COMMUNING WITH MY BROCCOLLI

THANKS TO KEVIN MURRAY

Last week my friend Fr.Kevin Murray was here.  Kevin works in Sarnelli House in Philadelphia which is a community of youth volunteers that live in community our Redemptorist life and go out to know, love, learn from and to serve the poor and needy in the Kensington section of Philadelphia near our Parish of the Visitation.  I took advantage of Kevin's presence here to put many marigold in my organic garden.  (We spent a good evening planting them.)  Marigold help keep away insects from the vegetable plants "without" the need for dangerous pesticides and herbicides. Thanks to Kevin I now have two rows of Leaf Lettuce, two of Redina "Red" leaf lettuce, two rows of carrots, two rows of broccolli, 16 nice Tomatoes plants which are a gift of the local Bruderhof community here in Ulster Park at "Maple Ridge".  Also my buddy John Affronti and Marty Roberge are seasoned garderners that have helped me a lot.  Marty suggested this nice sunny spot.  John spent a night helping me put in the fence and posts.  Yesterday John helped me adjust my two sprinklers so that they will cover the 30'  by  20' area that is the "Sylvester Feeley Abundant Life Garden"

MY FRIEND SKIP AND THE "SYL FEELEY ABUNDANT LIFE GARDEN"

I have given the name of "Syl Feeley Abundant Life Garden"  to this 30 ft by 20 ft plot that I will have seeded with spinach and lettuce tonight. Fr. Sylvester Feeley C.SS.R. was a wonderful Redemptorist confrere who greeted me as Superior of the Caribbean Missions in Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and the US Virgin Islands when I arrived there in January of 1967.  Syl was called Padre Roberto  by people in PR and the Caribbean.  He was a great man.  Now, besides "honoring" him with my garden's name....I expect some of his "help from up, out or over there in Eternity.....Pray for the garden, Syl.
Here are Skip Doyle, our Redemptorist friend and the fencing we have just completed.

DAD OUTSIDE GUARDING MOM INSIDE HOPING FOR OFFSPRING

One of the most hopeful signs of spring these days are our Bald Eagles who have finally overcome the threats to their existence and have returned.....But I would never disturb them.

MY FRIEND BEN AT MAPLE RIDGE

In all my posts about beginning to learn something about organic vegetable gardening  I forgot to acknowledge the help that Ben, one of my friends from the Maple Ridge Bruderhof community gave me.  Ben and Tim sent over one of their tractors and a good strong tiller and opened up the 30 by 20 foot plot that I now and preparing to grow vegetables.  The Bruderhof Community which came to the United States back when it was clear that Adolf Hitler believed very much in war which the Bruderhof do not.  And so their community went first to England, then to Paraguay and then finally back to England and to the United States.  They live a very hard working, God loving and service filled life.  Two of them, Eam and Janet work in creating a spirit of forgiveness, most especially in very turbulent schools in the Bronx, NY.  The picture here is of one of their community meals where all the families eat together.  (On Saturdays they also invite me and others from the area to join them in a joyous, song filled and prayerful meal.
THANKS BEN!!!

TASTY "FUTURE OCCUPANTS" OF THE BIRDER'S GARDEN

THE GARDEN EXISTS IN MY IMAGINATION FIRST

Back in 1994 I spent a half year in Brazil and met Ruvem Alves, a most wonderful man, educator, story writer and "gardiner".  He was showing us his beautiful flower garden and said something I found quite profound, Long before my garden existed here in Sao Paulo it existed in my imagination".  I find that this is true of all dreams.  But, of course, without the effort, labor, hard work, heartache sometimes....the "garden remains in one's imagination"....Hopefull mine here at The Mount will soon exist in reality with what I plan to plant: SWISS CHARD, SPINACH, RADISHES, TOMATOES, BEANS OF SOME KIND, SUMMER SQUASH AND PEPPERS, BEETS, CUCUMBERS AND CARROTS.  My friend John Aponti from Esopus is helping me as I am just a novice.

I'D SAY THERE WERE MORE THAN A THOUSAND ROCKS HERE!!!

I may live "or die" regretting this.  But the salad bar at The Mount will be counting on me to produce some "produce" for the meals and to make this more than a personal hobby.  Wish me luck tomorrow!!

