Since Monk went to meet his Maker in March and our good neighbor, Mike, helped us set up a bird feeder, we have seen a proliferation of red and gray squirrels, chipmunks, bunnies, and groundhogs. Today a bear cub eyed us through the refectory windows as we were eating lunch. They will eat whatever treats they can scavenge, but the chipmunks seem to have a predilection for pansies and rose petals. The birds are also a pleasure to watch: goldfinches, purple finches, chickadees, a woodpecker, a couple of cardinals, a ruby-breasted grosbeak, hummingbirds and Baltimore orioles, with grackles, doves and crows on the ground.
We look forward to adopting Ruby at the end of the month, when she finishes raising her final litter of puppies. Perhaps she will help keep some of the bolder creatures in check, despite her laid-back personality.
Transfiguration Monastery News 
Thank you so much for this. I love the poem and the photos. What a delightful little wrecking crew. >
Oh I loved your post today about all the critters who entertained your lunch. I remember the days many moons ago when we saw all of those birds at our bird feeder here in the city. God’s gifts to you. Thanks for sharing!
Maureen T.
Dear Sister Donald, It is always a gift to get your messages. This is the loveliest message on this Independence Day. Peace and prayers, Julie
Dear Sisters,
I’m very happy to know you will adopt Ruby! She looks like a peach.
Here at my bungalow/apartment with the big back yard and suburban woods, I’ve had many of the same visitors as you – with the exception of the bear. It’s much too suburban here for them. However, we have plenty of bunnies and woodchucks who graze on the ample clover in the yard, and the deer come out in the evenings, too. We had an issue with chipmunks (we meaning my landlords who live in the main house and myself), so I had to stop feeding the birds. I did, however, discover that cowbirds (who should be discouraged to come to your neighborhood because they bully other birds and lay eggs in other birds’ nests) and squirrels do not care for safflower seed, but all the birds love it. So do the chipmunks, however!
I set up an oriole feeder as well as a hummingbird feeder, and the orioles were fascinating to watch. At this point the main birds I see are hummingbirds, and I think I love them the best (although–chickadees are my favorite bird).
An update on my brother Patrick — unfortunately after all the treatment he’s had over the last 6 months, the doctors agree that he has to undergo a complete gastrectomy. However, I am choosing to look at it as a life-saving procedure. He is very anxious and is depressed over this, since he’d hoped he would avoid having his stomach completely removed. Please continue to pray for him and his wife, Donna. Thank you.
I am headed to MA next Friday and will stay about a week, then I will go back when the surgery happens to support the family and do whatever it is I can do. Please also pray for my upcoming travels.
A piece of good news is that I will begin a full time teaching job at St. John Bosco School here in Rochester next month. It is not diocesan, but a Catholic school with a classical curriculum. I’ll be teaching middle school English and Religion. I am very excited to be getting back to the classroom.
God bless you, Sisters, and be assured of my prayers. Thank you for living out your vocations!
Peace and all good, Elena
On Sat, Jul 4, 2020 at 3:32 PM Transfiguration Monastery News wrote:
> frohdog posted: ” Since Monk went to meet his Maker in March and our good > neighbor, Mike, helped us set up a bird feeder, we have seen a > proliferation of red and gray squirrels, chipmunks, bunnies, and > groundhogs. Today a bear cub eyed us through the refec” >
I am so happy that Ruby will be finding a Forever Heavenly Home with All of You. Please let us know when she will arrive HOME. We will want to come and welcome her – and revisit our fond memories of Monk. Bev & Pip
Thought about Monk at The Blessing of The Animals on Sunday the 4th – 2020. Hope Ruby was blessed and is now at her Forever Home at the Monestary so she can keep the squirrels from “going nuts!” Pip and I hope to plan a stay when all becomes safer. Peace, Hope, Joy and the Greatest of All – Love, Bev & Pip
Thanks so much for the update on the various four-legged and winged friends. How lovely that you’re adopting Ruby!
Good heavens! An invasion!
K
Dear Sister Shelia , Would you consider letting me doing a small fundraiser for you ? I was thinking about
Sent from my iPad
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Thank you for this generous thought, twinlinda! Do we know you? I don’t recognize your email address. Can you tell us a bit about yourself?