#GC78: what the heck this all is, anyway, social media version

What on earth are they all up to in Salt Lake City? The General Convention of the Episcopal Church is up and running! 

House of Bishops
House of Deputies (clergy and lay (non-ordained) deputies, elected by diocesan conventions, which are made up of members of each parish)

Meets every three years
Both houses have to pass resolutions (sound familiar?)

Reunions. More reunions. 
People handing out pamphlets. Or leaving them on designated tables. Or whatever this year's system is that attempts to let people share information without tackling others in the hall.
Swag.
And lots and lots of booths for organizations and books and vestments and so on, including one for religious communities! Two of our sisters are there helping staff it.

And worship. The best part, of course, if you ask me. Even if you don't like the liturgy or the music or the preaching that day, breaking bread together reminds everyone of what - WHO - is more real than anything else. Thanks be to God. (Also, go listen to the last bit of the Widor toccata with jazz from today: https://vimeo.com/131935500 . Just, wow. I love this.)

Here's a video introduction to it. Not short, but not boring. Includes what they think will be the "sleeper issues."  Should we start a scorecard to see what predictions turn out to be correct? 

"Streamed live on Jun 10, 2015

Restructuring! PB Election! Blue Books! Trusted public figures! Witty back-and-forths!"

So that's the introduction.

To follow live, I've set up a Twitter list, so I think if you go to this web address you can follow the conversation.
https://twitter.com/sarahrandallssm/lists/general-convention
You can also search for #GC78. That will have people I haven't found yet, but only those tweets that are actually labeled.

And here is the official media hub:
http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/gc/ 

Let's pray for everyone there and the General Convention as a whole, that they may be guided by the Holy Spirit.

For a Church Convention or Meeting
Almighty and everliving God, source of all wisdom and understanding, be present with those who take counsel for the renewal and mission of your Church. Teach us in all things to seek first your honor and glory. Guide us to perceive what is right, and grant us both the courage to pursue it and the grace to accomplish it; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
- Book of Common Prayer 1979. p. 818

entomology question

So who's good with moths? I don't mean "in good with moths" or "a lover of moths" - I wouldn't say I'm normally either, having no love of the ones that might eat a hole in my good winter habit sweater - but I'd love to find someone who might identify this rather unusual and beautiful moth that showed up the other day. I tried Twitter first, but no luck.  Anyone out there know?

I think it must be a Tiger Moth of some sort or at least a relative of that family.  Any guesses?

I moved it off the sidewalk so our dog wouldn't eat it. It didn't look too healthy, but it was able to cling to the paper, at least.

I was guessing "Many-spotted Tiger Moth" while checking out photos on Google, but then I found a description, and they're supposed to be out west. Maybe it hitchhiked on an airplane - I found a receipt from Texas, of all places, lying in our driveway the same day. Stranger things have happened.

Not dead, but not feeling very good, poor thing...

In any case, he or she is lovely, and I hope the rest of you entomologically challenged people will at least enjoy the photos I have and imagine such a creature happily in flight.

ordination

Sr. Emily Louise, Sr. Brigid, and I had the joy of attending Saturday's diocesan ordination.

We left in unexpected rain, but still arrived in good time. To our delight, the rain had stopped, so we had a leisurely walk through the Boston Public Garden on the way to Emmanuel. I peered over at the swan, but she was still sitting on her nest. No sign of cygnets.

Dr. Seuss flowers in the Public Garden.
Anyone know what they are?

small green Dr. Seuss flowers also in the Public Garden, equally unknown to me

Apparently we'd been preceded by a great number of people, as the busker at the pond bridge greeted us with "It's going to be a great ordination!" Well, three sisters in habit might well be assumed to be following the crowd of clergy, I guess. I was amused.

getting ready for the service

After we'd arrived and were finding a seat, someone found us a took us up to a pew in the choir behind the pulpit, so we were right there to see everything. Nice surprise!

