Shortly before the Independance Day weekend in 2010 we were ready to go ahead with the contruction of our Aranya hermitage's first kuti. 

(A kuti is a small meditation hut - often in the forest.) 

These photos show our mountain - named by Beelin Sayadaw "Dhammagiri" - in the peak of early summer surrounded by wildflowers.

a few of the walks through the forest to places that will become tent sites for vassa retreatants, sunrise through the trees in front of my tent, and (last but not least), 

both the ceremonial groundbreaking of our first kuti site, and the platform that was then built on it. 

Closing is with sunset on the saddle and then out over the ocean as we are leaving. There was a great rose and then golden moon that rose over the mountains not long after, but then, all photo taking had ended, returning to peacefulness.