June 2017

Thursday 1st. I congratulated one of the workers on a nice job, and asked his family name: MacIssac. Our monastic guests arrived in time for Vespers. Dom Bede slid in some extra stalls. Suddenly, our common prayer received new vigor. Drinks were served with Supper (a chicken fricot) and a fellow from France was able…

  Monday 1st. The new Vespers books are making a good debut over-all. With every second Psalm now in English our Office becomes more universal. As the English is a version we’ve never sung before, we also gain a new way of breaking open the Scriptures. Tuesday 2nd. The cats were seen with the ground…

Saturday 1st. We discussed the final question preparatory to the house report, this time on formation. To ease the snow melt, one of the tractors plowed a path for drainage behind the guest-house. Later on, two barn cats explored the scene, and the smell of the earth. Sunday 2nd. Brother Léo’s reservation book is just…

Wednesday 1st. Ash Wednesday Mass went well. Our truck got a little help from Garage Thebeau today. We presently have two vehicles for the community plus one, a second pick up, for the farm. We tried leasing our car rather than buying it this time. Next year with the end of the lease we’ll see…

Wednesday 1st. Our dump truck got a new coat of paint and is now blue. One of our farm hands is preparing to drive to Nova Scotia to sell a young bull at an auction there tomorrow. Spring is a ways away, but today two of our youngest calves were gamboling about near their hutches…

Sunday 1st. Dom Bede extended his best wishes at Chapter this morning, then the monks saluted each other, making their way around our round table. 2017 Calendars were distributed. Dom Bede outlined the principal dates for the year, which include trips to Italy more than once or twice, and even a trip to California. Monday…

Thursday 1st. More snow—more complaining in town. This evening: the sound of the winter wind. Does it sound different because of the snow? Sort of a faint whistle. Friday 2nd. On the farm, it has been necessary to spread liquid manure on the fields in the snow. Otherwise the sewage lagoon would be too full…

Tuesday 1st. The same two gentlemen are back to the second floor archives. This time instead of scanning our old photos, they are taking pictures of them with a camera that is fixed in place. The website they are creating with all the Rogersville history they manage to gather is www.rvnb.ca . They are inspired…

[foogallery id=”612″] Photos show: A container acquired for storing scrap metal.  Farmers measuring the height of the corn. Geese on one of our fields.  Fall colours. Saturday 1st. We have had some problems with our well. At times this week the water was a little murky. At other times, you could smell a bit of…

Installation of the New Sign [foogallery id=”522″] Thursday 1st. We’ve received a summer newsletter from the Dominican contemplative nuns in British Columbia, who started up in Canada in 1999.  They have the one thing we don’t: dogs, visible in the photos. Friday 2nd. Plans are in the offing to convert poultry barn #3, currently unused,…