Enchanted

Years ago I fell under the spell of our chapel windows like so many others have. And under that spell I  have taken a number of photos of them that I love:

This is the first one that I ever took and it has been sold as a card in Chapter 57, used for a jubilee program, and bought as a print by many people. My friend Vena saw it one Saturday morning in early December and called me from my dining room vacuuming charge to catch it. I will always be grateful to her.

Since then I have tried to captured them: on the ceramic floor,

On the handbells and their Pyrex music stands.

And my own favorite, in the candle stands for Easter.

More recently I caught a picture of the small chapel's windows, which are a totally different design than the large ones in the main chapel. They include the saying "Let nothing be preferred to the work of God" and have three large inlaid crosses.

But I never thought there were still ones out there to be found, until this weekend.

My friend was walking through the inner courtyard garden, that we use as a short cut from the front door to the dining room. It was well after dark and because we had quite a number of guests this weekend, there must have been someone in the small chapel who had the lights on. Here is what she saw and I ran out to capture it: the small chapel's three windows, from the outside, at night. WOW!

Above normal

After 4-5 days of cold, rainy weather in mid-month, the winds, and anything else that was needed, shifted and we have been blessed with what is turning out to be a full week of above normal temps. These have brought warmth and sun back to us for what I fear may be the last hurrah.....but even if it is, it is a welcome hurrah.

To that end, everyone headed for the outdoors both Saturday and Sunday, even if it meant only a walk around the grounds. I went as far as Lake Chautauqua where I saw one of my favorite old used-to-be- lighthouses. Here it is--rather short as lighthouses go and leaning a little now, but placed right along the lakeshore and looking pretty good overall. 

Back home indoors, I'm well into my latest craft project--the title banner for our newest professed member. You can read about her on our community website if you haven't already--here. 

This is what it looks like in the early stages, as the title itself emerges. It will be followed by an outer border and then the inner border. Finally a good ironing, a hanging stick and string, and voila, ready for the receiver. I'm aiming for Christmas, but it's coming along so well right now, maybe Thanksgiving ...maybe.

October days in the northeast

Today we had the dreamed-of-experience for the fall: a drive along the lake shore at the high point of the turning of the leaves. And, WOW, were they beautiful. We headed up to Buffalo and then another 60 miles east to Rochester, NY, home of Kodak and Eastman School of Music, to name a couple of their proud products. My friend Anne's niece was coaching her NYU women's soccer team versus the University of Rochester women. I've never had much interest in soccer though I know it is the #1 worldwide sport, but I am warming to it with this connection. It still seems odd to me to run around, though with much skill I will admit, for 90 minutes and end up with a 0-0 tie or 1-0 win/loss. I guess the scoring isn't the issue, it's the skill, defense, etc. Anyway, I still don't totally get the allure, but it's getting more fun to watch when I know some of the major players involved.

However, on the other hand, our neighboring Buffalo Bills are having a return to their golden oldie days of Jim Kelly and OJ Simpson and all their wins. Finally they have a great quarterback and today they beat the Chiefs, who are a top team! Can you say Super Bowl?! 

A shout out to a Pennsylvania team also having a fabulous football year, so far...the Eagles of Philadelphia. They are currently undefeated and in first place in their division as they are benefitting from an Alabama-trained quarterback along with other fine players. 

A final sharing: despite the reference above to the beautiful fall scenes around us here, I posted our annual When Will Be the First Day of Snow? contest. Last year we had nearly 40 entries from community members.....what we won't do for a $5 gift card to Walmart!!😏 

A lovely surprise

 

We've had a tree in chapel for the month preceding the Feast of St. Francis, October 4th. It wasn't the first time we've had a live oak tree in chapel, but it did bring another first for me. Over the last week or so the trees in our area have begun changing colors...even though it's earlier than average. And then, the last days of September I noticed that, sure enough, the leaves on the tree in chapel were changing color, too! 

I can't remember ever seeing such a thing, a tree changing color indoors. Perhaps it's not uncommon, but it is to me. So here's a picture of it on October 4th itself, right before its transfer and planting outside. Thanks to the Care of the Earth committee for such a creative idea. 

Here's some more "daily news," especially for those of you who know us well: this week the handbell choir and the monastery choir both started up their rehearsals after a 6-month of so hiatus--longer for the singing group. It's really nice to get these going again as they are both a very special part of our offerings for prayer and liturgies.

Secondly, although the Covid virus is still with us, it seems to have "morphed" into another phase, not just for us I'm sure, but for others, too, I suspect. Here and there one sister at a time will test positive, some have no symptoms at all, others tell us theirs are cold or flu-like. They isolate in their rooms for 5+ days and when they test negative they continue to be masked and eat alone for awhile. Those who had close contact with them also go into masks for a bit and get tested regularly, etc. Fortunately no one has had to be hospitalized and we even go through weeks with no cases at all. 

Boosters are again on the horizon this month for everyone! 

Good Reads

I am in the middle of a streak. A streak of coming upon good, good books. Back on April 17 I did a blog post on the book, A Psalm for the Wild-Built--a monk and robot book, by Becky Chambers. Good fantasy literature with underlying or obvious spirituality themes (see the Dune  series or even Tolkien's works) is one of my favorite genres. Over the last couple of weeks I finally read the sequel to the April book, Prayer for the Crown-Shy and, what is not always true for sequels, it was as good if not better than the first book. What a find!

                                     

Then, a friend gives me Elizabeth Trout's latest Lucy by the Sea. Here's another genre, stories of everyday people in everyday situations.  Anne Tyler and her wonderful writing of stories set usually in Baltimore, Maryland, stand out as favorites here. But this Elizabeth Trout, her two books on Olive Kitteridge, the first won the Pulitzer Prize, and now this one on Lucy are making me wonder if Tyler is really my favorite. What magnificent writers these two!