A "FINALLY SPRUNG SPRING"--THE MOUNT

Before my two brothers and I go to Italy this Saturday, I would like to share with you some pictures of my favorite haunts at The Mount. They are the route that I like to follow, entering at the dip in the road after our Northern entrance from 9 W. One goes to the left along what we always called "The Acre Stream"..Then up along the Acre Pond which is our northwestern, rock lined border with the owners of the Apple Bin.  There is one picture of the blooming Purple Beech which I have on Google Earth..

SPRINGTIME--IN HUNGARY

A very beautiful website where very wonderfully shot videos are found is where I found this one, SPRINGTIME. It was shot by Joseph Weigert ten months ago in the outlying area of Gyomaendröd in Hungary.  It is truly beautiful, with music and artfully and carefully rendered...Here in Esopus, NY we are "waiting for" our own slowly arriving springtime.  The video is 5 mins long, but well worth it. HAPPY SPRINGTIME!...And the 2nd video is called FLOWERIZED.  It is an equally glorious nature video.



Springtime from Joseph Weigert on Vimeo.

Flowerized from Joseph Weigert on Vimeo.

THE POWER OF WORDS

"FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND"--SUNG BY LEONA LEWIS

I found this very nice video by a Miss Shaw who prepared it for her primary grade school class.  It has the "Events of Holy Week" set to this song by Leona Lewis.  Today I heard the melodious sing song of the Eastern Pewee who have "finally" arrived here at The Mount.  Holy Week begins joyful, gets somber and sad on Holy Thursday and Good Friday.  Then on Easter, when Jesus rises to new life, as happens each springtime for the Eastern Pewees, plants, vegetables, flowers and earth..Holy Week is filled with a Joy which I truly hope will grow and grow in our world and never end.

SPRING SPRINGING SLOWLY AT "THE MOUNT"

Here are two pictures: first at what we used to call "The Acre Pond". The pink bench you see is part of the old "Penalty Box"  where our rougher hockey players back then in the 60ties spent a good part of each game.

And this is a view as one move up along the trail that skirts the Acre Pond heading toward the Pell Farm one sees the Apple Bin orchards to one's left.

And the pink blossoms high up show "spring springing to life".

The Budding Weeping Willow

And some small buds and thorns that I found along the southern flowing stream passing right below my Sylvester Feeley Abundant Life Garden......By the way I have "resisted the rules" of planting.  I have reduced the rows between my beets, radiches, red and green lettuce and broccoli to less than 10 inches.  I am going to try and plant some "Burpee Seedless Tomatoes" at the end of May.  And I still have some packets of cauliflower and turnips to sow this Holy Week.

SPRING--AND BAPTISM IN TEXAS

Spring is a time when the earth, deeply asleep and cold, "resting" during, in this year's case...a "very long and difficult winter...when the earth "comes alive again"...For this reason Roman Catholics, as many other christians celebrate Baptisms at the end of Holy Week as we celebrate Christ himself arising from the dead to NEW LIFE...For this reason I share with you this quite moving Baptismal Rite from Curtis Park in Texas.

Baptism Spring 08 from Steve V on Vimeo.

EDITH STEIN-SR. BENEDICT OF THE CROSS

In the nearly three years I have spent on the retreat team here at Mt. St. Alphonsus I have created at least three retreats that treated our the connection between all things in the universe.  Call it ecology.  Call it Creation Theology.  The fact is that all life is connected.  We human beings, with our intelligence are the "crown" of creation.  But our intelligence, besides being a great "gift of God" holds us responsable for being just and compassionate caretakers (stewards) of all life.  Right now I am preparing a Holy Week retreat for women (1 day) and for Men (3 days).  One recent Roman Catholic Saint, St. Benedict of the Cross (Edith Stein), has helped me understand how, if we understand the "connectedness" of all life, all people and all created life....it can "lead us to God".  This is what happened to Edith Stein, born a Jew, become a great philosopher but never allowed to have a professorship in her native Germany, first because she was a woman and later because she was also a Jew.  The experience of being excluded, hated, despised led Edith Stein to understand and accept the person of Jesus Christ as one who like the Yom Kippur "scapegoat" took all the evil and all the pain and all the sin of our world and destroyed it.  No one likes suffering.  But Edith Stein learned that great love leads people to great suffering.  It happened with Jesus. It happens with good, valiant and loving people of all times.  And it happened with Edith Stein.  

Sustaining 2nd Generation Mexicans in the Faith – 3/28/11 : Currents

Recently Fordham University had a most interesting panel on the subject of Sustaining the Faith of 2nd Generation Mexicans in their Catholic Faith.  This video shows my Redemptorist confrere, Rev. Francis Skelly C.SS.R. and also Deirdre Gould (Cornell)  with whom I have been working in Migrant Ministry here in Ulster County.



Sustaining 2nd Generation Mexicans in the Faith – 3/28/11 : Currents

WINTER IS GONE

I truly loved this short video shot by Justin Leyba who shares it with us on VIMEO.  Justin tells us that he decided to film this walk in the woods with his little sister.  As he says in the caption, he shot it entirely without aid of a tripod. I hope you find it as beautiful as I did and long for the end of this long, harsh winter and the arrival of spring.

