Observing Earth Day

 A walk along the beach observing

Earth Day!

Seagulls were catching the waves!

Happy Earth Day!

Linking to Mosaic Monday

@ Mary's little Red house

Tour of St. Anthony's Monastery

More images while on

a self guided tour of

St. Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery

located East of Phoenix Arizona

 As one enters the main gate you're given a map of

stop-points of this self guided tour of the Monastery

grounds. It took us about 2 hours to complete this

spiritual walk-about.  

 Almost everything we see in the Chapels

was brought in from Greece. No electric lights are

used in the church and chapels. Candles on the huge

brass chandelier are lit on major feast days.There are no

pews in the church as one normally stands during services.

Many religious icons hand painted  & displayed throughout.

Enlarge image to see an icon on lower right of the

 Virgin Mary.
Top left: St.Seraphim's Chapel

An outdoor peasant Russian style chapel

I lit a beeswax candle in memory of my precious mother

in one of the Chapels.

I loved the scent the beeswax candles.

 Guests to the Monastery are to be appropriately

and modestly dressed. Women are required to wear

long skirts, long sleeved blouses and head scarves.

*Scarves and skirts were provided at the gatehouse upon

arrival. 

Visitors must be respectful of the monastic life during the

tour. Remembering that this is a home not a museum

for 40 monks who worship and live here.

  

 An elaborate system of colorful gardens, pathways,

gazebos and Spanish fountains truly render

the Monastery and its extensive grounds as an

oasis in the desert!

Tending  to a small vineyard, citrus orchard and
an olive grove is one of a monks daily tasks.

Fountain of the Cross

This is a traditional Orthodox cross also called

the Russian cross.

The top small bar is the sign that was placed on the cross

with inscription "Jesus of Nazarene, King of the Jews"

The second bar is for the hands. The bottom bar is the footrest.

The reason it is slanted is this:

the thief crucified on the right of Christ was saved,

 he went up to Heaven.

The other thief went down to Hell..

therefore the right end of the bar points up and the left end

points down.

~

Accommodations at the Monastery's guest facilities are

available. Next winter a friend & I plan to stay a few days for

spiritual growth and quietude while taking photographs and

volunteering our time in the various gardens and monastery kitchen.
I highly recommend this tour if ever in the Phoenix area.

~ ~

"There is no higher blessing for a person than to do charitable

work for the benefit and well-being of others."    

Monastery

I walked through the grounds

and various chapels of

St. Anthony's

Greek Orthodox Monastery

while in Arizona.

 The skies are cloudless and so blue!

Inside the main gate is St. Anthony's Church.

 On a hilltop St. Elijah Chapel is out of bounds

to visitors.

In the summer of 1995 six monks from Greece arrived 

in the Arizona desert to establish St. Anthony's Monastery.

  

St. Nicholas Chapel

with exquisite mosaic type architecture called

"Byzantine"!

***

 Sky watchers, I am on route back home to

Canada after a winter hiatus in Arizona.

Have been on the road driving 4 days and arrived

in Indianapolis, Indiana. Tomorrow we head for

Michigan and then cross the border into Canada.

Photographs are a wonderful tangible reminder of a

time and place we've been however as they say:

"there is no place like home!"

Nature boy and my fur babies agree.
~~
Arrived home  Thursday. Temps are single digit
9 Celsius = 40F.Brrrrr!
Spring where are you!!!
In Phoenix the temps today are triple digit..
103 F. ..that's hot hot hot!
I'm sure the skies are as blue as above images. 

Two's Company

 Nature's peace

We've arrived in Amarillo Texas

just in time for "Happy Hour" at the Drury Inn!

A great pet friendly hotel when travelling with

2 feline fur babies.

2 cocktails, appetizers and breakfast tomorrow

comes with the price of the room!

We moved our watches ahead & picked up 2 hours.

3 more days of travel.

Hot Picks

  Hot color

We have left the sprays of hot colors blossoming

on cacti throughout the desert.

Leaving Scottsdale Arizona this afternoon

heading north.

We drive through Flagstaff with a view

of the snowy San Francisco Peaks

heading towards New Mexico.

Our first overnight stop Gallup New Mexico.

There are Tornado's east of here..

in Kansas and Oklahoma..the direction we are

headed! Gulp!

Hoping we'll miss the storms!

the happy travellers

Crescendo

 Argentine Giant Cactus
flower is the size of a salad plate

 Cactus flowers waiting to exhale

located in my son's front garden! 

A profusion of

enormous

showy white flowers unfold!

The desert is alive with cactus flowers

a sure sign of Spring!

~

Our 3 month winter hiatus in Arizona has come to an end. 

We leave for home on Sunday travelling by car

through 7 states.

Healing Garden

 A warm Hello to you dear friends!

Thank you for stopping by!

Since my last post boy oh boy  have I had a journey!

Healing Aloe plants blossoming

 I spent Easter weekend in the hospital

treated for pneumonia!!

Reason for so few posts lately and why I have not

been visiting you and passing along my personal

warm greeting.

 Zen like water feature

Reviewing my posting stats I have not posted or shared

much this annual hiatus to Arizona and for that

I apologize.

I have never had prior allergies or bronchial issues but for

some reason this year, poor air quality in Scottsdale has affected me.

I was tested for Flu, Legionnaire's, and Valley Fever..

(*Google the latter)

all airborne bacterias.

My test results were negative..Whew!

 I was discharged Monday, had a reaction

to medication and returned to Emergency

Tuesday. I was started on a different round of meds

and before leaving the hospital I walked about a 

 tranquil healing garden.

A place of calm with the sound of trickling

water from the Zen like water features

 designed to stimulate meditation and relaxation.

This garden is surrounded by the hospital with patient rooms

facing this Healing Oasis.

My room was on the other side with an amazing mountain view!

Hummingbird nest

the size of an egg cup

Natural beauty nestled on tree branches within
this Healing Garden.

To me a sign of new beginnings

and good health moving forward!

We are leaving Scottsdale Arizona Sunday.

hugs

Naturegirl