Quiet days of August

These past two weeks, a lot of cleaning and repairing has been taking place in the guesthouse while we are without guests for the month of August. August is a good time for monks to go on vacation or family visits. This Sunday, Br. Ephrem is preaching and teaching at Bethesda Episcopal Church, in Saratoga Springs, NY.

On the last Sunday of July, Br. Randy organized one of his popular "Jazz Classes" in the St Augustine meeting room. We gather for an evening of enjoying a playlist curated by Br. Randy (with input from Br. John). We enjoy drinks and snacks and commenting on what we are hearing. This "class" focused on Cool jazz.

Cool jazz emerged in the late 1940s and hit its stride during the 1950s and 1960s, defined by a relaxed tempo, lighter tone, and sophisticated arrangements. Key artists of this style include: Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan, Stan Getz, Bill Evans.

Jazz class. From top left, clockwise: saxophonist Gerry Mulligan; a resident buck near the enclosure; Br. Randy and Joshua Reinke, of NYC on the last week of his aspirant visit; Bros. Bruno, Raphael, Josép and Randy enjoying popcorn and jazz; trumpetist Miles Davis; Bros. John, Daniel and Bruno listening to cool jazz; the back of St Augustine church in the rising sun.

Br. Bernard took a week of vacation in Manhattan by the grace of friends who lent him their apartment while they were on their own summer vacation. Another generous friend treated him to a Metropolitan Museum pass. He took in a lot of exhibitions at the Met over four daily visits...

He visited the 9/11 Museum. He used to live near the World Trade Center when living in NYC (1998-2004). It took him 25 years to gather his courage and face this emotional experience. The museum is well worth visiting but intense. He also attended Evensong at the Cathedral of St John the Divine.

Br. Bernard's Manhattan vacation 1. From top left, clockwise: Central Park west: a mural art installatioon at the 9/11 museum; Jean Arp sculpture: The Visitation attributed to Meister Heinrich of Constance; "The Grief of the Pasha" by Jean-Léon Gérôme; "Bashi-Bazouk" by the same French painter; the Reservoir in Central Park looking west; Alberto Giacometti sculptures shown in the Temple of Dendur (two pictures).

 Br. Bernard's Manhattan vacation 2. From top left, clockwise: Axel Salto Royal Copenhagen stoneware; Richard Orpen self-portrait; Br. Bernard in front of the Cathedral of St John the Divine: Paul Cézanne "Laurette in a green robe"; evensong at St John the Divine; Willem de Kooning "Landscape at Stanton Street"; Osman Hamdi Bey "Man meditating of the Q'uran"

This past Tuesday, nine of us went on an excursion to the Center for Bioregional Living in Ellensville, NY. We got a tour of the premises that are managed along the precepts of permaculture. Andrew Faust was an enthusiastic and highly informative guide. Helped for fun by his goat sidekick, Jack.

 

Learning about permaculture. From top left, clockwise: Andrew Faust, permaculture designer with ovine friend Jack; Andrew showing us one of the permaculture buildings on his property; Andrew second from left and Bros. Raphael, Will, Bernard, Jacob, John, Daniel, postulant Jeff and Br. Josép: tomato sandwich with heirloom tomato from Br. Jacob's vegetable garden: Jack the goat "weeding."

We hope you are enjoying the graces of the season.

Peace and every good to you.

The church piano arrival

This week, Joshua Reinke continue his one-month aspirant visit.

On Tuesday, our long-awaited electronic piano for the church arrived. Thank you to all our generous donors. We collected enough to upgrade to an even better piano than we had set our sight on. This one sounds lovely. For the moment, it will live in the side aisle when not in use, but we may decide to store it in the unused church entrance between uses. Br. Ephrem enthusiastically tried the new instrument with Br. Raphael turning the music pages and Br. Jacob snapping the pictures.

The new electric piano. From top left, clockwise: Br. Ephrem trying the new piano: Br. Raphael turning the music pages for Br. Ephrem in the side aisle, just off the chancel: Bros. Ephrem and Raphael enjoying the sound of the piano: the ambulatory (red brick wrap-around) the chancel and belltower of St Augustine's churh in rhe rising sun; the new piano in its current storage space.

We have decided to assign the cleaning of each of the four cars we own to a different monk. Br. Raphael thoroughly cleaned our silver Prius plug-in hybrid car. It is a joy to enter a clean car for a ride. Thank you, Brothers for your cleaning.

Br. Raphael doing an inside cleaning of our Prius plug-in hybrid car (3 pictures). Bottom picture: through and ambulatory arch, the arches of our enclosure porches.

This weekend, Br. Jacob's interfaith group of transmen called G*d Talk met in person at the monastery. They have been meeting monthly on Zoom for two years. This was the first time they were together in the same place. Their ages range from 21 to 73 and besides NYC and locals, guys came from Massachussetts, Maryland, Oklahoma, Colorado and California. Along with one they picked up at our Guesthouse who just happened to be on retreat with us this weekend. All in all there were 11 of them and they greatly appreciated gathering in a safe welcoming place to share on their journeys with G*d.

Peace and every blessing to you.

Icon writing retreat

Br. Daniel is on a family visit and vacation in Michigan, coming home soon.

This week, our new Associate Christine Hales, from Sarasota, FL, led an icon-writing retreat for a dozen guests. Her teaching of painting icons prayerfully is always popular.

This week, the retreatants were writing an icon of St Francis of Assisi with the wolf of Gubbio. The legend of St. Francis and the Wolf of Gubbio tells of a ferocious, man-eating wolf terrorizing an Italian village. Rather than fighting the beast, St. Francis met it, made the sign of the cross, and commanded it to stop harming the townspeople, taming the wolf and negotiating a historic peace.

Icon writers at work in St Augustine's meeting room.

On Friday morning, on the closing day of their retreat, our guests gathered with their completed icons in our church for Br. David Bryan to bless the fruit of their art and prayer.

Icon writers having their icons blessed by Br. David Bryan in our St Augustine's church.

The gardens and the trees have been suffering from the drought and episodes of extreme heat these past few weeks. Br. Francis has also given extra ventilation to our four beehives when necessary.

Monastery visitors. From top left, clockwise: a fawn spotted near the monastic enclosure; our newest Associate Christine Hales sporting her ebony Associate cross; a garden flowers arrangement by Br. Robert James in front of the St Augustine icon (two pictures).

Peace and every good to you.