This is our garden Buddha. He was a present from a co-worker, who knew I attended that Buddhist retreat a couple of years ago. (Not to mention practicing Zen for several years in New York.) He looks like he's made of wood, but he's actually some kind of weather-resistant plastic or resin, and I believe at some point he was decapitated. You can see a ring around his neck where his head was reattached. But that's fine. As my great-grandmother would have said, "A galloping horse wouldn't notice."
I sort of like the repair job -- not only the line around his neck but the slightly forward tilt of his head, which may or may not have been his original posture. You know the Japanese art of repairing broken objects with gold, to celebrate their imperfections? Our Buddha has a golden necklace, sort of.
There's also a Buddhist expression you may have heard that says, "If you see the Buddha, kill the Buddha!" I think it's meant to warn us against becoming attached to any one idea of what the Buddha or Buddhism is, as well as believing we understand that idea. Anyway, our little statue with his mortal wound reminds me of that saying.
Well, yesterday was crazy busy around here. Thames Water has been digging at the front of the house to connect us to the new water main, a job that seems more or less completed. (The hole has been filled in, anyway.)
And some guys showed up to repair the fence at the side of the house that has caused Mrs. Kravitz so much consternation.
Here they are, installing a couple of new fence panels and straightening a post that's behind me in this shot.
It's a little weird having the fence wide open. Mrs. Kravitz's dog was very curious about it, as was Olga, but weirdly neither of them crossed the line. They seem to know where their territory ends and the other's begins.
See that big hunk of concrete next to the yellow flowers? That was thrown behind the plants on our side, and that's what pushed the fence post outward and made the fence lean. So they repair guys removed it and will haul it away.
We didn't get too involved in the repair. I just let them do their thing. I think Mrs. Kravitz must be out of town, because I never saw her during the whole process and I'm sure she'd have things to say under normal circumstances.
Today they'll be back to finish the job, and we're taking Olga to the vet for her shots, and I have to get my Covid testing done for my flight to Florida in just TWO DAYS!
48 comments:
I didn't realise your trip was so close. Another holiday! Dog Kravitz is rather cute. I hope Buddha accidently lost his head and was not really decapitated.
Mrs Kravitz has lovely, clean and relatively new paving. This contrasts with the paving on your side of the fence. I hope you manage to negotiate all the obstacles and get to Florida then back to London safely.
Oh, I didn't meant to imply that it was intentional decapitation. He probably just got dropped or something!
Yeah, the paving pretty much says it all, doesn't it? She also has a very chi-chi purebred dog, while we...don't.
Ha! I wonder what Mrs. Kravitz will have to say about the fence since she wasn‘t there to supervise. Mrs. Kravitz’s house and gardens -- and purebred dog -- look pristinely maintained. No surprise there. Only 4 days! Hallelujah! Hope all goes smoothly.
Two days!!!! Eeeeeeeeee!!!! how exciting that must be! Enjoy every bit of it. Mrs. Kratsky's dog appears to be as nosy as she is.
Well, I certainly screwed up her name, didn't I? LOL.
I guess someone did try to kill your Buddha but it didn't really work, did it? I have a little wooden Buddha that I got a thrift shop in Roseland. It has a few scars on it but he just laughs them off. He's one of the roly-poly Buddhas who laughs all the time.
The fence repair guys look like Ninjas in their black clothing.
Whatever else is going on with Mrs. Kravitz, she has a cutie patootie dog :)
It's nice to see Mrs Kravitz's dog. I would have thought she would have a cat, a very mean-scratch-you cat. We have lots of Buddhas around our house, and all of them have kept their heads. Mmm. Maybe I need to toss one off the bookcase. Uh-oh, now I think I've just invited an earthquake to do the job for me.
Good luck with the Covid test.
Good luck with your travel back to the U.S. Mrs. Kravitz's dog kinda looks like Murphy.
Lot's of activity at your house! It's funny that both dogs recognized their own territories. I love the Buddha.
It's probably best Mrs. K is not there. The last thing you need is another "manager." Plus, her dog seems to be doing a good job all by himself.
Well, her property is so close to yours; no wonder she is always in your business. You could visit over the fence like "Wilson" in that sitcom, "Home Improvement", do you remember that? You would never see her face, just the top of her head or her hat if she was wearing one! :)
My great grandmother’s very similar saying was, “A man on a flying horse will never notice it.”
