Sridhar Swami and Mayapur
Giriraj Swami

Panca-tattva Installation AbhisekaSridhar Swami and Giriraj Swami in Carpinteria CarpThe Mayapur Temple of Vedic Planetarium (TOVP), under construction, recently opened an office in the ISKCON Juhu temple, at Hare Krishna Land in Mumbai. In honor of the occasion, and to further the cause, I thought to share an excerpt adapted from my article “Memories of Sridhar Swami” in my book Many Moons.

In November 2003, Srila Prabhupada’s staunch disciple Sridhar Swami phoned me from Bombay and told me that he was planning to go to Vancouver in April for four to six months. Soon thereafter, however, he sent an e-mail saying that he had been diagnosed with liver cancer and was going to Vancouver immediately to see if he could get a liver transplant, which was his “only hope.”

There the tests revealed that his cancer had spread beyond the limit allowed for transplants, and so his “only hope” was dashed, and it seemed like he was soon to leave his body.

I phoned Maharaja from Santa Barbara and eventually got him on his cell phone. “Where are you?” I asked. “I’m shopping,” he answered. He seemed so jolly—like always. But then he confirmed my worst fears: “The doctor says that I could go at any time. Phone me back later. We have to talk.”

After that, we would speak every day, usually twice a day. And we had wonderful talks. Then the question arose whether he should go to Mayapur—and when. He decided he would go to Mayapur and concluded that he should go as soon as possible.

He had three desires, he said: “I just want to survive until I reach Mayapur. Then, if possible, I want to live to see the Panca-tattva installed. And then, if possible, I want to live until Gaura-purnima. And then—whatever.” (He meant, of course, “And then—whatever Krishna wants.”) No one knew how much travel Maharaja’s weakened body could bear, but with these three desires in his heart, he flew to London and then to Kolkata, and eventually he arrived in Mayapur.

I wanted to phone Maharaja every day, but the way it worked out with the time difference and all the difficulties in just getting through to Mayapur, we only managed to speak every third day or so. The last time, two days before he left, he was having a good day. The previous day had been a bad one, but the night before, they had given him some additional medication. So when I spoke with him that last time, he was having a good day, and we had one of the best talks I have ever had with anyone in my entire life. We spoke mainly about the Mayapur project and Srila Prabhupada’s mission. It’s really something that I’ll cherish for my whole life—the experience of it and the lessons it contained.

That was Thursday, March 11. The next day, Friday, we installed beautiful brass Deities of Gaura-Nitai in our Carpinteria ashram. They had come from Vrindavan, originally commissioned by Mother Kirtida for Tamal Krishna Goswami. I felt that Their coming was also part of Sridhar Swami’s mercy, because he so fervently desired that the glories of the Panca-tattva be spread and that we build the great temple for Them in Mayapur. So, two representatives of the Panca-tattva had come, and I felt that Their arrival was his desire.

On Thursday I had told Maharaja, “I don’t know if I will be able to phone you again before then, but the Deities have come and we will install Them Friday evening, and by your mercy we’ll try to serve Them and Their dhama.” And now, whenever I look at Their beautiful forms and appealing faces, I feel that we have to do something for Them—we have to build Their wonderful temple, as Sridhar Swami always reminded me.

I think this may have been Maharaja’s main contribution in recent years, at least to me in my service: He impressed upon me—and upon our entire movement—the importance of the Mayapur project, of the “wonderful temple” (adbhuta mandira) that Nityananda Prabhu had desired for the service of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and that Bhaktivinoda Thakura had envisioned. (One day, when Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was chanting japa on the balcony of his house in Godruma-dvipa, he looked across the Jalangi River to Mayapur and had a vision of a transcendental city with a magnificent temple rising like a mountain in its midst.) Maharaja’s whole life was dedicated to Srila Prabhupada, and I think he felt that this was one of Srila Prabhupada’s main desires left to be fulfilled. And he felt that we had to do it—and that we had to do it; it would benefit the whole society, and the whole world. He would quote Ambarisa Prabhu: “This will be the tide that will make all the boats rise.” So, although Sridhar Maharaja left so many wonderful legacies for us in terms of his personal qualities and activities, I think one legacy that may serve to unite the movement and fulfill one of Srila Prabhupada’s main desires is his inspiration to push on the construction of the great temple in Mayapur.