Winter's Gone- Short Film from Justin Leyba on Vimeo.

TWO FLEDGING "AMERICAN KESTRELS" (Sparrow Hawks)

During the ten years that I worked in Immaculate Conception Parish in the South Bronx one of my delights was going on our roof which had a great view south and west.  On the water tower of "Cookies" right in front of us I saw two perched Kestrels.  Later on I discovered and observed two of their nesting sites which I have learned NOT to advertise on the Internet.  On one occasion we observed the "first flights" of two recently fledged Kestrels.  It was wonderful, because they were not only as big, but a bit bigger even than the female (Mom).  (Females Kestrels are usually larger than the male.  Here is a very well shot video of two fleding Kestrels at a site unknow..

American kestrel nestlings about to leave the nest from Brady Beck on Vimeo.

Tips for Organic Gardening

INDOOR VIOLETS WAITING FOR "SPRING OUTSIDE"

As the temperature stubbornly hovers below freezing here at The Mount (Esopus), my potted violets look outside and say, Wow!! That sun is great, but thank God the Birder doesn't open this window. We'd freeze to death!"... Last year Easter was before April 8th and our three magnolias were in full bloom by the 12th of so of the month. I don't think it will happen this year.  But who knows!  Two good days of sun and they will burst out with their great, uninhibited beauty.  Meanwhile you'll have to be content with my two violets.

"LOVE ONE ANOTHER"

(Song by for Japan --Michael Africk and Mai Kuracki)

4 mins.

WAITING FOR THE EASTERN MEADOWLARKS!!1

One of the most joyous signs of Spring last year for me was that I "finally" saw two Eastern Meadowlarks out in our northern pastures here at the Mount.  The silo and pieces of the original barn still stand.  We had Black Angus cattle there from the early 1950 ties.  There is a pre civil war small cementery there where workers of Robert Livingston Pell are buried.  It was called the "Smith Family Cementery" but there is the name Terpenning there which is still a family name here in Esopus.  Our now deceased tax assessor was a Terpenning and had asked me about the names on the tombstones there.  At any rate I finally saw my Eastern Meadowlarks flying between the marvelous Purple Beech Trees that were near the original Pell Mansion and the western border of The Mount in the meadows.  There song, although not as long as the Western Meadowlarks, is still quite musical.  I'll put the Western Meadowlark first.
And here is the Eastern Meadowlark...

St. Fiacre-Irish French Patron of Gardeners, Potters and Florists

Today my friends and "Garden Advisors". Jack and Marty Roberge,  visited my Sylvester Feeley Abundant Life Garden.  (Jack and Marty were the ones who advised me to choose the spot on The Mount last year. It is on a hill just behind cypress groves.  It was cultivated back before the 50ties as a peach orchard and possibly in the 60ties for potatoes.  It gets about 9 hours of good spring and summer sun each day.  I had pretty good luck last year as a first time gardener.  Starting in early April I planted carrots (which never came to much), red and green leaf lettuce which were very productive, broccoli, cucumbers, zucchini and Beafsteak Tomatoes.  The tomatoes did pretty well.  But I did not stake them well and the voles ate a lot of them. I also did not get after the hornworms that weakened my tomatoes, but all in all the tomatoes did just great.  My best tactic was surrounding my garden with a ring of marigold, which are natural pest controllers.  My 2nd planting was of bush beans which did just fine, cauliflower which the slugs got.  (I put the cups of beer out too late!!!  They had already taken care of the cauliflower)  Marty and Jack gave me this anachron done by Patricia Baker    who does each one individually.  This saint, Fiacre was born in Ireland but emigrated to France where he became a kind of agricultural hermit.  He is said to have had quite miraculous powers of planting and also of healing people.  However he has the bad reputation of having excluded women from his monastery because of a woman who claimed he was a sorcerer.  (You can google information on Fiacre, but one has to know that myth gets confused with fact and real history with this ancient saints. (Notice the phrases above and at the sides of this anachron. Also notice all the details of fruits, birds, owls, butterflies, and all kinds of vegetables.) Join me in praying hard to St. Fiacre for my and all gardens this spring!      

You can find pictures of Patrica Banker's anachrons at http://www.saintspreserved.com/  and also at http://www.folkloricarts.com/                                                                                                                                               

OH, THE DEEP, DEEP LOVE OF JESUS

This video is down by a group called SELAH.  It seems that the word SELAH comes from the Bible, mostly from the Book of Psalms.  It has varied meanings.  But one of its meanings "rest" or "interlude" gave rise to a kind of peaceful, meditative christian music as is this video.  (Here at Mt. St. Alphonsus on a Wednesday of each month we have a TAIZE musical concert in our chapel with lights, soft, beautiful and meditative music which is probably a lot like the SELAH musical concerts begun in 2000) THIS VIDEO IS 6 MINUTES LONG.

SPRING MIGRATION-MT. AUBURN CEMENTERY--Galveston TX

Even though we are still having snowfalls, IT IS SPRING.  This video made in Mt. St. Auburn Cementery in Galveston Texas is truly beautiful.  Even in the height of Spring Migration down in Central Park, NYC one does not see as many Neo Tropical warblers as in this video.

