Hear ye Hear ye-- THANK YOU!!!

April 11, 2020. Sunset 7:42 PM.
San Francisco, CA.


Connecting to all the noisy commemorations to medical, service and essential workers everywhere. Thank you!
Day 21 - Ringing the big bell out on the sidewalk for as long as we are sheltering in place. -BH
WATCH THIS-- It's wonderful!

Thoughts While Travelling at Night

April 10, 2020. Sunset 7:41 PM.
San Francisco, CA.


I love this corner. You can see the sun from here and the stately pace of the bell gently accompanies the sun from disc to smear.
Day 20 - Ringing the big bell out on the sidewalk for as long as we are sheltering in place. -BH

Mardi joined us this evening reading the poem “Thoughts While Travelling at Night” by Tu Fu. Listen
Light breeze on the fine grass
I stand alone at the mast.
Stars lean on the vast wild plain
Moon bobs in the great river’s spate.
Letters have brought no fame
Office? Too old to obtain.
Drifting, what am I like?
A gull between the earth and sky.

Bells all around

April 9, 2020. Sunset 7:40 PM.
San Francisco, CA.


Distant bells and a perfectly round red ball of a sun. Standing on 3 different corners at the end of our street, listening to a quiet concert of bells-- Norman ringing the big bell from the middle of the block. Richard with his Gankogui double cowbell. An unexpected moment of relief. Listen.
Day 19 - Ringing the big bell out on the sidewalk for as long as we are sheltering in place. -BH

Speaking of the plague--

April 8, 2020. Sunset 7:39 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Happy Passover! Standing on the corner with Mardi and Bernie nearby (but not too nearby) looking at the same view as yesterday but without the sun.

Listen. Day 18 - Ringing the big bell out on the sidewalk for as long as we are sheltering in place.
From Mardi this evening-- Spanish proverb “How lovely it is to do nothing and then rest after”.
Followed by—“Crows” by Judith Barrington
Crows startle the clouds
with grievances never resolved
and warnings blurted into thin air.

Once in a while, the cries of all those who tried to survive
pour from the funnels of their throats.
No wonder we never really listen.

Like most animals, crows tell the truth:
working hard to penetrate our tiny tubular ears,
they cackle on telephone lines while we watch TV.

Once I did listen to a crow, but even when I had heard
his whole story, there was nothing I could do.
Next, I thought, I'd have to listen to squirrels and coyotes.

I like to think I deal with my share of rotten truths
but I couldn't bear to kneel down in damp grass
and listen to the hedgehog or the mole.

Day 18 - Ringing the big bell out on the sidewalk for as long as we are sheltering in place.

4.7.20 Full Moon Sunset by Rae Diamond

April 7, 2020. Sunset 7:37 PM.
Berkeley, CA.


Listen
Bell and voice as the sun set and the full moon rose on 4/7/2020. Venus was also glowing extra bright just above the western horizon because it was aligned with a star cluster.
-Rae Diamond

2020 April 7 sunset supermoon

Stay-at-home. 

Extended and expanded meditation. 

Suffering. Yet happiness. 

Listen to the birds' glee. 

Springtime bounces on, native plants smile. 

Nature sounding. 

A bark in the distance.

~ Caterina De Re

Adding a beautiful photo from my friend Tsunma Kalden in the Himalayas.

Here the supermoon is setting as the sun rises over the Himalayas from Tayul Gonpa.
This is the monastic community where Tenzin Palmo lived for six years before she entered her 12-year retreat in this area of the Lahaul-Spiti district in the state of Himachal Pradesh, northern India.
May all beings benefit from the nuns' prayers on this powerful day!

Sun down. Moon up.

April 7, 2020. Sunset 7:38 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Sun down. Moon up. Waiting for the Pink Super moonrise with Elisabeth Beaird on the corner and Norman tolling the bell down the street. It sounds much better from far away.