When I was a new devotee, maybe less than two years in the movement, I approached Srila Prabhupada one day while he was getting his massage on the veranda of the Calcutta temple. “Srila Prabhupada,” I said, “I have been thinking about what pleases you most.” Srila Prabhupada was so pure he took every word into his heart. He replied, “Yes.” I said, “The two things that seem to please you the most are distributing your books and building the big temple in Mayapur.” Srila Prabhupada smiled with great appreciation and said, “Thank you very much.”

So, those were Srila Prabhupada’s two main strategies for spreading Krishna consciousness, and Sridhar Swami helped him in both. In his early days, Sridhar Swami was instrumental in developing book distribution in North America. And in his later years, he was very involved with the Mayapur project, planning and raising funds for the great temple. And by Maharaja’s mercy, on Gaura-purnima, standing in front of the Panca-tattva Deities in Laguna Beach, I got the inspiration: “Now it’s time for Mayapur. Sridhar Swami understood that long ago. Now it’s time for you [me] to join the effort, too.” And that was important for me in other ways as well—to let go of the past: “Forgive and forget. Now let’s all work together for Mayapur, for Sridhar Swami, for Srila Prabhupada, to build the wonderful temple.”

When I asked Sridhar Swami how I could help, he requested me to speak about my experiences of Srila Prabhupada related to Mayapur. So, in 1973, when Srila Prabhupada came to Calcutta from England, he was very excited and enthusiastic about Mayapur. Tamal Krishna Goswami had gotten the first land, we had observed the first Gaura-purnima festival there, and now Srila Prabhupada had come with the plans for the first building. There was a detailed discussion, and at the end Srila Prabhupada said, “If you build this temple, then Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura will personally come and take you all back to Godhead.”

Now I think, “That might be my only hope, so I’d better get to work. We’d better build the Mayapur project, because I don’t know how else I will ever get back to Godhead.”

His Holiness Sridhar Swami has given me a lifetime of work in service to Srila Prabhupada. Although jivo va maro va, to live or die is the same for a devotee—and certainly that was true of Maharaja—my own feelings are mixed. I think, “He has left so much service for me, given me so many instructions. So I must stay and execute his mission.” I think the same about Tamal Krishna Goswami. Even though part of me misses them terribly and wants to be with them, mainly I think, “They left me so many instructions. I have so much service to do for them here.”

Of course, how long we have to do what they have asked—what they would want—all depends on Krishna. Therefore, whatever time we do have left we should use in the best possible way—in Krishna consciousness.

Hare Krishna.

—Giriraj Swami

By simply attempting to realize God, one is guaranteed birth in a wealthy or aristocratic family
→ The Spiritual Scientist

In the Bhagavad-gita (6.41-43) it is stated that a man who enters upon the path of self-realization but does not complete the process, despite having sincerely tried to realize his relationship with God, is given a chance to appear in a family of suci or srimat. The word suci indicates a spiritually advanced brahmana, and srimat indicates a vaisya, a member of the mercantile community. So the person who fails to achieve self-realization is given a better chance in his next life due to his sincere efforts in this life. If even a fallen candidate is given a chance to take birth in a respectable and noble family, one can hardly imagine the status of one who has achieved success.

- Srila Prabhupada, Sri Isopanishad Mantra 3

Kailash Model
- TOVP.org

A new artist has joined the TOVP. Straight from the shores of Australia, Bhakti Vardhana das has made the banks of Mother Ganga his new home. The Art Department quickly deployed him to lend his talents in the construction of the TOVP scale model.

His current task is building and painting the kailash and its supporting structures. The model of the kailash is first made from a mixture of fiberglass and plaster which is poured into a mold. Once hardened, it is ready to be painted and attached to the rest of the fixture.

Bhakti Vardhana, a name bequeathed to him by Srila Prabhupada, comes from a formidable lineage of ISKCON artists. His father, Ram Prasad das, spent decades doing dedicated seva for the BBT. Many of his paintings are featured in ISKCON books. His depiction of Paramatma graces the covers of some, such as The Science of Self-realization. Bhakti’s uncle, Bhaskara das, is the manager of the TOVP Art & Research Department. He is the creative force behind much of the project’s design and finishes, constantly generating new ideas.

