My trip out west was wonderful and a gift in so many ways.My first stop was at Christ in the Desert Monastery in Abiquiu, New Mexico.The monks recently asked if I would come and teach some of them Soap and Lotion making. Since I was already scheduled to go out to California for the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild meeting I was able to change around my ticket to head first to New Mexico.  Christ in the Desert, founded in 1964, from it beginning has followed the Benedictine life with no external apostolates, but maintains a guesthouse for private retreats where men and women can share the Divine Office and Mass in the Abbey Church with the monks. Besides maintaining the guesthouse, the monks engage in craft, maintenance and computer work at the monastery. A gift shop is also part of the monastery’s income, which includes a mail-order department of books and other religious items. They can now add Hot and Cold process soap as well as lotion making to their list of offerings in the gift shop.  The brothers along with Rosey Verdile who heads up their craft making effort were great students.  It was an honor to get to immerse myself in their life of liturgical prayer outside of our class times.More later on my experience there.

Today is a simply gorgeous day here in Clyde.  We now have two “general use” digital cameras that we can check out when needed. So this morning I snapped one for you.  The building now designated as the soap shop used to be our former ‘ice house’ in the days before electricity.  Ice would be harvested from local ponds and stored in the center of the building as early refrigeration. I am so thankful that we have maintained this building over the years and that it now has a whole new life. Every inch is in use.

In my next post I hope to have some photos of my students at Abiquiu and will also tell you about the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild Conference that was held in Palm Springs, CA.