P1110969Spring here at the Monastery has been peaceful, joyful and full of life!  The Easter Season is speeding by at an alarming rate!  We always make note, with a smile, how quickly Easter flies by, but how Lent marches on with a slow (and sometimes grueling) rate!

We hope you enjoy the photos in this post as a glimpse into the latest ‘goings on’ at Our Lady of Solitude.

P1110972In April, we enjoyed a visit from some of the wonderful folks from St. Augustine’s Parish.  It was such a joy to have them here!

In other news: Our Lady of Solitude has become a welcome home for many a feathered friend!  Birds of all kinds have been flocking here, enjoying the peace of our little desert oasis *and they are probably enjoying the bird seed as well!  We recently had 3 little baby flycatchers (at least we think that is what kind of bird this is?) hatch right outside our front door!  What beauties!  Additionally we have several very active little nests of house finches on our back porch.  Hummingbirds, chickadees, grackles, morning doves, quail, sparrows, assorted finches, owls, hawks, and our latest greatest guest: our very own roadrunner (still waiting for him to slow down so we can snap a photo).

All this calls to mind St. Francis’ sermon to the birds:

P1110984“My little sisters the birds, ye owe much to God, your Creator, and ye ought to sing his praise at all times and in all places, because he has given you liberty to fly about into all places; and though ye neither spin nor sew, he has given you a twofold and a threefold clothing for yourselves and for your offspring. Two of all your species he sent into the Ark with Noe that you might not be lost to the world; besides which, he feeds you, though ye neither sow nor reap. He has given you fountains and rivers to quench your thirst, mountains and valleys in which to take refuge, and trees in which to build your nests; so that your Creator loves you much, having thus favoured you with such bounties. Beware, my little sisters, of the sin of ingratitude, and study always to give praise to God.”

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And last, but certainly not least, enjoy a few photos from the beautiful May Crowning from Sunday May 3rd!

“All my own perception of beauty both in majesty and simplicity is founded upon Our Lady.” – J.R.R. Tolkien

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