Pioneered and pursued by Paravata Muni das, this model plays an integral role in visualizing the super-structure and the components of the temple, such as the domes, which will rest upon it. This allows artists, engineers and architects to foresee potential obstacles as well as adjust visual ornamentation. It is an encompassing undertaking, fortunately both Parvata and Bhakti enthusiastically execute the seva.

The post Kailash Model appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Dwarka: Atlantis of the East Trailer
→ ISKCON News

Join Inc.500 entrepreneur, Amish Shah, as he investigates the secrets of the ancient submerged city of Dwarka. Follow his journey, inspired by the Mahabharata and other Vedic texts, as he explores the validity of their detailed accounts of ancient technology, powerful beings, and epic wars.

Sunday, April 27th, 2014
→ The Walking Monk

Coconut Grove, Florida

A Small Band of Us

A small band of us trekked to the ocean, and on our way we passed by a pizza shop which looked to be a 24/7 outfit.  The owner of the shop came out and broke out into a chant when he saw us.  It turns out that he knows one of our boys, a monk who passed away no less than two years ago. 

“I love that guy,” said the pizza man with his hand to his heart. 

“You mean, Siddha Vidya, my god brother monk?”

“Yeah, that’s the guy, that’s his name,” he said.  “I’ll make some pizzas for you guys,” and we declined saying it’s a little early in the morning.  It was 5:30 AM. 

Those of us who walked together knew of this extraordinary soul – Siddha Vidya, who made an impression on so many people with his visits to shop owners.  He made so many friends with all the people he had met.

Now, we continued on through Peacock Park, where hippies frequented, played Frisbee and enjoyed the food and fun that Krishna monks provided in the ‘70’s.  Vishnujana Swami, a most renowned monk of his time, drew the crowds. 

Much later in the day, or let’s say at 1-ish, a second group of us made our way to the docks for a boat ride and swim.   The operator of the boat called “Pearson” with the Shake A Leg establishment, was one of those guys that used to hang out at Peacock Park with the Krishnas in the ‘70’s.  Being sensitive about our needs, he took us to a beach area away from the sex, drugs, and rock and roll scene, bless his heart.  Hence, we played hard in the water.  I still prefer fresh water though.  Jambavan, from Michigan, was with us, and told about his father’s t-shirt, which held a caption in support of the Great Lakes, where there’s fresh water.  The caption read, “No Sharks, No Salt, No Worries”.  When I asked the operator of the boat about sharks in the area, his facetious response was, “Whoever amongst you is a poor swimmer, just keep him near you.”

The evening wrapped up at the ISKCON Centre with Jambavan and I doing a duet on the Gita’s message.  I will also say that the kirtan that preceded it was electrifying.

May the Source be with you!

8 KM

Saturday, April 26th, 2014
→ The Walking Monk

Coconut Grove, Florida
 
These Trees
 

The three of us, Angelo, Ananda Rupa and I, took to the sidewalk along Main highway.  The name is somewhat misleading, it’s only a two lane expanse of asphalt in the Coconut Grove area, and it runs along the Atlantic Ocean, separated by a lean stretch of land with high end properties and private schools.  Our guru, Srila Prabhupada, had strolled here on this very sidewalk under the banyan trees.  Nice place.  “Trees” was the topic of our discussion. In regards to the story of the pracetas, yogis, who had submerged themselves in water, as their venue for meditation.  They came out of the water after an extended time of trance, and noticed that the land they once knew was overgrown by trees.  They then arranged for clearing these forests, and like most projects conducted by man, it was taken to the extreme.  The moon objected to the destruction, to quote, “Soma, the king of the moon and the king of all vegetation, forbade the pracetas (from further destruction) since they, the trees, are the source of food for all.”
 
Trees are so essential for our sustenance in so many ways.  As the day rolled out, the trees at Cocounut Grove at Virginia Street, provided a welcoming shade for our mini Festival of Chariots.  The sun was baking us alive, so we, the participants, took shelter of the coconut trees as the deities of Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra, were carried out by priests.  The kirtan resounded and was energetic.  I did tolerate some tone deaf chanting leaders.  There was a glorious comment that came out by a Catholic mother of one of our devotees.  She was told that this drumming and singing was our version of high mass.  She found it quite lively 
 
Our brief procession culminated under the shady mango tree, where dance, song and slide show, were on display on a stage.  Once again, the tree did so much to offer relief to our situation.  God bless our trees. 
 
