Victor Roberge is a dear friend whom I've known since August 1986. There is an entire novel's worth of adventures, phone calls, emails with him and various members of his family and friends over the years. In fact, we became a group of people seeking to learn more about the spiritual realities surrounding us. This took many forms and has been an extremely important part of my life. I had the pleasure of entertaining Victor and his ex-wife Linnaea in Connecticut and Westchester county at my parents and Uncle's house where we held discussions with a group of people who found their way to these respective meetings. Even though relationships and lives have changed greatly since then, Victor and I have continued to support the connections and expanded ourselves through a deep sense of honesty and individual self examination. He is truly one of the great friends that I have along with so many others. Even now more friends have come to the fore here in Vermont who continue along the same lines. Those beginnings back in 1986 were housed within a world that was quite different than the one we find ourselves in today, yet, there's also the feeling that today's world is a continuation and result of all those evolutionary seeds laid down during that time of great opening in the world.
That's just a little background for you all, and also a clue that all things, in their own way, are symbolic. They teach us, instruct us and as Tolle says, they help lead the way.
I am a serious lover of gardening. That doesn't hold any value upon or boasting about my abilities, it simply gives a sense of how much I love it. Sometimes I garden in pots, 5 gallon pails and the like. It's extremely rewarding to garden and there's nothing like eating your own vegetables and spices. This year, due to the 2 hip surgeries that are part of this spring/summer experience I wasn't able to plant. I look forward to next year.
During July and August of 2013 I had the privilege of being in Hood River, Oregon with Victor and his wife Pam. It was a great way to work on the libretto for my opera Made in America: The Interview while I enjoyed and took care of their garden.
Some views of the garden...
And, the harvest from this glorious garden.
A minute portion of the flowers that abound.
And, a view from the garden!
All this on only a 1/4 acre, and I haven't even shown all of it. It's beautiful place, heaven on earth in many ways.
Hi Stoney!!!! Thanks again Victor for giving me such inspiring memories and for all the years of camaraderie and discovery. Thanks to you and Pam for creating such a paradise and for sharing it with me. These pictures and memories cause me to wish that Oregon and Vermont weren't so far apart! Be well my friends...
Thank you all for joining me. Thomas