This day has proved to be another interesting and full day. Mostly, it was sunny and warm, though for a while in the evening, it became overcast and noticeably cool.
Even though we are still observing social distancing and all that this requires, I am painting a few Pascha eggs and enjoying it immensely. As well, I am still trying to figure out how to use the sewing machine and refuses to give up on it.
Add to this, the canvas that someone gave to me, which I am now painting in acrylics. The painting is being done in a style reminiscent of Gaugin, using bright, primary colours and simple lines. The finished product will hopefully be recognizeable as a copy of the Church of St Nicholas in the cemetery complex of Rogoshkoye in Moscow. This has long been one of my favourite churches but is unfortunately now blocked by a number of larger buildings so that it no longer has the visual impact it had when first completed.
This evening we had a chance to set up and test the Zoom formatting for sharing prayers and conversation with one another, on line. Archbishop Lazar, Fr Shio and I did the first part of the Bridegroom service as a test and it seemed to work, though the on line visitors could hear us but from our side, they could not be heard. Vladika and Fr Shio did a variety of changes on the computer inputs but nothing worked sooooo, this means that Archbishop Lazar will have to obtain new head phones or some kind of additional electronical part that I totally don’t understand. Tomorrow we shall see if it works as planned. Vladika Lazar would have streamed the whole service, except that he was in considerable pain from his legs and feet and finally had to go and take some kind of special medicine that he had been given at the hospital to ease the pain and swelling in his feet and legs. For tonight’s service, he plans to take the medication ahead of time before the pain starts so we can have the whole thing on Zoom And share it with our congregation. We will serve the last bridegroom service today instead of the anointing service since we have no one here to anoint. Vladiko will bless oil for the coming year nevertheless.
A large number of ducks are now resident on the monastery property so tomorrow I am going to try photographing them. I tried today but they kept flying away as soon as they saw me and would settle at a distance too far to capture on camera.