Mt. Auburn Cemetery 5/22/2011 from Jackson Childs on Vimeo.

FANCY --by Reba McIntire and a LENTEN REFLECTION

Last Sunday, travelling on NY Rt 42 towards Monticello, NY to say a Mass for Hispanics I heard Reba McIntire's version of "Fancy  that tells of a poor girl from New Orleans whose Mom and little brother are sick and dying.  The Mom, despite her poverty, prepares a beatiful dress for her daughter and implicitly insinuates that she "go where she had to and do what was necessary" to have a better life. It is a powerful song that shows how poverty and desperation and the indifference of others can drive persons to sacrifice their human dignity.  This video by Reba shows a "good end" to a terrible life journey.  I think Lent calls us to help ourselves and, most especially others, out of journeys of pain, aimlessness and self destruction towards journies of HOPE, LOVE, SOLIDARITY AND FAITH IN GOD.  The song was written by Bobbie Gentry in the 60ties.


THESE ARE THE LYRICS..

"Well, I remember it all very well lookin' back

             the summer that I turned eighteen.

We lived in a one-room, run down shack

on the outskirts of New Orleans.

We didn't have money for food or rent

to say the least we was hard-pressed

when Momma spent every last penny we had

to buy me a dancin' dress.

Well, Momma washed and combed and curled my hair,

then she painted my eyes and lips.

Then I stepped into the satin dancin' dress.

It had a split in the side clean up to my hips.

It was red, velvet-trimmed, and it fit me good

and standin' back from the lookin' glass

was a womanwhere a half grown kid had stood.

She said, "Here's your last chance, Fancy, don't let me down!

Here's your last chance, Fancy, don't let me down.

God forgive me for what I do,

but if you want out girl it's up to you.

Now get on out, you better start sleepin' uptown."

Momma dabbed a little bit of perfume

on my neck and she kissed my cheek

Then I saw the tears welling up

in her troubled eyes as she started to speak

She looked at our pitiful shack and then

she looked at me and took a ragged breath

She said, Your Pa's runned off, and I'm real sick

and the baby's gonna starve to death.

She handed me a heart-shaped locket that said

"To thine own self be true"

and I shivered as I watched a roach crawl across

the toe of my high-healed shoe

It sounded like somebody else was talkin'

askin', "Momma what do I do?"

She said, "Just be nice to the gentlemen, Fancy.

They'll be nice to you."

She said, "Here's your last chance, Fancy, don't let me down!

Here's your last chance, Fancy, don't let me down.

God forgive me for what I do,

But if you want out girl it's up to you

Now don't let me down,

now get on out, you better start sleepin' uptown."

That was the last time I saw my momma

when I left that rickety shack

The welfare people came and took the baby.

Momma died and I ain't been back.

But the wheels of fate had started to turn

and for me there was no other way out.

It wasn't very long after that I knew exactly

what my momma was talkin' 'bout.

I knew what I had to do.

Then I made myself this solemn vow:

I's gonna to be a lady someday

though I didn't know when or how.

But I couldn't see spendin' the rest of my life

with my head hung down in shame.

You know I mighta been born just plain white trash.

but Fancy was my name.

She said, "Here's your last chance, Fancy, don't let me down!

Here's your last chance, Fancy, don't let me down.

God forgive me for what I do,

but if you want out girl it's up to you.

Now get on out, you better start sleepin' uptown."

Wasn't long after that a benevolent man

took me in off the streets

One week later I was pourin' his tea

in a five roomed penthouse suite.

Since then I've charmed a king, a congressman

and an occasional aristocrat

and I got me an elegant Georgia mansion

and a New York townhouse flat.

Now I ain't done bad

Now in this world there's a lot of self-righteous

hypocrites who call me bad.

They criticize Momma for turning me out

No matter how little we had.

But I haven't had to worry 'bout nothin'

now for nigh on fifteen years

But I can still hear the desperation

in my poor mommas voice ringin' in my ears.

"Here's your last chance, Fancy, don't let me down!

Oh, here's your last chance, Fancy, don't let me down.

God forgive me for what I do,

but if you want out girl it's up to you.

Now get on out, you better start sleepin' uptown."

THE REAL MEANING OF LENT-BAPTISM

Before I chose this short video on Lent, I had listened to Stephen Colbert.  I like Stephen Colbert, most especially for the strong stand that he "seemed" to have taken regarding the need for Immigration Reform.  He recorded his program up at Gill's Corn Farm  In West Hurley, NY.  last summer. It was both funny and made some strong points about how the Immigration System has been broken and needs reform.  As Stephen is a practicing Catholic he will often link his humor to this. On his first program this year near Ash Wednesday he did a skit where he had ashes on his forehead.  Then he explained that traditionally LENT was a time when Catholics gave up something.  Then he improvised saying that, Catholics should give up something that is very important to them. Then he said (and it was meant to be a joke) So since my Catholic Faith is very important to me I have decided to give it up for Lent.  I still like Stephen Colbert, but his approach was really misleading.  You can find his sketch at this link

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/376919/march-09-2011/stephen-gives-up-catholicism-for-lent
Maybe you found it funny, maybe not.  But this video hits the "target" on what Lent is about.