HUDSON RIVER "ORGANIC GARDENER"....TOO!!

I have a plot that is about 40 feet by 25 feet and have begun as an "Infant Organic Gardener"...what I think should be called the "Battle of the Rocks"...Anyone in the Ulster County Area that would like to help just give me a message here.  You would be "most welcome".. The "Battle" begins!!

THE "BIRDER" AT BOG MEADOW IN SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY

BOG MEADOW IN SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY

THE RISEN CHRIST "DRAWING ALL CREATION TO HIMSELF AND THE FATHER

This image of the Risen Christ is in our Redemptorist Church of St. Clements in Saratoga Springs, NY.  One thing that my study of Nature and the Planet and our Environment that has fascinated me is  what is the "relationship of God" of the "Blessed Trinity" to all that has been created, all living things,not just "human" beings.  What I have read makes me more convinced than ever that God is "related" to all that has been made.  The Bible, most especially the Book of Psalms is always saying that "the world reflects and makes visible the "glory and beauty of God".  I think this mosaic at St. Clements shows this.  Look and see how the arms of Christ, not not nailed to a Cross but reaching out in a "cruciform embrace"....Look how Christ embraces and hugs all that has been made.  I believe that Christ simply wanted, simply "wants" to bring all that has been made to both see, reflect and show the love of God for all of creation.....

NEAR THE ANCIENT OAK TREE IN THE APPLE ORCHARD

SPRING MIGRATION AND A MORE INCLUSIVE WORLD

DAY TO BE LIKE ADAM WITH CREATION

On Saturday, April 24th Joe, Gloria and myself did my SPRING MIGRATION AND A MORE INCLUSIVE WORLD day here at the Mount.  We must have walked at least three miles, although all I'd advertised was that...:"it would be an outdoors day".   We began next to our 200 year Oak Tree (more or less!) where we said the Morning Prayer of Praise.  Then we began to be like Adam in reverse.  By this I mean that we walked and tried to discover plants, trees, birds, insects and other creatures "by their proper names".   When we name someone or "any living thing" by their proper name we grow in respect for them and for all of creation.  I feel very sure that this is what the Genesis account of creation means to teach us with Adam getting the job  of naming all the animals, plants etc.  Adam learned to both RESPECT CREATION and to CONNECT TO CREATION.  Here are Joe and I next to our Purple Beech Tree which might just be 150 years old.

THE MANY LONG LEAFED ("NEEDLED") PINES IN NORTH CAROLINA

I have been doing my best to become a better "tree identifier" during my time down here in the Outer Banks. The most numerous pines are what you see here.  They have needles that are from 8 to 11 inches and many nearly six inch cones.  They grow, as do the Loblolly Pines to up to 110 feet.  (I learned that the Loblolly Pine is not too frequent here in the Outer Banks,  But in my trips to the home of my friend Evelyn Dabbs near Florence SC  there are many, many Loblolly Pines there.

SUNSET-2 ON THE OUTER BANKS AT COLLINGTON, NC

SUNSENT ON ABERMARLE SOUND-- COLLINGTON, NC

ORGANIC GARDENING ANYONE

THIS IS THE AREA WHERE I WANT TO BEGIN SOME "ORGANIC GARDENING" HERE AT MT. ST. ALPHONSUS.  THESE FIELDS WERE POTATOE FIELDS 50 YEARS AGO.  WE ALSO PLANTED AND HARVESTED TASTY STRAWBERRIES THERE.  DEPENDING ON WHAT I CAN LEARN MYSELF ABOUT ORGANIC GARDENING AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE HERE IN OUR ESOPUS AREA THAT MIGHT OFFER TO "HELP ME"  WE COULD HAVE SOME GREAT CROPS HERE COME THIS JULY....THINK ABOUT IT!

OUR LADY OF THE MOUNT ALTAR

This is the place where we will celebrate Mass at 4 pm on this April 24th, 2010.  My Workshop, "Christ and Spring Migration" will be mostly outdoors because I want to show how ALL of God's Creation has to be included in our love and concern.  We daughters and sons of God have been named, since Adam got the job of being....Caretakers and Stewards of Creation