The Buda Buddha

I have been to a few meditation classes trying to learn how to relax and calm my mind.  I enjoyed it, but couldn't free my mind for the lengthy 45 minutes of the class.  However, when I would go to garden stores or peruse garden blogs and would come across statues or images of a buddha, it triggered a response that reminded me to "calm down and relax."  

I decided I needed a meditating buddha statue to put in the garden to remind me that I need to calm down and relax.  I found this one at Ross for a bargain.  I made myself a meditation place on the deck in the  backyard tonight and will practice freeing my mind and letting the problems of the day drift away.

This statue is in the dhyana mudra position which is the mudra of meditation, of concentration on the Good law, and of the attainment of spiritual perfection.

I'll start with 5 - 10 minutes of mediatiation at a time to begin with...

More rain in Buda

We got a pretty good rain last night and it was still drizzling this morning.  Of course I had to get out this morning with the camera and see what had been perked up from the rain.

It's amazing how much the morning glory has grown on the fence in just a few days.  What a bargarin at about $.89 for a packet of seeds.

Here's another weed that was too beautiful to pass up.

Pebbles

Colorful bug

Rain drops on the lorepetalum

A drop of rain clinging to the yucca plant

 Morning glory growing on the chainlink fence.  These vines came back from last year's seeds.

Are these weeds or great photographic subjects?

 Dandelion

 White prickly poppy

Closeup of the white prickly poppy

Today I practiced taking pictures with the macro feature on the camera.

Rose

Mesquite Tree

Oleander

Agave
I never noticed the design on the leaves before - quite interesting.

Passionflower
My favorite flower in the Retreat - and so intersting to photograph.

This is some sort of cactus weed.  How can a weed be so pretty?