Water into Fire

I keep learning and experimenting with music and video. When I get back on the road, all these new techniques and technologies will be of good use. In the meantime...

Rose Mandala

Who is Rose Mandala?

Muertos

The Dead have returned to their homes until next year. After experiencing El Dia del los Muertos so intensely last year in Oaxaca, my perspective on death and culture has changed dramatically for the better. I regret not setting up an ofrenda. The Dead are gracious guests, but they need an invitation.
Just recently, Don Ishmael of Santa Catarina Minas, just west of Ocotlan, died after a long and prosperous life.
He was a master mescal maker and his family's palenque will continue to produce some of the finest mescals. Mescal is at the very heart of Oaxacan culture. The maguey or agave is a magical plant and has provided Mexico with water, paper, needle, thread, clothes, building materials and alcohol for hundreds of years. Don Ishmael was a living connection to those centuries. They drank his mescal at his graveside.

Leaves - Hoyas

Yesterday was the day when the leaves fell. It is always a treat to watch as the sun hits them after a night with a good freeze. It was 19 degrees.There must be some layer of ice that holds them to the tree because as the sun hits them, they all let go and it rains leaves and that is what has been happening. At six in the morning, the trees were full and by six in the evening they were almost bare.It reminds me of the closing clip of "The Third Man."


It is always a treat to see this phenomenon and it leads to all sorts of profound thoughts.

Leaves have long been a focus of meditation for me. I like to think of every leaf as representing one of us. Look around. That's a lot of leaves - a lot of representing. Makes one think differently about that carpet of pine needles..... and raking.A heron? down by the Charles

Has anyone seen this guy?