Silent Retreat at Southern Dharma Nov 2011

Southern Dharma Retreat

The Southern Dharma is in Hot Springs, NC in a very rural area. A winding road takes you though hill country and another takes you up, up into the mountain. I went there to attend a 5 day silent retreat, learning by doing sitting meditation, yoga meditation and the tenants of Buddhism. Dharma is the original word for Buddhism. While growing up, I saw my parents benefit from attending the Insight meditation center in Barre, MA so I too wanted to try it.
here is a link to a description of the retreat
http://www.southerndharma.org/retreat_rahula.shtml
As you can see the teacher is an American. We began studying to be a monk at age 24 and has done so for 36 years. He is kind, patient, and knows so much about Buddhism . He is also funny and his teaching is never boring. He has a blog. it is http://bhanterahula.blogspot.com/

I did not miss talking nor did I miss the cell phone, computer, ipod, radio, etc. without speech, we all worked well together. always being mindful of the other persons needs. I did not know anything about them, neither their name, where they came from, what they did All the layers were peeled back to the core. what matters is that they are fellow human beings who are equal to you in every way and working together you fulfill your needs

my day began at 5am with the sounding of the gong. By 5:30 am we were at the meditation center practicing our yoga meditation and deep breathing. the day was full with sitting, standing and walking meditation as well as yoga and Dharma talks.
The retreatants did one hour of working mediation. Mine was assisting the cook in the kitchen, along with 4 other lucky retreatants. we peeled and chopped the vegetables and fruits for the lunch and dinner. it was all vegetarian and sooooo delicious. we also had other responsibilities from doing the dishes to cleaning bathrooms and vacuuming the rooms. All was so very neat, clean and well organized. Athough we did not speak we greeted each other with 2 hands together (in Thailand, this is called Namaste)
http://www.southerndharma.org/retreat_rahula.shtmlThe sitting meditation was difficult for me as my mind would wander or I would get sleepy. My thoughts evolved from worry and criticism to metta or kind thoughts.
My intentions are to continue at home with the yoga meditation and sitting and walking meditation. It is a vehicle to find peace and tranquility in a fast paced and often indifferent world. It will be a challenge to replace old habits of being with new.
Namiste
Susan

My Money Pit- 1990 Toyota Dolphin RV

I did not intend to buy an RV this summer. I had thought about expanding my camping horizons so that I may live away from home in relative comfort, without being someone's house guest. When I drove my Buick to New England In June, I knew a few things. one is that I wanted to make this migration annually for a long time to come. Just can't do the atlanta heat. I also wanted to pull into a ubiquitous Walmart parking lot and stay the night while en route. I also want to stay about a month in various state or national parks in relative comfort.

So John, who is Ed's cousin bought a toyota travel van in May, 2011. I was interested as Toyota is a reliable vehicle. On Craigs list I found a toyota dolphin listed for sale in Warwick, RI- excellent condition. That was a lie as there was extensive water damage but the price was cheap and I felt that this RV needed to be rescued from this Ralph person who sorely neglected it.

So 2 months and much money and time later, the Dolphin is ready to head south. It has had a real makeover thanks to Billy and John, who reluctantly provided help. to clarify, John really didn't want to start, thinking it was a Pandora's box. he did take it on to help me out and was really helpful. could not have done it without him. It was hot and frustrating but it was OK. I am learning about RVs which is all new to me. It really was like buying another home on wheels and doing a fix up.

So now I am cleaning and putting in dishes, pots and pans and silverware. you know, being Susie homemaker instead of Susie Fix it. John put in a back up video which is really great. It goes on in reverse to show everything in back of you , otherwise it is a mirror. I am still discovering things. I got my ipod player going and discovered speakers in the camper as well as the truck. also there is a CB player. I turned it on, never having used one before and said, Hello, I am trying to get this to work, anybody there. and some guy answered. yes, i'm here. I was totally surprised. I have a little sign on the back of the camper that says ch 19 so maybe I will get a few interesting calls to help fill in the long hours spent driving. also, if i run into trouble and my phone doesn't work, I can put out a call for help.

so ends the story of my impulsive purchase. I have 7K into it now and the possibilities for improvements keep popping up. like new tires and a solar panel to charge the coach battery. It will be my money pit for a while to come. just have to enjoy the heck out of it to make it all worthwhile. Come, visit and take a ride.