May the Source be with you!
 
6 KM

Prabhupada Letters :: Anthology 2014-04-29 12:25:00 →

1968 April 29: "I am going to Boston where there are so many nice college engagements arranged. Just recently we went to Temple University, Philadelphia where we held kirtana and lecture. Tomorrow we have got engagement at New York University. So we are spreading this Sankirtana very nicely here. Please keep me informed of your activities there."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

Prabhupada Letters :: Anthology 2014-04-29 12:22:00 →

1969 April 29: "I was very much pleased with the student community in Buffalo and similarly in San Francisco, Columbus and North Carolina. So our future hope is this student community. The child is the father of the man and if the fathers of the children of this country are not taking part with us then the future fathers will surely be sympathetic. That is a great hope for us."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

Prabhupada Letters :: Anthology 2014-04-29 12:17:00 →

1970 April 29: "Regarding KRSNA Book chapter 31, page 4, top, the word Hrdaya is correct. You must always ask the Lord's grace to make you in the right position. It is not for your sense gratification, it is for the Lord's service. For the Lord's service we can ask for His grace and mercy a hundred times but for our sense gratification we cannot pray or ask anything - that is pure devotion."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

Prabhupada Letters :: Anthology 2014-04-29 12:05:00 →

1974 April 29: "So I am very much encouraged by this political field in America. Preach on the basis of the division of society into four orders. Without this, society is useless and people cannot be happy or even have the necessities of life. In India they do no take it very seriously so it is up to you Americans to actually accomplish something."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

Kirtan Mela 2014 Nagara Sankirtana, Tallinn, Estonia (2 min video)
→ Dandavats.com

How does one achieve the highest benefit in all devotional practices by nama-sankirtan? When Krishna sees that someone is helping others by giving them the opportunity to hear the holy name, then Krishna from within and from without lifts the curtain of yogamaya from that person. He thus allows them to see the actual nature of the Deity and to penetrate and realize the deepest imports of the Bhagavata, the path of spontaneous devotion. Read more ›

More About “Falling from the Spiritual World”
→ The Enquirer

3426957-satan-fall-milton_sq-828625136c999d6b4713aa61a8633da9d92eab94-1024x1024

Śāstra and ācāryas have given an elaborate explanations of various types of “eternality.” To  break it down in a simple way:

  1. something which has no beginning and no ending is eternal in the fullest sense.
  2. something that has a beginning but no end is also eternal in a sense (its ending point is undefinable by time)
  3. something that has no beginning but has an end is also eternal (its starting point is undefinable by time)

When śāstra wants to refer to #2 or #3 it uses these words “an-ādi” (without beginning, #2), and “an-anta” (without an end).

See Śrī Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s own teaching on this issue in cc madhya 20, especially…

jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya — kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’
kṛṣṇera ‘taṭasthā-śakti’ ‘bhedābheda-prakāśa’ (108)

“The constitutional nature of the jīva is to be an eternal servant of Krishna, because it is a one-yet-different manifestation of Krishna’s own energy (‘taṭasthā-śakti’).”

The question arises, if the jīva is Krishna’s eternal servant, why is it not currently engaged in service to Krishna, but instead is engaged in serving itself through Māyā? Mahaprabhu addresses this question in his next instruction to Śrī Sanātana Goswāmī:

kṛṣṇa bhuli’ sei jīva anādi-bahirmukha
ataeva māyā tāre deya saḿsāra-duḥkha (117)

“Disregarding Krishna, the Jīva  beginninglessly turns away from him. Therefore Māyā gives him to the miseries of saṁsāra.”

The question then arises, can the jīva ever fulfill its original, constitutional purpose and become engaged in Krishna’s service? Mahaprabhu addresses this in his next instruction:

sādhu-śāstra-kṛpāya yadi kṛṣṇonmukha haya
sei jīva nistare, māyā tāhāre chāḍaya (120)

“If through the mercy of sādhu and śāstra he turns towards Krishna, that jīva becomes liberated, Māyā lets go of him.”

