Good Morning, Babaji!

One of my morning routines is to open the window shades, which brings a connection with the greater world. One of the windows faces a small hillside, just across the driveway from the house. The hillside is forested, with weeds and brambles filling in the empty spaces, and if you look closely, you can see that, like the house itself, there is plentiful evidence of neglect and abandonment. Because, there are remnants of a lovely garden there, all along the drive.

I'm looking forward to being able to restore the old garden, uncover the structures and perennials that someone lovingly placed. This coming spring promises to be a time of discovery and renewal for this once-was garden.

One of the treasures we've already discovered is a series of large, natural-stone steps that lead up to a narrow ridge at the base of a large cedar. And low and behold, there's a stone slab right where the cedar's trunk buries itself into the leaf litter, a stone slab that might have been a bench at one time, a stone slab that might make a perfect altar.

So, of course, we put Babaji there.

Good morning, Babaji!

In case you haven't heard of Babaji before, he is the deathless saint who lives in the Himalayas and is in charge of the spiritual life of the East, just as Jesus is in charge of the spiritual life of the West. It was Babaji who set in motion a series of events that brought Paramhansa Yogananda to the United States in 1920, nurturing along the timely vision of bringing Eastern philosophy to the Western world. So, actually, every Ananda site exists not only because of Swami Kriyananda and Paramhansa Yoganada; they exist also because of Babaji.

Blessing and guiding us

So, every morning when I open the window shades, I connect with the greater world, and I connect with Babaji. Not the vague image of a deathless saint living on the other side of the planet, but Babaji who is here, gazing serenely, blessing continuously, guiding joyously.

It's a nice way to start a morning.

I Am Grateful for Computer Games

I kid you not.

Years ago, an inspiring TED Talk made the rounds, featuring Jane McGonigal and her convincing presentation about the many benefits of gaming to human kind.

If you, like me, have held computer games with some level of disdain, you might meet this statement with a grain of skepticism. But Ms. McGonigal speaks articulately from her own experience, and I can add my own thumbs up.

Of course, computer games are abused, as is alcohol, opioids, and sugar. But computer games have been profoundly beneficial to me, and probably to many, many, many others.

On those days when energy drains away, and I retreat to the bedroom to rest, usually for hours, the thing that has helped me maintain my sanity is a fun computer game. The game of choice has changed over time, as functionality declines or rises. The game just has to be mentally engaging, visually captivating, and peaceful. I avoid games that are warrior-centric.

Everything that Ms. McGonigal claims during her TED Talk seems to be true. At each level of the game, you are given the tools you'll need to succeed at that level, and clues about how to go about using them. You can tap into resources for help and guidance. Your success is measured by leveling up to the next plateau of difficulty. Computer games are fun and rewarding right from the start, and the good ones keep us engaged as we spend more time learning and playing.

The interesting thing to me is that our brains don't seem to know the difference between an electronic accomplishment and a physical one. If I harvest an electronic field of electronic beets, my brain feels just as rewarded as when I weed a flower bed. When I finish all of my electronic tasks and log off of the game, the sense of accomplishment gives me the same level of reward as drying the last dish and hanging up the towel.

When I am not capable of completing physical tasks, electronic tasks suffice. My brain is engaged, the screen is visually pleasing, and I can succeed. Cheerfulness and good humor can flourish, along with enthusiasm and anticipation for whatever tomorrow might bring.

That's powerful stuff.

That power is highlighted in Ms. McGonigal's subsequent TED Talk, describing an accidental, physical debilitation and how gaming was her savior. This talk is fabulous! She makes a convincing presentation, with a feel-good message. It's something to think about.

Friends, Family, and Gratitude

Not to mention great food!

It's Thanksgiving Day! A national holiday devoted to family, friends, great food, spending time together, and gratitude. How lucky are we, to have such a wonderful holiday, year after year?

We plan to go to the vegetarian dinner at the Ananda Seattle temple this year, our first time to spend Thanksgiving with the Seattle sangha. If my neck can't support my head yet, 😒, then Dambara will go anyway, because he loves getting together with our friends, AND because then he can bring our cranberry compote that we made yesterday.

Best when served at room temperature

YUM!!!

We've brought this to almost every winter-holiday potluck that we've attended over the last eight years or so, because it's SO good. And every year, it gets passed over during the first wave of banquet-table browsers, then vanishes during the second half of the feast.

