Monday  Aug. 9  - memorial feast of St. (Edith Stein) Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

Did wake up at the crack of dawn to the lovely song of cardinals rather than the usual murder of crows. Still, with all the pending last things we din't get away till closer to noon. Apparently the Lord had in mind that we should first have our neighbour Sabine's blessing, as she passed on her morning constitutional. 

Progress through Shawville and Cobden was good, although with our load we had to fill twice - which encouraged checking our oil-pan was well and truly sealed. A slight loss of oil suggested we're burning some; but I'm reminded of the old saying, a little searing of oil is good for an engine (so said a 94-year old farmer named Curl, and no doubt he meant a tractor engine).

We weren't sure of some singe-like wafts, but as we progressed north-westerly the sky drew noticeably hazier, as though cloud-cover was upon us, and yet there was none. Farmlands in that light are more pastoral to see, as I had noticed in other places: near Tokyo, Barcelona, and Orange County U.S.A., but it became more ominous as the day wore on and the glowering sun looked rather baleful through this fine smog.

For the abatement of fires we prayed a good number of decades - including for Ontario and Manitoba, and especially the B.C. interior, and specifically for rain. As we approached signs for Saint Joseph Island a gentle rain began to fall. Thankfully our wipers worked well enough, even though a Versa is notorious for fogging up.

When the sky had rained out, it cleared as the dome of a tinker's bell and we were treated with a glorious red sun setting over lake Huron just as we pulled off the road. It seemed to signify the words of today's introit : In His presence are majesty and splendour: strength and honour in His holy place.