Day 17- Ringing the big bell out on the sidewalk for as long as we are sheltering in place. -BH
Mardi's poem for the evening-

The Red Wheelbarrow by William Carlos Williams.
so much depends
upon

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with
water

beside the white
chickens

Keeping Quiet

April 7, 2020.
From Andrea Aidells
Here are 2 items I thought you might like.
First is The poem, “Keeping Quiet”, by Pablo Neruda.

2nd is a link to a video and poem.
Video & poem have different titles. "Stop..Listen" "A letter from the virus to Humans" Video made by: Darinka Montico. Written by: Kristin Flyntz. Music: Cold Isolation · David Fesliyan.

Keeping Quiet
Pablo Neruda
Now we will count to twelve
and we will all keep still
for once on the face of the earth,
let’s not speak in any language;
let’s stop for a second,
and not move our arms so much.

It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines;
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.

Fishermen in the cold sea
would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt
would not look at his hurt hands.

Those who prepare green wars,
wars with gas, wars with fire,
victories with no survivors,
would put on clean clothes
and walk about with their brothers
in the shade, doing nothing.

What I want should not be confused
with total inactivity.
Life is what it is about;
I want no truck with death.

If we were not so single-minded
about keeping our lives moving,
and for once could do nothing,
perhaps a huge silence
might interrupt this sadness
of never understanding ourselves
and of threatening ourselves with death.
Perhaps the earth can teach us
as when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive.

Now I’ll count up to twelve
and you keep quiet and I will go.

Full moon ringing sunrise

April 7, 2020. Sunrise 6:44 AM.
Berkeley, CA.


I took this short video this morning - missed the moon because it had already slipped behind the trees.
- Nancy Beckman

Now is this song both sung and past

April 6, 2020. Sunset 7:37 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

My Lute, Awake! By Sir Thomas Wyatt. Reading by Mardith Louisell. Many thanks for another day. Day 16- Ringing the big bell out on the sidewalk for as long as we are sheltering in place. -BH
My Lute, Awake! By Sir Thomas Wyatt.
My lute awake! perform the last
Labour that thou and I shall waste,
And end that I have now begun;
For when this song is sung and past,
My lute be still, for I have done.

As to be heard where ear is none,
As lead to grave in marble stone,
My song may pierce her heart as soon;
Should we then sigh or sing or moan?
No, no, my lute, for I have done.

The rocks do not so cruelly
Repulse the waves continually,
As she my suit and affection;
So that I am past remedy,
Whereby my lute and I have done.

Proud of the spoil that thou hast got
Of simple hearts thorough Love's shot,
By whom, unkind, thou hast them won,
Think not he hath his bow forgot,
Although my lute and I have done.

Vengeance shall fall on thy disdain
That makest but game on earnest pain.
Think not alone under the sun
Unquit to cause thy lovers plain,
Although my lute and I have done.

Perchance thee lie wethered and old
The winter nights that are so cold,
Plaining in vain unto the moon;
Thy wishes then dare not be told;
Care then who list, for I have done.

And then may chance thee to repent
The time that thou hast lost and spent
To cause thy lovers sigh and swoon;
Then shalt thou know beauty but lent,
And wish and want as I have done.

Now cease, my lute; this is the last
Labour that thou and I shall waste,
And ended is that we begun.
Now is this song both sung and past:
My lute be still, for I have done.

Look out!!!

Here comes the PINK SUPER MOON

Venture outside on the night of Tuesday, April 7, to catch a glimpse of April’s full Pink Moon. This full Moon—which is a supermoon, the first full Moon of spring, and the Paschal Full Moon—will be visible after sunset and reach peak illumination at 10:35 P.M. EDT.

Vanishing light. Evaporating employment - Day 15

April 5, 2020. Sunset 7:36 PM.
San Francisco, CA.


Our neighbor stepped outside to welcome the warm light at the end of an otherwise a grey day while Norman took a turn at the bell this evening. He works as a recruiter for a company that is likely not going to be recruiting much longer.
Day 15- Ringing the big bell out on the sidewalk for as long as we are sheltering in place -BH