Because, let's face it; cranberries are not everyone's favorite side dish, and there are always so many delectable choices on offer, so it's easy to overlook cranberry anything. But with this compote, word spreads. The bowl gets scant attention, and then is ravished; it is always empty by the end of the banquet. People whisper around to find out who brought it, and we end up sending out copies of the recipe.

Here's the recipe, ahead of time:

Shanti’s Cranberries with Cherries

serves 16

2 lbs cranberries (3 bags)

3 cups sugar

1 scant tsp ground cloves

1 cup orange juice

1 cup pomegranate or cranberry juice

zest from 2 oranges

2 cups dried cherries

Bring all except the cherries to a slow boil and simmer about 10 minutes or until cranberries start to pop. Remove from heat, and stir in dried cherries. Cool; store chilled.

It's called Shanti's recipe, because I got it from Shanti Rubenstone years ago, when we lived in Palo Alto. She's a marvelous cook, and she's made this recipe since forever. The cranberry compote followed us to Portland and is about to debut in Seattle. This should be fun.

FYI, we cut the sugar almost in half and added cinnamon. Be careful to avoid overcooking; it becomes a solid mass and loses all its attractiveness and yumminess. I speak from experience.

While it's too late for your Thanksgiving table, there are more holidays just around the corner. You will love it.

Connections

Connections weren't a big thing when I was younger. Is it an age thing, or a moving-through-clueless thing, that now, connections with friends seem to be so important?

Connections

When people come to visit, or we're able to visit friends, reading comments and posts from friends, getting a text, my heart always opens up, and I feel so much happier. I love the glimpses into other people's lives and thoughts. It's not the same as face-to-face, but it's quite amazing how connected we can feel, through social media, electronics, and simple thinking-of-you.

I believe that our human interactions, experiences, and feelings are a reflection of those same realities with the divine energy that is all around us and inside us. Nurturing connections with our friends teaches us how to nurture our connection with divine energy.

When we fall in love, when we laugh over a cup of tea, listen to a great story, or share an insight, those are all glimpses of God. That feeling we get of joy and completeness, those are experiences of God. Forget about the bearded man on a majestic cloud somewhere unimaginable. That joy we experience through creativity, nature, friendship, that's God.

Thank you, friends. The spark of God in me honors the spark of God in you.

Have a lovely Wednesday.

Oowww

I've had muscle spasms in my shoulder for about a week now. They crop up about twice a year, usually after I carry something heavy, like a grocery bag or computer, hoisting the handles up onto my shoulder. I almost never do that anymore, but still, the muscle spasms hit from time to time, radiating up into my neck, so it's painful to support my head.

I thought I had stayed on top of it this time, taking ibuprofen right off the bat, so the spasms wouldn't build on themselves, spurred on by the pain. But they've hit full force for the last 48 hours, and nothing seems to deter them, despite anti-inflammatories and soothing heat.

Muscle spasms have given me great respect and empathy for people with chronic pain. I know that my pain will go away eventually. Chronic pain is never ending, something I cannot begin to fathom.

Dambara is wholeheartedly supportive, and both kitties nestle in quietly while tears seep onto my pillow. I have a fabulous life. It's just a hard day, is all. I'm hoping for a better tomorrow.

Gratitude

Moving into Thanksgiving week, let's focus on those things in our world for which we are grateful. Here's a list of things that come to mind. . .

I'm grateful for where we live, the island, the community, the farm, the house.

I'm grateful for the friends that surround us daily and who come to visit from afar. Connections with other people are threads that give our lives meaning.

I'm grateful for the happiness and joy that flood our lives.

I'm grateful for the spiritual path that sustains me, gives me a blueprint for a meaningful life, and helps me make sense of the world.

I'm grateful for Dambara, my ever-supportive, ever-kind, ever joyful partner in life.

I'm grateful for the animals that enrich my days, reminding me of a wider reality than what lives inside my own head.

I'm grateful for increasing health and replenishing energy.

I'm grateful for the unfolding vision of Ananda Farm Camano Island.

I'm grateful for the rhythm of the seasons and the opportunity to be affected by them and in tune with them.

I'm grateful for the beauty that surrounds us, the beauty of nature, the beauty of this blossoming household, the beauty of the energy that permeates ever nook.

I'm grateful for creativity and imagination and the means to pursue them.

I'm grateful for the tapestry of creation and the threads we travel along.

I am grateful.

Herb Shop Work Party, Day 2

Drywall, Part 2

The Herb Shop is galloping toward completion.

