July 9, 2008

Good Morning, Good People (A greeting used by St. Francis.)

Well, the 4th of July is now past. I hope you had a good one. I went to West Union, MN for the big 45-minute parade. The Eltgroth’s had three entries: The 12-member Kazoo Crew marching band, the 1948 Desoto car and the side-by side bicycle-built-for-two. After the parade, there was a pot-luck dinner in the West Union Park. Many of our family were there for the parade and meal. We then all gathered at the farm afterwards. The weather was great. It was a fun day. Rich and Louise got 4-H buttons for all of us. My number was lucky 87 and I won $15.00 in cash.

Over the weekend I learned a new dice game named Farkle. I had heard of it a few weeks ago on the local radio station Party Line program. I checked Google and found much information and a variety of directions with variations of the ones we had at my brother’s home. Now I have to find someone to teach and play it with. I haven’t worked too hard on that yet.

Rejoice with me. I put in the mail today the last of the lessons for correspondence class I’ve been taking. I have been studying The Franciscan Family Connection, a training book for Spiritual Assistants for the Secular Franciscan Order. If I am accepted, I will be the Queen of Peace Regional Spiritual Assistant. This office for our region has been vacant for some time so I was asked to give it a try. I’ve learned a lot. But as with so many things, one won’t know what it is all about until you jump in with both feet” and get to work.

The other day, I went out to look at the Community Gardens located on the Motherhouse property just south of the buildings. There are many plots. The gardens look great and are starting to produce good vegetables—and some flowers. The deer are liking the gardens, too. The deer are not friends of Sister Ruth. The deer like her garden, too. Sister Ruth is our convent gardener. We are starting to enjoy the fresh produce from our garden. Sister Ruth has tried products that are suppose to keep deer from eating the garden plants. She says, "None of them work." On Monday she and a number of other Sisters picked strawberries at a local "You Pick" field. They came home with 43 five-quart pails of berries. When the pickers returned with the berries, it didn’t take long for the word to spread. There were many Sisters at work in the kitchen readying the berries for eating. They are so good. Thanks, Sisters, for all your hard work. We are greatful.

Let us continue to pray for all who are sick. We have a couple Sisters who are very ill at this time. And I am sure you know others who also need our prayers.

God bless your day.
Peace and blessings,
Sister Mary Lou