Hello friends and supporters of our beautiful monastery!
What a Spring and beginning of Summer we have had so far! There has been so much happening here, and we are excited to share a little glimpse into life at the monastery these past few months.
Old Man Winter decided he was not quite ready to leave us this year, and Spring arrived nearly a month and a half late! While we have certainly enjoyed the cooler temperatures (with only a few unusually warm days mixed in), the lingering cold has slowed down much of our growing season and left everything feeling a bit behind schedule.
The Bobcat skidsteer, which we remain incredibly grateful for, proved indispensable this past winter. With the amount of snow we received, it was in use nearly every day helping us keep up with the constant work. As soon as the ground dried enough to work, it immediately went back into service as we began moving manure, hauling dirt, picking up endless rocks, and repairing the gravel pad where the Chapel of St. Elizabeth sits in the garden. Its next major task was helping us prepare the area behind the barn for an exciting new addition — our future chicken run!
One of the biggest changes around the monastery this season has been the arrival of 22 baby chicks, hatched on April 27th. After much consideration, we decided on a single breed: Blue Laced Red Wyandottes. They are already beginning to show their adult plumage, and they are absolutely stunning. Each one has its own unique coloring and personality, and it has been a joy watching them grow.
Around the house, the flower gardens have come alive in full beauty. We have spent countless hours planting new flowers, expanding garden beds, pulling weeds, and continuing the work of slowly beautifying the property that God has entrusted to us.
The strawberry harvest has now arrived, and what an abundant harvest it has been! There are so many berries ripening that we plan to set up a small roadside table to share some of the abundance. The raspberries and many other berries are not far behind and should be producing heavily within the next few weeks.
Not all of our recent news has been positive, however. We recently learned that our current septic system is not adequate for both our present needs and the future development of the monastery. We have an engineer coming to design a large-scale septic system that will support not only our current buildings, but also the future growth of the monastery as we continue building for the years ahead.
This will be a significant project and undoubtedly an expensive one, but it is an important step toward establishing the long-term foundation needed for the monastery to continue growing.
As always, we are deeply grateful for your prayers, encouragement, and continued support. Every season here brings new challenges, new blessings, and new reminders of how much we rely upon the kindness and generosity of so many people who care about our little monastery.
May God bless each of you abundantly, and please continue to keep us in your prayers.
The Sisters of the Iveron Monastery