I've somehow been too busy to blog. The past few weeks have been busy with

• writing
• coaching
• playing with grandkids
• weeding the garden
• cooking
• a high school reunion
• halloween pumpkin carving and scare-crow making
• visit with Trevor and Choe and making crafts

Yesterday Robert and I drove up to Yountville to hear our friend Dianne Aigaki speak at the Napa Valley Museum.  She gave an inspiring talk about her work with Tibetans, those who live in exile in India and those who live in Tibet.  She first went to to Tibet with the idea to paint Tibetan wildflowers, and took a course on botanical illustration.  She wanted to take pictures back to India to show her Tibetan friends the flowers of their homeland.

The project, of course, grew into something much larger.  I wish you could have been there to hear her tell about how she was able to show family photos of those who escaped Tibet to those who have not seen their loved ones for years--and vice versa.  Living in a Tibetan village, not only allowed her to paint and document dozens of species of plants, but inspired her to think of ways to support the villagers with much needed education and medical services for the elderly (almost non-existent.)

To this end, Dianne is offering two trips next year in June and July for people who want to accompany her to the Tibetan plains to paint wildflowers, or to just explore and experience life there.  I can only imagine this to be a trip of a lifetime.  As some of you know, I went with Dianne in 1999 to Dharmasala with a group and we met many Buddhist nuns and teachers, a high lama, as well as the nephew of Ghandi in a casual dinner in New Delhi!  Dianne has an uncanny knack for following her passion and opening the way to direct action.   Dianne is also interested in exapanding her speaking engagements, and is particularly interested in speaking at graduations, where she hopes to motive young people to follow their dreams.  If you know of a school who might be looking for speakers, please contact Dianne at

Dianneaigaki@yahoo.com

If you are interested in her trip to Tibet,and want to know the details, please email her directly.  It might be a good idea to put TIBETAN TRIP 2008 in the subject line so she can easily see it. 

I'll be seeing Dianne later this week, so will update you on anything new!