THE BIRDS OF JAPAN--MT. TAKAO AREA OF TOKIO AND OTHER PLACES

At the moment I, as all of you, have been very saddened by the sufferings of our brothers and sisters in the Northern Provinces of Japan, so devastated by the earthquake and tsumani, and of course ALL of the Japanese people. The picture below is of a beautiful place in the metropolitan area northwest of Tokio called Mt. Takao.  It is a beautiful wooded natural beauty of Japan, a site of temples and a truly holy and sacred place.  I have no exact information on what effect the natural disasters have wrecked on Mt. Takao.  But I am sure that it is accessible these days many Japanese people go there to pray, to mourn, to be healed by the untouched and undevasted beauties of nature.  Below I have a video done just this last January on the BIRDS OF JAPAN.  It begins on Mt. Takao and goes to different spots in Japan. Beginning with Mt. Takao, which is Northwest of Tokio the other places where Mr. Geraphty shot his video are all in the extreme south of Japan: Kyoto, Himeji, Hiroshima, OHARA, Uemo Koen, Nijo-jo and Jigokudami.

And I think that it is good at this moment to see a place where, at least a month ago in Mt. Takao, many Japanese children were laughing, enjoying the antics of many species of birds in this video done by  Rob Geraphty just last month . ENJOY AND PRAY TOO!!



RUBY CROWNED KINGLET

One of the first songbirds that I saw and learned to identify back in 1997 when I got into hawk watching and birding in Central Park was the Ruby Crowned Kinglet.  At the time I thought that it was a warbler.  But, of course, it is not.  The kinglet is "close" to the Neo Tropical warbler family or the, so called, "Old World Warblers".  Here in Esopus, where I have not had the abundance of time to search, watch and wait, I have never seen a Kinglet, nor this one nor the Golden Crowned Kinglet.  But there is always a first time.  In this video one can actually see the red crown.  But, with a fast moving kinglet, unless they are threatened or angry it is not easy to see. ENJOY!

HUDSON RIVER BIRDER...RED CROSS HELP FOR JAPAN

I just want to share this short video on the Red Cross's efforts to help the country of Japan after their earthquakes and tsumani....

EASTERN BLUEBIRDS AT "THE MOUNT"

One of my most consoling experiences, even during the toughest moments of this severe winter, are the gentle chirpings of the Eastern Bluebird.  Here on the grounds of Mt. St. Alphonsus, due to about 300 birdhouses placed by Cornell and some by our deceased Bro Charlie Summers, we have many, many Eastern Bluebirds. It is the "State Bird" of New York.  They are always here, even in winter. But as spring approaches they are "abundantly here".

Eastern Bluebird from Rob Lavoie on Vimeo.

MY VIDEO OF THE ACRE STREAM IN SPRING

Yesterday the fast running stream that runs NORTH from the gate towards what we used to call The Acre Pond ...this stream had budding crocuses and water lilies..Beside it was one quite furtive female Red Winged Blackbird.  I have finally realized how truly furtive the female Red Winged Blackbird is.  I have "heard" them these past few days.  But I only saw this one.

MT. ST. ALPHONSUS SHOWS "SIGNS OF SPRING"

Along the stream that goes from the SOUTH entrance of Mt. St. Alphonus flowing beneath our cementery and below the pastures NORTH towards what we called "The Acre Pond", I found more "signs of spring" which are, I think buds below the water of water lilies.

AND HERE COME THE TINY CROCUS SHOOTS!!!!

SPRING SIGNS OF LIFE-COMPOSTING WORMS

Yesterday was the first time when the temperature here in Esopus (The Mount) hit 50F.  I had not been able to turn over my compost pile since January since everything had "iced over".  But yesterday there were many signs that spring is "on the way".  I had put about 1000 fallen apples in my compost pile besides the peels and coffee grinds etc from The Mount's kitchen last summer.  The "slimmy friends" have been creating great topsoil for what may be my "final planting" here in my "Sylvester Feeley Abundant Life Garden".  However, depending on whomever may lease The Mount as of next January-2012, and if I am chosen to stay and work pastorally in this Ulster County area, I might just be able to "make a deal" with the leasees to continue working this garden.  I hope so.

SYLVESTER FEELEY ABUNDANT LIFE GARDEN-COMPOSTING

THE WOODCOCK--ANOTHER "SIGN OF SPRING"

I have never really seen a real, live woodcock.  The truth is that, so far, I have had two "senior moments" in which I could not recall its name.  I just remembered that they appear in Central Park, NYC when spring is soon to come.  And I also remembered that they have a  beep, beep sound like and insect.  So here is a three minute video on another harbinger of spring....the woodcock.

SIGNS OF SPRING---(with Bambi!!)

I realize that any real "macho" followers of this site might say to what I present below:  "Uggghh!!"  Well, this little segment, little remembered by old fans of the Bambi movie, is about Bambi seeing the signs of an approaching spring...And, as this weary Hudson River Birder has already told you, I'm more than a little weary of this winter, especially with all the viruses and colds I've had to weater".  So let Bambi keep us hoping for a soon arriving...SPRING.

