ALL HANDS ON DECK

This past week and next week are the busiest 2 weeks in our year.  All the candy we have made needs to be boxed sealed and shipped to go out to our customers.  It is a huge job and everyone drops what they usually do and go over to the shipping department to help.  Luckily, everyone likes to ship.  It is satisfying to prepare the gifts that are being sent out.  Sometimes you recognize a name on a label as someone you know.  That is fun.  We are grateful to all our candy customers for supporting us by their purchases.

Sr. Grace entering orders.

This semi will be full before it leaves the dock.

Leucistic Red Bellied Woodpecker

A few weeks ago we noticed a bird flying around and coming to the bird feeders.  It appeared to be all white with a red cap. We don't have all white birds so we started to investigate.  We determined the bird to be a leucistic red bellied woodpecker This is a definition given on the web for                                                      leucistic:

This is a normal red bellied woodpecker.

an abnormal condition of reduced pigmentation affecting various animals (such as birds, mammals, and reptiles) that is marked by overall pale color or patches of reduced coloring and is caused by a genetic mutation which inhibits melanin and other pigments from being deposited in feathers, hair, or skin.

Notice the red cap.

Notice the red belly.

This is somewhat different from an albino bird which has no color and pink eyes.only about 1 bird in 30,000 has leucistic or albinistic plumage. Based on these results, leucism and albinism are very rare occurrences among birds.

 

MAKING APPLE CIDER

This past Saturday we pulled out the apple press and pressed our apples for cider.  You take turns pressing as it takes a lot of physical strength.  There are several steps.  First washing and cutting up the apples.  Then cutting up the apples more with the cutting machine and finally pressing the apples in the press.  We ended up with about 10 gallons.  The cider is delicious!

Sr. Annie cutting up apples.

Srs. Harriet & Grace cutting apples.

Srs. Madeleine & Mary using the cutting machine.

Sr. Myra pressing apples.

Sr. Harriet pressing apples.

GIFT SHOP HOURS

We are finally able to open our gift shop.  Please stop in to buy our candy and gift products.  New hours will be posted later for the new year.

Our Gift Shop Will Open

Friday November 25^th

 

Wednesday, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays only

From November 25 to December 17^th

then

Wednesday Dec. 21st, Thursday 22nd, Friday 23^rd.

 

10:00 to 3:00 pm

 

Summary of the dates we will be open:

November Fri. 25^th, Sat. 26^th, Wed. 30^th.

December Thurs. 1^st, Fri. 2^nd, Sat. 3^rd.

December Wed. 7^th, Thurs. 8^th, Fri. 9^th, Sat. 10^th

December Wed. 14^th, Thurs. 15^th, Fri. 16^th, Sat. 17^th

December Wed. 21^st,  Thurs. 22^nd, Fri. 23^rd.

 

Thank you!

Visit from our Archbishop

 Last Saturday on the feast of St. Bernard  Archbishop Jackels came to celebrate Mass and to have brunch with us afterwards.  We have not visited with him for a few years because of the covid crisis.

We caught up on diocesan news and news of our community.  He has a great sense of humor so it was fun too!

Sr. Annie Rose Marie and Sr. Mary Therese receive the Cistercian habit

On Monday August 15th, the feast of the Assumption of Mary into Heaven, our two novices received the Cistercian habit after Chapter.  The event brought great joy to all the community.  The two novices served as gift bearers at Mass.  At dinner we had a celebratory meal.

Check the gallery for more pictures.

Srs. Chris, Annie, M. Rebecca, Mary, Kathleen

OMAHA YOUTH VISIT US FOR THE WEEEND

This past weekend a group of about 20 young people, ages 14 to college age came to OLM to learn about monastic life.  They joined us for prayer in the chapel and visited with some sisters during meals at our Welcome center.  They toured our farm on Saturday afternoon.  On Sunday after Mass they all met with a panel of sisters for questions and answers.  We really enjoyed them and they seemed to enjoy their time at OLM.

hey seemed to have enjoyed the time with us too.

Watercolor classes with Mary Barrett

Last weekend Mary Barrett, an artist and blood sister of our Sr. Nettie, came for a visit and gave 7 sisters watercolor classes.  They all raved about them and enjoyed learning and experimenting the watercolor technique.

Mary has also written 3 icons for our community.  Most recently she wrote Our Lady of the Sign for our church.  She is a versatile artist and works in many mediums.  See her work at marygamblebarrett.com  .

THE CLASS

HARD AT WORK

Classes with Fr. Michael Casey

This past week we had classes with Fr. Michael Casey.  Fr. Michael, a Cistercian monk from our Australian house, Tararawa Abbey.  He is a well know spiritual writer and presenter.  The classes were on humility, especially the topic of humility in the Rule of St. Benedict and how to interpret it. 

Fr. Michael Casey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two monks from Gethsemani Abbey also came to tape Fr. Michael giving a class on the constitutions of our order.  One of the monks name is Lazarus.  We had some fun with that as we have a Mary and a Martha in our community.

Fr. Lawrence

Mary, Lazarus, Martha

Babysitting a Fawn

We have a fawn that has been coming with its mother and spending the day on our front lawn.  The mother brings it and then leaves to forage for food.  She checks on her fawn every once in a while.  The fawn mostly sleeps and sometimes it is hard to see when it is tucked in the grass asleep.

OUR JUNIOR PROFESSED ATTEND THE JUNIOR MEETING

Our Srs. Harriet and Madeleine recently returned from the annual junior professed meeting at our monastery of the Holy Cross in Berryville, Virginia.  Each year the junior professed monks and nuns of our order gather at one of our monasteries for a few weeks of classes and an opportunity to get to know each other and life at another monastery.

This year Fr. Michael Casey from our abbey in Australia was the teacher.  Fr. Michael has written extensively about monastic life and spirituality.  The main topic was community life in all of its aspects.

Spring Has Come!

We had a beautiful Easter.  Our sanctuary was decorated with many spring flowers for the occasion.

During Easter week we burned our prairie as we do every spring.  This practice promotes growth of the grasses and releases flower seeds into the ground.  The prairie is home to much wildlife  including rabbits birds, deer and mice.

Planting Potatoes on Good Friday

It has been a long standing tradition of ours to plant potatoes on Good Friday morning, weather permitting.  Yesterday the skies were clear although it was only in the 40's and very windy so we were able to plant.  We are still eating our potatoes from last year and should have enough to take us into the summer months.

Sr. Madeleine Renews Her Vows

Sr. Madeleine making her vow of obedience

This morning our Sr. Madeleine renewed her vows.  She made her first profession a year ago today.  Junior professed renew their vows every year up to solemn profession.

Sr. Madeleine is in charge of our vegetable garden.  She has been busy growing and tending seedlings of all sorts.

HOLY WEEK

Yesterday we celebrated Palm Sunday as the beginning of Holy Week which is now upon us.  We began the liturgy in our Chapter Room with the distribution of palm branches ( we actually use foliage from our property; pussy willows,  dogwood branches, pine boughs).  We then processes to the church, singing for the Eucharist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are all kinds of signs of spring around.  The crocus are blooming and the first of the daffodils have flowered.

 

 We keep all of our family and friends very much in prayer this special time of year.  May your week be blessed!