Ani Samten came out after preparing the tsog for this afternoon. She insisted she wouldn't mess up her robes, but it did happen. Fortunately for all of us today, it is a water based paint and cleans up easily (so long as you address it when it is still wet). After this we all went in to the Prayer Room to practice, to do tsog. If you're unfamiliar with what that is, I'll have to find some references before trying my luck at an explanation. It is, however, a practice we do daily at the temple, and the goal is to offer a "Shower of Blessings" to all beings. The purpose of all the activity you see on these pages, and all the effort involved, is to offer these amazing structures to the world. Literally, that's why there's a blog! Whether you're here locally and come out to see them, or even pick up a brush, or whether you're finding us in cyberspace, the Stupas are here to offer blessings to you any time, day or night! On this auspicious day, I would also like to add that all that you see here, whether it's the Stupas, the Stupa Crew, the temple, land or prayers, all of it could not exist without the compassionate aspirations of our teacher, Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo, to guide us. May all virtue and merit generated by all our efforts and activities be devoted to the realization of all her aspirations for the benefit of beings!