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.