AWAITING THE EASTERN PHOEBE'S ARRIVAL

After the Red Winged Blackbirds arrival here at Esopus around Feb 27th, the "next" real harbinger of a much desired approaching Spring....will be the call of the Eastern Phoebe.  No!  I haven't seen any yet.  Maybe on April 1st.  I have seen them down in NYC in Central Park even in March.

RED WINGED BLACKBIRDS ARE BACK IN ESOPUS!!!

As cold as it is today... (It seems like 20 with the wind chill).. The Red Winged Blackbirds are back down along our stream that traverses The Mount from the southern ponds just at the top of Esopus town to the apple orchard of the Apple Bin Family, the Red Winged Blackbirds are back. As I said yesterday I can "hear" them, but, even with my 60 power scope I cannot see even one. But, as the Irish say about the fairies,  They're there!!!   The pitch on this one below (49 sec clip) is a bit higher than the Red Winged we get here.  It just goes to show that there are regionalisms  even among birds.

THERESA'S BARRED OWL

Recently one of our secretaries here at Mt. St. Alphonsus, Theresa, brought me this amazingly clear and almost "posed" photo of a Barred Owl that was sitting practically hidden on a tree branch this winter above her snow covered garden awaiting...as we all do...THE SPRING. Enjoy.

THE BARRED OWL-"WHO COOKS FOR YOU?"

I don't know whether the Barred Owl that Theresa photographed sung for her.  But there most common cry sounds like someone saying, Whom cooks for you?  Here is one sitting on a tree just like the one above.

STAND UP FOR WORLD PEACE

....Wow!!!.  Two posts in one day!  This one won lots of awards.  At the end it says that, If you want to respond, just post your own You Tube video on world peace.  Enjoy and Good Night!

From

The Hudson River Birder

at "The Mount"



WAITING FOR SPRING

I have not been able to do much photography on Esopus and our Hudson Valley this winter.  Colds and bronquitis have "something" to do with it.  Another "factor" is the painful reality that, even though I may remain here  in the Hudson Valley as a Roman Catholic missionary Redemptorist who loves God and loves the "reflections of God" that is nature with its trees, birds, sunrises, sunsets, insects etc, I will not be living at Mt. St. Alphonsus after January 2012.  Our 103 year old "The Mount" will cease its retreat operations on that date and possibly be leased to someone who will hopefully love it, cherish it and respect its deeply spiritual aura...So, yes, there is a bit of melancholy...and not just coughs and aches that have inhibited my photo essays.  So today I just "surfed the web" with the words "waiting for spring" and the embedded short video below is what I found.  It reflects my mood.  Yesterday, down by the stream that runs from North to South through "The Mount" I could hear but not see the Red Winged BlackBirds.  I looked with my 50 power binoculars and 50 power scope.  But whatever they were doing I could not see even one of them moving.. So I, with many of you...AWAIT SPRING.  Enjoy this short video by Michael Minneboo.

Daily Webhead: Waiting for spring from Michael Minneboo on Vimeo.

Orangutan and the Hound

My friend, Ron, sent me this link.  I think it is truly great.  I have alway been fascinated by the ability of both people and animals to "get along".  It is especially interesting when two animal species that, although they aren't enemies, usually don't see or "hang out" with one another.  Enjoy this video.

Orangutan and the Hound

Waiting for Spring...with an Unrelenting Winter

Someone said to me once, It is not the cold in winter that gets you sick. It's having your resistance run down.  I sort of thing these two factors.."work together".  The pictures below were taken "before" ice became king in the Hudson Valley.  All snow shoers and cross country skiers know that when the ice takes over you will either actually break your ankle or just get frustrated trying to snowshoe or ski on an "unstable mix of ice and snow"... With that and battling multiple colds and sniffles I think I am anxiously awaiting the Red Winged Blackbirds to make their early appearance in the fields and forests, mostly the brushes which they just love.  The Red Winged Blackbirds are the true harbingers of a spring that, at least, is "on its way".  I think I have seen some of the world's largest ice cicles on the eaves of our chapel as well as on old country homes up off Union Center Road heading towards Eddyville and Rosendale.

Snowshoeing Hudson River Birder

Snowy Sunset at The Mount

WINTRY HUDSON SKYLINE

BLACK CREEK WINTER EXCURSION-AT ESOPUS

I have a "few" nice photos of winter scenes around The Mount that I have yet to put on this blog.  (I have been having one bout after another of colds, bronchitis, all beginning with a "pre-winter pneumonia" back in October.  It was my fault having gone down to our Pax Christi meeting in Fishkill on a cold, rainy night without a decent cap or jacket!!!)  I share this nice video that shows some shots right around us, for instance of the Apple Bin  who are our neighbors, grow lots of apples and have nice deli and specialty gormet items.  Enjoy this video. It is about Black Creek Nature Preserve which is just south of The Mount on Highway 9 W.

Orienteering at Black Creek from Scenic Hudson on Vimeo.

