Excursions and gigantic tomatoes

Our guesthouse reopened this past Tuesday. We are glad to welcome visitors again after a month without them. It's just like our Monday sabbath; the discontinuity makes us that much more hospitable.

During the guesthouse closure in August, we had a simplified liturgical schedule to allow day trips for those so interested. We sang matins and vespers. But after daily Eucharist and daily chapter meeting, we were free to roam for the day.

From top left, clockwise: Br. Jacob tending the vegetable garden: Bros. Josép and Randy at Innisfree Garden in Millbrook, NY; Br. Josép visiting Br. Josép who was pet-sitting in Cottekill, NY: Brothers and intern Jeremy at a  Hudson Valley Renegades baseball game, in Wappinger Falls, NY; the formation team sprucing up the St Mary's House garden on Route 9W at the top of our driveway; our intern Jeremy Cannon typing on his hebrew typwriter in the Little Cloister.

Br. Jacob with the help of Mother Nature has produced lots of delicious and nutritious veggies and fruits. One favorite is the daily supply of ginormous and tasty tomatoes that go by exotic or funny names like "mortgage lifter" (?).

Excursions. From top left, clockwise: Br. Aidan with a lotus flower; Bros. Aidan and Bernard with the Companions of Mary the Apostes (Srs. E and Shane); Bros. Aidan and Josép sporting their straw hats; Bros. Josép and Randy lost in the greenery (all four photos at Innisfree garden); Bros. Bernard, Aidan, Randy and Jacob at the Tuthilltown Distillery in Gardiner, NY (three pictures).

Several of us have taken the August opportunity to go on staycations, vacations, retreats of family visits as they have a lesser impact on the community life during that month.

More people and places. From top left, clockwise: Br. David Bryan is never idle (here gardening); Br. Bernard at a party with friends from high school and college in Belgium; benches in the guesthouse gardens; Br. Jacob working his magic among the tomato plants; the results in the atrium kitchen for everyone to feast on; a blue heron perching on a clump of (invasive) water chestnuts on the Hudson river, in Port Ewen, NY.

We're eager to see you visit us for your retreat soon.

Monastery scenes. From top left, clockwise: the bell towere and guesthouse before sunrise; flowers gracig the icon of St Benedict in the church; oakleaf hydrangea and allium arrangement by Br. Robert James; burning votive and incense in monk's cell; the Peace pole in the gueshtouse garden; a moonset above the Old Oak in the Little Cloister.

And remember, our public worship is always open to visitors, even at times when the guesthouse is not offering its services.

Two apostles and a jazz class

Br. Ephrem left for a five week visit to our Brothers in South Africa. He is the Junior Master and is visiting our three Brothers in initial vows there. He will also be there to help with the community's move from Hermanus to Plettenburg Bay where the community will have space to grow.

Br. John is leaving for a two-week family visit this Sunday. This Sunday, Br. Robert Leo is celebrating 35 years in Life Vow. He has been in the Order of the Holy Cross for 40 years. Br. Carl will be on an at-home retreat this coming week.

This week, we celebrated St Mary Magdalene on Tuesday and St James the Apostle (a.k.a. St James the Great) on Friday.

Last Sunday, we scrapped Holy Cross Cinema in favor of Holy Cross Jazz Class. Br. Randy had put up an extensive list of jazz classics that he each introduced and that were each commented on by members of the community. We all contributed refreshments. A dozen of us were in attendance. Br. Randy's playlist was extensive enough that we will do part 2 of the Jazz Class in Christmastide.

Monastery people. From top left, clockwise: Br. Randy's jazz class in the middle house's common room (two pictures); Br. Carl enjoying a quiet read on the enclosure's porch; archival photo of Br. Robert Leo having his Life Vow being received by the then Superior, Br. William Sibley.

This Saturday, we received Neil Toyota, of Glen Spey, NY, as our latest Associate. His husband who likes to visit the monastery too was there to witness his commitment.

From left, clockwise: Associate Neil Toyota and Br. Bernard; Impatiens flowers in the Sacristy lot; the back of St Augustine church before sunrise: a cottontail bunny unafraid of human approach; the great oak before sunrise.

The gardens continue to provide a profusion of flowers for the decoration of our church, refectory and enclosure.

Time for Japanese lilies. Various floral compositions by Brothers and staff.

Our Guesthouse will be closed for the month of August. You can continue to make reservations with the guesthouse office during that time (guesthouse@hcmnet.org).

The Monastery Column blog will be on a summer hiatus until September 7.

Hikes and outings

 This past week, Br. Francis has been taking a staycation at St Mary's house up our driveway. Br, Ephrem returned from his retreat in the Catskills on Friday.

On Monday, Bros. Josép and Randy took their annual walk around Ashokan Reservoir, part of the New York City water supply system in Hurley, NY.

Our men in formation went to visit Rural and Migrant Ministries in Cornwall-on-Hudson, this week. They were welcomed by the RMM Executive Director, the Rev. Richard Witt who has spearheaded this ministry for decades.

Enjoying the outdoors. From top left, clockwise: Bros. Josép and Randy on their annual Ashokan Reservoir walk (2 pictures); view of the reservoir; the men in formation visiting Rural and Migrant Ministries (2 pictures).

The weather has been milder this week, allowing pleasant walks and sitting on the porches.

Grounds. From top left, clockwise: the guesthouse and the belltower before sunrise; the old oak and the church in the rising sun; drone picture of the monastery buildings; the vegetable garden and morning fog on the other side of the Hudson.

This Saturday, we received Daniel Weick, from Manhattan, NY, into the Associates program.

As for the garden blooms that grace the church it's lilies and hydrangeas for the moment.

In the church. from top left, clockwise: blue hydrangeas gracing St Benedict's icon (2 pictures); white hydrangea and russet day lilies gracing our Lady and Child statue (two pictures); latest Associate Daniel Weick and Br. Bernard.

It's slow news these days. In my native Belgium we called it "cucumbet times" when the nightly news would comment on the cucumber harvest for lack of exciting news. I wish we would have more cucumber times lately.