Springfest At Our Buddhist Neighbours

Dear Readers;

My husband and I were invited to the local Buddhist Academy for their Springfest. We usually attend functions because we are allies in cow protection  and we just like to chat with them.

Usually the get togethers are quite small ...maybe 20 people show up but not this time....around 1000 people attended!

This pic is of the main temple room and all day long the monks and nuns gave tours to explain the meaning of the Buddha deities on the massive altar...the sacred bells..the stupas and books.

The monks also crafted these incredible dioramas of some of the Buddhas pastimes. These we were told were made from butter!

Their Guru.

The goddess of learning ...The Buddha...the goddess of compassion.

We were given a tour of the monks quarters. The rooms were very simple and quite austere. Films were shown of all the projects in the area and abroad. Everyone was fed very well!

We spent the afternoon and had a wonderful time. When it was time to go a shuttle bus brought us back to our car but not before my husband  filled his pockets with cookies!

Until next time,
Hare Krsna,
Yrs.Lal

New Cows!

Dear Readers;

I haven't written for awhile and I have so much to share.

While I was gone to Winnipeg to help celebrate my Mothers' 90th birthday,

My mom and her friend.

Gaura Nitai and Rama rescued our new cow Tulsi and her daughter 3 month old Manjari.

Tulsi was near death....starving...dehydrated with serious infections called hoof rot on her two back hooves. She was in such a weakened state that she could only lean against the barn wall. Gaura Nitai thought that they would only take the calf because he did not think that he could get the mom into the horse trailer. Even if he did manage to somehow drag her in...she would probably die on the way home.

 My husband is very loving and good at talking to animals...so he explained to her that she would need to gather all of her strength and drag herself onto the trailer. If...big if....she could do that..then he would do everything in his power to help her regain her health.

Well ...darned if she didn't do just that! Yay!!!!

We change her hoof dressings every second day and she is doing just fine! She eats and eats to her  hearts content! Here is a pic.

Until next time,
Hare Krsna,
Lal

Tulsi with her Kinky Red Boots!

Baby Manjari

Survival...or Not...

Dear Readers;

This past winter with our 17 feet of snowfall and multiple blizzards has been to say the least extremely trying...physically...mentally...emotionally and spiritually.

Chapter 2. Contents of the Gita Summarized

TEXT 14

matra-sparsas tu kaunteya
sitosna-sukha-duhkha-dah
agamapayino 'nityas
tams titiksasva bharata

TRANSLATION

O son of Kunti, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.............(I recite this verse to myself when ever I'm feeling like....."What the h...e...double hockey sticks!")

 

It felt like the survival of the fittest..or not....

In order to clean the barn each morning we had to physically push each cow out of the door. I didn't blame them at all for not wanting to go out ,but, go out they must, in order for us to make sure that their beds are all clean and fluffed up.

Fortunately the weather is warming up and we are feeling hopeful that spring is finally on it's way.

I was so tired that I began to think, "I can't do this anymore. This isn't simple living...it's just barely surviving!"

Fortunately cows are so wonderful that even if those thoughts did come up.....I just had to walk into the barn and all negativity was instantly forgotten:)

Until next time,
Hare Krsna,
Lal