So, the Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya siddhanta concludes that the jīva is eternally bound by māyā, but “eternal” in the sense of being from the very beginning of existence (“anādi”, without a markable beginning), not in the sense of being endless. Therefore the jīva can turn towards Krishna and become free from saṁsāra-duḥka.

—

Q: I thought they are called nitya-baddha figuratively. That is, the nitya-bhaddhas are ever-conditioned because they do not know when they came in touch with this material world.

Yes, no one knows when it happened, because it is anādi – it does not have a traceable beginning. It begins with the beginning itself.

Q: On the other hand, the nitya-siddhas never come in contact with this material world, and even when they descent under the order of the Supreme Lord, they do not tangle in the material world, and remain always transcendental.

This is perfectly correct, in my opinion — and vividly demonstrates the principle that no associate of Krishna can fall into the grip of māyā.

Q: Are all of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s associates nitya-siddhas?

No. Nor are  all of Śrī Krishna’s associates nitya-siddha. The descent of the līlā to this world is for the purpose of inducing souls from this world to the higher plane. So when it descends, the nitya-siddhas are joined by sādhana-siddhas and a few kripa-siddhas. Even non-siddhas also participate by observing (directly, or by hearing the recordings – Śrīmad Bhāgavatam) or participating incidentally, and thus being induced to join ASAP.

Q: Is there any  clear sastric statement that every being in the spiritual realm is a nitya-siddha?

Certainly there are many. Śrīla Jīva Goswami’s analysis of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, Bhāgavata Sandarbha, Anuccheda 51 is devoted to this exact statement. He says “tato’skhalanam” (no one falls from there), and quotes dozens of verses from Bhāgavatam and Śruti to support the statement.

 


Debauchery is not devotion – harmonize morality with spirituality
→ The Spiritual Scientist

"[The devotee] feels no apathy or attachment to mundane morality. On the other hand, morality waits like a maidservant to assist spiritual morality in the service of the Lord of Transcendental Love. At the same time we should understand that the character of one culturing spiritual love is never devoid of morality. One hostile to morality or fallen from it can never be a spiritual man. In the blazing core of the teaching of Shri Chaitanya Deva’s ideal—debauchery is not devotion. The evidence is abundant when reflecting on the character of Sri Chaitanya Deva and his followers."

Conversation between Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur and Prof. Albert E. Suthers, January 1929, Krishnanagar

Presence
→ Seed of Devotion

Tonight I sat down at the harmonium in this quiet, empty house. I sang the holy name, the mahamantra. I submerged myself in the music. The sound of the Lord surrounded me and I became overwhelmed with gratitude that Krishna has given me a voice to sing to Him. Somehow when I sing to Krishna when it's just the two of us in an empty house or an empty templeroom, I feel the closest to Him. I feel that He is standing right in front of me. He is listening. I feel the most pure, as if Krishna sees my soul, past all of my layers and layers of hardened and twisted shells. Krishna sees me. I get to be me.

Thank you for giving me a voice to sing to you, my beautiful Krishna. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be in Your presence by singing the holy name.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
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Bhāgavatam’s Theory of Evolution
→ The Enquirer

Here is a summary of what we conclude upon considering the Bhagavatam’s description of evolution in Canto 3, Chapters 5 & 6 (which itself reiterates Canto 2, Chapters 5 & 6):

Bhāgavatam describes the evolution of senses, intelligence, emotion, individuality, and consciousness via combinations of material elements; but unlike the modern theory that this occurs from nothing and by chance, the Bhāgavata theory asserts that evolution is driven by the need to facilitate networking between the inert world and the qualities and attributes inherent within quantums of supra-material sentience.


Give Priority To The Sound
→ Japa Group

Today was a struggle with the mind. There are so many things that Maya sends for our mind's to latch on to. Even if we are in a peaceful place from from the usual city sounds, still there are the sights and sounds of birds, insects etc.
In whatever situation we are in, if we simply give priority to the sound of the Mantra, then the mind will automatically be free from distracting thoughts.

Journey to the material world
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 15 March 2014, Melbourne, Australia, Srimad Bhagavatam 2.7.47)

 

gopakumar_krishnaKrsna who is so kind that when the living being turns away from him, Krsna says, ‘Ok, but I won’t let you go alone!’