I left my purse with the Sisters and went back to join the clergy in process (red stole over habit) and had a nice chat with a priest from CT. Another moment of amusement ensued when she told me she'd seen us crossing the garden from her bus and also figured we were going. Considering most people don't even know there are sisters in the Episcopal Church, I find that even more surprising. Well, she was a priest... but then there are clergy who don't know. I won't comment further...

bulletin cover for the ordination

As usual in June, it was mostly candidates for the diaconate - all transitional deacons this time - along with one priest being received from the RC Church. And what a large group this year! I wish I had pictures of the group, but I turned my phone off instead of simply silencing the ringer. But wait! There is Twitter! and a priest friend who live tweets ordinations. And many other things. So we score anyway.

Veni Sancte Spiritus.... singing that, one feels it happening. The Holy Spirit definitely showed up. Joy, they say, is an infallible sign of the presence of God. But it was almost palpable when we were doing the laying on of hands - all priests were invited to join, so of course I did - at the reception of Fr. Brian as a priest in the Episcopal Church.

And Bishop Gayle definitely preached it! Go BE the Gospel, she said.

The place was packed, so I didn't really get to talk to any of the new clergy afterwards, but beforehand I'd seen the one I know from St. Luke's-San Lucas, Chelsea, where I used to serve. And I ran into quite a few parishioners, too. That, too, was a joy - especially when someone asked if I'd known S, who'd moved away to Nigeria. Yes, I had. And then there she was. I think I nearly shrieked, I was so delighted. Hugs all around. She's flying back tomorrow, but I made her promise to come to the convent next time she came over. Another parishioner assured me they'd already had that discussion. Nice.

By the time we left, it was sunny.

Sr KF texted to remind me to take pictures... oops.  Here's one for her!

We found a bench in the Public Garden where I could attempt to send a few of the pictures I'd taken. Then we just took a few more.

And then a couple of ladies stopped and offered to take one of the three of us. So we took them up on that.

It was a good day.

On the way home, I thought about my own ordination to the diaconate five years ago this weekend, also with Bishop Gayle, and the joy of that day.  So thankful.

5 years ago yesterday

Our Evening Prayer hymn really caught me, especially given my reflections on the day and on my own ordination, so I share it with you to close.

O Thou who camest from above

the fire celestial to impart,

kindle a flame of sacred love

upon the altar of my heart.

Jesus, confirm my heart's desire

to work, and speak, and think for thee;

still let me guard the holy fire

and still stir up the gift in me.

dust bath?

I came upon the strangest thing today. I'd gone out to the nearby wildlife sanctuary to retrieve the notebook I left there yesterday. Fortunately, it was still right where I left it on the shelf in the viewing blind.

See that little viewing blind (hut)? That's where I left it... You can understand how I might get distracted by all these birds and all this beauty. This is a picture from yesterday, so you can even imagine my poor forlorn little notebook calling across the pond, "Hey, you're not going to abandon me, are you?" 

Anyway, at the side of the gravel parking area, a sparrow was taking a bath in the dust. She was doing all the same moves I see birds do in bird baths, only she was flinging dust around instead of water. There were two ponds, including the one above, 100 yards from the parking lot, so it certainly wasn't a lack of water.  Anyone have any ideas? I'm mystified.

Dust Bath

While I'm at it, here are a few more pictures from today's quick stop. Should post some from yesterday, but haven't had time to go through them yet. 

Painted Turtle came out during one of the few sunny moments. I love his colors against the blues and greens.

Cedar Waxwings were there today - first time I've seen them this year.

What is this? A groundhog?
Not a muskrat - no tail visible (I have several pics - might be a short stubby one, but definitely not a muskrat one).

Audition for Angry Birds

BIG turtle in the road as I entered the sanctuary. Snapper? Looks like a dinosaur to me.

He walked under the car and settled down for a nap in the shade. It was HOT. 

There are turtles, and then there are turtles. Here are more painted turtles, the largest much smaller than the one under the car, and the little one really tiny and cute.

Heard lots of bullfrogs, but never saw one. No one has told them they're supposed to sit on lily pads.

There are barn swallows nesting in the blind where I was watching the birds and turtles (yep, same one). I made sure to stay to one end or the other so they had plenty of room to fly in and out.

This video is really shaky - sorry about that! But this barn swallow was so cute and so loquacious I had to share. Turn on your speakers.

daisies all along the path

So back to the original topic... If you have any knowledge to share about dust baths, I'd be most interested in hearing it. Please do comment.

