Dear zen friend
1)    July sesshin:    from  07/17  to  07/18
  The re-opening is slow.   Also it is very hot in July.    If joined us for two days, please enjoy quiet environment.   

2)  One day after weeding, my hands became red-yellow colored.  Licked that color, it was bitter. 
A few days later, the origin of red-yellow bitter color was found. It came from a weed, which is green with soft leaves and grows taller than  6 feet. It does not have pretty flowers,  and grows everywhere like weed.  When its stalk and stem are broken in hands, red-yellow liquid comes out. 
Deer eat broccoli and pepper, do not eat garlic, onion, or tomatoe. They seem to know which plant is sweet. Bitter liquid is a protector,  immunity from deer. 

3)  In June, email had irregular activities for 4 days. Several conversations randomly disappeared. I guess the disruption was caused by software updating.  We do not live on a solid earth. 

4)   I am a frequent repeater to a fitness center, where wearing mask was required. The counter person said that not a single corona infected person ran in the gym since June last year. There must be healthy people there.  I am not infected with corona virus, must have been lucky.    
I play around with deer, birds, and fire flies in summer. This is a life like Ryokan san or Rev. Ananda Daiosho had. And I can concentrate on  study of Buddha dharma. I am satisfied with this peaceful environments.  
Yet there is demand for sitting practice together at zendo. This is a time and a place for a buddhist to communicate with people and take part in social activities. Normal life should be returned soon. 

Regards.

Eishin Ikeda

Valley Zendo