Ashley found a friend in Tucker! The dogs kept her company while her Mom and I worked...

Well...we didn't get off as much as we'd hoped. What else is new? It was great to have Lisa out here though! She finished up the power washing while I got to get some photos...I did manage the barrels though (got to keep that water flowing) so I wasn't totally lazy! 

Norbu may still be at the Gulf Coast...but he left us with his truck for hauling gear! We piled in after wrapping up at Migyur Dorje so Lisa could assess the Auspicious Manifold Doorways Stupa... 

We finally made it intact! After all that jumbling around on the way up, Lisa realized after we got there that she forgot her graphite pencils! Such is the life of us Stupa dudes...plan and then scramble for a back up plan... 

Norbu, whose truck we were using to get ourselves and all our gear around today, left us with everything we needed. He's amazing, even in his absence (still dragging dogs from the muck in New Orleans) he's offering us just what we need to keep going! Thanks Norbu! In his truck he had a stash of mechanical pencils...without her artistic graphite Lisa made due with what was on hand (a true Stupa Gal). Here she is with daughter Ashley getting ready to trace an intact gau, so she can then try to match the repaired gau to the correct shape...

So this is where the day ended. Lisa took this shot as an aid to her process. She's hoping to make a mold of the shape on Saturday...if we have a good crew in the afternoon it's possible she could break away for that!

We're out of water up at Migyur Dorje, a constant trial. It now looks like a few more days of stripping will be necessary...at least two. There's work to do regardless, as we are now in a position to begin working on repairs even if the bottom steps of the Stupa still need paint removal. Out at the Stupa Park there are a few touch up repairs, and the major overhaul to Auspicious Manifold Doorways! Lisa is getting her artistic tools together.

As always, all the efforts you see on these pages are devoted to you! The many Stups here at KPC, in locations as accessible as right next to the parking lot, or as remote and peaceful as the Stupa Park, there are Stupas here for everyone. Whether you're in a hurry, or in the mood for a quiet time alone, or just wanting to see something different, there's a Stupa here just right for any time of day, any mood. And you don't have to know what a Stupa is to take advantage of their blessings! It's as easy as showing up! We're working hard to keep these amazing sacred structures in the world for as long as possible, so countless beings may encounter them. They are here for you, both in Poolesville, and online, anytime...

September 27th...Back to the Stupas!

I got back to work on the Stupas today, but did want to continue posting some photos from the trip last week as well. So today you get both!

This is a photo of the temple in Biloxi where we went on our second day down there. The people at Bayou Labatre had mentioned there was a Vietnamese temple in Biloxi that was in dire need of help. They wanted us to go check it out, many had family out there whom they could not get in touch with (infrastructure still down). So we piled into the Excursion (huge vehicle) and went to Biloxi. This was our first experience with military check points, the whole area was just destroyed. Unlike Bayou Labatre, where some folks still had structures at least (even if no possessions left), in Biloxi most of the buildings not made of concrete were smashed. Here you can see some Vietnamese women bowing to us as we approached, the whole community was deeply grateful for our willingness to come down there.

This house was right next to the temple in Biloxi, you can see the urn standing in front of the temple altar in the foreground. Most of the homes surrounding the temple were destroyed. When we were down there the area was still without electricity or running water. Everything was running on generators, porta-potties were at all the relief centers, and it was hot, humid, and smelled foul.  

This house was washed off it's foundation, landing against the phone poll and a pile of debris...This was a common site... 

This use to be a nursing home! No...it was not built on stilts...Even a concrete building like this lost it's entire first floor to the storm surge... 

Here you can see a house where the entire first floor is GONE..washed away... 

The closer you got to the shore line, the more complete the devestation. Here you see trees marked with addresses, as the house that once stood there is now completely gone. Our experience in Biloxi was profound. You cannot imagine the extent of the loss. These people will need help for a long, long time. Everything was lost. Not just homes and all possessions, but entire industries, jobs, whole neighborhoods, cities...It is my hope that by sharing some of these photos with you that you will keep them in your prayers, and support efforts to help them. For our part here at KPC, we have initiated two relief efforts, one for human victims, and one for animals. You can see the websites linked on this page (Buddhistrelief.org and Tarasbabies.org). We initiated the organized effort, but it has since snowballed into a huge collaboration between Dharma Centers all over the country! This is, however, a Stupa blog, and I have not forgotten my responsibilities close to home! The Stupas exist to benefit all beings, everywhere. Thus I offer my efforts on their restoration to all those suffering anywhere, whether you're a storm victim, or someone wondering what the heck you're doing here in life. May we never forget those with hopes of us... 

I'll keep posting photos from the trip daily for a while, but today I'm getting back to work on the Stupas! This is the Enlightenment Stupa this afternoon, when I arrived at the temple. That tigle is shining green again! I ran into Tito going around the Stupa! He loves the fact we finished it (he helped us out in June). He said he hasn't been around because after he worked on the Stupa with us his business picked up so much he couldn't make the time. He's eager to help out at Migyur Dorje though! So we might see him Saturday!  

I don't know if you can see them, but my dogs are down there in the shadow of the Stupa! I posted this today after having seen the destruction down in the Gulf Coast last week. All those dogs stranded, separated from their homes, their families. Then I fell in love with two of the refugees we brought back here to Maryland! But these two here are my guys! It brings me great joy to see them playing in the shadow of the Stupa, and knowing even in their complete ignorance of it, great benefit is befalling them...We did, by the way, walk all the refugee dogs around the Enlightenment Stupa on Friday as soon as we could! 

This is a photo Gabriel took on Saturday! Can you believe it! I didn't even have to ask him! : ) He and Lisa worked on the stripping, here's a shot of Lisa powerwashing. Their work left the Stupa looking like this... 

When I got to Migyur Dorje here's what it looked like! How amazing! On three sides the walls were clear of paint, one still had some that needs to be removed, but overall they made great progress Saturday!  

Here's a wide view of the cracks I focused on today... 

Having gotten to the temple relatively late, and then having to run to Lowe's for tools, I decided to work on repairs this afternoon. The stripping takes a large time committment, as once chemical is applied you MUST get it off. So this is what I worked on today. 

The first step was exploring the crack, seeing how deep it was. A chisle works well (don't be afraid! We can fix whatever damage we do!) to scrape off loose material and see how deep the cracks go. Once clear of loose material, we then rinse with water to get that capillary action going (sucking water into the concrete will then trigger the bonding of the repair). Then we apply the thin set... 

You may already know the stages, but for those new to the blog this is the thin set applied. The process involves applying a thin layer, filling thin, shallow cracks with it, and allowing to dry a little (not too much!), then sponging off...