THE LIFE OF FLOWERS

I thank Ronnie, one of my friends for this nice VIMEO film, THE LIFE OF FLOWERS.  I just LOVE time lapse films of nature!!...ENJOY!!

Life of flowers from VOROBYOFF PRODUCTION on Vimeo.

MULTI ETHNIC REGIONAL MISSION IN PERTH AMBOY

Since Saturday, Oct 15th I have been part of a "regional intra parish mission" by the Roman Catholic diocese of Metuchen here in Perth Amboy, NJ.  I am working in the parish of St. Marys which is, as is most of this town 80% hispanic.  Most, if not all, of the hispanics are from the Dominican Republic.  Many families have spent nearly 40 years here in Perth Amboy.  Since I spent close to all of my 32 years in the Caribbean working in the DR I am enjoying preaching the Word of God to my "old and new friends". The two pictures here are of me visiting various homes where there are sick people.  I thank Ramón, Deac. Barsilio and Rubén as well as Juan and Ramona for helping me find and visit the sick.

IRENE AND UPSTATE NEW YORK--VERMONT

 A week ago we had a group of United Methodists pastors here at The Mount.  There biggest concern was what had happened in the wake of Hurricance Irene and the following flooding in Catskill Mountain towns like Prattsville, Windham and Margaretville.  The flooding carried away entire herds of cows, an entire horse farm as well as doing damage to churches and parsonages in the area.  The pastors urged even seniors who had some time to come and just "encourage and support" the young people working in the disaster relief work.  Yesterday (Oct 4th) my brother and I drove up through Vermont which is still digging out from the enormous flooding.  Here are some shots I took in Vermont across from the blocked Highway 107 on the way into Woodstock VT.

TREE KNOCKING HURRICANE IRENE

This is my confrere, Fr. Tom Travers next to one of the trees Irene brought down on our road down to the Hudson.

IRENE AND MT. ST. ALPHONSUS'S DOCK

This is how our dock looked the day after Irene passed through.  Many huge trees, and even one large floating dock that had broken loose somewhere on the River came crashing or floating onto our own dock.  We were largely spared the damage and destruction of many people here in Ulster County who lost homes, animals and large pieces of their lawns and riverfronts.

This is a spot out near our old "Pell Silo".  Right behind it, near the "fallen barn" where I often worked as a seminarian is a place where  I have gone to pray, read the Scriptures and meditate.  (This spot is on the southern border of riverfront property owned by the Bruderhof Community who will begin "leasing our 413 acres beginning February, 2012)

HUDSON RIVER RAINBOW

This was a most beautiful "double rainbow" over the Hudson a week or so ago.

A LAZY BLOGGER HAS BEEN THIS BIRDER

I have not done anything on this since the end of last July. But...in these last few months before I move to our GateHouse and allow the Bruderhof Community to begin their lease on Mount Saint Alphonus,  I'd just like to show you some of my recent shots of "in and around" Esopus and "The Mount" (This is a view from what we once called the "Acre Pond".  It looks southwest towards what is our northern entrance off Highway 9 W).

ST. PHILOMENA'S PARISH-ST. JOHN NEUMANN AND BLESSED FRANCIS SEELOS

I am from Pittsburgh PA where my Redemptorists founded the parish of St. Philomena's back in the 1800's.  Two of our Redemptorist Saints (St. John Neumann and Blessed Francis Seelos) worked there.  John Neumann later went as bishop to Philadelphia where, as a great "immigrint bishop" he served immigrint Catholics, not only from his native Bohemia, but from all parts of the world.  John Neumann died, apparently of a heart attack, falling to the pavement at 42 years of age on Vine St. in Philadelphia...Francis Seelos, who had also come as an immigrint to serve the Catholic immigrint peoples, also spent time in Pittsburgh at  St, Phils with John Neumann.  Francis Seelos is called the Smiling  Ascetic in one great book on his life, because he worked so very hard and was very joyful.  Seelos spent his last years in New Orleans where he died of yellow fever. 
Today, visiting my own Dad's grave here in Calvary Cemetery in Pittsburgh I came upon the place where my many Redemptorists priest and brother confreres have found their final resting place...On it are these truly beautiful statues of both John Neumann and Francis Seelos.  As the inscriptions say they were placed their by  Rev. John Kelly, C.SS.R. who inspired a "young and future Hudson River Birder" to desire being a Redemptorist missionary.  Thanks, Fr, John!!!  And thanks  Regina Kelly who is a Redemptorist oblate and is living her last moments on earth in a hospice here in Pittsburgh as she awaits her own joyful reunion with  Christ, the Blessed Virgin and, of course, with St. John Neumann and Blessed Francis Seelos .

