Eleven goats a-chewing

 I think I'm the only local media that hasn't included our visiting goat herd in a story--so here it is.

We stopped down yesterday to look in on them and found all eleven lying down, near the bus, chewing. Jennifer, the goatherd, told us that yes, indeed, this was their chewing time. Can you find all eleven in this photo?!

They are fascinating to watch. I'd like to say they are cute, but they really aren't. They're kinda' goat-like, not those cute little faces on lambs or even grown sheep. But, they are industrious, even obsessive in their duty and for that we are very grateful. The surprise of the visit is meeting Jennifer, Mike and Joe who are great, friendly, founts of information and seem thrilled to be here. They have fallen in love with our Glinodo property--but really, who wouldn't!

Meanwhile, back on the south side of East Lake Road our gorgeous summer continues. And for that we are very thankful, also.

                                               From the outside of chapel and from the inside.

Bridge over troubled watery grounds

If you have ever been to our place and traveled out to the hermitages in the nearby woods, you'll appreciate our latest grant-funded project.  Thanks to the work of our development office grant writers, we are finally replacing one of the two bridges that our guests need to cross to take a walk in the woods or get to the hermitages for a weekend of rest, relaxation or retreat time. You see, they are only accessible by foot, while pulling a wagon or sled loaded down with food and personal supplies. The old wooden ones were fine--for awhile--but as we all know Mother Nature will always win out---and she did---for the bridge right outside the sunroom at the beginning of the hermitage trail.

Here's the new cement one in its first days--it should be done soon.

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If you haven't had a chance to read up on Let's Goat Buffalo and the eleven goats from the program that are with us, helping rid our woods of invasive species, go to our website for almost daily updates and don't miss their own website and the names, histories and personalities of each goat...darling!

Blooming summer

One of our sisters took photos of the gardens that are tended by community members

and made a terrific bulletin board display.

Some are at the Mount, some are at small group living places.

Some are flowers only, some vegetables only, and some both.

They are all in full bloom right now! 

 

Carters Beach--almost ready

Here's the monthly update on the first new house on Carters Beach Rd.--our former property. Here's what it looked like in a May blog entry And here's one in June. And here is its look this week: front and back. The owners said they would be in August 1st and it surely looks like that might happen.

The first of three writers-in-residence for the summer seems to be doing very well. She works during the day--just like the rest of us--and we see her again at dinner and for the evening. Some of the under 40 Sisters and friends are beginning to take her to Erie-sights, which is extremely nice of them. I heard that Lavery's Tavern and the Peninsula itself were on this weekend's agenda. I asked her one evening at dinner if she thought there would be much interest in offering this type of summer opportunity to other women--a month as a writer-in-residence. She answered quickly and strongly, "Yes, absolutely." She even noted that she could think of a number at her own school, Duke Divinity, who might jump at the chance for such.  

Down by the lake shore

 A couple hours on the shores of Lake Erie, brought us a live version of one of Mary Oliver's poems when a large gaggle of geese floated by right on the shoreline where we were sitting. Here's one group. 

Wild Geese

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting--
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

Mary Oliver

A beautiful holiday weekend in "our neck of the woods." Guests are in abundance, too. In our back parking lot five cars in one row had these license plates: Massachusetts, Ohio, North Carolina, Minnesota and Pennsylvania.