Rutland Water

  Back in England, a trip to Rutland Water with my parents who are visiting 

Troncais Walk

  A walk in the oak forest of Troncais. We enjoy a finer day, walking to some of the specimin trees and on to Troncais lake. 

BOURGES

 
Leo and Sally sit in the gardens beside the Cathedral after our picnic. 

Climbing Bourges Cathedral

 
A day out, we climb Bourges Cathedral tower. Lots of steps but a magnificent view. 

Fireworks at St Bonnet

 
At St Bonnet Lake there is always a spectacular firework display on Augut 15th, a French bank holiday. This year a heavy rain storm hit us just before the fireworks started but the display was still wonderful. 

Visit to Noyan

  Visited the VIetnamese temple at Noyan. This is our friend Derek Goldby in front of their largest Buddha. At Noyan there is a spectacular aray of Buddha figures. The temple is about an hour's drive south of us.

Garden produce

  Lots of good vegetables this year. The root vegetables did especially well this year but we also had courgettes, tomatoes, beans, leeks, and lettuce. 

Picnic in Toncais Forest

 
The forest of Troncais lies to the south of our centre, and stretches some ten killometers across. It is a wonderful place for walks and in wet weather the picnic shelters still give good access for enjoying its beauty whilst we ate. Here, we met to share a picnic in the middle of the forest tracks at Rond de la Cave. 

Visit to Noirlac

  Enjoying the peace and tranqility of Noirlac Abbey, a cistercian abbey in the Cher valley, near to our centre. Noirlac is host to music festivals and art exhibitions.

Arts in August

  During August we have three weeks of arts activities - a kind of gentle "Buddhist holiday" with opportunities to join in a range of ats activities as well as to enjoy good company, go off site for visits to various places in the locality, and to walk and swim in the forests, lakes and rivers nearby. We share in nembutsu practice and enjoy community time. 

July Heatwave

 
July was hot. 37 degrees sometimes. Keeping cool was a challenge, but the hose pipe helped 

Sun Set in France

  Namo Amida Bu 

Big Skies and sunsets

 Amida France is a place where we always have amazing sun sets. Different each day, sometimes we watch in silence, other times chanting to Amitabha.

Wood ants on an old tree trunk

  Watching the ants progress along an old tree trunk is fascinating. The way these insects carry pieces of twing, leaf and their cocoons; the way they follow one another in long lines across quite large saces and utilise fallen trees as "motorways" carrying vast traffic longer distances is so interesting one can watch them for hours. 

Retreat in the Woods

  In July I enjoyed five days retreat in the woods. Our little retreat hut is a wonderful space for practicing. Between times it is wonderful to spend time watching squirrels and woodpeckers, nuthatches and butterflies and all the other life of the forrest. 

Good company

  Joining together at meal tims is an important aspect of life in Amida France. We ate together out of doors most of the summer, despite more unsettled weather in August. Home grown vegetables and fruit and our own freshly baked bread make mealtimes a pleasure. 

The Amida Hall

  Lavender grows outside the Amida Hall, wafting a beautiful scent in when the wind is in the right direction. Birds fly in and out as we chant nembutsu. Namo Amida Bu. 

July in France

 
July is our main teaching season in France. Dharmavidya gives teachings on the Larger Pureland Sutra and we have talks on ministry and liturgy for Amida trainees. A time for exploring the meaning of nembutsu practice and its many forms - from formal ritual in the Amida Hall to informal house sessions and introductory groups. A wonderful oportunity to practice together with other members of the Order and School 

FRANCE

Enjoying the arts period in France. Summer continues.