Friends meet at Bishop Nicholas J. Samra’s enthronement last week in Roslindale, MA.
Friends meet at the Enthronement of Melkite Bishop
Tag: Paul A. Zalonski
a small garden with a punch
Father Giussani spoke of sacrifice in our context as including what we do with our spare time. When we have time to spare, do we read, do we pray, do we spend quality time with family, friends, or our beloved, do we watch hours of TV, or, do we help the poor and needy? How we spend our free time reveals who we are as persons. How we use time speaks of our values and how we flourish.
Some of my free time –which time is a premium these days– is spent with two gardens. Spending time in the garden is relaxing and keeps me grounded (pun intended) and it allows me to unwind, and to pray. Plus, it keeps me connected with my heritage. My grandparents would be so proud.
Today, the leaks replaced the cucumbers and the squash plants are growing daily.
My large garden is a flower garden (under the patronage of St Francis of Assisi) and the small garden (see above is under the patronage of St Fiacre) is a vegetable garden.
Thus far, I’ve harvested lots of cucumbers of which I made pickles but some went to salads, others went to family and other cukes went to a local monastery. Tomatoes are coming now; I had my first two yesterday. AND, I picked my first cayenne pepper for my pickles today and I am waiting for my habaneros. Oh, yea, my horseradish is finally showing signs of growth.
Today, the leaks replaced the cucumbers and the squash plants are growing daily.
The pickles I made two weeks ago are delicious, if I say so myself; they have a slight kick due to the hot peppers added and garlic. The pickle recipe comes from my friend and colleague Tom.
Today’s pickle batch were prepared for a CL picnic at the end of the month.
A view of the family
Northford, Connecticut, August 6, 2011
Connecticut’s best!
On the way back from Newport, Rhode Island, this afternoon, my family stopped in Noank, Connecticut for a New England lobster dinner. This is quiet New England seaside town is beautiful. As you can see, I enjoyed my lobster!
Recent pic
At a profession of first vows of my friend Gabriel as a Conventual Franciscan.
Br Kieran of St Mary’s Abbey (NJ), friar Gabriel Mary and Z
Friends in New Jersey, September 26, 2010
Some pictures today
I went to Mass this morning at the Abbey of Regina Laudis in Bethlehem, CT and then spent the morning meeting with Mother Lucia. We had a wonderful conversation about life, God, Church, monastic life. My father brought home the finished replica of the 1910 Flying Merkel. Some pictures follow…
Connecticut’s Flying Merkel about to take flight
Connecticut’s Flying Merkel maker, Ed Zalonski, my father, is almost complete with the race forthcoming real soon.
The Canonball Run from the North Carolina coast to Santa Monica, California begins on the 10th.
Here are some photos showing the progress of the Flying Merkel…
Dad’s 70th birthday!
Dad celebrates his 70th birthday today!
I can’t believe he’s 70! He’s shown here with his sister, Evelyn.
Birthday blessings!
Dad leaves on his newly made Flying Merkel motorcycle for a cross-country trip commemorating the Cannonball Run, a race of pre-1916 motorcycles. The group departs from Kitty Hawk, NC and finishes in Santa Monica, CA.
Dad’s Merkel is completely made by him (a replica of a 1910 original), a single speed cycle.
Happy Father’s Day, Dad!
Today is a celebration of Fatherhood. Father’s Day is an observance we’ve had since 1910.
Later today my sister and Aunt Gloria will come over for dinner. Here’s a photo of dad with his newest project, a Flying Merkel.
Do you know what a Merkel is? And I am not referring to the German Chancellor with the same name! I didn’t till the other day.
My dad’s project is still in process. More pictures to follow.
Hermitage Days
Being busy about many things affords one many distractions, which can be a good thing. Very often, being too busy and distracted offers no consolation and actually makes life less interesting, less thirsty for God, less able to hear the promptings of the Lord, less focused on substantial matters of life. Perhaps one can say less able to take serious our own reality. But life is not about measuring up to a standard as it is about a relationship, time spent in the company of the other person (though the other person be yourself).
For the last 2 days I spent time in silence and solitude (with no community, no internet and barely phone service). My Franciscan Friars of the Renewal friends offered me one of their hermitages for two days of prayer, reading, nap time, and holy leisure: an opportunity for real education. The Friars have restored the Capuchin custom of the “desert day” once a month in order to spend time away from the normal routine to renew energies, to concentrate on the divine-human relationship and abandon the self to the Other –that is, to abandon oneself completely to God. The abandonment of self that is aimed for here is the self-gift, of love, where the more one abandons oneself in love the more love becomes a reality. The hermitage time reminds me of a something Msgr. Luigi Giussani said about poverty that I think is applicable here: “Poverty belongs then to the dynamic of knowledge, for which detachment is necessary to see things and then to use them and enjoy them more.”
