Quite by accident, the way so many good things come, I discovered Transport Direct, Connecting People to Places. Might just give this site a try since I will be on the road to Telford Priory on Saturday. Around about Stafford, if I remember correctly, there are some tempting short cuts across country. And again if I remember correctly roads around that part of the country have police speed cameras aplenty. Having grown to enjoy motoring at about 50 mph or so I’m not a candidate for being pulled over. However, a small slip in attention and the speedometer can rise alarmingly fast.

And I have been waiting my moment to mention another mapperly matter. This time the Ordinance Survey Select series. For those outside the country who have not walked hill and dale with compass and a soggy OS one-inch-to-the-mile map I can only say, you have not yet lived! With the Select series one can special order a map specifying the area you want it to cover. For example have your home in the middle of the map and all that wonderful walking country around you on just one piece of, very sturdy possibly water repellent, paper. Anyway, seems like a good system and I’m about to order one for a couple of my fellow monks living in Norfolk.

Sorry to say, postings over the week-end may be erratic.

Over in Afghanistan there is an incredible project under way: Over 140 laser systems installed 500m,1km and 5km in distance from the Bamiyan hills will project multiple layers of original Yamagata Buddha images drawn in striking colors. The laser images will be projected for 2 hours after sunset, once or twice a week.

The schedule for developing this project concludes mid June, 2009 with the BAMIYAN AFGHANISTAN LASER PROJECT 2009 Grand Opening.

Thanks to the Reverend who drew my attention to this.

Tonight to the west was a bright star, such a very big bright star. I’d not seen anything like it before. I wanted to run into the dining room and drag everybody out to see it. It was the most star like star I’d ever seen. It was just like pictures of the morning star. That’s the one the Buddha saw at the time of his enlightenment. But I just stood and stargazed for awhile. And then later while walking back to my room after doing the washing-up, the star had gone. But where?

I’m not the only one looking to the sky. The moon has featured in a couple of blogs recently. In northern England where the moon is milky luminescent. In Alberta Canadawhere the word luculent was used. Wonderful word which can be used to describe language, as being ‘transparently clear’. Something to aspire to while speaking out and speaking up.

There are probably more mentions of the full moon on the Internet, it certainly had a number of mentions here on the cloister. It was like a spot light, couldn’t have missed it. Yes, and there it is still, with a white ring of cloud around it this evening.

The wish to share sights and sounds and smells must surely be part of the practice of generosity. Let me share a gift I received in an email this evening: “I went for a walk through the Chilterns today and saw hares boxing, herds of deer, red kites a plenty and buzzards, quite apart from the wild birds you’d expect to see or hear. It always pays to look up and out”.

Yes indeed!

We meet walking up the lane, there’s a dry stone wall beside us.
Hi Larry!
He inclines towards me and, not for the first time, patiently reminds me.
It’s Leroy Rev. Mugo.
Sorry!
Err. You’re dead aren’t you?
I know the test. I poke his arm.
Crikey! he does have a body.
We continue chatting up the lane avoiding the subject.
He’s changed, a little older, content I’d say.

Later we are sitting in a row.
Larry…no sorry Leroy is sitting one down from me.
I stare.
It’s definitely him and he’s alive.

Then morning came and I got up and went about my day.

Dreams like this, of departed friends coming alive, are not uncommon.