Every year around the beginning of November the little Business here in Dayton, WY get together and have what we call an Art Loop. We invite the surrounding areas to visit our little shops and encourage them to do some of their Christmas shopping in our little stores. We also have a raffle. This year it is a beautiful basket and tickets are sold – $ 5.00 each or 5 for $20.00. Basket drawing will be Dec. 10.
Art Loop Raffle Basket
Sister Josetta and Sister Hope attended the Institute on Catechesis September 18-20. Tom East and Joan Weber were presenters. It was very well attended and a lot of enthusiasm was shown. A very good way to ready us for the year of Faith. We also brought our products to be sold.
Natural products, glycerin soap, lotion, salves
Jams, bread dip and raspberry vinegarette
Today we celebrated the birthday of Mother Maria Thomas. Mother has been staying with us for about 5 months and will return to her Abbey in Virginia Dale, CO around the 1st of Aug. We were happy to have this opportunity to celebrate her birthday with her. It was a great joy for all of us.
Mother celebrating her birthday
Mother enjoying her birthday card
Sister Josetta and Sister Hope went to the Big Horn Mountains on Thursday to find arnica for salve and also to photograph some of the beautiful wildflowers. We found a meadow that was completely filled with Indian Paintbrush. It was awesome.
Annie, our dog, in the midst of the Lupine
Indian Paintbrush
The Tongue River run was this past weekend, June 15-17. We hosted 3 RV’s. 2 from Casper, WY and 1 from Sheridan. Several of the occupants were doing the 18 mile run. It was great to see the children, all ages from very small to much older playing in our yard and on the swings. It was a beautiful weekend and all the runners seemed to survive, at least the ones that we hosted.
More of our guests
Some of our guests
2 of the 3 RV's
Sr. Hope attended the Soap Maker Guild Conference in Portland, OR. Part of the Conference focused on social media and advertising. Joel Joseph founder of products “Made in the US” told us to capitalize on our products, which are made of high quality and are able to add speciality oils and additives to personalize our formulations.
Commercial soaps are manufactured in large factories (often located overseas) staffed with anonymous employees using the most economical ingredients. Often they contain some or all synthetic detergents, most having glycerin removed.
Sr. Hope makes Glycerin soaps. Glycerin is a humectant, which means that it attracts and retains moisture on your skin. It is like a natural skin lotion in the soap.
Sr. Hope making soap
The sisters had asked the Catholic Women from St. Edmunds parish to come and help them come and wash windows on Saturday. Carol Petty, Susan Lanka and Cathy Wallace were able to come and help us. Sr. Rita who is here on her Sabbatical also came to help us. They were a great help. About 11:00 it began to pour rain. We were very grateful for their help.
Sister Rita washing windows
Carol Petty and Cathy Wallace washing windows
About 20 Knights of Columbus and 5 women and children came to the monastery this morning to do a variety of works. They worked very hard fixing and moving and cleaning things that the Sisters are unable to do. We were very grateful for all their wonderful work.
At the dinner table
Mother and Daugher
Picking up rocks
Dave and son Dave
We just returned last evening from Virginia Dale, CO where we attended the Solemn Profession of 2 of their sisters. Sr. Maria Lioba and Sr. Maria Gertrude. It was a very inspiring ceremony. There chapel was filled with family and friends.
St. Walburga Abbey
It was a joy and a privilege for us to have been invited.
The beautiful decorated altar, St. Walburga Abbey
The Sisters at San Benito Monastery visited our Oblates in Casper,WY Thursday and enjoyed a potluck dinner with them. About 12 Oblates were present and it was an enjoyable time for the entire group. The Oblates will resume their meetings next October.
Evelyn Hankins
Janice & Terry Johnson