Dear Friend

1)      April Sesshin:          from   04/12  to  04/16

         May Sesshin:           from  05/10  to  05/14

2)   These days I take bus to go to cities. Bus stop is 2 .2 miles away, which is a walking distance. Bus runs about 50 miles by the same fare rate.

From a bus things are seen differently from a driving car. Passenger cars and commercial trucks are running all the time. Local roads were newly paved and expanded last year.  Paving jobs were well done, so more cars are attracted. 10 years ago roads in the country side were not busy.

New houses are clinging to steep hillsides. They were not apparent while driving. Houses need bent driveways, need extra care for snow and trees. I wondered why houses were there for a while. Building a house on flatland is safe and easy.

One day I noticed electric wires around new houses. It is rather said that houses were built along electric wires. Electric power was a major condition to build a house. We are living in the civilization of electricity.  Even on flatland a house is not built unless there were access to the power.

Each house has a chimney. Yet smoke rises from one in ten chimneys or fewer. Firewood is not burnt at many houses as used to be. Oil, gas, or electricity are more popular for heating.

Firewood is heavy, requires many hands and time to dry. It is not preferred by quick and easy life style.

I like wood stove, which is independent from power outage (happened a few times this season.)

At sugar houses more firewood looks to remain than usual. Unstable weather may not have worked for maple syrup industry this year.

I used to think driving a car is a must in the US, and the faster the better. Half the tasks like shopping or visiting library are done by use of bus. Bus is safe, quiet, and cheap. Automobile civilization may be reconsidered.

And I’ve found that walking to bus stop is healthier than paying for a fitness club.

Regards.

Eishin Ikeda

Valley Zendo