I am safely ensconced in my very nice room at the Marianist novitiate house at Mt. St. John’s in Dayton, Ohio.
Raccoons, skunks, squirrels, a coyote or two, wild geese, rabbits. Cardinals, red-winged blackbirds. Savannah and prarie. Dogwoods, spirea, peonies, snowdrops, tulips, iris: creamy white, claret.
Brother Don told many fascinating stories about birds’ nests. He once, at great personal peril, fetched down the abandoned nest of a Baltimore oriole to find, woven among the dun-colored moss, plant fibers, and twigs, a single blue thread. Hummingbirds make their nests of feathers, plant fibers, and spider silk, then often encrust the entire outside with bits of lichen. And the cardinal always starts the nest with a leaf in the bottom—and if a leaf can’t be found, they’ll substitute a piece of cellophane from a cigarette pack.
I'm always envious of other people's bridal veil spirea.
I wish I had the courage to have time away for a retreat. I missed an opportunity for a 5 day retreat during Lent. I should make a choice next time instead of allowing myself to be overcrowded by the work that I do and thinking I can fix everything by exerting effort 200%.
'A SINGLE TEAR SHED IN MEMORY OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST OUT BALANCES A PILGRIMAGE TO JERUSALEM, OR A YEAR'S FAST ON BREAD AND WATER..'
ST. AUGUSTINE
who knew?
rose xx
Living in this place, I see this beauty everyday.
When you see something beautiful everyday, you still know that it's beautiful; but you see it everyday, so perhaps you forget to notice…
Looking at your pictures tonight I was struck at the vast beauty of the creation around me. Seeing it through your eyes was like seeing it again for the very first time. Captivating, Breath-taking, Magical, Worthy of Praise – like our Father who created it.
Thank you for reawakening for me the beauty of God's creation that I am surrounded by each day.
~Andrew