Thursday, June 10, 2010

Ice Cream in the Jungle

Vanita churns out love ......















Everyone wants to be near her.
















































It ain't Baskin Robbins , Jungle Ice Cream - - tis soooo much better. Deprived of such luxuries for over a year, we all eagerly awaited some cool licks. Vanita (our beloved cook-and-everything person) spun that ice cream machine handle for hours to no avail - - in this heat, we never got off the launch pad.




We tried for three days to get the first successful batch, and even with the help of the baby, and bhiwani the dog and raja the puppy (see pic), it was cool soup, no dice, no ice - - - - but wait! Jeanetta figured out how to pre-cool the precious ambrosia and bingo, Vanita whipped up the tasssttieeesssst treat - -




Snicker Doodle ice cream - - a divine yummmm in the tummmm, with the enjoyment much heightened by the wait. Yeah Ice Cream Team!!




Important to the superb quality is our new milk Lady, (about whom we will write soon - - don't miss her pics - - she's a 1 of kind village milk matron) - - and her cows, which we've yet to meet, put out the creamiest milk ever to slide over your tongue. I guess Indian cows, being divine, naturally produce divine Self Idealized dairy.




This slick new ice cream making machine is the generous gift of generous Lee Schwing, who is not unfamiliar with such luxuries and the difficulty of producing them in rural India. Blessings to/for Lee!







??????., guess what's the plan for the next batch?







Well - - Jeanetta was strangely hankering for a childhood favorite - - candy cane ice cream without any expectation of evvveeerrr getting it here, when - - voila! - - hardlight loved ones showed up with the candy canes and the ice cream maker!! If that ain't a miracle!! So if candy cane ice cream can show up in the jungle, any wish can be granted - - caution. Of course we don't ever desire anything here.







To be sure, the next time you are here at Fire Mountain we will make your favorite - - bring your beloved flavor goodie - - we got the cream, we got the jungle, we got a shady garden in which to enjoy - - we got a handle for you to turn, we got the above pictured team to help..







Love in 108 flavors dewa and jeanetta







Saturday, April 3, 2010

Don't Children Need Clean Water?

The village mayor pours the first example of community water into Sunil's hands and points out about twenty five little football shaped worms. Startled and astounded by this, my mind reeled with the possible health consequences of wormy water, what else was in the water, and how they could get clean water out of this. Without a doubt these people need effective water filters.





This area northwest of Ganeshpuri is dry, very dry. The earth is parched and cracked with the rectangular patterning of earth that has given up its last bit of moisture. We rode on Sunil’s motorcycle over 4 wheel drive roads and pathways from village to village, the thick layer of powdery earth pulverized by foot, bike, ox cart, and truck spewed out from the tires as we lurched over rocks and branches. Mud and stick, brick and clay tile roof/tin roof houses are scattered over large areas, making distribution of water and other supplies difficult.

The mayor explained to us, while taking cover from the sun under the roof of his front porch, that potable water is a problem during the hot dry months of the year when the wells become polluted with algae and other living organisms fostered by the sunlight, and it is a problem when the monsoon comes and the well s become filled with runoff and surface bacterial and organic contaminants. He explained that adults and children suffer from worms and other invasive organisms that cause stomach pains, diarrhea, physical, emotional, and mental sluggishness and related diseases.


Later we visited one of the three schools in the area, each with about 50 to 60 children. I noticed the lackluster and somewhat vacant expressions on many of their faces.

Having learned a bit about the depressing mental affects of biological invasions of parasites, I could understand what I saw and the need to get these children clean water.



The well at the school was broken. The lifting rod extending down the well was broken. It was a government well and apparently had not been fixed for some time. An estimate of about $30 was given as the cost to repair the well.





It later took us 10 minutes to walk to the well where the water was obtained for the school. So someone, probably the women, had to walk 20 minutes to fetch water, and the container they used was rather small, so that it must have taken many trips to fill the stainless steel water pot from which they all drank. I’m guessing it took more than 10 trips to fill the container.


The children were precious as all children are, and at the prompting of the teacher, they sang a little teaching song for us, and clapped their little hands in unison as they sang. They hadn’t the liveliness of really healthy children. I thought again of “parasite depression.”




