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.