Mulching the veggies

This week, Br. Jacob came back from his camping vacation. He is sold on Lake Taghkanic State Park, NY, and vowed to return there some time. Br. David Bryan returned from his three week mission at House of the Redeemer, NYC, where he was "Father June" (priest in residence). Br. Bruno is on a short vacation visiting the Community of St John the Baptist, in Mendham, NJ. Br. Ephrem has been the Episcopal priest in residence at the Chautauqua Institution for the whole week, in Chatauqua, NY.

Br. Josép visited our friends Janet Vincent and Kathleen Stanley in Cottekill, NY, to meet their new puppy. He will do some vacation cum dog-sitting there later this month.

Peeps and beasties. From top left, clockwise: Br. Josép making the acquaintance of Pip the puppy (two pictures); some studious reading prayerfully done; chipmunk on the driveway; a contractor repairing the roofing of the enclosure around a repointed chimney;  Dave Coppola and Br. Jacob taking a break from vegetable gardening.

Summer is good for gardening projects. Our friend Dave Coppola who is visiting us for a few weeks has done great work in tidying up and beautifying the Little Cloister. He is a tireless gardener. Not to worry, he didn't move the Great Oak.

The men in formation and Br. Josép went about mulching our vegetable garden some more under the supervision of Br. Jacob who tends the veggies. Whenever we have a tree trimming or removal job, we ask the tree service to accumulate the mulch near our uphill red barn. With the help of our ATV, six men made reasonably short work of it. It would have taken Br. Jacob for ever to do this on his own. 

Mulching. From top left, clockwise: gathering mulch uphill into the ATV; intern Jeremy determinedly getting to work; spreading pails of mulch on the vegetable garden; unloading the mulch.

This Saturday we said goodbye to the YASC missioners who spent their two week orientation at the monastery. At the end of mass, the monastic community got together around them for the laying on of hands and a blessing from our Superior, Br. Robert James.

Br. Bernard will be on vaction this coming week. The Monastery Column will be on a hiatus until Sunday, July 13.

Summer arrives with a heat wave

Br. David Bryan continues his one month residency at House of the Redeemer in NYC. Br. Jacob is on vacation at Lake Taghkanic State Park, NY.

On our grounds. From top left, clockwise: Br. Josép pruning a holly bush near the enclosure (two pictures); the two "standing persons" of our Little Cloister (the old oak and the bell tower); a low angle shot of the old oak.

On Wednesday, the interns, the postulants and our novice went on a hiking pilgrimage in Phoenicia, NY, with their formator, Br. Josép. They went up to Giant Ledge and said the office of diurnum al fresco.

Great Ledge hike. From top left, clockwise: Br. Ben, postulant Raphael, intern Jack, postulant Will and intern Jeremy; the same with Br. Josép taking the selfie+; the view from Grian Ledge; Ben, Raphael and Will looking back on a climb.

Each week, each of the monks has cleaning duties in the monastic enclosure. Saturday seems to be the favorite cleaning day, when you have to compete for vacuum cleaners or wet mops. This week, St Zita appeared in one of our cleaning supplies closets. You never know where and when you're going to learn a new thing.

Also this week, we moved a large painting by our dear friend, the late Sr. Susan John Mangan from Linwood Spiritual Center to the monastery. The Sisters of St Ursula will close Linwood at the end of this year after decades of great spiritual gifts to our region. They wanted a loving home for Susan's painting of a small waterfall in a creek near her Tannersville hermitage. The painting is staged in such a way that the waterfull also looks like Earth our blue planet floating in space. We are grateful to our St Ursula Sisters for their gift. It now hangs in the North end of our monastic library. It reminds us of the many creative and spiritual gifts our community received from Sister Susan.

In our home. From top left, clockwise: one of our broom closets with a portrait of St Zita (two pictures); our employee Jamie likes to make bouquets from the garden in-between ancillary tasks (two pictures featuring hydrangea, peony, yarrow and mint); Susan John's large painting in our monastic library.

Our gardens continue to provide an abundance of beautiful blooms for bouquets throughout the house. May flowers abound in your life too.

A false start

Br. David Bryan is priest-in-residence at House of the Redeemer in Manhattan until the end of the month. Br. Francis is making a family visit in Clewiston, FL. Br. Josép is on retreat up the hill at St Mary's House.

Our South African Brothers had a false start on Tuesday. Their flight to Cape Town was delayed; then there was a change of plane; and after a gruelling evening the flight was cancelled. The next flight they could take is this Sunday. We enjoyed having them all with us for another four days. We ardently wish them bon voyage this time around.

A false start. From top left, clockwise: saying goodbye to our South African Brothers (two pictures): nearly all the junior professed with Br. Robert James our Superior and Br. Roger the St Benedict's Prior (from left: Bros. Jacob, Bruno, Aelred, Josias and Mpumelo); our two postulants waiting for dinner to be rung (Raphael Okafor and Will Mohan); Bros. Aelred and Jacob in front of our gallery of the departed brethren.

We received two new Associates this week. On Thursday, we received Oliver Alkins, of Yonkers, NY. Friends and family came to witness his commitment; including past Bishop Visitor of OHC, the Rt. Rev. Mark Sisk. On Saturday, we received The Rev. Daniel Meeter, of New Paltz. His family was there to witness his commitment.

New Associates. From top left, clockwise: Br. Bernard and Oliver Alkins; Oliver with his friend Bishop Mark Sisk; Br. Bernard with Daniel Meeter; Daniel and his family (from left, son-in-law David, grandaughter Naomi, daughter Anneke, Daniel, grandson Theo and wife Melody).

The weather has been unusually temperate for this time of June. The gardens have benefited from lots of rain. Everything is lush.

The outdoors blooming. From top left, clockwise: a cervid visitor caught through the North end window of the monastic library: Lavender and Japanese maple in the entrance almond at the top of our driveway; Japanese lillies blooming in the Little Cloister (two pictures).

The peonies are past their apex but still grace our church abundantly. Lillies, yarrows and roses are coming into their own.

Indoor blooms. From top left, clockwise: a bouquet of yarrow, rose and day lilly at the entrance of the church; peonies everywhere else (three pictures).

Blessings for this last week of Spring (in the Northern hemisphere).