Today is proving to be another cool and overcast day at the monastery. What this means is that it has been necessary to stay indoors which is a good thing since there is always lots of work inside the building that is in need of doing. At this time, there is still a large box of frames for icons that still need sorting and the curtains are not yet completed.
This morning I also took a photo of the icon which has now been repaired/renovated. There is a “before” photo and an “after” as proof that work was needed in order to preserve the icon from further deterioration. It was slowly flaking away, even at the merest touch. What I did was colour match my paints with the actual icon, then do careful and very slow retouching. After the initial drying process, the icon was then varnished and once again carefully dried and is now back in the church. There are several other icons in the church that appear not to have been varnished so it will be necessary to keep an eye on them.
This afternoon, I began going through a variety of folders which enclose numerous articles, both long and short, that were written as aids to religious instruction for children and their parents. The subject matter is varied so is being arranged in order to allow for possible future use.
Back in the kitchen, it was possible to make a meal with my beloved buckwheat kasha. Today it was blended with garlic, mushrooms and fried onions and humous. As is often the case, this was washed down with another dietary favourite, Inka, but the Inka was blended with chcolate flavoured coconut milk. An excellent way to bless the ending of the day.
[Photos below:. Father Moses restored the damaged icon which we treasure. This was the prototype of the Joy of Canada icon, and it was given to our monastery by our beloved Metropolitan Irenae of New Grachanitsa. Below are the before and after pictures]
