St. Michael's Church compound is a sanctuary for humans of any religion, flowers (especially roses, marigolds and dahlias) animals, insects and Spirit. The animals roam freely around the compound, and someday soon I hope to put up the picture of the cow praying in the cathedral. She was so relaxed lying down gazing with her cow eyes into the middle distance. And I also have a picture of one of the cows trying to sneak into the cathedral when she thought no one was looking. Except invisible me. She would have to negotiate 5 steps up and down. I never observed one doing that but that's the only way they can get into the cathedral. No ramps for us! Indian cows are sturdy. And purposeful.
Actually, the are led out in the mornings to the ground around the Cathedral. In the afternoons I see them munching in the backyard, and then somehow they are led to their cow stalls back of the hostel. They're serene, orderly and friendly - but not THAT friendly. I don't think they have names, but I would name them Priyanka, Shanti, Jamoun and Sanjay. Now remember, we can't eat them because the Hindu police could kill us. BUT, we can use their milk, and their cowpies make good fertilizer or bricks for the addition to Prosenjit's house. When I arrived in September there were about six adult goats and the most adorable teeny weeny babies. I probably took about 50 pictures. I must REALLY have been enamored.
Then there are the six chickens and the two roosters. I love how bright the colors are on the roosters, and because they are so close, either in the courtyard or under my window, I am aware of their presence 24/7.
All through the night and in the morning, I feel like I'm on the farm. The roosters start at about 5:30. "Wakey wakey Miss. Time to 'bleaochkk bleaochkk!' One wakeup call and then they're just back to 'bleaochkk bleaochkk! for 30 minutes or so. And in the middle of the night, some THINGS come out from the murky mist and just scream at each other. Very disconcerting! I can't tell whether they're discussing the weather, or exchanging recipes for Toad Vindaloo or jus' chillin' OR something else.
There are lots of feral dogs walking everywhere with total abandon (because they probably have rabies), and they converse loudly with each other all night too. (And I thought Bengali was difficult to learn!)
Now the goats get the range of the whole of the compound interior. They look longingly at the swings
but somehow know it would be impossible to enjoy this plaything. But the Merry-go-round!!!! Hm..... They go visit Basu's dahlias - no eatey, no beaty, and they don't like the rose thorns so they're safe. They might have marigold salad or tea later in the winter, but somebody'll probably be on guard. So they'll just have to keep mowing the grass.
It might be that this next item is only funny in the Midwest, but here goes. You will often drive past a house or farm in the country and and a very common and beautiful way of decorating your property is to toss out your old bathtub, fill it with dirt and prayers, and place a statue of the Virgin Mary in the tub. It may be vertical or horizontal. If it's horizontal, I sinfully call it "Shrine on its Side." You know what's coming next, don't you? Well, in the Bishop's back yard....... Remember I told you there are no bathtubs in OI (Ordinary India)? Well, in the Bishop's back yard there is a large porcelain tub with claw feet. Maybe he had befriended some Catholic in Kenosha, and this was a thank you gift? Probably not. There also was no statue standing in the tub. I mean, St. Michael and All Angels is a lot of important angels, and we could have filled the tub with them!
Well. enquiring minds want to know, so I visited the bereft tub every other day or so. Once I went to visit at night, and one of the office staff working late (it was only the full moon providing light), approached me to say, "Lynn, you have to get out of here and go home." Why? "Lots of snakes at night." Okay, I'm leaving. No cobra visitors for me!
The tub was full of weeds, but they were beautifying everything else on the compound. Why not the tub? Do you see something ugly for so long that you forget it's there? I've done that.
Finally I HAD to save that bathtub. So I went to Basu, and asked what would happen to the bathtub. Could we plant something there so it too would beautiful for the 40th Anniversary Thanksgiving service of the Diocese of Durgapur? He had no idea what I meant, so I took him out there. He nodded and said, 'Bishop,' which is a standard and excellent answer to any question. I usually ride to St. Peter's school with the Bishop's wife, trying to remain casual as I asked about THE TUB. She said they didn't want that tub, and had it removed. She had tried to grow herbs in it for two years with no success, even after she brought in topsoil. I asked if I could try to beautify it for the coming festival and the answer was positive. I was so Happy!!!!! I had never seen Basu use a trowel, so I assumed he worked the soil by hand. A week or so later I began to clear the weeds and improvised a digging tool out of a big triangular stone. I was a gardener too! I had loosened up much of the topsoil; it was starting to look like a flower bed! Then Basu and Sanjay ambled up with a huge trowel and a scythe which could kill cobras. So WE made a flower bed. I was so proud of us. I was sure Basu would plant more dahlias, marigolds or roses. But as he walked away, I said, 'What will you plant?' He grinned at me and said, 'Lettuce!' It's a cash crop in India. So St. Michael and All Angels became St. Lettuce and all Little Lettuces.