THE BIRDER "A FEW" YEARS AGO

Next January I will continue being the HUDSON RIVER BIRDER, but I will have to change the introduction above.  Because I will no longer live in THE MOUNT.  I will live in a gatehouse at the entrance to this place which from 1907 until 1987 was the Theological Seminary for the Redemptorist Fathers and Brothers of what we call our Baltimore Province.  For many reasons into which I will not enter our governing chapter has decided to cease ministry in what we called from 1987 until this present year, Mount St. Alphonsus Retreat Center.   Right now I am preparing a 10 minute video for our August Century of Blessings celebration.  I will try to describe with old and new images how God's work has been prepared for and done here at "The Mount" during what will actually be 104 years...I was ordained a priest in our chapel here 46 years ago.  I am the third one from the left. I have never forgotten the exact tile upon which I knelt with that candle waiting for Cardinal Spellman's hands to bless and annoint me for this mission which has brought me back to this great castle on the Hudson River which I left in August of 1966.  (You know I was really not much of a birder then. I do remember, of course, the Northern Mockingbirds.  Who wouldn't...in as much as they are the most "in your face, joyful bird around.) 

Heh!!...It's an Eagle

It is a special treat kayaking on the Hudson. It is one of the best ways to see the American Eagles that one will just "chance upon" sitting in a branch.

NUMBERS, GEOMETRY AND NATURE

This is another wonderful VIMEO video done by a great Spanish film maker, Cristóbal Vila from Zaragozza. The connection between the mathematics, and most especially the geometry of nature becomes most powerfully clear as this three minute or so film shows.  I wondered what the 137.7 degree item meant. Maybe you will.  Enjoy

Nature by Numbers from Cristóbal Vila on Vimeo.

MURAL OF EL YUNQUE IN PUERTO RICO

The names of the artists of this famous mountain of "El Yunque" in Puerto Rico are in the next post.

BARRIO MURAL ARTISTS IN PHILADELPHIA

BEAUTIFUL PHILADELPHIA BARRIO ART

..EVEN MORE PHILADELPHIA BARRIO MURALS

The names of some of the Philadelphia barrio artists and local sponsors are seen in a detail in the post after this one.  (It is the lower left hand corner of this mural which I did in close up)ç

MORE NORTH 5TH-PHILADELPHIA STREET MURALS

MURALS ON NORTH GIRARD-PHILADELPHIA

IN JOHN NEUMANN'S PHILADELPHIA

Philadelphia is where St. John Neumann became a bishop.  Before he was a Redemptorist missionary priest like I am.  He had come from Bohemia in the 1800's to preach the Gospel of Christ to his fellow German immigrants who had come to the US for a better life and for work.  At our Redemptorist Parish of St. Peter's is the shrine for him.  He is the first male made a saint in the USA.  He fell of a heart attach a few blocks from this church at 5th and Girard in Philadelphia.  Tomorrow will be the 200 anniversary of his birth here in Philadelphia, and so we will have a big celebration.  (John Neumann had been working the area of northern New York State, Pennsylvania and West Virginia when he decided to join us, the Redemptorists.  He was pastor in my home parish at what was St. Philomenas in Pittsburgh PA.)
Today I walked from our parish here in 5th and Girard up to Visitation Parish where other four of my Redemptorist brothers have a very good apostolate amongh the spanish speaking as well as English speaking... Along the way I took photo of the most beautiful street murals done my community artistic groups.  I show some of these on other posts today. 

LEWIS'S WOODPECKER -FILM BY DOM DES JARDIM

One of the many species of birds, wildlife and flowers discovere by Commander Lewis, of the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition is the "Lewis Woodpecker".  It is a beautiful mixture of red, green, blue and grey and is a Western Bird.  About five years ago when two of my friends and I visited Yellowstone National Park and followed (more or less!) their route in that area, I was anxious to see one of them.  But never did.  This beautiful VIMEO video by Dom DesJardin may be the closest that you and I will ever get to actually seeing one....This is what Don himself says about this film on his site on VIMEO.

"This is one of the best looking of all North American woodpeckers. It's also one of the most unusual, in that it has very broad wings that allows it to foray out from high perches and catch flying insects out of the air. Two scenes, first showing it working to remove the stinger and venom sac from a wasp it caught, finally succeeding and eating it. Second scene is showing it perched high on a dead pine tree looking around for its next meal. November 2009, Lake Los Carneros, Goleta, Santa Barbara County, California, USA."

Lewis's Woodpecker from Don DesJardin on Vimeo.