The welcoming facade

An expansive room

A second day of hanging drywall did the trick. The saving grace is that sheets of drywall are quite large, so they cover a lot of area, one by one by one.

Precision artists

But every sheet that goes up on the wall needs detail work, for electrical outlets, windows, door frames. . . And these workers are precision artists. Every cutout is precise and fits snuggly. Very satisfying to peer at the fine workmanship.

By lunchtime, the large pieces were in place on the walls, the ceiling was complete, and there was a light at the end of the drywall tunnel.

Sharing a well-earned, hot lunch

We were stretched a bit thin today, with a boisterous gift fair that gobbled up Hailey and Peony, then Zach, William, and Paean, and with Glenda and Manisha putting lunch together, but we conquered the dry wall.

Holiday gift fair

Next up: taping, mudding, sanding, painting, and all forms of dusting. We can do this. With joy.

The Herb Shop

Our current, big project on the farm is upgrading the Herb Shop. The Herb Shop has been housed in the detached, two-car garage that is part of Haven House, so it's been around for quite some time, several years. This is where we make medicinal-herb products, candles, and soap, and dehydrate herbs and flowers. It's the product center for the farm.

Hailey, Paean, Niranjana, probably others, have been immersed in planning the upgrade for at least a year. The upgrade, basically, will turn the Herb Shop into a commercial kitchen. With a commercial kitchen, we'll be able to increase the number of products we offer at farmers' markets, and start officially to advertise farm suppers and offer food at farm events.

Wheelbarrows and strength

As with all projects, it starts with the basics. After finalizing the floor plan for equipment and work surfaces, tradesmen stepped in to install a new septic system, plumbing, and electrical. And, as with all projects, the preparatory steps leading up to the arrival of the tradesmen were extensive, including digging trenches for new water lines, cutting out channels from the existing cement floor, taking down plastic sheeting and insulation, all to make room for the new plumbing and electrical.

Now, deep breath, the tradesmen have packed up their tools and heavy equipment, moving on to their next job. A cement truck stopped by and, with wheelbarrows and impressive upper-body strength, we filled in the excavated channels in the cement floor and smoothed the new cement carefully, repeatedly, so it blends in wonderfully with the old cement.

Patience and perfection

The farmers have been putting back the insulation and plastic sheeting on ceilings and walls, all in preparation for a work party, yesterday and today. Friends dropped by to hoist drywall onto walls and ceiling, carefully cutting precise rectangles for electrical outlets and switches, then nailing the drywall in place.

Many hands

Have you ever worked with drywall? It's HEAVY! And its little corners are delicate, so you can't bump it against anything. But, many hands make a miracle, and at the end of the day yesterday, half the drywall was installed. Today, the project continues. At the end of today, we'll do whatever is next on the list, with mudding and taping being top contenders for Next. Then, there's sanding, painting, and cleaning, then moving in the equipment and work surfaces, then bringing in all of the supplies and inventory that have been crowding into the corners of Haven House and the Farmhouse for the past year.

We expect to have the new Herb Shop up and running by the first part of December.

Thus, our slow season on the farm continues, with building projects, mulching, holiday gift fairs, and study groups all nestling in, cheek by jowl.

Nighttime veranda

What a wonderful world.

New Habits

Errands

I'm such a homebody. It takes a lot to get me to leave the farm, especially to go off the island. It's so perfect here; why would anyone want to be anywhere else?

Ananda Farm Camano Island

So when I do need to drive off island, I make it as productive a trip as possible.

I have a meeting in town every Thursday at noon, and so yesterday, I stuffed things in the car that needed to go elsewhere, the recycling, some tools I was delivering, a couple of post-office notices, and toddled off. On the way home from the meeting, I stopped at all the stores that had things we needed at the farm, and slowly wended my way back home.

Buy bulk

Buy bulk

One of the stops was a grocery store that I happen to enjoy, because it has most of the things we like to use in our cooking, and most of all, it has a large selection of bulk food. I picked out some dried fruit and a variety of nuts and seeds to make granola. We've recently unearthed our dehydrator, and I have a really good granola recipe, so we've started making our own granola again.

Single-use plastic

So I'm pouring and scooping these dried fruits, nuts, and seeds into the only containers available: plastic bags. And as the plastic bags mounted up in the grocery cart, it was obvious that even though I was being responsible in eliminating as much packaging as possible by buying bulk, I was still using all of this single-use plastic.


