Behind a closed door #2

Behind door #2...what was that game show where you had to choose among three doors?

Well, I did not have a key to get behind this interesting door, but luckily it has a window, so I took this shot through it. This is our little-known luxury--a beauty shop. The beautician, who offers everything from a simple hair cut to perms and even wig care, is a dream--excellent cosmetologist and works wonders, at a fair price, too. The room is locked except for Monday's, her day, and even has a bit of a retro feel to it-- 70s or 80s in some parts--but everything that's suppose to work in a certain way works perfectly. Thank you, Stacey. We think you're great.

Ah, ha: It was Monty Hall on "Let's Make a Deal."

Behind a closed door

For the last couple weeks of February and the beginnings of March, I'm presenting a little series, "Behind a closed door." It may not be overly creative or exciting, but more in the genre of "making your own fun" when the days are dark and dreary and the high temperature is 16 (yes, that was our reality last Thursday!). As you will see, I literally opened closed doors and will enjoy sharing the ordinary parts of our home/monastery with you.

For the first entry, here's a closet under a set of stairs--think Harry Potter's room in that marvelous opening of the first movie. Since it's right beside an outside door, it's the perfect place to store a bicycle and golf clubs for the winter. Year ago we had long, large storage areas--one in the garage for about 20 bikes and one on the ground floor for a dozen pairs of cross country skis. Most of them are long gone now, but we still have need of some outdoor sports equipment--and here it is!

From last Thursday, can you see the nest hanging in the tree with its 5" topping of snow?

Spinning off

From September through December 2013 I ran a series here called "Nooks and Crannies." In it I shared a dozen nooks and crannies around Mount St. Benedict that I thought even our most frequent visitors probably miss. It was a lot of fun, especially for those frequent visitors who fessed up that they saw many things for the first time from this grouping.

Then in 2015, from March-August, there were 20 entrees in a series titled "Seldom Seen." Again, I was sharing some behind-the-scenes things from our life that aren't on the first page of most known places.

Now I'm going to start a similar sharing, at least to get us through the rest of February. But today, here are two from 2013 and 2015. Enjoy!

They started out as possible "pets" for our sisters in the infirmary. They are extremely beautiful and cute... but they didn't last too long there. They did learn to talk a little. From what I heard they could say "Be quiet" quite clearly! Now they are in a more private area and doing well--no shhhing needed.

If you've visited our place you may have seen this nook and cranny or you've walked right by it but haven't really seen it. It's tucked away in the corner of a stairway landing, next to a door leading out to our memory garden area. It has good enough light and a steady temperature in both summer and winter to make it an ideal place for keeping many plants healthy and ready for use, especially for the environment in chapel. It is a unique corner, almost a crack in the stairwell.

Ah, ha!

Natural snow measurers.

Getting through "the Febs"

We're continuing to slog our way through "the Febs"--29 days (this year) of an in between time for sure. One day it's dark and dreary and 30 cold degrees. The very next day can be bright with winter sun which takes all the edge off the day before. We always have one day in the 70s or high 60s--the meanest tease there can be! And every other day is a weather mixture of unknown predictability.

This year Lent does not fall in February until its last days (the 26th) which gives us weeks and weeks of ordinary days, a few feasts interspersed and lots of pre-Lent preparation time. (i.e. We're learning new songs in both the monastery schola and handbell choir).

In my more personal choices to get through "the Febs" we have added the excellent British movie The Crown, as our local library has both Seasons One and Two available for borrowing. I saw them both a couple years ago, but am pleasantly surprised how many details and dialogue I don't remember well on this second viewing. Those Brits are such fine actors and the dialogue in these historical fiction dramas is marvelous (think Mash or West Wing as roughly suitable comparisons.)

Add that my friend, Anne, just finished Where the Crawdads Sing; a first novel by a wildlife scientist that just spent 27 weeks on the top of the NY Times best seller list, and she is begging me to read it---there's another getting through "the Febs" option.

Our prioress just came back from a meeting in a small town on the southern border of South Dakota...hmmmm maybe I should re-read Kathleen Norris's Dakota that was another unique and very attractive look at the upper mid-west---where we have a number of Benedictine monasteries and abbeys, BTW. "Go west young monk/young sister" and west they did go: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Dakotas, Idaho, Oregon, Missouri, Kansas, Texas, Arizona...California.

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February 2

Here on this Feast of the Presentation (aka Candlemas Day) and Super Soul Sunday...we had a really great Liturgy including songs that we sing only once a year or so, that fit the Presentation theme. The reflections by our presider were terrific and whole prophetic theme that under pines it was very special--the Simeon and Anna story is one of my favorites from the early years.

Here are two images of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple...one in the more traditional mode and one quite contemporary.

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Airport runs

The Erie International Airport is an easy 13 miles from our place--22-25 minutes on a good day.

We make runs to and from there regularly, usually at the crack of dawn. Tomorrow's four pre-noon departures are at 6:00, 6:12; 6:15 and 11:40 A.M. not likely to give O'Hare any competition! Despite its modest schedule the 60-100 passenger small jets are usually quite full and the total number of people that go through ERI in a year tops a million.

I had to make a run yesterday and was delightfully surprised to see the updates and changes that have been made recently. The first photo is the pre-security waiting area. About 80% of it is shown. The next is a wall of Erie businesses--very contemporary and the third is a look across the waiting area where a nice drop in for a quick drink or quick breakfast restaurant is offered. I was told a coffee bar has also been added on the other side of security. Clean, fresh, welcoming. A very nice appearance overall, I'd say.

P.S. The word "international" is a local joke. I guess there was, at one time, a flight to Canada, but not in my lifetime! The name has stuck--impressive if nothing else!

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