Summertime, and the livin' is easy

The quieter days of summer are here. We hope you are enjoying them too. We are taking hikes. Going on retreat or vacation. Spending more time on our hobbies or studies. Taking naps. Reading a storm. Going to visit regional landmarks (Gomez Mill House in Marlboro, Senate House in Kinsgton, the Klyne-Esopus Museum in Esopus, etc.).

This past week, Br. Robert Leo was on retreat at the nearby Linwood Spiritual Center with our friends, the Sisters of St Ursula.

Summertime, and the livin' is easy. Cemer: Yanick Savain, Br. Aidan and Matthew Wright took Br. Rafael out to a seafood restaurant for a treat. From top left, clockwise: Bros. Josép and Max on a recent hike; Bros. Max (he likes hiking) and Aidan on another hike near Cold Spring; a young buck visitor; Br. Aidan has taken to baking (danger, danger!); he recently baked a white chocolate and rose cake for the feast of the Assumption of Mary (hence the rose-flavored icing); and a chocolate peanut butter cake this Sunday; garden roses in front of the St Augustine icon in the church; a historic vessel (unidentified) sailing past the monastery.

In the last half of July, Br. Josép scouted the Celtic Pilgrimage he and I will lead next summer. He posted comments, pictures and videos on his Facebook page throughout the trip. It was a very useful working trip but also a meaningful spiritual experience for him.

Celtic Pilgrimage scouting trip. Br. Josép with the statue of St Cuthbert. The pilgrimage will include a six-day walk from Melrose to Lindisfarne on the St Cuthbert trail; various pictures of landscapes on Iona (where the pilgrimage will start) and on the way.

The first weekend of August saw me doing a quick trip to Brussels, Belgium to attend the civil wedding of my godson and nephew Ludovic Delcourt and his wife Luka (Liu Chang in Chinese). It was my first opportunity to meet Luka in person (we had had our first conversation on Facetime a couple of months ago). I am glad we got some quality time together before the wedding proper. It was very good to be present for this important family occasion. I wish them both a lot of happiness together.

Ludovic and Luka Delcourt's wedding. Center, Godfather and Godson at the dinner following the civil ceremony at the Brussels town hall; from top clockwise: out to a seafood restaurant on the night before Ludovic and Luka's wedding; Luka and her future uncle-in-law; the newlywed stroking the statue of T'Serclaes (a 14th-century citizen of Brussels who saved the city in local war with a neighboring prince) which is believed to bring good luck; Godson and Godfather on the eve of the Big Day.

This coming Thursday, August 22, we re-open our Guest House for a new season of hospitality. After our quieter time amongst ourselves, we are looking forward to being with our guests again. Come and visit us soon!