On October 16, almost 20 people showed up to do priming and taping of the outside walls. The reason for doing this is to cut down on drafts and to make the walls as tight as possible. As you can see (above), the wheelchair ramp has been started, and the roof is largely sheathed (that… Read more »

Framing of the Sodo is moving along rapidly. The sub-floor is in, and we have walls beginning to go up! Roof joists have been delivered. Plumbing and stormwater trenches and pipes are happening. The pond has been dug, and the pathway to 82nd Avenue is continuing to take shape. Changes happen every day out there… Read more »

  Forty three members of Siskiyou Householder Refuge (HHR) have committed to and invested in the Siskiyou co-housing project. Part of this investment is paying for the infrastructure work on in progress, including storm water and bioswale development and bringing in utilities. This work is also an inspiration to others who may want to form… Read more »

With Permits In Hand, Work Takes Off! Construction crews are busy on the new property, as we have been as well. Below the foundation is being poured onto the footings established earlier. Framing will being in a few days! Click on any photo for a larger view   Below we see the foundation completed! This is… Read more »

Genzo-e Sesshin, our first retreat actually on the property, was a big success. Participating were Kakumyo (presiding teacher), Jyoshin (shuso), Genko (precentor), Shin’yu (tenzo), Ko’in, Kengan, Yoan, Shokei, Doug Hull, Joe Walder, Sonja Aikens, Terry Carnahan, Kim Wood-Saldana, Kym Kline, Sokuchu, and Richard Schuler. The photo shows the people present at the end of retreat… Read more »

Work Starts in Earnest on the Sodo With work permits in hand, heavy equipment is again working the property on infrastructure as well as the Sodo. Here are some early photos, click on any one of them for a larger view: This will be the wheelchair ramp into our new Zendo/Sodo! It has a firm… Read more »

There is a lot going on this week. GroundWork came in to help with putting together the raised beds for the gardens and also preparing the newly-picked plums for saving and eating. At the same time, construction workers were putting in a vault and manhole cover so that the methane pipes can be below street… Read more »

Blooming, Fruiting, and Leafing It’s lovely to watch the property come to life as summer develops, including many edibles. The property is offering free fruit and vegetables. Besides the many blackberries and wild plums, lamb’s quarter is showing up wherever there is disturbed earth. The blackberries are ripening early and the wild plums are so… Read more »

Update on the Property, courtesy of Ken Barker   It is always good to see wildlife thriving at the property.  They are not always easy to photograph.  Swallows and dragonflies tease me by flitting past so quick that I have been unable to capture an image.  Someday! Cooperation has been paying off.  Madison High School… Read more »

A major piece of good news this week: we’ve been approved for a bond, after a delay of several weeks. This was the last remaining hurdle we needed to cross to receive a building permit and get back to work on the site. One reason we hope to pay off the land this fall is… Read more »

Heavy, contracted work on the property has been stalled for the last two weeks. We’ve done most of what we can do easily without having city inspections. But our permit is held up pending a bond for the Siskiyou street improvements (widening the street and adding a sidewalk). Until we have the bond, we can’t… Read more »

The final move-out days for the Zendo was on Sunday, June 8,  and the Dharma House was vacated on Thursday, June 12. Both events involved a lot of people working very hard. There is sadness in looking back fondly on all the rich practice that has happened in both of those locations, and right along with… Read more »

Dharma Rain and Portland Friends of the Dhamma (PFoD) folks gather together for our mutual Move Out – Move In Day. Though moving of House and Zendo has been going on for quite some time now, this Sunday, June 8, is the final move-out from the Zendo. We will all work together to get everything… Read more »

We have been awarded two metro grants through the Nature in Neighborhood program – Capital Grants program. These are helping to fund the pathway through the site, in cooperation with Portland Parks and Recreation and the Bureau of Environmental Services. Also the Conservation Education program is funding our partnership with PCC, PSU, Madison High School… Read more »

Twenty Volunteers For Village Building Convergence The weather has been changeable, but quite nice this week as volunteers converged on the Siskiyou property to help with raised beds for the garden space. Work on the path to Rocky Butte has been put on hold while city attorneys work out some technical details. Everyone is still… Read more »