Nickerson State Park 2011-9th family camping reunion

If you've read last years blog, you read all about Nickerson State Park. I'm here again with my family for our camping reunion and loving it. the cape is one of those lovable places.

today my niece , nephew and the two kids and I went for a bike trail ride, 11 mile from our campsite to the end. passing through cranberry bogs, Lakes, canopies of scrub oaks, so cool,. It feels so good to live outdoors, camping. I am sure Native Americans looked askance at the early settlers who lived in wooden boxes and swept their floor , spending hours being clean. here we play for most of the day and squeeze some work in. the play can be swimming in the crystal clear ponds, canoeing or kayaking. or it could be going to the National sea shore. I love to go at around 5 pm when the sun looses its strength. I do yoga on the beach, or take long walks. sometimes, i put my face in the water and taste the salty brine.
dear friends,I miss you all. but every summer I must leave Hotlanta and seek out the coolness of New England. I have also decided to seek the warmth of Florida or Latin america this winter when the Georgia temp drips to the low twenties.
So I purchased a 1991 Toyota Dolphin in Rhode Island. It was a huge leap of faith as I know little of truck campers. Mine has a V6 engine, a one ton chasseand only 47K. It has all the amenities of an RV but is only 21.5 feet long. So why did I buy it. cause I love camping out of doors. now that I am semi retired, I can travel somewhere and stay put, living comfortably in the camper. I have looked into being a camp host. One can get free camping and even a monthly salary. I am thinking of Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo
http://www.floridastateparks.org/pennekamp/this winter or Anastasia State Park
http://www.floridastateparks.org/anastasia/default.cfm . I feel privileged that I can retire and travel, even buy an RV.
I also met Paula this summer at Nickerson. She was a camp host so I got lots of info about it and will sign up for 3-4 weeks next year as camp host, but only if I can be in Area 4, the best part of the campground.
I know there will come a time when my Mom needs me and I will have to stay put with her but that will also be a privilege and I will alter my nomadic lifestyle.
the photo is part of my family that camped together at Nickerson State Park. the second one is of the Atlantic Ocean at night.

Maine and Jeremy's place

Matt was born in 1973 when Dustin and I lived in Gouldsboro, Me. we were there for 4 years at his place on the Pond rd. It was a camp that he remodeled. it had no electricity then, only well water but it was a place where you had time to think, read, meditate and work hard. I went back and revisited the house this summer. it looked the same really with the addition of some chickens. the new owners have a generator for their electricity. hard to believe but the Federal rural electrification act expired in the sixties so in 2011 this house on a main rd. has none, too expensive to pay for.
I stayed at Jeremy's place. How to describe it. down a long rd, a once elegant hotel on the shores of Frenchmans Bay is now old but still kind of elegant. It was good to see Jeremy again, a friend for 40 years. he is still here, working for the Democrats, keeping up his place, involved in town politics and playing some great Blues guitar. He loved my cooking and I loved being there, like coming home. I also got to visit with two friends from yesteryear.
Highlights were riding my bike around Schoodic Peninsula, kayaking in front of Jeremys, collecting mussels and falling in the mud, and visiting old, dear friends. I will be back
again.
The first photo was taken while bicycling around Schoodic Peninsula and the second is the view in front of Jeremy's place

Visiting Home Tree Domes in Henniker, NH

visiting home tree domes

went to visit John at Home tree domes in Henniker, NH.
http://hometreedomes.com/

the community has an interesting way of securing their food supply. they make a two hour trip weekly to Trader Joes in Boston to dumpster dive. not really as TJ graciously puts the food out in plastic bags which they surreptitiously grab a 1 am and load into their vans. it get sorted out that morning and put into appropriate storage.

the domes have all the creature comforts. half the residents sleep in mobile homes and use the kitchen and bathroom and sitting area in the domes. lovely in the summer. harder in the winter. wish I was more cold tolerant as I would love to visit in the winter and cross country ski

the residents somewhat share a political view of freedom, liberty and justice for all. Many belong to the Free State Project

http://freestateproject.org/

I have wonderful memories of the Yakov family and swimming and boating in the Contoocook River which is very close to the Domes.

looking forward to seeing more of lovely NH.

