More scenes

Welcome to Rancho Pollo Gordo....

Beauty and the Beets.

We got the beets!

We decided to harvest some beets to roast

for tonights salad. As you can see, that

chicken-enhanced compost it

working out quite well.

Backyard kiss.

Happy urban homesteaders.

Scenes from Rancho Pollo Gordo

Giant chicken invades Encinitas!!

Five different breeds, five different eggs! All healthy and delicious.

5-gal buckets used as nesting boxes make it easy to harvest eggs.

Amy's happy and healthy hens chillin' on a spring afternoon.

Moxa, moxa man, you got to be a Moxa man...

Dear Friends - as you know, I have spent much time over the years working with health practitioners of all types both western and alternative. It has been my great good fortune to count as friends acupuncturists, or more accurately, practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine. My friend and fellow Laker fan Steven Levitt is in fact a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, and a teacher and mentor of the students at Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in San Diego. Steve's treatments have been a great help in my recovery, and his housecalls to my home have truly been a godsend. The good doctor Steven advised me in a particular moxa protocol for my health. If you are unfamiliar with "moxa", it the the burning of a compressed stick of the herb mugwort, kinda like a cigar, that is moved or held near the skin over the appropriate points on your body. I was told to moxa points just below my navel, first thing in the morning. But Steve was out of moxa at that point. That's when Tina and Alan stepped up. Tina is an angel who practices a form of healing touch and has been giving me treatments, out of the kindness of her heart, twice a week for about 3 weeks now. These sessions with Tina put me into a deeply relaxed, almost trance-like state, which seems to speed and deepen my healing. Or so it seems. Tina's husband is Alan Takao Toyofuku, Alan for short, and, you guessed it, an acupuncturist! We met for the first time when they drove across town to deliver a couple of moxa sticks to me, just to be sure I had what I needed. What lovely, caring people. Generous and kind.

Anyway, the first morning I tried the moxa treatment as outlined by Dr. Levitt, it was almost like magic! My whole digestive system seemed to contract and wake up! My entire viscera felt warm and energized and I felt good! I have done this nearly every morning since with the same results. I'm feeling better each day, thanks in part to wise and kind acupuncturists. I am the Moxa Man!

Dr Steven Levitt 760 809-8885

Doctor of Oriental Medicine

Alan Takao Toyofuku 760 525-0889

Licensed Acupuncturist

The Reiki Queens

Yesterday, Friday, I was visited by an amazing group of women. Jane Barger (no relation to Sonny) organized her entire Reiki group, instructor included, to visit me in my abode and give me a multi-Reiki session. I felt like royalty with all this wonderful Yin healing energy around me. During the session I felt again the presence of Ganesh, as though he was dancing in the air above my chest. I felt subtly but profoundly elevated and tonified after my session. Such lovely women with such lovely energy. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to aim your healing skills in my direction. It was awesome being in the center of the Reiki Sisterhood. Thank you Jane, for everything you do, your generosity is only exceeded by your wisdom.

Long Live the Poetry Tribe...

Last night was the Poetry Ruckus at Ducky Waddles's Emporium in Leucadia. The always energetic and entertaining Jim Babwe was the featured poet, a spot I have held in a ruckus past. I really wanted to get out and be amongst the people, and Jerry Waddle's quirky and cool scene was just what I needed. The warmth and love from the poets was wonderful. Thanks to Michael Schmidt for holding this scene together. It was so good to see my poetry homies, Dylan, George, Jim and the gang. Although I was pretty spent by the end, it was great to hear some fresh spoken word. Feeds the soul. See some pics here:

https://picasaweb.google.com/jdbabwe/DuckyWaddlesPoetryRuckus4272011#

In other news, we are all applauding the guerrilla art installation that appeared in Encinitas. It is a beautiful glass mosaic of the Virgin of Guadalupe on a surfboard, with the words "Save the Ocean" on the side. It is on the abutment of the train trestle that goes over Encinitas Blvd. just east of Hwy 101. It is an utterly audacious and fantastic work of art, and should be displayed.

Tube Free at last, thank God Almighty, I'm Tube Free at last!

Greetings everyone. I had my appointment with the wise and sagacious Dr. Bhoyrul today, and now the last tube from my surgery is gone! Hallelujah! What a relief. And you know, he was telling the truth; it wasn't nearly as painful as the drain tubes. He spent some time answering all the questions Amy and I could throw at him, even diagramming out the answers on his white board. I feel better already, even if the site on my stomach is a little sore. He also advised me to avoid strong core contractions for 12 weeks post surgery, so that is another 4 months without Tibetan crunches or boat posture, but, fellow yogis, that doesn't mean I can't include these in the class! I hope to return to yoga class soon, now that I am tube free. It has been a good day. I must be getting better, Amy is giving me chores and errands!! (maybe I'd better lie down for a while ;-)...........)

Happy Eostre, Everyone!

Hello everyone, and happy Easter Day! A dear friend reminded me that I must let go of my previous life to be reborn as...an old man with a gnarly scar across his abdomen? ...a cancer "survivor"? ...some new incarnation of Swami bruce, perhaps. I'm not sure what my "new" life will hold, but sometimes I grieve for my old life. However, I've always known that we can only move forward, never back. The springtime, and it's rituals, are helpful with this process. Fresh eggs from our own chickens, sweet peas from the garden filling our house with their fragrance, poppies blooming and apricots and figs setting fruit, the sound of birdsong...spring is the time to revel in the energy of the natural world. That, and the NBA playoffs. ;-)

I want to take some time to thank everyone for the amazing support you have shown me in the past month or so. So much love and kindness has come my way, in the form of funds, gift cards and gift certificates, food, books, cards, emails, health treatments, visits and phone calls. I am overwhelmed, and until recently physically and emotionally unable to write a single thank you note. Now, I don't know where to start! It is truly humbling how generous and caring all my friends, family, clients and students have been towards me. You know who you are. Please know that Amy and I have been deeply moved by your gifts and kindness and offers of help. It has brought us to tears on more that one occasion. Friend both old and new have given me strength to face the reality of my situation, and for that I am deeply grateful.

I found this info about Easter that I thought I would share:

Before Christianity, “Easter” (Eastre, Eostre) was a Teutonic goddess of dawn, spring and fertility. She is also called Ostara, goddess of dawn, with sunrise celebrations centered on growth and renewal. Prayers to her assured abundant crops, and eggs were eaten and exchanged as talismans.

Other Names of Spring Goddess:

• Ostara
• Ostare
• Ostern
• Eostre
• Eostra
• Eostur
• Eastra
• Eastur
• Austron
• Ausos
• Ishtar
• Ashtur

Symbolizing the beginning of Spring, with brightening and longer days after vernal equinox, Eastre is full of growth and passion of new life. She was the Great Mother Goddess of Northern Europe. She is a goddess of dawn and spring, and her name derives from dawn, the light arising from East. The word, East is related to her and the female hormone, estrogen is named for her.