Sigh.

When I got home, the sewing machine was still set up, because I had those few napkins left to hem, and there, next to the sewing machine, there was sitting the white netting I had bought, all those weeks ago. It's the type of netting that someone might use for a wedding veil, a very fine netting, quite resilient, a little stretchy, and the reason I had bought it was to make produce bags.

Reusable bags

There it was. A means for eliminating one form of single-use plastic. I set the groceries on the floor, cleared off a space on the table, and stretched out the netting. I cut it into rectangles, sized similar to one of the plastic bags from the store, and ended up with 16 rectangles. That's a good number of produce bags, or, as it were, bulk bags.

Produce bags

I sewed the sides together on eight of the bags, and I'll sew the remaining eight bags today. It feels good to be able to make a change, at the household level, that shifts our economy away from single-use anything and toward sustainability.

New Habits

I've had that netting for about three months. But the sewing machine and thread were buried in our storage shed, along with all the rest of our stuff, and setting up the kitchen to get to the point that homemade granola was a possibility, then going to buy all of the ingredients and watching that pile of plastic bags bulge across the shopping cart. . . A lot of things came together yesterday in order for me to be able to take that step of reusable produce bags.

But we're on our way. The habits of high efficiency, productivity, and ease-of-use have led us into this disposable economy. But if we pay attention and shift those habits whenever we can, it's possible to get back on track.

We'll need some time to instill the new habit of remembering to take the bags into the store with us, but there's hope. We're smart people. We're actually a smart species. We can learn how to take better care of our planet, and we can take action on a household level. That's how we can change the world.

We are learning to take better care of our planet.

Goals

Why are we so goal-oriented?

Is everyone goal-oriented? Or only some of us? Most of us?

If, at the end of the day, I don't have a feeling of accomplishment, I feel deflated. Why is that?

Do stuff? Or just be.

Perhaps it's a generational thing. Perhaps the peers I've moved through the decades alongside have reinforced the quest for accomplishment. My friends and colleagues, by and large, aren't the coffee shop hanger-outs portrayed on Friends or Seinfeld. Mostly because we all had jobs to make a living to afford our apartments, but even on weekends, we were doing things, rather than simply hanging out together.

Bulbs, no check

Still in the box

As for yesterday's goals, the daffodil and tulip bulbs are still in their boxes. We haven't unpacked all of our tools yet, and the battery-operated drill that was available wasn't strong enough to auger holes for the bulbs. With 225 bulbs, augering bulb holes is my strategy for success. So, I'm content to wait another week or so until we uncover our electric drill, which won't limit my spread-them-eveywhere ambition, since we also have two, 100-foot extension cords. Somewhere.

Not meeting that goal was okay with me, because it was outside my control. I didn't flake off and eat chocolate instead. Although, I did have a piece of chocolate. But it wasn't a replacement for bulb planting.

Sewing, partial check

Sustainable napkins

I did get a lot of sewing done, and that is a fairly large project, so that felt good. I'm making napkins, a step toward sustainability for our group house. I have a whole plan around the napkins, and it will be fun to see how it all works out. To launch the project, a few weeks ago I brought home four pieces of fabric, washed them, folded them up, and set them aside. Each fabric is pretty, cotton, and fits into our color palette.

Turns out I brought home a bit too much fabric; each one resulted in 8-12 napkins. Let's just say that we're well-stocked in napkins now. They were fun to make. I set a goal of sewing three napkins each time I sat down at the machine, and then I could go do something else. Being an over-achiever, I usually made six or even eight at a time, and now I only have five left to sew today.

They have slender, rolled hems, and the repetition for each napkin resulted in me becoming pretty good at sewing rolled hems now. That will come in handy when I do something bigger. Altar cloths come to mind. Also, it looks like these napkins won't need ironing, a promising sign. So all in all, the sewing project was a huge success, even though there's still a tad to do.

Joy level, check. Plus a star.

My primary goal for yesterday was to move through the day with joy. That happened. Every part of the day was fun, inward, manageable, and successful. Even the thwarted bulbs were a success, because there's a path forward toward accomplishing the project. It will get done.

Joy is simple.

You can do anything you need to do, as long as you can find joy in the doing of it. Such a simple concept, but not necessarily easy to achieve. You need to practice in order to get better at it. And every day offers another opportunity to practice. It's a worthwhile goal.