P.S. Sparrow will not be having her dust bath tomorrow. It's now pouring down rain with warnings about minor flooding, so she'll have to settle for mud. I hear people pay good money to be caked in mud, so perhaps she'll start a spa.

grey and white bird ID help, please

Scusset Beach

Today is #NationalBirdDay and also my free day - our community "sabbath" day of rest. So of course I went out to see some. Thought about staying home due to the gale warning, but that would have been far too sensible for a beautiful day, so out I went, though not for the full day.

Scusset Beach breakwater - these tourists told me it was too windy, so I decided to exercise some caution and not go clambering out to the end of it. Another time...

terribly disappointed not to be able to swim or scuba dive after all

Even the Eider is having his down ruffled.

First excitement - I think I have seen a horned grebe.  I *may* have seen one from a very great distance last month, but now I'm realizing there are several possibilities. I'm a beginner at this, so still a bit easily puzzled.

Here is my grebe. I think.

Now here is the other bird. Or birds.  I thought they were all the same type of bird, so I wasn't being careful. Now that I get it home, however, I see that one does not seem to have quite the same beak/bill and the one I think might be a loon doesn't seem to have red eyes, either. But it could be a trick of the light or my wishful thinking (another new bird!).

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Eagle Marsh

Eagle Marsh, Fort Wayne, IN

My mom has been doing so much better that I invited her to come with me to Eagle Marsh yesterday. Some of you may remember her car accident last summer and all those long months in the hospital. Well, now she can walk short distances, and it's high time she started getting outside. And I don't mean between the house and the car.

Eagle Marsh

Eagle Marsh is a conservation area in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  It might have been there when I lived there as a child, but I certainly never heard of it.  I just did a search on the internet for such a thing, and voila, there it was. http://www.lrwp.org/page/eagle-marsh

barn swallows

No sooner had we parked the car and opened the doors than we heard the birds. Lots of birds. Barn swallows swooping around, along with goldfinches.

I love goldfinches.

I was a little dismayed that there were so few trees and no benches - Mom can't stand all that long - but it was beautiful nonetheless. I gather that wooded area at the far end is part of the conservation area, but she couldn't make it that far. 

Mom walking!

The next thing we saw once actually out there was a leopard frog.  Quite a few, in fact.  However, we wouldn't have seen them at all if they hadn't jumped. Even when I knew exactly where one had landed, it was quite difficult to find it again until I crouched down a bit.  Really outstanding camouflage.

leopard frog

OK, maybe not this one below.

froggie has some learning to do about successful camouflage...

I have to say that I've always liked frogs and have lots of personal associations and stories with them, but I found these to be cuter than most.

You don't see me. 

Lovely wildflowers along the  path...

We saw a bird I'm still trying to identify - think it might be a dark morph red tailed hawk, which I haven't seen before. I have lots of photos, but they soar so high up that I couldn't get a close enough photo to be sure. 

waaaay up, but still beautiful to watch

We finally reached the water - not far for most of us, but quite a hike for Mom, who said that was as far as she was going.  Next year?  I went a little further, as I could see gulls, a heron, and an egret in the distance. 

opinionated gulls

There were at least two kinds of gulls and a great variety in personality among them.

The Odd Couple

I didn't actually see the duck until I edited my photos a few minutes ago. 

gull arriving, carrying dinner

Everyone was looking for an afternoon snack, or maybe an early dinner.

Great Blue Heron with gulls

found something...

Great Blue Heron, Great Egret

I could have stayed there for hours. Too bad they didn't have a bench for Mom and Tammy.

time to head back... Mom and Tammy, her home health aide

still watching swallows swoop around

Meanwhile, up on the tower...

Starlings, maybe? Anyone, anyone?

They just kept coming...

We may have been leaving, but it looked as though the party were just getting started.

It's a convention!

So thankful for this bit of peace outdoors.  In the midst of all that's going on in the world, we can all use some time in God's creation, remembering he created it good - that means us, too. 

Tiny creatures can be beautiful, too.

Until next summer...