DAY FOR HISPANIC FAMILIES AT THE MOUNT

One of my greatest concerns as both the HUDSON RIVER BIRDER and a Roman Catholic missionary priest here in Ulster County is the welfare of our great Hispanic population.  Ulster County has many Hispanic people.  Many have been here for many years and have restaurants, businesses and steady employment.  Others are either Migrant or Temporary Workers who work during the planting and harvest and during the harvest time for grape, apple, peach and other agricultural products.  This weekend one of the groups here at The Mount are the Presentation Sisters of the Eastern USA in their annual assembly.  One of their concerns, which is also mine, is the creation of a more just and practical immigration policy here in the United States.  As one who spent 32 years working outside the US in the Dominican Republic and also as a visitor and student in places like Ecuador and Brazil I am  "pro immigrant".  One of my favorite documentaries is LOS QUE SE QUEDAN ("Those Who Remain") It shows how the Mexican families agonize before the decison of going to work in the USA.  The beauty, simplicity and joy of life in Mexico permeates this movie like the sweetest perfume imaginable.  It is so clear that the choice to come and work in the United States is not a joyful nor easy decision for those "who come" and also for 'THOSE WHO REMAIN BEHIND".  Family life in Mexico is often so very pure, loving and joyous.  It will not be....It NEVER IS...when they come to the States.
And so.....on this weekend when Mexico is challenging Argentina for the World Cup in Soccer we have about 150 families from Ulster, Dutchess and Orange counties coming here for a Day of Family Faith Formation.  They will be greeted and welcomed by the beauty of The Mount: its fields, trees, birds, deer, turkey, its beautiful Hudson River fronting. Hopefully it will remind them of the equal beauties of Mexico, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras....etc, etc that necessity has made them leave.

The Hudson River Birder/Gardener

Garden Work Pays Off at The Mount

DAY ON "JESUS' SAYINGS AND ATTITUDES ON CREATION

Joe, Pat and Sheila joined me, P. Tom Martín Deely, The Hudson River Birder, to spend the day walking much of our 412 acre Hudson River, Mt. St. Alphonsus Spiritual Center.  We used the blue truck to get to some places, walked to others, like the Acre Pond where, reflecting upon what Jesus said and his way of relating to nature, animals and the natural world, we saw and "heard" Kingfishers, Red Winged Blackbirds, saw Great Blue Herons "sailing in" for a soft landing on the pond, saw a harried Red Tailed Hawk spiralling as she (or "he) was attacked by pesky little sparrows.  It was a great day, and we went long beyond 3 pm where we "usually" end our Saturday day programs. Below are some of the ideas and Bible quotes that I shared with Pat, Sheila and Joe.  (Joe is from Mineola LI and has participated in my "Christ and Spring Migration Nature Day".   We even saw nesting eagles which, of course, we are forbidden by the NYS Wildlife Management from telling you where.  The truth is that American Bald Eagles are doing quite well.  I guess it is true that there might just be mean spirited people in the world that would enjoy doing harm to an Eagle´s nest if they knew where it was.  But no people like that come to the Mount.

At the Purple Beech - Jesus' Sayings and Attitudes on Creation

WAY OF CROSS AND "WAY OF CREATION"

TOWARDS THE 200 YEAR PURPLE BEECH

JESUS'S WORDS AND ATTITUDES ON CREATION

Ron on the Rip Van Winkle in front of The Mount--This Birder's Home on Hudson

GOD'S "OPEN HEART" IN THE HIGH DESERT

On the Way of the Cross at our Retreat House in Cortaro AR people put small rocks, and sometimes notes as they pray the way that Christ took to Calvary.  This one has small rocks in the shape of a rock.  I caught the message right away.  DO YOU?  It is the "open heart of God in Christ". Who would bother to make a Way of the Cross or do any kind of prayer if he or she did not believe that, despite the foolish and sinful things we might have done in our lives...God's heart is still "always open" to pardon us and love us.

Car "Washed in the Wash"

I do not know the story of this car which I discovered in a "desert wash" near Cortaro AR.  Washes are places where accumulating water from desert storms high up in the mountains can silently accumulate and suddenly whip across the road carrying whomever and "whatever" to unexpected oblivion.  For this reason the roads approaching where a wash crosses the road on a downgrade usually have signs similar to Railroad Crossings saying something like 'CAREFULL APPROACHING THE WAS".  And one had better!!

HISPANIC MEETING IN TUCSON, AR

My missionary group, the Redemptorists, have a very wonderful Retreat House off Highway 10 on the way from Tucson to Phoenix.  It is called Picture Rocks Retreat House.  Part of the complex, which is right in the Sajuaro National Preserve, is called Desert House of Prayer.  Since 1980 when I spent nearly three months there after my first 8 years in the Dominican Republic I have returned twice:  once in 2002 when I spent two months and last week.  I truly love the dry hot high desert air.  My "friends": the Cactus Wrens, Gambol Quail, Curved Billed Thrashers, Pyrolloxia (which are similar to Northern Cardinals) make it truly a birding paradise.  There are many interesting warblers, finches and sparrows that inhabit the "Washes".  I saw a Gray Warbler that I "think" is called "Gray Cheeked".  And I have still to identify various other birds. Below are some of my shots of the area around Ina Road which forks off  Interstate 10 about 20 miles from downtown Tucson.

'BIRDING WAY OF THE CROSS IN PICTURE ROCKS-CORTARO, AR

DESERT SHRUBS, FLOWERS, CACTUS IN PICTURE ROCKS- CORTARO, AR

Picture Rocks in Cortaro AR--Sajuaro Preserve

Desert Sunset in Arizona

The "Wash" at Picture Rocks Retreat House

MPH Sisters at Hispanic Meeting in Tucson, AR

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"