The crown on the dome nears completion this week.

Before we get back to the dome, I've been feeding a family of ravens at the barn where my horse and mule live next door. Its an extremely rare event to witness and I'm delighted to introduce them to you. As Benjamin W says "Look into the heart of a raven and you will see Buddha".

I have a million great raven shots and will post the best at DownAtTheBarn.blogspot.com if you're interested in seeing them.

Here's a shot of dad outside the classic barn (note the hammered tin removed from the Officer's Club at the old Fort Bowie more than 100 years ago)

Here's the giant nest with the mom high in the barn rafters

There are four babies in the nest (I'm standing on a 20' extension ladder balancing on barn rafters not holding the camera perfectly still, but there IS an image....)

These baby ravens' mouths are HUGE!

Laurie and Bliss and Kat really enjoyed playing together on this little part of the project this week.

Thanks, Bart, for this magical crown.

Mirroring the horizon, this hut looks so cool!

Wow, it's looking like an ancient Persian structure, and studded with a robust prickly pear and cat claw bloom.

Laurie brings her sharp wit, bright smile, endless energy (and adorable outfit) to the project. Thanks Laurie!

Views into New Mexico 'round cinder cone and prickly pear

The courtyard of the hut shows off vibrant spring colors of the desert

The hut is disappearing in the spring green

We're making a yucca stalk screen to block off views of Jamyang House from the hut, enabling an effective OtherWorldly meditation experience

Yuccas are lightweight and easy to work with: far more fun than any materials you could buy at Ace.

This is the second section of the screen

A loving juniper to the west of the hut offers welcomed shade in the heat of the afternoon.

The form for the crown of the dome is made on top of this floating platform

Laurie and Bart mount a form for the dome on top of a 12' length post

Bart readies materials to complete the dome, made of sparkling San Luis bricks and glass block

The yellow prickly pear bloom was stunning.

Bart is making these great sand bag forms in the red wheelbarrow that he'll use to shape the crescent of the brick and block dome. It was quite a brilliant idea to which he and Laurie came.

This top has been changed to facilitate the installation of a solor powered fan that will pull the breezes through the hut on those very (rare) still summer days. But the imagery here looks fun and I just wanted to show you.

The vents are pointed downward to roll the rain to the outside of the hut

We crowned the dome with glass cube to the east and wind vent openings to the prevailing west winds

Rose and Kat added the blue tinted plaster color on the last day of the year, as is the tradition with other indigenous cultures, and named it "Sky Camo". It's also now appearently an effective "Juniper Berry Cam"! Look at that berry color!

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These openings will be screened and create a cooling upward draft from the lower openings

Bliss and Kat have delighted in the grandeur of the desert during brief afternoon "sand box" project works on the hut.

It's been a tantalizing week of monsoon weather pattern with bug ladden afternoons and stormy vibrant sunsets.