Travel On Brother Man - I Have Never That Expression But Use It Forever Now - As Much As I Pay Attention To Details, I Need More Galloping Horses In My World - Olga Girl, Hope You Feel Better As Its Just Routine - Extra Treats Please
Cheers
I like your great-grandmother's saying, although I think it's meant to cover large imperfections, not small ones, isn't it? lol
I'm sure you'll be as glad as Mrs. K to get the fence repairs done, albeit for a different reason (to stop the complaints).
Hi you three. That little Kravitz dog is probably trained to behave. Living with Mrs. Kravitz she is probably scolded when she is just being a fur baby. It is a pretty little dog. Now my Queen (her name) ignore border guides. I don't allow them closeup at the front door but Ms. Queen ignore me and it's worse when my son come over and she know he is outside. Queen is really his little dog but I am the one who took care of her and Babs. I am still the one who take care of her.(lol) I carried them all to the vet on Friday for heart worm checks, rabies shots and their worm medicine. I had to take Milo back to the vet yesterday because he is always having ear infections. The vet only charged me for the medicine because she said I was just there on Friday. That was a big blessing on my funds. I can't stand to see them suffer and I know something is wrong. Atleast you have something pretty standing over the fence at Kravits house. (lol)Just guessing she is not and just might be an attractive person. Atleast have something good to show others. (laughing hard)
I love your Buddha and your reflections about him and Buddhism. Safe travels in two days!
The Buddha is lovely and an excellent part of your garden. I'm sure Mrs. K's dog is more polite than she is. Franklin talks trash with the dogs who live behind us when he can see them through a small gap in the fence. If the fence were down, he'd be all tail wags and butt sniffs because boundaries would be eradicated.
Love,
Janie
You have a good working garden and lovely Olga!
Mrs.K's dog looks like labradoodle!!
Good luck with the travel preps.,and the actual journey!
Seeing the "scar" on your Buddha's neck makes me feel better about mine getting buried up to the neck. He was placed strategically along the fence line to block a dog escape hole many years ago and promptly forgotten. I happened to see his head peeking up not long ago!
Enjoy your trip!!
Your garden looks very lusciously lush and I love seeing all of the photos. I am very glad that you enjoyed your trip and now your soon to be off again on another to Florida. I know that Olga was exhausted. I totally understand how she looks forward to the get a way's but glad to be home again so she can just rest in a deep sleep. Nothing says home more than being able to curl up and close our eyes and sleep.
I am not sure how they do their testing for Covid in the UK but I hate how they stick those wands up our nose here. UGH... Enjoy your trip home. Hugs xxxx
Great title for your post. I didn't think you were off to Florida until later on. Have a good trip.
Mrs Kravitz has a beautiful dog. I'm surprised that she went off and left it at home. How quickly the time flew by and now you'll be leaving in two days! I hope it's a good trip. Hugs, Edna B.
I think it is a labradoodle, actually.
That's what happens when you employ professional gardeners and you have a maid!
Ha! "Kratsky" is a good name, too!
I think it makes perfect sense for Buddha figurines to be somewhat imperfect and exhibit signs of wear. Wabi-sabi, as the Japanese say. I wish I'd thought to call the fence guys "fence ninjas" -- they'd have gotten a kick out of that!
Yeah, the dog is very cute and very friendly.
A cat would require a litter box, which Mrs. K would NEVER tolerate. LOL!
Same color, right? But isn't Murphy more of a lab?
It IS funny how neither of them would cross the line! Dogs are smart.
He looks very authoritative, doesn't he? But honestly he's just curious.
Yeah, we are in the city, after all -- there's not a lot of space between houses! We talk to each other over the fence all the time.
Ha! I suppose there are multiple variations of the same idea out there!
It's a very Colorado expression, don't you think?!
I suppose if you were to literally apply it, you could only expect a galloping horse to notice a large imperfection -- but it's more figurative than literal, right?
Queen is a good name for a dog! It's great that the vet didn't charge you twice for a visit. We like Mrs. K's dog -- very cute and very friendly.
Thanks, Elizabeth!
Yeah, dogs often act all fierce when there's a boundary, or when they're restrained on a leash, but once they're loose they quickly figure out their own rules for mingling.
Thanks, G!
Ha! I guess the dogs managed to excavate the hole even more?!
Yeah, the Covid test isn't pleasant, that's for sure. I've only ever done the self-test, so I haven't had someone else stick the wand up my nose! (Fortunately!)
It came around quickly, didn't it?!
Someone is still staying at her house -- some other family members, I think. So the dog is cared for, don't worry! :)
Actually he's half golden retriever/half poodle.
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