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Back in the early 70’s, before I finally realized I was not going to be a college graduate, I had a friend named Azar. Beautiful Azar was from Tehran and also a student at the University of Oklahoma. We had many good times together…she was dating my roomate and slumming with “us hippies”. Over the years, I would often ask Iranians that I met if they knew my friend Azar. It seems none of them did. However, the winter before we moved to San Miguel, I was driving across the GG Bridge from my studio in Sausalito. I was listening to NPR…”Fresh Air”, hosted by Terry Gross. At the beginning of the program she announced her guest, the author of “Reading Lolita in Tehran”…sure enough, the author was my old friend Azar…what a trip. You may be asking why I am telling this story…well, yesterday I gave Richard two Burros for his birthday…Actually they are Burras: Lolita who is around 3 and Barbarella who is smaller and around 2. These are the first Burro Bilbies in the long history of Bilby Land. Here is a pic of Lolita and I taken by Richard.

…that I am pregnant with new ideas for all over the house and the entire property…Rumour also has it that I am afraid to ask for backing to construct the chapel. This is all probably true…but…dig this…maybe I am just plain pregnant, I mean, look at this picture. Richard does not appear to be very happy about the impending pregnancy. The question is: How could this have happened? I think I may be just the victim of a carbo addiction. I never do anything that could lead to pregnancy and the last time I peed…I was standing up….so much speculation on my part. Thanks to Katya in Hawaii for the photo!

As far back as I can remember, I have been the host to the Bilbies. Way back when….I must have been three years old…the first Bilby found me. His name was Patrick Michael O’Riely. He was a beautiful, beyond belief, Irish Setter. Quite frankly, I don ‘t remember how he identified himself as a Bilby, but I knew he was their king. The Bilbies are a loose knit lineage of animal beings who have criss-crossed paths with me over the years. There is always a king or queen present and basically I have been lucky to be their shephard and friend. Right now we are fortunate to have at least twelve Bilbies living with us at Casa Las Ranas. Six dogs, five cats and a parrot…plus all the wild beings who come and go. I am absolutely serious about the existance of Bilby Land at Casa Las Ranas. I welcome, all people who may be sceptical, to visit their own hearts, and see who is residing there. In my heart there is room for the Bilbies and the Wild Bilbies…I am a lucky man. Enclosed is a photo of the back gate to Bilby Land and Casa Las Ranas courtesy of Robert de Gast.

…and driving our car through the lower part of our little town, I saw the most amazingly awful sight. It was a little dog all covered (I MEAN COVERED) with those grass heads that stick like velcro. I had to keep driving…we have too many animals. The next day I was feeding the dogs and the little bugger showed up on our property. I had to take her to the vet…it would have been a crime not to do so. By the time I got to the vet, I knew she was probably going to remain here with us when she got well. Five days later…she is here, all her shots, neutered, bathed and the like. She is recovering from a case of mange. We have named he Lil’ Pearl. Just a country dog. We love her. She will be living here with us in Bilby Land….one day I will tell you about the Bilbies. Enclosed is a picture of Bilby Land.

Jimmy Ray has suggested that I bring to fore the thirteen Stations of the Groove. These Stations chronicle the birth of the creative spirit in the heart of Jimmy Ray. He heralded them as a response to all the suffering that world religions have inflicted on mankind. My teacher years ago said that Religion is Bondage…so very true. Look at the world around us: suffering keeps people in place….In Jimmy Ray’s case, the Groove liberates. He states that the groove rises from the depths of the earth and carresses its way through us all…but we have to listen to that rythm within….that which is illusive, but sustainable in its nurturing re-alignjment: is the Groove. So construction of the Stations is in order. They will be housed in the Chapel, but possibly shown in public in San Miguel next Spring. Stay tuned! By the way, this is a photo of me…in the Groove.

Back in the early 70’s I had a pink and Black 1956 Studebacker. I bought and sold it for 500 dollars. Today that car could pay to build the elusive Chapel of Jimmy Ray. Recently I was commisioned to do an assemblage on my friend Sudheer’s fireplace. The room is pink and he asked me to paint it Pink and Black. Well, I have done just that and I feel like I just took a time travel into the 1950’s. I must admit it was challenging and fun despite the fact that it reminded me of that ultra funky cash machine that I sold to go to New York back in May of 1971. All these years later…I’m still that Oklahoma boy who lit out for the Big City. Only now I am south of the border and across the tracks from a colonial Mexican town that is attracting way too many gringos. Ah…Life…What Sweet Mystery…but could you maybe discourage those republicans from messing up another artist’s waystop?