I read yesterday about 30-day blog challenges: post once a day for 30 days. I looked at some of the challenges and their suggestions for the daily posts: post a picture of yourself, tell about your favorite song, what's your favorite movie? -- and so on.
I have decided not to accept any of these challenges.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Glass
I took over many small stained glass pieces to the store today: several of our crosses, several of our mothers with child, and a lot of random shapes, some with painted designs, some plain.
I am working on a new design. So is Mario. We will see what comes of them.
We finished the cartoons for four large windows for a church in Grendada: Saint Andrew (with Caribbean species of fish -- the church is dedicated to Andrew); Saint Dominic (the church was founded by Dominicans); Mary (in a Dominican habit, holding some nutmeg, which is grown in Grenada); and Christ. Methodius took them up to Statesville where they will be cut, assembled, and packaged for shipping by our sub-contractors.
Here is window that our stained glass studios designed and installed in an Atlanta church several decades ago. It is the baptism of Jesus, which we will celebrate this coming Sunday. Look carefully at all the painted lines that create the patterns.
I am working on a new design. So is Mario. We will see what comes of them.
We finished the cartoons for four large windows for a church in Grendada: Saint Andrew (with Caribbean species of fish -- the church is dedicated to Andrew); Saint Dominic (the church was founded by Dominicans); Mary (in a Dominican habit, holding some nutmeg, which is grown in Grenada); and Christ. Methodius took them up to Statesville where they will be cut, assembled, and packaged for shipping by our sub-contractors.
Here is window that our stained glass studios designed and installed in an Atlanta church several decades ago. It is the baptism of Jesus, which we will celebrate this coming Sunday. Look carefully at all the painted lines that create the patterns.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Christmas cheer
Since I stopped posting in part because I had so much trouble posting pictures here, let me try one today. If it works, it will be a photo Fr. James took at our Christmas Day festive meal:
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Happy New Year
I am not making a resolution to post here more regularly. If I made such a resolution, I would not keep it.
I am merely posting today -- and I do have the intention to post a couple of times a week. But, it is just an intention, not a resolution. Don't confuse the two.
I went to bed by 9:00 last night -- as I have for years, even before I came to a monastery. I slept through midnight, as I have for years. Mark tells me that some of our neighbors lit a lot of firecrackers at midnight. They were so loud, he thought they were in our back yard. But I heard nothing.
At Vigils I had to sing a responsary for our Third Nocturn. It was one of the loveliest melodies we have: "O most pure and holy Virgin, how can I find the words to praise your beauty!"
The homily that Augustine preached at Mass today was lovely. I suggest you look for it on our web page It is not posted yet, but you can listen to some of Fr. Matt's from this past week, if you want. Or try an earlier one of Augustine's -- he is always very thoughtful and makes very clear links to our life here.
Happy New Year!
I am merely posting today -- and I do have the intention to post a couple of times a week. But, it is just an intention, not a resolution. Don't confuse the two.
I went to bed by 9:00 last night -- as I have for years, even before I came to a monastery. I slept through midnight, as I have for years. Mark tells me that some of our neighbors lit a lot of firecrackers at midnight. They were so loud, he thought they were in our back yard. But I heard nothing.
At Vigils I had to sing a responsary for our Third Nocturn. It was one of the loveliest melodies we have: "O most pure and holy Virgin, how can I find the words to praise your beauty!"
The homily that Augustine preached at Mass today was lovely. I suggest you look for it on our web page It is not posted yet, but you can listen to some of Fr. Matt's from this past week, if you want. Or try an earlier one of Augustine's -- he is always very thoughtful and makes very clear links to our life here.
Happy New Year!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Chestnuts
We had our first roasted chestnuts at lunch yesterday.
A grove of chestnut trees provides us with this great treat in the fall. And it provides many local people the opportunity to come gather their own. They pay for them in the Abbey Store.
Cooler weather is very pleasant. The fans are pulling in chilly air at times at Vigils.
A grove of chestnut trees provides us with this great treat in the fall. And it provides many local people the opportunity to come gather their own. They pay for them in the Abbey Store.
Cooler weather is very pleasant. The fans are pulling in chilly air at times at Vigils.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Fudge production
We are beginning the intense production of fudge for the Christmas sales catalog. As I have the last few years, I will be in the bakery three days a week: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.
After Vigils (sometime around 6:00) I walk down to the bakery and begin to heat the kettles. I put 2 pounds of butter in each kettle as well as the water and preservative. I check to make sure that other things are set up: the depositor is ready, fudge trays (both 12 ounce and 6 ounce) to the left of the depositor, stacks of trays at the side of the depositor, the tray rack near-by, and so on. I go back up to the house for Mass at 7:00.
