blossoms in summertime....

my monkbrother Dom John Dat posed with his mom who came over during his Solemn Vows just recently

Roses bloom during summertime in the vicinity of my monastery

Spring blossoms, Spring blessings…

It is Springtime at the Canyons!

During this season of the year, the monks of my community, in their spree time, do their hikes and walks around the monastery property and the canyons. With their digital cameras, their walks and hikes give them a blessing as they enjoy the Spring blossoms…

Images will show you how the season gives so much beauty and splendor to the surroundings of my monastery.

what a fun filled day...

It is Monday. But unlike in the past Mondays of our life at the Cloister, today is much filled with fun. You know why? It is snowing so hard this morning and as of this moment that I am drafting this update, the snowfall is a non-stop. I hope to be able to get more images of snowfall later in the afternoon.

buried in snow....

Just like the proverbial saying, it is better to say nothing because it may pre empt an occurrence....

my words took effect about snowfall here at the canyons... For as of this writing snowfall is a non stop at the canyons!.... and the only ones who feel so delighted of it are my newcomer brothers from Vietnam!.... for one of them, Dom John D Baptist has never seen and experienced snow in his entire life, until this time!

at the dawning of the day

I must admit that I have a very shallow threshold to pain. I cannot take pain relievers, too, as they give me hives and allergies. That's why when I get sick, I can only take liniments and hypo-allergenic herbal medicines.

On the other hand, I also have a very shallow threshold to happiness. There are very little or minute details as well as trivial ones that can easily give me joy and delight. I have such a shallow outlook and a shallow way of looking up at things that I easily get overjoyed by details normal to the eyes of my brothers here and to you out there as well.

This morning, after Mass, I was startled by the sight of the moon up the sky!... And in my delight, I ran to my cell and took hold of my shutter and started taking images of it while it was still showing up for I know that minutes from then, it is gonna be hidden away by the bright light of the dawning of the day.

The day after Thanksgiving day, we got a heavy downpour of snow!

It is indeed an amazing grace from the Heavens to receive the first heavy downpour of snow a day after Thanksgiving Day!.

This means that the Heavens has already sent down their initial signs and symbols to signal us for the change of the season from Ordinary to Advent. This could also mean that the time has come for us here at the Sanctuary and as well as to all of you out there to start preparing our hearts and minds to welcome and receive the coming of the Redeemer and Savior of all mankind...the birth of the one and only Prince of Peace: Jesus Christ!

So folks, brace yourselves, open your hearts and be ready to receive His coming....Get set and put on your gears as we wait for the day of His coming...GLoria en Excelsis Deo!

I am glad I am able to capture just this morning after the Mass the images of the Cloister garden, back of the Church, and the canyons in a snowfall.

Enjoy this dozen of images...

Have a blessed day to all of you!

the longest hour

it is said that the longest time of the day in our Liturgies of the Divine Offices is at Vigils.

It starts at exactly 4Am in the morning. So monks are expected to be in Church before the clock strikes at 4 o'clock in the wee hours of the freezing morning.

This morning, I thought of it as longer than the usual one-hour duration. I just don't know why I felt that way. Strange, but that's they way i felt and looked it.

After the seemed-to-be the longest hour of spending and immersing my soul and spirit in Church, Vigils ended with a sigh of relief. I thought to myself, Now, "I can go back to bed for another half an hour of sleep as the next prayers will be at five forty five in the morning.

While I was on my way back to my cell, I couldn't help but to marvel at the moonlight illumining the Cloister corridors. So I immediately got in my cell, took my lens, stepped out of my cell, and took images...

the day i spent with mother nature

december 13: the early morning of the day in which I celebrated my birthday, was spent mostly in communion with mother nature......

solar panels in CID

these are just but a few of the solar panels mounted in our monastery that get the sun's energy and generate electrical power for our community. the next group, mounted on top of the rooftop of our Phase Two building, and the third group, mounted on the ground near our new power plant. With these solar panels, we are able to live and function our lives in the cloister with much ease and comfort.

last glimpse of burning trees around the monastery

Fall has made this change: from bright green colored leaves to bright orange and yellow burning trees. these trees surround my monastery. whatta sight to behold!..but its very fleeting, for before one knew it. they're all gone. and what will be left are tree-trunks that look like they're all dead forever.

working at a negative 5 Degree temperature

Preparing myself to perform my day's assigned task has always been that easy except for a fact that i need to wrap myself with winter outfits before i can go to my work station: guesthouse and ranchouse of the monastery. These self-shots are but witnesses to how i had to frolic to and fro my room to be able to complete my winter gear from head to my toes before i finally leave and expose myself to a freezing temperature of -5 degrees Centigrade.

Fall's Attractions:yellow trees, brown sages, and wild flowers

Fall is here to stay and its presence gives joy to us, monks and nuns, as we live life with a season that is slowly changing which is manifested in its entire surroundings: hailstones showers...freezing mornings and chilling late afternoons... changing leaves of tress from lush green to bright yellow...blooming wild flowers from wild plants around the Cloister...sages bloom around the monastery buildings. All of these give a different aura of feelings for all of us at the canyons.

last glimpse of the Summer's heat!

cleaning the guesthouse during Summer is always filled with fun and enjoyment as it gives me chance to freely explore its backyards and nearby surroundings. I also get a fair chance to frolic on its boulders without having to bear the burden -literally speaking huh!- of heavy winter coats and winter gears wrapped around me. these self-photos were taken a day before Fall comes along my way here at the canyons.

summer's heat is gone!

a change of season from Summer to Fall is change of temperature from hot to cold and a change of gears from thin light outfits to heavy thick garments. What a sunny, yet chilly, freezy day to welcome me as i perform my task assigned for the day: guesthouse cleaning= bathrooms, sinks, floors, beds, kitchen, receiving rooms and the like.

one hot sunday...