31 Jul July 2024 Digest
Welcome back to a warm and sunny Mucknell Abbey (at least for now!). We’re enjoying the warm weather, and keeping busy with plenty to do on the Estate and in the Kitchen Garden. Various of us have also enjoyed time with friends and family over the past month, whether here or elsewhere.
Lambeth Palace
On Thursday 4th, Br. Adrian and I attended a Religious Communities Day at Lambeth Palace; it was great to bump into Shena while we were there – Shena was one of the members of the Community of St. Anselm who stayed with us recently, She very kindly walked back to Waterloo Station with me, which gave us time for a catch up and also a selfie or two! You can read a full account of our day here: Religious Communities Day.
Friend’s Day
On Saturday 13th, we welcomed members of our Friend’s Association for an afternoon of worship, learning and time together. We began with the Office of None, then proceeded to the Refectory for a talk from Russell Jefford on The Cosmic Christ. Russell runs the website Ordinary Theology, and offers various study days and reading groups. Following this was a lovely cream tea and time to chat and catch up with all our guests.
The Fruits of the Earth
The kitchen garden has begun its annual explosion with aplomb these last few weeks. It’s lovely to start to get that first trickle of produce – strawberries and raspberries usually, followed by tomatoes, cucumber, beans, courgettes (so. many. courgettes.), sweet peppers…the trickle is definitely turning into a deluge, a good portion of which is processed for the freezer. It’s a real ‘all hands on deck’ time of year, and we’re always grateful for the guests and volunteers who give us a hand too. Our plum trees are also producing well, and Br. Adrian thinks we’ll have the first of our apples in the next week or so.
The wider estate is flourishing as well; we’ve had our hay cut and baled in the last ten days, so everything suddenly looks a lot tidier! We also get a better look at some of our wildlife. Many of us have spotted foxes and deer, as well as the usual array of birds providing endless entertainment. Br. Adrian also took delivery of a new 2 wheel tractor with a flail mower attachment, which is already proving useful in the care of the estate. In line with our custom of naming machinery, she is called Henrietta!
Br. Jonny has also been trying out some new skills, in connection with his role as Clerk of Works, that is to say, the person responsible for the fabric of our buildings, and their ongoing maintenance. Encouraged by conversations with a few different people, and also by the expense of outside contractors, he went on a one-day course called “Introduction to Lime Pointing”, about repointing brickwork using lime mortar. He has decided to tackle the kitchen garden wall first, which is definitely looking in need of some TLC!
It’s a cat’s life
Rocky seems to have decided we are worth being around after all, as he’s been very much in evidence during July! He’s been around for his breakfast more often than not – unlike supper, breakfast is not left for him, so if he’s not there then tough. He’s also been in at supper time most evenings; it’s been great to see a bit more of him. He’s still as affectionate as ever, to the point of being more bothered about nuzzling my hand than munching the treat being held in that same hand. He also spent a bit of time in the kitchen garden with us one morning. It was quite amusing to see the swallows react with some alarm to his presence, although he seemed supremely unimpressed by their repeated dive-bombing.
And finally…
I was out in the kitchen garden at 5.45am earlier in the month, enjoying the cool of the day before our first Office. As I stood there, the sun rising, a couple of swallows swooped around the garden, and I was struck by the beauty of the life that was unfolding all around me. This could be seen most clearly in those swallows, and in the various flowers and vegetables that were growing. There was also so much life that I could not see: the insects that pollinate our plants, the huge cast of soil creatures that give life to the earth – even the cat was out there somewhere! It was a beautiful and precious moment, a real encounter with the ‘Book of Nature’ that tells of the goodness and beauty of God. I pray that as we are (hopefully) able to take a little down-time in the coming month, we may be attentive and careful enough to be surprised by God’s presence, wherever we may be.