Dallas, Texas...Staying At The Ananda Sangha House Through Easter & Beyond... April 16th through 23rd

 I arrived at the Ananda Dallas Sangha House--actually in Richardson, TX, a suburb of Dallas-- anticipating a really great time meeting Dallas devotees and celebrating Easter with them. I was NOT disappointed! I was given a MOST warm and wonderful welcome by Maitri, the lead minister there, and graced with a very lovely room and comfy bed. I had access to the kitchen, so could make my meals, and enjoy the wonderful peace and shakti of the house. When Easter weekend came, I was overjoyed to be included in a small quartet of singers! SO great to be singing Swami Kriyananda's inspired music once more... It was great getting to know some very lovely people, enjoy a very beautiful Easter service, followed by a wonderful potluck meal. Oh, and a visit to an ice cream place afterwards! (And yes, of course there was vegan ice cream to be had there....the wonderful place was called "Tongue In Cheek"-- how fabulously creative is that?!)

In addition to Ananda activities, I spent time teaching lessons, doing some shopping, going on an excursion to a tiny house community north of Dallas, visiting the very famous and iconic "Buc-Ee's", and just generally enjoying the city. It is SO verdant and beautiful! Quite unexpected, and a most pleasant surprise. I have also been enjoying the humidity--much the same as Austin--only perhaps a bit more so. My hair loves it, my skin loves, it, I love it! (Of course, a few people HAVE told me that I should reserve judgement until I have experienced August in Dallas-- but, if it is really so bad, that would be the time to take a vacation somewhere north, right?!?) 

The time has passed quickly and MOST enjoyably here! 


From left to right: Indra, the wonderful chef and caterer (who provided lunch the following weekend, when Pranaba visited from Ananda Village and led a workshop and service); Mary Theresa, a great singer who went with me to the tiny house community and Buc-Ee's; the other Supriya (the minister all in blue! And yes, people have often confused us!); yours truly, in her new Easter dress; Carolyn Cole, a wonderful new friend (more about her in the next blog); and Maitri, the fabulous, warm and wonderful leader of Ananda Dallas. 



The beautiful altar, adorned with a plethora of Easter lilies...SO fragrant and luscious! 



Eating vegan ice cream at "Tongue in Cheek", a whacky  ice cream shop in Dallas which features indoor swings! How crazy (and innovative) is that?!


An afternoon excursion with Mary Theresa, first to the "NamaStay" (more cleverness from Texans! LOVE these people with their catchy names and wonderful, twangy accents!) tiny home community, and then on to Buc-Ee's... 

Each tiny home lot had a spiritual name attached to it. The tiny homes were charming...but I thought the lots a bit pricey at $600 a piece... not much infrastructure in this community, and it is a good hour's drive north of central Dallas.  Still...I visit them when and where I can, since I am still enthralled with the possibility of being part of one such community some day!






Mary Theresa explained that Buc-Ee's is famous throughout Texas, and a visit to one is a MUST!


There must have been hundreds and thousands of items with the Buc-Ee brand attached to it! 
A dizzying assortment, and horrifying expose of American consumerism (and penchant for buying every manner of useless junk under the sun) at its very worst! I agreed with Mary Theresa --- worth the experience... once in a lifetime! I HAD to come away with a souvenir, of course, so bought my own little stuffed Buc-Ee beaver for my dashboard... my Nomadic mascot! Why not?!?


A truckload full  of Buc-Ee beavers: Note that even the truck wheels are made up of them! WOW! 


One other excursion I made with Mary Theresa on a different day: a trip to the "Mexican Mall" in Fort Worth. There, I had a great deal of fun feeling like I truly had landed back in Mexico! The three photos below were of the  quinceañera dresses in one particularly amazing shop. The main point of the visit, though, was to find cowgirl adornments for myself... to feel like a true Texan native! (Stay tuned for your view of this striking attire in my subsequent blog post!!) 










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