THE BEATITUDES AND THE SERMON ON "THE MOUNT"

The place, as you all know, where this "Hudson River Birder" lives and works as a Redemptorist missionary priest, is called for short..'THE MOUNT".  Well, today I have placed Jesus's own "Sermon on the Mount" here on my blog.  We have a beautiful group of senior citizens coming tomorrow (today) for a day of reflection.  Pauline, one of our retreat team, Mike Sweeney and myself are preparing the day.  And as the heart of Jesus's message was...AND IS...This "Sermon on the Mount" I would like to present this simply but beautifully done segment where Jesus himself and one of his disciples recounts these profound words of love, compassion and mercy that Jesus spoke there..ENJOY!

'PEACE ON EARTH"--ANTI WAR CARTOON FROM 1939

As the snow continues to fall here in the North East maybe even the Red Winged Black Birds might not make it back by the end of February...which they "usually" do..Anyway, I have some very beautiful wintry scenes from in and around Mt. St. Alphonsus.  But "something or someone" got me looking for a nice video on PEACE.  Did I ever find one.  "Peace on Earth" made the year I (yes!!!) was born, 1939 was actually the first and only cartoon nominated for a Nobel Peace prize.  Needless to say it "didn't" win then.  Now, well who knows.  Here it is. (If you'r in a hurry..it's 8 minutes!!)

MGM Cartoon 1939 Peace On Earth
Uploaded by shawshawshaw. - See more comedy videos.

"SOUNDS OF KINDNESS (BEN'S BELLS) IN TUCSCON

With all the snow I really can't find any interesting birds or nature scenes to share with you.  (Well, I "could" have shown you the men out there on a Coast Guard cutter right in front of The Mount.  They had all their lights on last night, probably measuring the depth of the frozen channel waters of the Hudson right in front of us North of "Esopus Island".  My guess was that they were like a "moveable Lighthouse" marking the channel for the large Ice Cutter that broke out the channel early this morning.  After that they cut themselves into that channel and headed south...I guess for a nice warm visit to their homes...
Anyway I share this embedded piece on what MSNBC calls "The Sounds of Kindness in Tucson".  It is an interesting project making comfort and peace bells.  ENJOY!

A "FROSTY MEADOW" AT MT. ST. ALPHONSUS--"THE MOUNT'

SNOWY SUNRISE FROM THE BIRDER'S WINDOW

A SHORT VIDEO ON THE "BIRDER'S REDEMPTORIST FAMILY"

Long before I became intensely interested in birds, nature, the environment I was intensely interested in ANY way that I could love God and the poor and needy...That is how I became a Redemptorist Missionary priest and worked for 32 years in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic before I came to Esopus and became...ALSO...THE HUDSON RIVER BIRDER.
Please enjoy this short video on us Redemptorists.

THE DEC 26TH BLIZZARD IN NEW YORK CITY

I have to say that one of the first things that came to mind as I watched Jamie Stuart's excellent little 3 min. video of the Dec. 26th blizzard in NYC was, What were the people thinking as they worked and Jamie just filmed them?.  Anway it may evoke painful memories for some of us and joyful  ones for others.  Me...I just loved it...both up here in Esopus where, even though I had the flu I just enjoyed it.  Then later after Dec. 27th when I went snow shoeing in Alley Pond Park and an elderly couple, trodding through the Union Turnpike  Secret Path as my niece and nephew used to call it, the couple asked me,  What are they? And I said, They're snowshoes.  Then the gentleman asked, How much do they cost.  And I replied, About $125.  He said..."Too much!."  But they were "well worth it"  for me.  Enjoy Jamie's neat mini documentary of the blizzard.

FAMILIES OF PROMISE

Othen than "lots of snow" there is not too much of Nature, Birds or Wildlife for this Hudson River Birder to share here..
Well, the truth is that my blog ..."is evolving"..  One of my main guiding principles about nature, (creation) is the "interconnectedness" and the "needed communion" among ALL God's creatures.. Long before I became interested in nature, wildlife and birds I was a "human being interested in human beings".  The 8 minute mini documentary I embedded below was done by 7th grade students at St. John Vianney School in Kailua, Hawaii on a project to deal with homelessness.  The documentary won the award of the United States Bishops Human Development Campaign just this last December 10th. It is very good. Despite all that has been said about the problem of depleted habitats birds make out pretty good.  The Artic Term, for example is able to migrate from the North Pole to the South Pole each year to find food, nest and care for its youngs.  Unfortunatlely..HUMAN BEINGS DON'T HAVE THOSE OPTIONS.

PRESENTATION PARTY IN THE BRONX THAT THE BIRDER DID

A few years ago I was still in the South Bronx, in Immaculate Conception Parish.  Today and tomorrow the various Mexican communities cut what they call LA ROSCA.  The ROSCA is a very tasty, very delicious pastry.  Within it are hidden small, tiny white plastic images of the Baby Jesus.  If when you get your piece of the ROSCA there is one of those tiny white plastic Jesus's then for Feb 2nd, when the Catholic Church celebrates the PRESENTATION OF THE CHILD JESUS IN THE TEMPLE, there will be a very nice party and YOU will have to bring something.  It could simply be the plastic plates, knives or forks.  Or you could bring the meat, the tamales, beans, soda or something for the party.  During the party each person who has received a tiny white plastic Jesus has to make their own, creative image of the child Jesus in the Crib.  Then there is an award ceremony to see whose image is the most beautiful...
And so, a few years ago I filmed our Presentation party in Immaculate Conception Parish in the Bronx.  It was one of my better YouTubes, and still "moves me" when I see the joy, the fun, the food and all those people I have come to love so much...Enjoy!!