We arrived at the village by the river after leaving the school and immediately the dry, dry river bed caught our attention. Remember how depressing dry river beds are? This one was no exception - - large enough to contain lots of rushing water, and not a drop in sight.





But wait - - looking further we noticed first a small pool of water created by digging down into the river bed.







The next noticeable element was the woman washing clothes by scrubbing and pounding water soaked clothes on a rock by the pond. Children were playing in and bathing in the water. The soap and dirt from the clothes oozed back into the water. A charming village sight in many ways and also a health hazard in the making. Inspection of the water itself showed clumps of biological mass floating in the water.



Just downstream, an uncomfortably short distance in terms of the pollution from the wash water pond filtrating into the drinking water, we were lead to the smaller dugout pond where the drinking water was collected. As we approached I heard the plop of at least a dozen some-things whose blurry outlines were disappearing down into the water as we approached the rim. A quick scan of the surface flotsam and the murkiness of the water lead to the following thought. I would get really thirsty and would walk the miles to town to get clean water before I would drink this water.



Reviewing in my mind, this experience of inspecting the water sources for this remote village area, actually not that far from Ganeshpuri, the first experience of the wiggling worms in the water is enough to mobilize a strong desire to help these people. Following the wormy well, visions of the vacant faces of the children at the school whose health is obviously affected by contaminated water, appear in my mind. How about walking 20 minutes, multiple times to carry water to the school because a repair of probably $30 can’t be completed.


Sri Nityananda Education Trust (SNET) can manufacture and distribute water filters that require no fuel, electricity, maintenance or supplies, and work for life times, for $25 each. We need approximately 120 filters to cover every family and school in this area. We look forward to finding those peoples of compassionate heart who will share their resources to provide bio sand water filters for the families of this neglected area.
This woman received her SNET bio sand water filter a year ago. You can tell that she is very happy with it. This is the overwhelming positive response that we hear when we return to survey the recipients' responses to having the filter. Read the recent blog discussing the latest survey: http://firemountainretreat.blogspot.com/2009/12/bio-sand-water-filters-are-improving_8605.html
Please help us to help these people in Lindy Village. Contact http://www.tmaseva.org/



Thursday, March 25, 2010

The Dude-Wali: The Milk Lady


You would think her nose would be much longer, given she’s wearing that big heavy decorative ornament pierced through her nose. It’s about all you can see for the first few moments you meet her, followed quickly by the impact of her size and earthy grounded energies. I hope your mind has better controls than this one - - questions and visions arose first about eating. How can she get anything to past that thing? One look and it’s obvious she not starving, but what, cut things thin and kind of angle them in? Hold it up with one hand? Upside down eating? And, well, kissing? Would she or he lift the thing to advantage? Oh no, mercy, this mind imagined a rope tether through that thing- - oh stop this mind please. Just look at her, I don't think she is one of those tether to a tree women. Ok, mind under control, back to composure.













A milk cow matron should have some bovine qualities, and she does in spades. Cows, in India, have a relaxed ease and are often beautiful in their aura presence. She, we don’t know her name yet, has this massive, earthy and relaxed, creamy ease - - happy in her selfhood, and engaging with her easy smile. She's the cream on top.







Style-conscious? A milk lady style-conscious? Yes, she is - - each day wearing a beautiful sari combination of colorful flowing fabrics. But the ring thing in her nose really carries the day no matter what she wears. Ladies, check it out, - - it doesn’t matter about your hair or nails, or how you tip the scales - - the ring thing is all they’ll see. Shall I ask her where she got it and how much it costs, styles available and skin tone colors? I didn’t ask her about sizes. One size fits all, or can we super size for spectacular attraction and enforced weight loss? if you happen to be one of those out of control kisser, this device might just be "the ticket." We found out today from Swami Kamalakur that this huge style ring was common in the past as a special ornament for Maharashtra women. It is definitely attractive.