Actually, the are led out in the mornings to the ground around the Cathedral. In the afternoons I see them munching in the backyard, and then somehow they are led to their cow stalls back of the hostel. They're serene, orderly and friendly - but not THAT friendly. I don't think they have names, but I would name them Priyanka, Shanti, Jamoun and Sanjay. Now remember, we can't eat them because the Hindu police could kill us. BUT, we can use their milk, and their cowpies make good fertilizer or bricks for the addition to Prosenjit's house. When I arrived in September there were about six adult goats and the most adorable teeny weeny babies. I probably took about 50 pictures. I must REALLY have been enamored.
Then there are the six chickens and the two roosters. I love how bright the colors are on the roosters, and because they are so close, either in the courtyard or under my window, I am aware of their presence 24/7.
All through the night and in the morning, I feel like I'm on the farm. The roosters start at about 5:30. "Wakey wakey Miss. Time to 'bleaochkk bleaochkk!' One wakeup call and then they're just back to 'bleaochkk bleaochkk! for 30 minutes or so. And in the middle of the night, some THINGS come out from the murky mist and just scream at each other. Very disconcerting! I can't tell whether they're discussing the weather, or exchanging recipes for Toad Vindaloo or jus' chillin' OR something else.
There are lots of feral dogs walking everywhere with total abandon (because they probably have rabies), and they converse loudly with each other all night too. (And I thought Bengali was difficult to learn!)
Now the goats get the range of the whole of the compound interior. They look longingly at the swings
but somehow know it would be impossible to enjoy this plaything. But the Merry-go-round!!!! Hm..... They go visit Basu's dahlias - no eatey, no beaty, and they don't like the rose thorns so they're safe. They might have marigold salad or tea later in the winter, but somebody'll probably be on guard. So they'll just have to keep mowing the grass.
It might be that this next item is only funny in the Midwest, but here goes. You will often drive past a house or farm in the country and and a very common and beautiful way of decorating your property is to toss out your old bathtub, fill it with dirt and prayers, and place a statue of the Virgin Mary in the tub. It may be vertical or horizontal. If it's horizontal, I sinfully call it "Shrine on its Side." You know what's coming next, don't you? Well, in the Bishop's back yard....... Remember I told you there are no bathtubs in OI (Ordinary India)? Well, in the Bishop's back yard there is a large porcelain tub with claw feet. Maybe he had befriended some Catholic in Kenosha, and this was a thank you gift? Probably not. There also was no statue standing in the tub. I mean, St. Michael and All Angels is a lot of important angels, and we could have filled the tub with them!
Well. enquiring minds want to know, so I visited the bereft tub every other day or so. Once I went to visit at night, and one of the office staff working late (it was only the full moon providing light), approached me to say, "Lynn, you have to get out of here and go home." Why? "Lots of snakes at night." Okay, I'm leaving. No cobra visitors for me!
The tub was full of weeds, but they were beautifying everything else on the compound. Why not the tub? Do you see something ugly for so long that you forget it's there? I've done that.
Finally I HAD to save that bathtub. So I went to Basu, and asked what would happen to the bathtub. Could we plant something there so it too would beautiful for the 40th Anniversary Thanksgiving service of the Diocese of Durgapur? He had no idea what I meant, so I took him out there. He nodded and said, 'Bishop,' which is a standard and excellent answer to any question. I usually ride to St. Peter's school with the Bishop's wife, trying to remain casual as I asked about THE TUB. She said they didn't want that tub, and had it removed. She had tried to grow herbs in it for two years with no success, even after she brought in topsoil. I asked if I could try to beautify it for the coming festival and the answer was positive. I was so Happy!!!!! I had never seen Basu use a trowel, so I assumed he worked the soil by hand. A week or so later I began to clear the weeds and improvised a digging tool out of a big triangular stone. I was a gardener too! I had loosened up much of the topsoil; it was starting to look like a flower bed! Then Basu and Sanjay ambled up with a huge trowel and a scythe which could kill cobras. So WE made a flower bed. I was so proud of us. I was sure Basu would plant more dahlias, marigolds or roses. But as he walked away, I said, 'What will you plant?' He grinned at me and said, 'Lettuce!' It's a cash crop in India. So St. Michael and All Angels became St. Lettuce and all Little Lettuces.
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