So wish us luck...We're looking for an extended break from the rain, and hopefully a smooth process with Cal Western Paints! The 530-5212 is our custom gold. It is mixed to be as permeable as high quality acrylics can be, and contains an additive that will prevent tarnishing. So again, we're going for the best we can find here! Though I did find out last week that Jerry Mulnix, our contact at Cal Western, has been on vacation, until tomorrow. So hopefully he won't be too swamped to get us rolling!

With July coming to an end, we have our eyes on the upcoming arrival of His Holiness Ngawang Tenzin from Bhutan in September. Perhaps not coincidentally, it was during His Holiness Ngawang Tenzin's last visit that we first met with Mark Howell, the historical concrete restoration contractor that ultimately put us in touch with Cathedral Stone. Now that connection has really grown to fruition, with the Stupas approaching a phase of completion!

When I was telling Khenpo Sonam, who traveled with His Holiness to translate for him, about the plans to renovate the Stupas, his response was "How many Stupas?" He was surprised. For those of you that follow this page it may seem as normal as it does to those of us that live here, but in fact, having so many Stupas is actually very rare. In truth, if you were to search them out, there aren't that many in the whole country. And we have many! Including three major ones, intended to be places of pilgrimage in the west. We don't think of that a lot as Americans, everything is better new, after all...But for those who can get even a glimpse of how profoundly rare and powerful the Stupas are, it starts not to seem unreasonable to think of them as objects of pilgrimage. This is what our teacher intended when building them, it's just us dull students that forget...

So please do come out and see them for yourself if you can! The Stupas are outside, under the open sky, with no fences around them, and that is on purpose. They are out in the open in order to bring benefit to as many beings as possible, no restrictions! It doesn't matter if you're Buddhist, or if you hate Buddhists, they'll benefit you just the same. There is no fee, and no required knowledge, just to see them brings benefit (that includes here, on these pages!). So we here at KPC Maryland will keep working hard to ensure they remain in the world to benefit beings for generations to come!