A short digression about our previous milkman who wore no ornament – just a smile to make Mona Lisa jealous and here’s why - - we read the smile wrong. He was discharged for watering down the milk and mixing buffalo milk with the more desirable cow’s milk to achieve monetary advantage. We thought he was an evolved and principled being, who fairly floated into our compound each day, with beautiful smile and lovely presence. We looked forward to our meeting each day, just to receive his cool-breeze darshan. Boy were we ever shocked to discover that he diluted the milk! Our perceived Milk Saint has feet of clay and swindling mind plastered over by the biggest smile. Sunil, not as naive as we newbies, discovered this by keeping a glass of milk on the shelf overnight to see how much water came to the top when the milk settled. Guess what?!! A lot - - almost half the glass. When confronted, he said - - oh no, never again - - ok, I won’t do that. Guess what? Again we caught him. Out the door and down the drain with that guy. We have found that it is pretty common for people to water down beverages or grains or whatever, with a filler to increase profits, and people actually expect it. Hmmm. The bottom line wins out over integrity again.

So, we asked our new lady from the very start if she diluted the milk, and of course she said “no.” We told her that we wanted the whole cow, not just half the cow. We have tested her. There is no water at the top in the morning, we got the whole cow. In addition, WOW is her milk divine. Creamy and balanced and wholesome, like her. We weren’t getting the real thing with the other guy. Never thought I’d be tasting milk like a fine wine - - savoring its nuances and rolling it around on my tongue - - eking out the variety of flavors and qualities present. Hmmm, apricot, lilac, overtones of bergamot, alfalfa and a long smooth green grass finish..... And the yogurt - - best just straight up with no kicker. Cows here are divine, you know, and it flows on through as udderly delicious.

We want to meet her cows and see her with them. The last guy, Mr. Smiley Face-Deceitful-Mind, when we went to meet him at his house, showed us his buffalo, and when we asked to see the cows he gestured “out there some where” with some Marathi Language we didn’t understand. From now on, “out there some where" ain’t good enough. We have to see “cow on the hoof.” From our experience so far with this very pleasant new milk lady, we expect a very nice family of cows with lots of social harmony and cowzie ease. But who knows - - as you can see, we are easily duped. We’ll take a peek and show you a slice of her home and cow life. Well, bottoms up - - as they say when drinking a great beverage. Things go better with Jungle Milk - - It’s the real thing.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

31 Flavors Sadhu - - Genuine? Leading edge style setter?

There he was standing outside the gate at Fire Mountain Ashram with the big raspberry bag stretched between him and his little assistant. He looked a lot like a nomadic herdsman who had just raided a clothing store, and both curiosity and red flags flew up in this mind as we approached him. Our crew had called us to the gate and explained that he was on his way to Shirdi Sai Baba, and it was customary to give him some rice and perhaps a few treats to sustain him on his spiritual journey.




Well, Jeanetta, queen of helping the needy and everyone in general, jumped into the opportunity to help a “holy man” and quickly returned with some rice and goodies for his long trip. Don’t we love her generosity!



Upon offering the sustenance, the sadhu with amused smile and somewhat impatient air, stuck his hand in the raspberry bag and pulled out a fist full of rupee notes. Oh, I see - - its modern times and rice is just peanuts now to a new age sadhu. I didn’t get to see how much loot he had in the raspberry bag. I hope it was full and he either was off to really receive an enlightening darshan from Sai Baba in style or off to Goa to have a really good time. Darn it - - I forgot to get his email. Either way, he was a good show and you see Jeanetta giving him some rupees. You will want to remember big raspberry bags if the recession gets much worse. FYI: apparently rice is not “just peanuts” cause he accepted the rice and goodies after the rupee offering was “in the bag.”


Check out the eyes of the little guy - - abused, enslaved accomplice or returning tulku? Son of renunciate or what? Hmmmmm.




India has its many moments of wonder.....










Please check him out and let me know what you think. Should we bow and say "Namaste" or as they said on The Apprentice, "You’re fired"?

Scroll down and post a comment!!

Friday, February 5, 2010















APPROACHING MEDITATION DOME AND DYNAMIC ENERGY SCULPTURE
















GANESH GRACES THE DOME GARDEN WITH THE FRAGRANCE OF THE EXOTIC CHAMPA FLOWER FILLING THE AIR

















KAI, FERNANDO, MARK GRIFFIN, MARK BONNLANDER, LAUREN ENJOYING THEIR ARRIVAL AT FIRE MOUNTAIN















UP ON THE THIRD FLOOR TERRACE OVERLOOKING NIMBOLI WITH GURU FLAGS BLOWING IN WIND





Thursday, February 4, 2010