Day 24 - A blessing, a meeting and the long walk

Finally getting things situated here.  Insurance, vehicle registrations, packing, unpacking, passports renewed, and yes, eating lots of strawberries. LOTS.

Expansion Hall rededication

We also rededicated the Expansion Hall here at Ananda Laurelwood last evening to renew the energy, and open it up to new uses.  I still have my office (in that back corner in photo above).

Love the reflection in the window

 Then we get up real early for weekly leadership meeting online through Google Hangouts with folks in other geographic locations.  Usually we attend remotely via our iPad but this week I got to be here in person with some of the folks.

Today I saw this really cool Chevy.  I don't know much about classic cars but do know this one is a favorite.

 After depositing our quarterly tax payments at the post office, I stopped by our storage locker to check on things.  It is always interesting because, despite the close proximity of the locker to the entrance of the facility, I have to walk way down to the back end punch in the security codes and then walk all the way back down to the front end again to reach our locker.

 Sure enough.  Our household furniture is still there.  Dry and safe.  I was even able to find the box with camera gear boxes in it so I can now sell some extra camera gear.  Didn't find the Blu Ray DVD player because it is way in the back, I think and wasn't about to haul everything out right now.  Oh well.

Oh My, What Sweet Lips You Have!

Some random thoughts and photos from past week since I haven't posted in a while.

We have been here in Laurelwood for a week now.  Visiting friends and serving here and there.  Most of you regular readers know our home address is now here at Ananda Laurelwood where education and community is most important.  Not all "Laurelwoodians" live on the property as we do.

The gentlemen farmers

 We visited our long time good friends, Dambara and Manisha, who live just down the street.  Having moved up to Oregon last summer at the same time we did, they bought an acreage and have become "gentlemen farmers".  Last week they bought some Llamas so we went over to meet the new arrivals.

My what soft lips you have!

 I have never before feed a llama.  They have such soft lips.  What fun to sit outside and catch up on happenings the past year while we have been traveling.  Sraddha also is doing more photography.  Mostly with iPhone and she has a great eye.  Better than me.  I am trying to coax her into shooting with our new Olympus camera which is light weight.

Smile!!!

Since we were last here, some new folks have come on the scene.  Elizabeth and Ty are from Portland area and she and Sraddha have bonded over the beautification of Ananda Laurelwood so they are planning all kinds of fun projects.

A little garden right outside the cafe

We usually return to the RV after morning meditation to have our coffee and breakfast, but do take some meals in the Green Hill Cafe which serves a delightful fresh vegetarian fare.

Green Hill Cafe lunch time

 One of our other long time friends, Janakidevi, has a vision for a "Yogananda Garden" in the wild areas up on the hill behind where we reside.  This morning we went for a walk with her, bushwacking through the fields and along the dirt road up to the top of the hill to look at possible places for trails and beautiful resting spots for visitors.  I snapped a few pix along the way.

Walking amidst the brambles

She wants to have a large statue of Paramhansa Yogananda created and installed up on the crest of the highest point.  No spring chicken, she envisions this parklike environment where now is mostly brambles.  Admirable.

View from top of hill looking out west towards coastal range

As we were walking around I couldn't help take in the breathtaking beauty all around us.  This planet has a guiding force of grace and beauty everywhere.  If only we can tap into that energy.

beautiful flowers

While up at the crest I shot this short video on my iPhone scanning the vista while she discusses her vision.  sound is not  very good but we will post more later on.

Day 14 - Ananda Laurelwood..Home Sweet Home.... for little while

Miles Driven - 117
Total Miles - 1082
Nehalem Bay State Park to Ananda Laurelwood, Gaston, Oregon

After breakfast, we packed up, dumped the wastes, headed off across the coast range to our "home from home".  I say this because Ananda Laurelwood is where we hope to someday settle down and is the reason we moved out of our home in northern California.  Well not the only reason but it is why we have made our change of address and also moved our household goods up to Oregon into long term storage whilst we roam around the USA.

Our home at Home!!

We will be here in the Portland area for about 5 weeks, commencing our eastward journey east after the Fourth of July weekend to attend a family reunion in Sandpoint, Idaho. In the meantime, we have a lot to do to prepare.  RV and Jeep registration in Oregon, my new Oregon driver's license, a couple of repairs and installs on the RV, etc. We have a to do list of about 30 different things.  We started today with the smog checks of RV and Jeep in Hillsboro before heading out to Laurelwood.  Passsed!

The Big Pines Shelter us from view.  No one even notices us.

In addition, of course, we want to reconnect with many of our friends in the area, and maybe even a few good meals. We have already started to visit.

Beth's Garden in distance.  Blue shack is Chicken Coop

The time will rapidly pass so we actually might have to get a little bit organized.  Forsooth.  Just as I am getting used to letting each come, I will need to figure out which "to do" needs to be done in which order and what is the priorities.  And to be still and calm during this whole process.

Julien's big Solar collector project.  Last incarnation was a satellite dish

 Fortunately I have my partner and many friends, some of which we have already seen.  Off to see what mail and packages greet us today.

Moving to Oregon? Really?

Hello?  What did I say?

YES, we are moving to Oregon.  After 15 years at Ananda Village near Nevada City, California, we are moving to Ananda Laurelwood which is about 40 minutes west of Portland.  It's actually about 10 minutes south of Forest Grove.

Ananda Laurelwood (link is http://www.anandalaurelwood.org) is a place to grow, to expand, to serve, to build a new community based upon the teachings of Yogananda which I have been practicing for past 25 years.  it is located about 40 minutes west of Portland and about 10 minutes south of Forest Grove in a valley just east of the beginning coastal range.

For now, we plan to live full time in our motorhome, spending next 2 months in Laurelwood then heading south for the winter centering in Tucson area, then returning in spring.  More on that later.

We drove up the RV and settled it in about 3 weeks ago.  Spent 2 weeks there then are currently back in Ananda Village preparing for final move.  Packing, sorting, giving away, selling, sorting, packing.  We hope to load the rental truck next week, drive north and unload into long term storage, the household goods and furniture we intend to keep and also unload at community a whole bunch of stuff being donated to community like food storage, tools, garden items, books, etc.

The week we departed was cool and rainy here in California and also on drive north.  Arrived in cloudy weather for a couple days then it dried out and warmed up.  Welcome to summer in Oregon. We will finish packing and loading in 100 degree weather here and can't wait to return to the cooler climes.  more to come

Loaded home office and tools to head north

She likes our new home in Laurelwood

View westward in Laurelwood

That's our little home in distance.

It really cleared up the next day but I didn't take any pix in the sunshine.