I always forget what a relief Spring is until it gets here. Finally it is warming up and the trees are in bloom. The Bermuda grass is growing and the cats of Bowie are making love in my back yard. Possibly because of the tress and Bermuda grass. Only myself and the school in Bowie have such lush Bermuda grass in this desert town. They are just crazy, I'm fulfilling a promise which was probably crazy. Regardless, water is flowing from the hose. I read once that Tucson and Phoenix have 50 years of water left. The area I'm in has that much time as well, I think. If it were up to me, the yard would be gravel and cactus. But it is not my house nor is it up to me. It is an aspect of service that galls me. In the future, I will pick my service a little more carefully. This is stupid to say, I know, but I say it anyway.

Up on the land things are very quiet. I think there are only seven people living in the campground. I was over there the other day picking up some trash that the wind had placed in thorny bushes and, though I was there for 35 min, did not see or hear anyone. Good place for meditation. For me, Diamond Mountain is a sanctuary but not a refuge. I use refuge in the sense of an unchanging place that will always be there for you in the way you need it. It has changed since the retreat started. There is no teaching term to prepare for. Thirty beautiful New Yorkers are not coming to camp for a month. The Acro Yogis are not coming to teach. Geshe Michael is not teaching Sacred Classics Translator class here. Alas, alas. It's true that we will have the Great Retreat Teachings in a few months. I cannot count on DMU for my purpose or social group any more. It was an amazing three years. Sometime I will have to try and communicate some part of it.

Each person that graduated from the Diamond Mountain Experience carries the seed to re-create the place. I can't think of a better way to spread Dharma or Worldview. I've only met the New York, Tucson and LA Sangha but they are representative of the groups that have grown around Geshe Michaels teacherings. There is a youthful, vital, fun, diverse, and grounded feel to the people in them. The Dharma knowledge also tends to be high. There also tends to be lots of cookies around. This pleases me. I am really looking forward to meeting the new group in Phoenix in a couple weeks. My man Evan is starting to teach ACI in Portland OR. All I can say is this; Word to your Mother. It begins again. Three Jewels Portland is coming and it's gonna be killah!