"Ribbit."

Your Friday photo…

On a walk along Baba’s Path, temporary caretakers Robert Turnage and Kristina Somma noticed a slight movement on the ground. There at the mouth of a gopher hole was a beautiful little frog, almost perfectly camouflaged by its brown color. What a lovely gift.

“Ribbit.”

— Baja California Treefrog

The Baja California Treefrog is native to the region which includes Meher Mount. The color of a specific frog ranges from tan to brown or green and will most often match the microhabitat it lives in.

Even though Pseudacris hypochondriaca is a treefrog, it doesn’t climb trees and much prefers hanging out near the ground or in low vegetation. Treefrogs are also called chorus frogs.

The call of the Baja California Treefrog is known throughout the world through its wide use as a nighttime background sound in many Hollywood movies, even those which are set in areas well outside the range of this frog.

Here’s the melody from a frog calling at night. It’s the same sound heard at Meher Mount last night.

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"Be melting snow. Wash yourself of yourself." - Rumi

Your Friday photo...

At this time of year in 2023, a winter storm brought a rare dusting of snow to Meher Mount. It melted by the time most of the guests arrived for Meher Baba's Birthday celebration on February 25, 2023.  

The video and photos were captured by Kristina Somma who was a temporary caretaker at that time. The excerpted poem "Be Melting Snow" was suggested by Juan Mendez. Video production by Stephanie Ervin.

Click on image or click on this link to see the video.

“Lo, I am with you always means when you look for God,
God is in the look of your eyes,
in the thought of looking, nearer to you than your self,
or things that have happened to you
There’s no need to go outside.

Be melting snow.
Wash yourself or yourself.

A white flower grows in quietness.
Let your tongue become that flower.”

— Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī

Excerpted from "Be Melting Snow" translated by Coleman Barks.

Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī, also known as Rumi, was a 13th century poet and Islamic scholar. Avatar Meher Baba enjoyed listening to Rumi's poetry and praised him as one of the greatest minds of all mystical and spiritual literature.

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"...there is a field. I'll meet you there." - Rumi

This week’s Friday photo…

The viewpoint is from Avatar's Point overlooking what is known as the Prasad Orchard. The Pacific Ocean is in the background. The photo was taken by Caretaker Ray Johnston who created the heart in the field and selected the following Rumi poem.

AVATAR’S POINT at Meher Mount. (Photo: (c) Ray Johnston)

“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right doing,
there is a field. I’ll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase each other
doesn’t make any sense.”

— Rumi

Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī, also known as Rumi, was a 13th century poet and Islamic scholar who was born in Afghanistan and wrote poetry in multiple languages, particularly Farsi.

Avatar Meher Baba enjoyed listening to Rumi's poetry and praised him as one of the greatest minds of all mystical and spiritual literature. This poem in particular talks about Divine love.

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"This is all due to my love." - Avatar Meher Baba

This week’s Friday Photo is a 23-second video of beauty and rainbows for a quick virtual visit to Meher Mount.

"Oh, My GodMan!! Thank you so much Ray. This is how I always feel whenever I go to Meher Mount! You captured it!" - A Reaction on Social Media

Click on the image or click here to see the video.

“This is all due to my love. This whole creation, this nature, all the beauty you see, all came out of me.”

— Avatar Meher Baba at Meher Mount

Caretaker Ray Johnston captured the beauty this past week when the rain stopped and the double rainbow appeared over Meher Mount. Stephanie Ervin put his photos together for you.

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"They formed a natural harmony..."

Your Friday photo…

A bouquet of natural wildflowers was created for the Visitor Center by Denali Jepson and photographed by Ron Holsey, board member.

“They formed a natural harmony...”

— Denali Jepson, Temporary Caretaker

Ron Holsey and I were taking a hike around the grounds. I kept noticing how many fragrant, picturesque plants and flowers we were surrounded by.

All the colors were perfectly autumn and beautifully varied.

On the way back to the Visitor Center, I picked any that made me go, “Wow look at this one.’” I didn’t even have to arrange them. They formed a natural harmony like they did in the fields. 

I appreciate how beautiful it is to be at Meher Mount.

~Denali Jepson

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