Is it peak yet?

Br. Francis is on a family visit in Florida for the week.

Br. David Bryan came back from his vacation in England. We are glad to announce that cookies have reappeared with 4 o'clock tea!

Our Associate John Decker was with us for several days continuing the shooting of various sequences for the "Portrait of a Monastery" documentary. He will continue visiting us regularly for complementary shooting until February.

On Monday evening, Brother Josép and men in formation organized a firepit gathering. We introduced Bros. Ephrem and Mpumelelo to the joys of grilling marshmallows and making their own s'mores. As the name indicates one wasn't enough.

Enjoying s'mores around the fire pit.

On Thursday, the formation team went on a one day pilgrimage to New York city. They left very early and came back late that evening. They visited several episcopal churches and visited the Community at the Crossing at the Cathedral of St John the Divine. But they didn't forget to give Br. Mpumelelo a taste of the more secular side of the city. They visited Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Central Park and the Metropolitan Museum. Some of us got tired just reading the list of the places they visited in a single day...

A New York city pilgrimage. From top left, clockwise: with Sister Hannah of the Chemin Neuf community; in Central park with one of the recent "skinny skycrapers'; on Times Square; in front of the Metropolitan Museum; inside the Cathedral of St John the Divine.

Now the important question of the week is: "is it leaf colors peak yet?" The cruise boats that skim the Hudson seem to think the answer is yes. Br. Ephrem took a large group of guests on hiking trips themed on naturalist writer John Burroughs (who lived and wrote extensively in West Park).  They had perfect hiking weather and thoroughly enjoyed the autumnal splendor of our beloved Hudson valley. We are told that the roads in the Catskills are clogged with slowing vehicles of leaf peepers. Walking was definitely the way to do it.

Monastery people. From top left, clockwise: our two interns, Robb Benson-Ernst and Chris Renshaw; a "leaf peepers" cruise boat on the Hudson; morning fog on the meadow and the river (three pictures); the Holy Cross hikers (with Br. Ephrem behind the camera - two pictures).

And the "blooming report" is that the color of the week was dark purple with accents of orangey red.

We hope you enjoy the blessings of whatever season surrounds you wherever you are.