Lazy end of summer days

The second last day of August and summer at DCL is over. The program season ended early this year with the Scorpion Seal Assembly 2 and the Vajra Garchen. Suddenly the days are crisper and nights are downright cold. End of summer tomatoes from the garden. SO many tomatoes.

Now, fall takedown is in full swing. Since the departure of the last program participants, DCL has taken on a quiet, almost cottage-vacation like atmosphere. Many summer volunteers have already left, and the result is that the remaining staff are treated to many home-baked treats; fresh zucchini bread French toast for breakfast, and home-made peach ice cream and cookies with lunch. This weekend the remaining staff and DCL neighbors enjoyed a western-style brunch at Michael LeBlanc’s house, followed by tango lessons in the evening. A violent early morning thunderstorm cut out the phone and internet for five days, giving the office staff a pleasant break from work and intensifying the sensation that DCL exists in a bubble on an island in the middle of a vast ocean. DCL staff and neighbors enjoying brunch at Michael LeBlanc's.

Post-tango BBQ feast.
The summer, all of those people who came to DCL, all of the volunteers I grew to love, the dream-like nature of it all is both sharp and haunting. Waking up to cool breezes in my tent each morning with a sense of “did that really happen?”. It was a great summer.

Picture which didn't make it into the last post: adorable children raising the flags at family camp.