Days 22 & 23, Aug. 8 & 9, 2012, Rest Days in Rollins, MT, Flathead Lake, MT

Day 22, Wednesday, August 8, 2012, Rest Day Number One, Rollins, MT, Flathead Lake, MT.

My day has been one of lying around, reading, and not doing much. I did help out by washing the morning breakfast dishes, but otherwise nada. I did go on a grocery run with Kathy and Barbara, who flew in last night from Sacramento. We were joined by John Lithgow. Kathy reintroduced herself to him. I just stood there.

I have not gone into the water as it has been very mild until just recently. The sun has been hiding behind some clouds most of the day, but now seems to be making an appearance. The cool breeze isn't moving at the moment. The cool breeze negated any need to jump into the water, until now.

After dinner Kathy and Bill took us for a boat ride around the lake. We saw the Lithgow property and the one below. If you have been following this blog you may remember my mentioning the island plus castle for sale for $78 million. And don't worry no one has lived in or on this island during the ten years it took to build and since it was completed within the last year or so. What is not shown are the land-side properties the developer/billionaire also had to buy. One just off the point of land closest to the island in order to run the electrical line to the island. And another property next door to Wayne Newton's cabin to stage all the pieces and parts to build and float over to the island.  

These pictures represent the exterior. You will have to go online to see the interior. Link? I got no stinkin' link! Oh, all right. I got the stinkin' link: www.luxvt.com/domains/221/#/tour/

 

First sight of the "castle."

Above Bill's head is an Osprey in its nest.

 

All around the island are trap shooting sites. You can't tell from this picture, though.

Shooting into the setting sun with an iPhone. The front of the "castle."

Front of the "castle," still.

 

 

Side view.

 

Back view.

 

Boat house.

 

Boat House.

 

Wayne Newton's cabin, really.

 

Wayne Newton's dock on the left.

 

The second piece of property bought by the billionaire/developer to stage the pieces and parts. You may notice some of this area shows up in the picture of Wayne Newton's dock picture. And invisible to the eye is the warehouse where the pieces and parts were brought in and assembled.

Day 22, Thursday, August 9, 2012, Rest Day Number Two, Rollins, MT, Flathead Lake, MT.

Good nights sleep followed by a good breakfast of eggs and pancakes made from scratch by Kathy and we were ready to seeThe Garden of One Thousand Buddhas.

First several of us had to see the well driller set up to do his stuff.

 

The well being drilled is for the benefit of Bill and Kathy and Caroline, Kathy's sister who lives next door. They have used lake water for several years, (it's that pure) but the motors have developed problems and they have freezing water line problems during the winter. I can look out the windows towards the lake and see the water lines coming from the lake, i.e. they are not covered.

 

The propane tanks. Why this picture you may wonder? Wait the answer is coming.

 

The hole excavated for the sludge and stuff from the drilling effort. Bill and Kathy's summer home on the left, Caroline's on the right.

 

The hole caused by the backhoe during excavation of the hole above. The hole is just above the yellow blade of grass crossing the lower part of the picture. The propane was shut off prior to excavation in anticipation of a hole in the gas line occuring. The gas people were called right away, and Bill was still waiting for them to show up and repair the line when we left for The Garden of 1000 Buddhas. 

 

Getting ready to drill for water. 160 feet later they hit water at 50 gallons per minute.

It was an hour plus drive to Arlee, MT where The Garden of One Thousand Buddhas can be found. Kathy says her kids who live in Missoula and have property near Arlee saw the center pavilion from the highway and investigated. We, I, could not see any evidence from the highway The Garden of One Thousand Buddhas was there. The pictures below are worth One Thousand Buddhas' words.

 

The view from the parking lot.

 

Not sure of the significance of this piece other than a place to put offerings.

 

Frank touching one of the buddhas on one of the eight spokes extending out from the central pavilion.

 

One of the buddhas on one of the arms of the Dharma Wheel. Kathy and Bill came down and volunteered, which entailed mixing and pouring the motar for several of these hand-cast buddhas.

 

Prajnaparamita, or in Tibetan, Yum Chenmo, she is known as The Great Mother.

 

The Lion Throne upon which The Great Mother sits.

 

The back side of The Great Mother. A colorful renditionof the 1016 stupas sitting on the wall surrounding The Great Mother.

 

An arm or spoke of the Dharma wheel with 126 buddhas arrayed on top. I counted them and was verified by the gentleman below who supervises the landscaping. In the background on the wall are stupas.

The

Another spoke of the Dharma wheel yet to be filled with all 126 buddhas.

 

And another spoke with no Buddhas.

 

A large stupa made from volcanic ash imported from Java.

Rinpoche's two teachers on the left and right. In the middle is another rendition of The Great Mother.

A close-up of Rinpoche's teacher during his time in Chinese prison. This is the statue on the right, above.

The Great Mother. She is not missing a left hand, rather she is holding something.

 

Rinpoche's first teacher. Someone has draped a cloth below the teacher.

 

Three of the 1016 stupas.

 

A close-up of a stupa enclosing The Great Mother. Each stupa has religious artifacts and prayers contained within. They were formed in Java and assembled, all 1016, here in Arlee.

 

One of the four buddhas of this eon. They each have name, I do not know them. They have been placed at the four cardinal points. The buddhas are cast from the volcanic ash imported from Java. I do not know the significance of the Java volcanic ash. One of these buddhas was able to see into the future and the past. It is his prediction there will be 1000 buddhas during this eon. Only 996 more to go.

If you were to do the math, 126 buddhas per spoke times 8 you would get the answer 1008. It was explained to me this way, in my own words, it is better to over reach the target than under reach, so to be sure we have 1000 buddhas we create 1008. There are 1016 stupas sitting on the outer edge of the wheel for the same reason. According to my source this is the only garden in the world where there are 1000 buddhas and 1000 stupas.

Tomorrow we hit the road again. Projections are we will be camping more on our way to Missoula where we will take our next rest day.