So not only do I get to check off joy as an accomplishment for yesterday, I'm giving myself a gold star. Partly because I'm a generous person. Mostly because I worked at it, overcame some obstacles, and nurtured joy all day long.


It's on my list for today, too.

A new day

Blue Skies

Seclusion

Dambara is in seclusion for a couple of days, staying at The Hermitage, which is only about 10 minutes away. It's a working seclusion, allowing him to stay immersed in a music project that has been rattling around in his imagination for quite a while. This time away from the everyday will catapult that project toward completion.

Blue skies at Ananda Farm Camano Island

A special addition to his seclusion are the blue skies that greeted Camano Island this morning. It's beautiful outside! Not only do blue skies bring bright sunshine, but at The Hermitage, they bring a vista of the Cascades, sprawling along the horizon across the bay from The Hermitage. Imagine that view, sunshine, seclusion, and music. A glorious combination.

Inner guide

Spring color and delight

Another facet of Dambara's seclusion is that I have the house to myself, so I get to have a sort of seclusion as well. It probably won't be a deep seclusion, as our house is still cluttered with moving boxes, poised furniture, and an enormous to-do list. But it promises to be a heavenly time simply because my goal is to follow my inner guide.

What shall I do today? Writing, obviously, because, here we are. And chunks of sewing sprinkled throughout the day, sweet little odds and ends to enhance our soon-to-be simple life. What will bring joy to my heart? What creativity will flow today? What will come next?

My big ambition is planting daffodil and tulip bulbs.

Because we have blue skies today.

Tricky project

Always worth it

Bulbs are a tricky project for me. They hold such a promise of springtime beauty and delight, so they were a powerful lure, sitting, quietly whistling their alluring song at the entrance to Home Depot, weeks ago. Plus they were 50% off. Plus I'd been pricing them through online suppliers, for staggering sums. So, of course, I brought home three boxes, some 200+ bulbs for next to nothing.

I put them out on the deck, out of the way, with all of the construction and debris and giant boxes of appliances shifting around them. I see them often. They've never risen to the top of the to-do list, because they can safely be postponed, and running water, running hot water, seemed so much more desirable.

But we have blue skies today.

Seclusion, inner guides, and blue skies; it's a wonderful world.

Bliss and Serena in their sunny window

Burn Out

The Burnout Generation

I've been listening to an audiobook, The Burnout Generation, by Anne Helen Petersen. It's a short listen, less than 2 hours, and I found it engaging all the way through. Ms. Petersen is a culture writer, and in this piece, she interviews five millennials about the complications of their lives. They are at the beginning of their careers, intelligent, industrious, motivated, and burned out. Their stories gave me a glimpse into the world of a generation with whom I don't have a lot of personal connection. It's given me a lot to think about.

Time for reflection

Burn out sneaks up on you

The interviews reveal commonalities as each story unfolds. The millennials have been busily engaged in their lives, doing what they had been taught to do at school or by their families, what they were expected to do by their colleagues or cultural norms, along with strategies they had figured out on their own. And each story describes an underlying thread of despair and helplessness over how to change their situation.

Juggling more doesn't help

Those seem to be the elements that lead to burn out, and burn out sneaks up on you. You're busily doing the things that you've been told will bring you success, and you don't feel successful. You look around you and back at how your life has been going, and it dawns on you that you're burned out.

And maybe you don't figure it out yourself. Maybe you read an article about burn out that, amazingly, lists your symptoms, and you realize that you're not doing things wrong, you're simply burned out. Maybe a friend or colleague recognizes it and suggests you might be burned out. However the realization comes to you, when you hear about it, you recognized its truth, and reality shifts.

Cultural expectations are flawed

Working harder doesn't help

The most important aspect of burn out is that the problem is not a lack on the individual's part. No matter how hard someone works, or how many hours he or she works, it doesn't get better. The solution is not to work harder or work longer. The problem is that the cultural expectations are flawed. If there is no separation between work, social, and personal, our brains don't get to shift gear. We are always on. There is no break, no recharge, no balance.

Doing more doesn't help

Ms. Petersen doesn't offer solutions, which is just as well, because the solution is going to be different for each person. Her message is simply that burn out is real, it's not you who is flawed, it's the system, and recognizing that gives you the chance to find solutions.

Moving Through the Day

Your day

It really doesn't matter what you do with your day. It can be a day of errands, driving here, then there. It might be a day of projects, accomplishing this, then that. Perhaps it will be a day of reflection, of gazing at trees, gently walking through the meadow, or curling up under a soft blanket. A day of cooking. Tidying. Preparation.

