Intrigued by the Wind Turbines

Most of you can tell that I am very much taken up with the windmills in our area. They strike me every time I see them and sometimes I find myself just looking at them from the distance, especially in the early morning. They are so immense and generate a lot of electricity. Well last Monday morning I went out about 5:30 AM with my camera and took a short video of the windmills as they were turning and also a still picture or two.

So since I am so taken with these machines you will probably see pictures of them now and then from different angles.

The Abbot is away this week giving a retreat. Other monks are coming and going as usual during the summer months. I hope to get away for a few days in July and then in early August for a little longer time.

Keeping the grass cut around here has been a big job this summer. With the rain it seems to just keep growing and growing. We have many working on the lawns but it still is difficult to keep ahead.

Today is the Solemnity of St. John the Baptist. I was celebrant for the Mass in the basilica today. Present with us for Mass were Dr. Elizabeth McGrath, academic dean in our seminary college, and her sister and husband from Florida, Kathy and Michael. I had lunch with them after Mass.

New Machine Shed

We are building a new building to store machinery and other items in out on our farm. If you look back to my blog on April 1, 2008, you will see a picture of an old shed or barn. That has since been torn down and we putting up a new metal building. The old one would hardly give much protection from the weather anymore since there were so many holes in the roof and elsewhere. Our own workers are putting up the building. (click on picture to enlarge)

Just yesterday, June 19, we got out elevator in the infirmary back in service. It stopped running at the very end of April and they had to put in a new piston and other parts. It took about a month to get the parts and then a couple weeks to do the work. The work was done by the Otis Elevator Company.

This week I gave a four day retreat to the Benedictine Sisters who live in Our Lady of Rickenbach at Clyde monastery. These are their older and infirm Sisters. I gave them two conferences a day and celebrated Mass for them at 11:00 AM.

This weekend I will be going to Trenton and Princeton, MO for the weekend Masses. We have a lot of requests for weekend pastoral help, especially during the month of June. I enjoy the work but am usually pretty tired when I get back home.

Oblates please take note: the "Pray and Work" weekend is getting closer -- July 11-13. If you have not already done so, be sure to contact the guest department to make your reservations for the weekend.

Blessing of Windmills

Yesterday on June 12 we had a blessing of the wind turbines in our area. It was scheduled to take place out at the site of the windmill located on our property, but after over 2 1/2 inches of rain the night before, it had to be moved to the outside terrace in front of St. Raphael Hall. Abbot Gregory had the blessing. Refreshments were served after the blessing in St. Raphael Hall. A number of our neighbors as well as representatives of the Wind Energy firm and John Deere were present for the blessing. The turbines are almost all in operation now and generating electricity.

Yes, the rain still seems to be coming. All the local rivers are full and overflowing. Just to the north of us in the state of Iowa the flooding is even worse. They have had more rain and have also had tornadoes and hail.

This weekend is the annual boys camp here at Conception. It is for grade school boys and hopefully begins the process of their beginning to think about the possibility of a priesthood or religious life vocation. There are close to 60 expected for this weekend. Some of our own seminarians as well as other high school students come to help supervise the weekend and it's many activities.

We have been without an elevator in the infirmary for about the last six weeks or so. The Otis elevator company is here now and making some major repairs. They hope to have it in operation again by the end of next week.

A Beautiful Day

On the right: Alumnus Vic Brulez along with Fr. Norbert and Fr. Kenneth during his visit last weekend

The brief video is of Conception Abbey, taken from the south side of Lake Placid

Probably you have been seeing on the news something about the storms and lots of rain in the Midwest. We have fortunately missed the bad storms but have had a lot of rain. Many of the local rivers in this area of the state are flooding and some of the secondary roads are closed because of high water. Today was a beautiful day after having rain most of last night. Today the sun was shining brightly and it was cooler and less humid. Tornadoes were sited in Northwest Missouri last night but I am not aware that they caused any damage.

I was in Kansas City part of Thursday as I had a regular check up with the cardiologist. All seems to be going well and I will see him again in November.

Tomorrow (Saturday) I will leave for Plattsburg, Missouri where I will celebrate the weekend Masses. We seem to have a lot of weekend pastoral assignments in the summer as many of the parish priests take some time off for vacation.