THE "BIRDER" ON "MIGRANTS AND THE DREAM ACT"

There is a very clear connection between my love for nature, birds, wildlife and my involvement in "Migrant Ministry" as a Redemptorist Missionary priest. The two yearly bird migrations are SPRING and FALL.  In both cases the neo tropical migrant birds are seeking a place for nesting, nourishment and the creation and protection of their young.  It is very much the same with the many human beings who have come, many with their children, to the North.  They "migrate to live, to nest, to eat...to survive".  One of our recent disappointments who had hopes for the 80,000 or so children of undocumented immigrints was the possibility of the passing in the recent legislative session of the DREAM ACT  which would be a route to documenting the many talented and hard working children who arrived here with their parents.  As a hope for the New Year which we  begin, I present this small video on the DREAM ACT.

(IT IS 4 MINS.)

FROM THE "BIRDER'S FROSTY WINDOW"

This Hudson River Birder, with my Redemptorist community: Frs. Gene, Charlie and my own brother Dan have spent a most layed back and enjoyable Christmas here at The Mount.  The snow came last night, lots of wind and drifting.  It knocked half of a huge spruce at the North End of our building facing the river... And I also shot these "frosty window" pictures through which I look out to the snow-wind swept lawn...Merry and Blessed Christmas time to all.

WORDS IN ENGLISH FOR THE POSADAS OF MEXICO

These are my own translation of the "dialogue" that happens between Mary, Joseph and those of whom they ask for POSADA, that is SHELTER on their journey from Nazaret to Bethlehem.


The Posada Song
(Mary and Joseph seeking  Posada= shelter)

Mary & Joseph :In the name of heaven we ask shelter of you,
because my beloved wife can hardly walk.

Answer:

This is no hotel. Keep moving. I can’t let you have shelter here.
You just might be robbers..

Joseph

Please don’t be inhuman. Have mercy on us.
It is the very God in heaven that you will reward you.

Answer:

You can both go now and not bother us,
because if I get mad I’m capable of clubbing you both.

Joseph:

Mi wife is Mary. She is Queen of Heaven.
She is going to be Mother of the Divine Word.

Answer:
Are you Joseph? Is your wife Mary?
Oh, please enter, travelers. I did not recognize you.

Then All Enter the House Singing:

Come in pilgrims, holy pilgrims, holy pilgrims,
In this nook take your part; Not alone
of my poor dwelling, my poor dwelling,
But take also of my heart.Scatter the candies,
scatter the sweets now, For all the children
are longing to eat now. Candied pineapple!
Chestnuts well roasted! Hit with a stick
all those at the door posted! Come on then,
Lola! Hurry, we ask it! Bring us the peanuts
you have in the basket!Here from this dwelling
we'll go of sadly;They've giv'n us nothing
and treated us badly!

ANOTHER VIDEO ON THE MEXICAN POSADAS WITH THE TRANSLATION ABOVE

THE MEXICAN POSADAS

Tomorrow will be the last time that Mexican familes, both here in the North, as well as back in the land they  had to leave...will be celebrated what are called the POSADAS.  (Here in Ulster County, among my other tasks such as: my work as retreat director here at THE MOUNT, chaplain to our Redemptoristine Sisters, Jail Ministry, I have been working in "Reaping the Harvest" which is a migrant ministry).  The "Posadas" begin on Dec 16th and go for nine days .  And so...tomorrow Christmas Eve will be the last one.  What the posadas celebrate is the journey of Mary, Joseph looking for the need SHELTER for Jesus to be born.   The Spanish word :Posada...SHELTER.  It is what, not only poor Mexicans today seek. It is what the poor of America and the world seeks.  I got sick last Friday, so I won't be able to go to these last two posasas.  But I share this nice Disney video that show what the posadas are.
BLESSED CHRISTMAS FROM
THE HUDSON RIVER BIRDER

SHOOTING BEAUTY...AND MY FRIEND, "FR JACK"

Last year, while watching the documentary, Shooting Beauty that showed the work of some physically challenged photographers and videographers I was surprised to see this photo of my fellow Redemptorist, Fr. Jack Hennessy C.SS.R.  One of the young women working under Director Courtney Bent's direction had shot this nice photo of  Fr. Jack and a woman from our Mission Church Parish in Roxbury MA. (Cathy Culkin, who took the picture is to the right.)
                                                                                        

The MSNBC segment on  Making a Difference shows how Courtney Bent's Shooting Beauty project is growing around the country.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and

news about the economy

THE BIRDER SLOWS DOWN AS CHRISTMAS APPROACHES

I have not posted in a long time.  I was in Canada and even before that I had pneumonia.  I have had to learn to slow down. There is not much wildlife here at The Mount to photograph.  (Well, we did have a bear for a few nights but "he" or "she" left since our dumpster was not that inviting I guess).  As all of you this HUDSON RIVER BIRDER has to learn to "SLOW DOWN" and see what God has for me to see, do or just observe.  So I found this great Advent segment on YouTube.  Enjoy it!

