Planting continues in the garden. We are harvesting several things that overwintered, like kale and beets; and some that have been growing for some years, like asparagus and artichokes. Strawberries are getting ripe, along with plums. We had freshly-picked strawberries for dessert last night and with breakfast this morning. The tractor bit the dust and… Read more »

Last Saturday, teens connected with the Blueprint Foundation spent time on the land, learning how to use the tractor and mower, and helping with various gardening tasks. They seemed to have fun with this, and it was a big help in the garden. This Saturday morning, from 9-noon, we will have a garden work party… Read more »

Gardens and trees are waking up to spring, with that particular green only found in April. During Wednesday’s work party, Phyllis mows in an effort to tame a “sea of grass” while Sarah cleans grass out of a garden bed along with overwintered plants, some of which went into a salad for dinner. Wednesday Work… Read more »

We sometimes get requests for an audio recording of our Sunday morning service. Good news! We now have this recording, which you are welcome to listen to and/or download. This can be helpful when traveling, for those who are home-bound, or for those just wanting help memorizing the chants. Sarah weeds in the rain, wearing… Read more »

On a rainy Thursday, this view from the densho bell shows Rocky Butte wreathed in mist, and trees and shrubs in their new green colors. This week’s work has focused on moving out of the 85th house, taking most of the furniture, temple things, and residents’ stuff to be stored temporarily in the barn, pending… Read more »

Come help paint trim tomorrow! We are inviting everyone to come to a trim-painting party tomorrow from 9am to 3pm. Kakumyo has been working with plumbers, electricians and handymen to get the duplexes up to speed. Two units now have electricity hooked up, with lights and heat that works. The unit shown (with the front… Read more »

The push is on to get the duplexes ready. Here, Pacific Power hooks up electricity (though it’s still not on inside the buildings) in preparation for the electricians to come in next week to finish the inside. A plumbing inspection yesterday allows us to begin covering walls in the south building. The north building is… Read more »

On Saturday, March 17, lots of people turned out to work on the duplexes, on landscaping, and gardening. We got a lot done in the way of preparation for painting, some painting in the afternoon, texturing the first unit, spreading gravel and dirt outside, weeding, and other tasks. In addition, this was the day that… Read more »

The plumbers have been working extra time and extra hard, and so has Kakumyo. We’ve passed one plumbing inspection, which allows sheetrock and texturing to finish in the north building, and have one more to proceed with the south building. Residents are planning to move in the first week of April. We’re on track to… Read more »

Spring is coming in fits and starts, as is usual with March, one day sunny, the next stormy, windy, and rainy. Several flowering plants are blooming – here are rosemary, forsythia, and plum trees. Frogs and birds are singing, geese are flying, and ducks are on the ponds. It will be a while before we… Read more »

On Saturday, February 24, Friends of Trees did a morning work project to plant native trees and shrubs in several places on the property. Most obvious and notable were plantings around the duplexes, which are coming closer to being ready to move in to. These plantings really add to the sense of houses that would… Read more »

A family enjoys the snow on Wednesday. Many people from the surrounding neighborhood regularly enjoy the property with children, dogs, cameras, etc. Thursday morning icicles dangle from the snow packed on top of the Sodo. The man in the red shirt was doing plumbing inside of the duplexes. A snow-flocked Rocky Butte is visible above… Read more »

The successful Feldenkrais workshop attracted a mix of people, members and non-members of Dharma Rain, who found it valuable for increasing range of motion and overall physical health. It was gentle enough that everyone was able to work to their own capacity. If there is interest, we may offer the workshop again. The photo shows… Read more »

A crew from Great Vow Zen Monastery came out to help with Wednesday’s work party. It made for a lively lunch, as we all got to know each other better. Gemmon continues her work on upkeep and development of the formal Japanese-style garden in front of the Sodo. Here she uses bamboo to stake plants… Read more »

We just got a piece of unexpected information. The dormitories (duplexes) were once part of Columbia Villa, a 1943 post-war housing project, one of the first public housing complexes on the west coast. Interesting. We found these historical photos, including one of the building under construction.