Joyful pink lady

Use joy

It really doesn't matter what you do with your day. What matters is the quality of the energy that you're able to bring into the activities. If you can move through your day with joy, then it doesn't matter what you do. If you can't access any joy, then it also doesn't really matter what you do with your day.

And yet, I find that it helps to start the day with something I love to do, giving joy room to build, and then the circle can feed itself. Priming the pump. Writing can prime the pump, bringing me into the present and connecting with an inner muse. If a more robust priming is needed, writing about gratitude consistently fills my heart with joy.

Use gratitude

A gratitude journal is a powerful thing. It can sit at your bedside, ready for you each morning. Set a supportive goal, and achievable goal. "I will write down three things for which I'm grateful." Give yourself a timeline. "I will write down those three things every day for a month." An idea, plus a commitment, plus a timeframe will transform a vision into a reality.

Gratitude begets gratitude. When I write down three things for which I'm grateful, more things occur to me. I usually end up filling the page with gratitude. The only rule is that each thing must be genuine, a real thing. "I'm grateful for the sun spilling across my desk." Because, if things are too generalized, they carry scant power. "I'm grateful for the kindness of strangers" might be a true thought, but is it my thought or simply a safe thought pulled from memory?

Daily tasks

Pay attention

How do you feel before you prime the pump? How do you feel after priming the pump? If it worked for you, your inclination will be to try it again tomorrow. If you pay attention to your inner reality, it will guide you toward that thing that is right for you to do.

Explore

Work with joy

Writing isn't for everyone. Maybe it's a crossword puzzle. Maybe it's brushing your cat. Maybe it's weeding in the garden, or phoning a friend. Make a list of things you love to do. Keep them in your consciousness. Diets work when they keep you aware of the quality and quantity of the food you eat. Keeping an awareness of the things that bring joy to your heart helps your heart stay open to the energy of joy.

Moving through the day

If you have joy in your heart, you'll move through your day with calmness, intuition will flow, obstacles will diminish. It's a worthwhile goal, and, it's an achievable one.

Create with joy

Take care of the moments, and the incarnations will take care of themselves. Paramhansa Yogananda

Stepping Stones

What a wonderful world

It's wise to keep your dancing shoes at hand, to move gracefully through the whirlwind that life can unleash around you. It helps keep your wonderful world, if not intact, at least in sight.

In April, Dambara and I followed our mason bees to Camano Island. That's another story for another time. The stepping stones that led us here glowed with a divine brilliance, leaving no doubt that we were dancing in the right direction, hearing a true song. From one day to the next, we went from pondering where to live, to suddenly, happily, packing our boxes and heading north.

Now, in November, the pieces are taking shape, this wonderful world is coalescing, coming into focus, and here we are, creating a safe haven for devotees to come together amidst beauty, to live a simple life, a life pleasing to God.

We bought a house on Camano Island. And not just any house. A neglected, dilapidated house, sitting on five acres of abandoned beauty, a house that was really more dog kennel than home,

Neglected and forlorn

with a couple of people finishing this stage of their karma in this house. I admit to a lot of trepidation because the house was so abhorrent. I tiptoed through and left as soon as possible. Awful.

But divine stepping stones glowing brilliantly give one great confidence and courage. We bought the house without hesitation. And, as I said, not just any house. This house sits strategically in the missing corner of Ananda Farm Camano Island, filling in the fourth quadrant of a twenty-acre square. The stepping stones led us here, and what a glorious path it's been.

With enormous help from many friends and their willing hands, we've torn out carpet, ripped up flooring, replaced rotting and moldy subfloors and drywall, installed beautiful vinyl floors, taken out walls, added walls, painted walls, replaced every screen, window shade, counter top, and even the electrical covers.

Painting party

Friends bring joy and helping hands

And what is emerging is a place of beauty.

A chandelier for the pantry

A splash of coral

Every step forward has been a victory. Every ousting of filth and disintegration, every installation of light and color, lifted the energy. Haven West is exuding a nurturing, welcoming glow, an extension of the stepping stones that brought us here.

The stepping stones have been delightful, filled with friends, laughter, amazement, and always, a deep joy.

Running water. Clear, running water. Clear, hot, running water. Every step a victory.

Water warriors

Heat. Clean windows. Solid floors. Colorful walls. Whimsy. Creativity. Friendship.

by Surana

It's a wonderful world.