I spent part of last week in Florida. Bella and her pet human treated me great while I was out there.


Bobcat still flying. Never gonna stop flying.


Spinning some poi in the moonlight.

Soul food. Obese souls preferred.


Shuck em and suck em. 25 cent oysters at the ACME Oyster House while the Saints games are on, so my pana and I hit em up one evening.


Happened to meet "Captain Love" there too, apparently out with his lady friend. This guy was a riot, shushing his girl and everyone else when the game was going well, and looking close to tears when it wasn't. A true fan if ever there was one.

Flying monkey, sighted at the Nature Conservancy's preserve northeast of Abita Springs.

Goiter and I share a tender moment. Before she turned on me and tried to take a chunk out of my leg.


My brother and I goofing off in Houston during a break from visiting the MD Anderson Cancer Center.


A photo from early 2006. I was participating in Peace Corps training in Ecuador, having no clue about the experience that lay before me. One evening a bunch of us were passing the time by shaking our heads back and forth vigorously and taking pictures. My glasses went flying.


One from the time capsule... this is me almost exactly a year ago, couchsurfing in Bend Oregon.

Why livin in LA is good.

All you can eat fried shrimp plus toast, cabbage, salad, and potato salad for $6.99

A note to our understandably confused readership:

Bella is a dog, not a cat.  Thank you, and good night.

Images from work.


Bella's idea of work is to keep the floor warm in one 9 by 7 inch area.





Work it!

Sitting in a conference room learning about the world of social media at the Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations annual conference in Baton Rouge.  Figured it might be fitting to use this break opportunity to post a blog update.  The weather outside is fantaaaastic.  The atmosphere in here is enjoyable too.  I had a catfish Po-Boy for lunch and then showed up here to find waves upon waves of cookies and coffee and drinks waiting for me, go figure!  In any case, I'm fed and watered and excited to be here learning, seeing, and doing.  More later.

Twilight in the swamp.


Going going gone over the Tchefuncte River.


6,000 square foot houseboat moored at Three Rivers, hopefully will be renovated and used as guest quarters for people on retreats.


Sunrise over Highway 190 in Covington.


It can be tough to leave the grounds when this is the ambiance.

Here are photos of some of the fun stuff to see and do around Three Rivers Sanctuary. Above, an example of the "Thai Aquassage" being done on a visitor at our Longevity Therapy luncheon the other week. This takes place in the watsu pool, heated to body temperature or slightly warmer. You wouldn't believe the states or relaxation reached while being dunked under water. Has to be experienced to be understood.


A friend of mine from back in the day has been practicing belly dancing for a decade and started her own Belly Dancing Troupe called Pandorium. They came out to perform and hopefully we'll be able to get a belly dancing/movement therapy class on the schedule eventually.


Everyone is busy as bees around here.


The main lodge with some of the contemporary natural color.


Hummingbird in my hand. Sweet.

Behold the FIRST interior shot of the tree house. I know that it's not as fantastical as El Castillo was in Zaruma, and there's definitely not a rooftop terrace with a view out over the Andes, but it does have air conditioning, a heated shiatsu massage chair, and a wooden Buddha. That's my aunt checking out the massaging papasan.


Walk a few steps away and you'll find the Abita River meandering its tannin-colored way through the oaks and pines and ancient cypress. This sandy beach is just a few turns down the river (really a creek this far upstream), reachable by fiberglass boat or kayak or just swimming. That's something that El Castillo never had.


This was before I moved in. There are some little doodads and natural art things that I've added already. Good energy in this place for sure.


Want to be close to nature? You got it here. Oak leaves touch the wraparound deck in two or three places and every morning I can wake up to an avian chorus.


Yellow spot = Piece of the perimeter wall from Woodstock 99. Lower right reddish thing is my kayak waiting for me to take it out again.

Yoga studio built above Sheriff Bayou with views over the Tchefuncte River.


My dad and brother swagger into a healthy food potluck held at Three Rivers.


One of the many miraculous sights of nature to be had on the grounds.



Orb weaver spider. Apparently smiling about something... the pools are off in the background.

The swampy "wood duck refuge" at the Sanctuary. More to come, seriously. Lots more. The tree house shall be revealed as well, all in good time!

I write on a Palm Treo 700wx in what can best be described as a sort of treehouse sans tree, a single room raised 12 or so feet straight up off of the ground next to a swampy part of the Louisiana town of Abita Springs (where Turbodog and Restoration Ale come from). I lie upon my ridgerest,the same that served me so well hiking from Mexico to Canada last year. Going to spend the night here. Might just spend a year or two. Muy ocupado aqui ahora, pero les prometo que voy a actualizar mi pagina web pronto...

Re:

On a ferry in cameron,LA. hot. lots of horse flies. saw a gator. hope to see more before hitting Lake Charles again later.