Our bhakta in his Hansel and Gretel play opened up as a spirit soul wanting to go to the material world. Krsna was there and said, ‘No, no – don’t go!’

But jiva said, ‘It’s alright, I am not really going to stay there, I will just have a look, just check it out, and will be right back!’

Krsna was again saying, ‘No, no – don’t go!’

‘Oh, that’s alright!’

Finally Krsna said, ‘Well, you really want to go?’

‘Yes! Really! Definitely!’

Krsna, ‘Alright. Then, take this!’

And then Krsna brings the sheet of transparent plastic with the hole in it, which is the subtle body.

‘Gosh, what is this?!’

Krsna, ‘Yes, you have to wear this.’

Then Krsna brings the huge overcoat – the gross body which the jiva has to wear as well. Then he gets these parcels – material desires, lust, greed, anger and the jiva has to balance all that, ready for the material world! The curtain closes and the next scene shows bhakta in the huge cradle with the baby head on and his feet are waving at the audience! Boy, that was really good! That is exactly how it is; here we are in the material world, now forgetful of the spiritual world and now anxiety begins which has become our second nature.

Krsna feels our absence, Krsna has been waiting all this time and Krsna even has come with us to the material world, as Paramatma. In the spiritual world, there is no Paramatma in the heart of the eternally liberated souls – that is only in the material world because when the living being wants to go and leave Krsna, Krsna says, ‘Alright, yes. Alright then, you go.’ But meanwhile Krsna goes with him, hiding in the heart all along.

‘But I don’t see anything?’ Yes, because Krsna is hiding in the heart! Sometimes Krsna is sort of hinting, ‘No, no, not left, go right, go to right path, not the wrong one.’ Some say (in a proud voice), ‘It is my conscience, it is my inner voice, it is a part of me!’ No, it is Krsna who is kindly accompanying us on our material journey and in this way, we can appreciate that actually we are never alone – never, ever. And therefore we can face the greatest difficulties, because we realize – Krsna is always with me! Therefore, what can go wrong!?

 

Give Priority To The Sound
→ Japa Group

Today was a struggle with the mind. There are so many things that Maya sends for our mind's to latch on to. Even if we are in a peaceful place from from the usual city sounds, still there are the sights and sounds of birds, insects etc.
In whatever situation we are in, if we simply give priority to the sound of the Mantra, then the mind will automatically be free from distracting thoughts.

Coins Review
→ TKG Academy

The students have finished up their Saxon Textbooks.  So we’re reviewing those objectives in Math that they all struggle on.  Counting coins is a big tedious process for most of the students.  Adding 25s, 10s, 5s, and 1s, requires them to practice their addition, multiplication and skip-counting processes in their heads.

Like anything else difficult, you put the word game next to the activity, and do it with a partner.  They are to take turns grabbing a handful of coins, and draw out what they found on their worksheet.  After totaling it up, they return it to the cup, and do it again.  Simple.

Its like the ‘Lightbulb’ effect.  Even the ones who have spent the whole year stumbling on the Coin Counting, get it.   We end the year with more confidence in our ability to count money.

 

 

New Vrindaban Gardens 4-28-2014
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

 

ECO-Vrindaban New Vrindaban Garden seedling greehouse

Flower & vegetable seedlings started in the Palace Greenhouse

Greetings from the garden…..

This week has been all about preparation. In the picture above you can see just a fraction of the vegetables and flowers waiting to be planted in the gardens. Some of the more hardy plants like kale, mint, lettuce, and beets are all ready hardening off. This means they are taken out of the greenhouse and left outside in their current containers to get used to the environment. Three types of mint have already been planted in the beds along the lodge ginger mint, banana mint, and spearmint.

In the Garden of Seven Gates the sugar snap peas and shell peas are growing nicely, they enjoy the cool nights. We also had our very first vegetable harvest of the year, asparagus. For some of our other seedlings we are building simple cold frames using cement blocks and old windows. The frame is placed on the ground and is used to house, protect, and harden off seedlings and small plants, without artificial heat. The windows are removed during the day and put back on top at night to protect the plants from the cold. The new lilac bushes along the gate are starting to bloom and soon we will be seeing many types of beautiful flowering buds in the garden.