Progress Update: September 14, 2009

>> Lotsa News:
It has been several weeks since news was updated but it has been pretty much a case of being too busy doing it to have the time to report it. A very fruitful time with much happening. Here are the headlines.

>> Bhikkhu Ordination:
October 31st is the big day – both for Samanera Sumangalo and for Tisarana; and, of course, his parents, family, friends and the whole four-fold sangha. That’s a big percentage of the planet 🙂 The first bhikkhu ordination for a monastery is a historic milestone requiring a large number of wholesome factors to be in place. Our three North American monasteries will be joining us in the form of Ajahn Pasanno from California, Ajahn Sona from B.C. and Ajahn Punnadhammo from Thunder Bay. Ajahn Viradhammo will be the preceptor, his first ordination as an ‘official’ upajjhaya. You are all invited. More details later.

>> Newsletter Online:
In case you didn’t get our latest (printed) newsletter posted to you a copy is available online: news>newsletter. There is a PDF version available at the bottom of the page. To be included in or removed from the postal mailing list, please contact Tina: with your mailing details.

>> Canoe Retreat:
Awesome! Like, you had to be there. Dude. A lovely balance of nature and nothing; dhamma doodling paddling sitting eating sunning etc-ing. 2x[photo] The weather was brilliant, the company sublime, the food fine and… no bugs (well, there were just a few mozquits). Let’s do it again next year.

>> Barn Floor:
Following on directly from the canoe retreat a small group came down from Montreal to help with the barn work. The floor boards are now all planed smooth and ready to go [photo]. The last of the log beams will hopefully be in place around the time you are reading this. With so many people expected for Sumangalo’s ordination we hope to use the new space for that event. Heating? Does anyone know of a portable propane furnace we could use/borrow/buy?

>> Kutis:
The new kuti, the third in the series, has now got the roof on and is nearly closed against the weather. [photo] Work will now begin on finishing the interior. The other kutis have also had finishing work done by way of a new porch, trim, paint, screen door, and lots of little tidy-touches. Firewood piles are getting bigger and we should have this delivered in time.

>> Family Camp:
The ‘Eight-fold Path’ was the theme for the labour weekend camp and this was developed in several ways. A short play on ‘right view’ was rehearsed and presented on Sunday night. A large eight-spoked dhamma wheel was mown into the field by the stream as a way to learn the eight steps. The weather was brilliant and a good time was had by all.