In his book of spiritual exercises, Father Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, the Superior General of the Jesuits, tells the story of a staretz, or spiritual advisor of the Eastern Church, who yearned “to begin the Our Father with the last verse, so that one might become worthy to finish the prayer with the initial words – ‘Our…
The Tiger Leaping Gorge provided a kaleidoscope of experiences, landscape and encounters. Photo commentaries: The Tiger Leaping Gorge at Lijian, Yunnan, China – see the tiny figure to the right of the picture relative to the enormous Gorge where the Jinsha river flows, a primary tributary of the mighty Yangtze river A family gathers…
It is a constant article of faith that we live in the promise of Christ’ Advent , first in the form of his incarnation as a human, then in his continual presence in our lives through the Holy Spirit as enunciated in the Gospel of St John (“I go away, and I will come to…
The Indian Ringneck parrots continue to create life and vibrance in my garden as they perch and preen on the upper reaches of the bamboos. Meanwhile, another parrot, somewhat gruff in the face, and perhaps a little worse for wear feed precariously on the upper reaches of the peacock tree. Such is life in the…
The yellow-vented bulbuls have returned to nest again. This would be the fourth generation of sorts. They come, amidst great changes to the garden, its environs and the landscape about us, as urbanization inches its way towards our idyllic rural neighborhood and the ever pressing developments clang and clink. The black bamboos have been decimated…
Day 1: Journey from Haneda to Lake Kawaguchiko, taking in the Mt Kachi Kachi Ropeway & the walking the budding hydrangea trail down to the lake. Day 2: Fuji Shibazakura Festival by Lake Motosu & the Fugaku Wind Caves Inhabitants’ lakeside interludes at Kawaguchiko Day 3: Driving the Fuji skyline to Mizugazuka Park and onward…
Hong Kong in May – energy and restlessness moves the city of almost 8 million. Never a dull moment. Travels in Hong Kong in May, based in Wan Chai, worked at the Convention Centre, visiting Kowloon, Mong Kok, and the waterfront on both sides of Hong Kong Harbour. The admirable can-do spirit of the Hong…
With the force of lightning, the lushness of last Easters’ bamboo grove gave way to skeletal sticks and stems, kept barely alive by sporadic offerings of green shoots and leafy grass. Yet, here too are signs of the omnipresence of life and family. Against the bare morning sky, the bird-pairs of this Easter has given…