Why do I camp?

Why do I camp

I am writing from the Dolly Copp campground in the White Mountain National Forest. it is early morning and it is cool and sunny with the early light filtering through the trees. I slept well on my thermarest mattress and am ready to begin my day. I camp so that I can wake up in a place like this to enjoy the sounds and sights of nature, breathe the clean air and smile.
I am thinking of my day. yesterday I did a 4 hour hike towards the peak of Mt Washington. It was a challenge and today I feel fine, no sore knees. Today I may put my kayak into the Androskoggin River and climb more or drive on to Maine. I have no set itinerary, which is the way I like it.
I have been in New England for over a month. I have spent a lot of time with family, camped at Cape Cod, traveled to Henniker NH to visit John and did some great kayaking and swimming in the Concoocook river. then on to Burlington Vermont, the most picturesque city I have seen other than Lunenbu

rg Nova Scotia.
my last stop will be Gouldsboro Maine. I lived there for 5 years in my 20's. Matt, was born there and luckily I still have a friend who lives on the shores of Frenchmans Bay and is willing to put me up as there is no good camping in the area.
I love being out in Nature. It gives me a peaceful, tranquil feeling. I love using my body to bike, hike, swim, boat, walk. I love my lone time but I love being with people and animals as well. I am really thankful I can do this and want to continue till I can't .
Love
Susan

Costa Rica 2010

October is toward the end of the green or rainy season in Costa Rica. My friend, Ed, and I have decided to travel together to CR for 12 days . My goal is to get a good idea of what CR is like as I am thinking of living out of the US for a few months during the winter and I like CR for several reasons. It is warm but also temperate. CR has not military. Money spent on military is spent instead on education and medical care. I like that a lot. I am curious about the Quakers in Monteverde. Not a lot is written about them and I would like a personal glimpse. I have just always wanted to go beyond Mexico and this seems like the right place.

We did not do a whole lot of preparatory stuff. Tried to pack light and have a place to stay the first night, a good guide book, a one excursion trip for a few days to the Caribean.

San Jose we were told was not so great. But we found a fantastic hotel that I would recomend named Hotel Aranjuez. the rooms were nice, cheap and the breakfast was fit for royalty. I will remember these breakfasts till my dying day with pleasure. how nice to sit in a tropical garden and dine on sumptious food and cr delicasies.

we went shopping in san Jose and left our loot in the storage room at Hotel aranjuez. great idea. we also went out tango dancing. fine people and fellow dancers, talked with an expat, danced,wined and dined.
San Jose has no addresses like the rest of cr. How do you find anything. you give the taxi driver the directions like it is 150 meters east of Rococo restaurant and they find it. But if I were to live there it would be in san Jose close to one of the universities as I like to be where there is music and symphonies and dancing. It is easy to take a bus trip to the beach if you want to get away. also, all the medical facilities are in san jose which is important as we age. But CR is not cheap. the price of food is the same as it is in the US. Housing is cheaper. taxis are cheaper. But there are many Latin American countries that are much cheaper and as beautiful, but not as peaceful.
must touch on crime. the Ticos are sweet, kind an considerate. Every Tico that I met was like that. There are criminal elements as there folks who live on the fringes.

We tried to hit four different areas around the country. the caribbean where we cruised on the canals and saw amazing wildlife everywhere, especially the green back turtle babies hatching and walking ino the sea. Arenal where an active volcano and hot springs is a fantastic experience.
Monteverde where the Quakers have a meeting house and school and where a thriving cheese making factory run by quakers and associates supplies all kinds of cheeses and pork sausages to CR and Nicaragua. And lastly the pacific coast where we hiked with monkeys and raccoon like creatures and swum in the beautiful ocean.
yes, CR, I will be back but will go to Ecuador and perhaps Guatamala first.
love
susan