of saints and sages from all faiths, you feel in very special company here.

Empire Gold Mine 7/22/07

7/22/07

Today we got a big education in hard rock gold mining at the
Empire Mine State Historic Park in Grass Valley. We took a guided tour down an actual mine shaft (we went down about 20 feet) and learned that the miners actually worked mostly below 4500 feet below the surface. From about 1850-1957 they mined here, removing tons of rock to locate the quartz that held the gold veins. They worked 6 days a week, 10 hours a day for $18 an hour, by candlelight pounding a sledgehammer into rock and using gunpowder for blasting in very cramped spaces.. no thanks
The Bourn family that ran the mine also built a “Cottage House” on the property where we actually got to meet the Bourn’s and their housekeeper and they shared stories about their lives there. Katie the housekeeper spent 10 minutes alone telling us about her beautiful wood burning stove and all of it’s uses. She was delighted that the house had warm and cold running water and indoor plumbing.

Gold Rush Fever in Sacramento 7/19/07

7/19

Exploring more of downtown Sacramento.. spent the morning on the waterfront at the
Discovery Museum Gold Rush Center a hands on Childrens Museum with activity centers
designed for kids 3-12. We got in free with our membership to the Fleet Science Museum in
San Diego. We saw an old fashioned printing press and had Wanted Train Robber flyers
with Reese and Luc's name printed on it.
Very labor intensive they had to place a small metal tile for each letter printed and
pictures had to be etched in metal.
The kids played for hours learning about the Gold Rush, life for the pioneers, guessing about
what all the farming machinery did, and seeing a 1920's kitchen and the caning process.

We played at the river next door and watched a riverboat come down the river and to our
amazement, the bridge that stretched across the river began to turn and open a channel
for the boat to pass through!

Our afternoon was spent next door at the California State Railroad Museum where we saw
20 or so life size railroads and learned railroads impacted travel and development of the west.
We walked through dining cars (where the boys got to play the chimes calling everyone to dinner),
sleeping cars and a post office car and saw how they used trains to sort, deliver and pick up mail.

We learned about the Chinese Immigrants who largely helped build the railroads and saw
how they had to blast through mountains to lay the tracks.

Of course the highlight was actually playing with the very extensive wooden train set they
had set up for the kids!

Sierra Hot Springs

7-10-07

MORNING!!
instead of waking up to an alarm or to Luc kicking me,
today i heard the cows mooing next door in the pasture.

Sierra Hot Springs in surrounded by pastures and forests and
Aspens and Pine Trees and mountains and valleys.
i woke early and headed for the meditation pool, a 1 minute bike ride away,
and i was happy to enjoy the pool completely alone.

about 99 degrees, sandy bottom (great for body scrubbing) and a perfect little rock
that works as a recliner and pillow. I sat for over an hour
watching the little tiny leaves on the 4 or so aspen trees that surround the pool
dancing in the wind

a 7 year old boy Lucas lives here, so he and Reese are playing Pokemon with glee
Luc spent over 2 hours today watering all the plants (grandma Lynne would be proud)
when we arrived monday night they had a band playing in the front yard of the big house
and folks were enjoying dinner on the lawn

this is a great follow up to the non stop party of High Sierra Music Festival
lots of nothing to do
but we are still trying to adjust to this life on the road
learning how to use the mac book
setting up the ipod and online bill pay
there is a lot of work you have to do to unplug

7/10 Thunder Storm in July

thunder storm in July

stormy weather

loud sky
bright lights
blowing, thundering, bolting across the horizon
close your eyes, run, hide, this force is coming for you

don't bother
it's like trying to hold on to a cloud
let it come, feel the wind, the rain, the bright lights overhead
let the thunder wash over you
release you

you are the storm
the wind

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yes, while relaxing at Sierra Hot Springs
after 4 days in Quincy with temperature in the 90's
we got clouds, then thunder, then lightening, then rain
it was glorious
the most spactacular lightening storm i've ever seen
and the smell of the pine trees after the rain
wow