PLACES, BIRDS AND ENVIRONMENT IN GRANDE PRAIRIE, ALBERTA-CA

I have just finished the first week of a Parish Mission here in the parish of St. Joseph's in Grande Prairie, Alberta, CANADA.  The As I was walking last Sunday along Bear Creek, which is a city park here which goes for miles around the University of  Grand Prairied as well as for miles out towards the countryside, I saw these adventurous magpies fishing in what is now, two days later a frozen lake.

The sunsets here are truly in but "out of this world".  Here is one on Flying  Shot Lake.

Finally, I show you a picture of Luisa, my friend and coordinator of the Spanish speaking mission from last week.  With her are Marvin and myself.  We are in front of the newly constructed St. Joseph Parish Belltower which was rung for the first time last Sunday, Nov. 7th-2010

Finally my loving and faith-filled "hosts"--- Roger and Angel Field who have filled me with faith, love, cinnamon rolls and a great desire to do the famous CAMINO PILGRIMAGE in Spain to the Shrine of  St. James Compostella.  I love these two people as they do me.

 

Bohemian Waxwings in Grande Prairie

These are, I believe, a hearty flock of Bohemian Waxwings  that enjoy the berry trees here in Grande Prairie, Alberta CANADA.

AND HERE IS A BEAUTIFUL PAPER MACHE PICTURE OF THE "SOWER GOING OUT TO SOW THE SEED.  It was created by the children here in St. Joseph's Parish here for this week's parish mission in Grande Prairie, Alberta, CANADA.

IN THE "LAND OF MOOSE AND GROUSE"

Here on Lake "Flying Shot"  just two miles  outside of the town of Grande Prairie I am with Roger and Angel  Field.  Roger, (as was my own dad) is an architect who recently designed the beautiful new bell tower in St. Joseph's Church in Grande Prairie.  Angel has her house full of beautiful water color paintings.  I will send pictures of some later on....Today I just want to show a  great shot of a moose I got yesterday right outside on the lawn.

THE "HUDSON RIVER BIRDER"......FROM GRAND PRAIRIE-ALBERTA, CANADA

I am here in Grand Prairie on a preaching mission with about thirty of my Redemptorists confreres from here in Canada, from the Western Provinces as is this one of Alberta.  There will also be our priests from Brittish Columbia, Quebec, Ontario....And besides we who have come from the eastern US, there are also confreres here from our communities in the Western US.   The mission will be preached in this town of Grand Prairie, ALBERTA and many other smaller towns within a five hour distance of here.  Yesterday I saw a number of TROMPETER SWANS  on the lake where I am staying which is called Flying Shot Lake.   The sunrises and sunsets here are truly marvelous.  Here are some. My new friend and Redemptorist confrere, Fr. Pierre Bach took these.  He is a Redemptorist who works in our shrine of Ste. Anne de Beaupre. 

IN LOVING SOLIDARITY WITH THE FAMILY OF LIAM MURPHY

I have not been placing much new on my  blog for the past few months.  (The work on my "Sylvester Feeley Abundant Life Garden"  really paid off.   One of my "many" mistakes, however, was ripping out my Romaine lettuce and Bush Beans before an actual frost came.  (I was under the "false" impression that 42 degrees represented a frost.  That of course is incorrect.  A frost is a sustained temperature of under 32.6. 
Here is an embedded greeting that we send to all our Manchester England and Donegal cousins in Ireland, most especially for our cousin and dear mother of our deceased Liam Murphy.

TRANSFORMATIONS ARE THE BREAD OF LIFE

BIRTH OF A BUTTERFLY

I have been preparing a Mission for a place called Grand Praire in Alberta, CANADA.  One of the talks will be on the theme of CONVERSION.  I understand conversion as a change or a transformation of a person so much so that their real inner beauty placed there by God sudden or slowly and surely "becomes visible".  I was thinking the created world (NATURE) has one most awesome example of transformation.  It is that moment when, after beginning as a tiny, humble caterpillar and the hanging in the dark as a cocoon...Well that beauty just bursts out.  So this video that I share with you I hope to use when I do actually preach about Conversion in Grand Prairie beginning this November 5th..  ENJOY THIS!!!

LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH--WALK FOR PEACE IN POUGHKEEPSIE, NY

THIS IS PART OF A "BELLS RINGING FOR PEACE WALK" THAT OUR PAX CHRISTI GROUP OF THE HUDSON VALLEY DID ON THE POUGHKEEPSIE "WALKAWAY BRIDGE" ON SATURDAY, SEPT 18, 2010

IT WAS ORGANIZED BY PAX CHRISTI OF THE HUDSON VALLEY, WITH THE EFFORTS OF DOUG AND MARTHA MARTIN AND GILBERTO CINTRON...THIS "HUDSON RIVER BIRDER" WAS THE VIDEOGRAPHER..

ENJOY!!



PEACE BELLS OVER THE HUDSON

"THE MARVELOUS MARTINS PLAYING A PEACE MEDLEY AT THE SEPT 18TH, 2010 "BELLS FOR PEACE WALK ON THE POUGKEEPSIE WALKAWAY BRIDGE"