After Mass I return to the bakery and begin preparing the first 3 batches of fudge. The other workers arrive by 8:45 and we begin. We pour buckets of fudge into the funnel of the depositor; one worked dispenses fudge into a fudge tray, passes it to another guy who checks the weight, corrects it if necessary, and then puts it on a tray. Other guys are setting up boxes with plastic inserts and instruction cards.
We will make 9 kettles in a morning. When the fudge is set, it will be boxed and stacked, ready to be shrink wrapped. The end of the morning is spent cleaning -- tearing the depositor apart, cleaning all the pieces, and putting it back together.
In the afternoon, monks will return to shrink wrap and store all the fudge; clean the floors; and get ready for the next day of production.
After Vigils (sometime around 6:00) I walk down to the bakery and begin to heat the kettles. I put 2 pounds of butter in each kettle as well as the water and preservative. I check to make sure that other things are set up: the depositor is ready, fudge trays (both 12 ounce and 6 ounce) to the left of the depositor, stacks of trays at the side of the depositor, the tray rack near-by, and so on. I go back up to the house for Mass at 7:00.
After Mass I return to the bakery and begin preparing the first 3 batches of fudge. The other workers arrive by 8:45 and we begin. We pour buckets of fudge into the funnel of the depositor; one worked dispenses fudge into a fudge tray, passes it to another guy who checks the weight, corrects it if necessary, and then puts it on a tray. Other guys are setting up boxes with plastic inserts and instruction cards.
We will make 9 kettles in a morning. When the fudge is set, it will be boxed and stacked, ready to be shrink wrapped. The end of the morning is spent cleaning -- tearing the depositor apart, cleaning all the pieces, and putting it back together.
In the afternoon, monks will return to shrink wrap and store all the fudge; clean the floors; and get ready for the next day of production.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Day in Atlanta
Yes, it's true! Yesterday I was in downtown Atlanta with a cell phone.
Sacred Heart Church was made a minor basilica yesterday. Our abbot was invited to attend the Mass in the morning and he asked me to drive him in. I would then have time to visit the High Museum. So, we left here around 8:00 and reached Sacred Heart about 9:00; I let him out and proceeded up Peachtree NE. The High did not open until 10:00 so I stopped at a Barnes and Noble and browsed a bit. I picked up a couple of books that I might have bought 10 years ago. I looked at them and thought I might eventually ask to get them for our library. I put them back on their shelves.
At the High I was herded directly to the Dali exhibition. I have never been especially attracted to Dali and the visit yesterday did not change that. Dali was clever; he was a gifted painter; he sought celebrity; I left the exhibit hungry to see some Matisse.
I wandered through the rest of the High, enjoying its good collection of American furniture and decorative art. I sought out Howard Finster's corner.
I ate lunch there (half a chicken salad sandwich and a bowl of chili) and then returned to Sacred Heart to pick up Francis Michael. (We had exchanged a couple of phone calls in the course of the morning.)
On the way home we stopped at Our Lady of Perpetual Help cancer home (this is the home for which Flannery O'Connor wrote her introduction on Mary Ann, a child with cancer). One of our long-time employees is there. We had a pleasant visit and then returned home about 3:00.
I returned the keys to the vehicle and the cell phone to the office.
Sacred Heart Church was made a minor basilica yesterday. Our abbot was invited to attend the Mass in the morning and he asked me to drive him in. I would then have time to visit the High Museum. So, we left here around 8:00 and reached Sacred Heart about 9:00; I let him out and proceeded up Peachtree NE. The High did not open until 10:00 so I stopped at a Barnes and Noble and browsed a bit. I picked up a couple of books that I might have bought 10 years ago. I looked at them and thought I might eventually ask to get them for our library. I put them back on their shelves.
At the High I was herded directly to the Dali exhibition. I have never been especially attracted to Dali and the visit yesterday did not change that. Dali was clever; he was a gifted painter; he sought celebrity; I left the exhibit hungry to see some Matisse.
I wandered through the rest of the High, enjoying its good collection of American furniture and decorative art. I sought out Howard Finster's corner.
I ate lunch there (half a chicken salad sandwich and a bowl of chili) and then returned to Sacred Heart to pick up Francis Michael. (We had exchanged a couple of phone calls in the course of the morning.)
On the way home we stopped at Our Lady of Perpetual Help cancer home (this is the home for which Flannery O'Connor wrote her introduction on Mary Ann, a child with cancer). One of our long-time employees is there. We had a pleasant visit and then returned home about 3:00.
I returned the keys to the vehicle and the cell phone to the office.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)