Building a meditation garden


On Sunday the community was licking stamps and stuffing envelopes, sending out the New Year card and Hilltop to the network of friends and supporters across the country and continent. The Christmas Eve Children's Event was well attended, with several clans gathering from all over Northumbria, culminating in Tan Hiriko's candlelit circumambulation. On Boxing Day and Thursday guests began to gather, everyone a different nationality: Thai, Malaysian, Italian, Dutch and even someone from Tottenham, proclaiming that the Northumbrian weather is very "potatoes". (As in "potatoes in mold"which means "cold" in Cockney ryhming slang.)
Those living up here will know that, in fact, the weather has taken a very mild turn. So much so that the ice on Bolam lake has now melted, and the frost covering Harnham hill disappeared.

Helpful Herman from Holland

On Friday our hardy Scottish treasurer, Clive drove south over the freezing border to spend the day working on the monastery accounts with Penny, the Trust's secretary. It was the quarterly reckoning. Saturday saw Ajahn Abhinando winging his way back from Italy, and on Monday Anagarika Trevor migrated North for our winter retreat. He joins us having originally taken the eight precepts with Ajahn Sucitto at Chithurst monastery in October 2006.

Although we don't have a resident caretaker, our good friend Herman from Holland has been diligently tidying up various untidy corners of the monastery, for which we are very grateful.
On Wednesday Ruth Thompson dropped in to do some gardening and to organise the annual Xmas Eve children's events. Children and helpers of all ages are welcome to the gathering,which will begin after the meal and continue through until a small circumambulation, mid afternoon.