My apologies for being so poor on this blog for the last week or so. Lofe has been very full and I must admit that by this time in the program I am begining to flag. I also had to revamp some of my material on Women's monastic history - I had just too much for it to make sense easily so I had to work out how to condense the material and still have it useful for the sisters.

In the midst of all this we still had our outings. Last week we went to Subiaco, for a day's retreat. We had tried doing this for the last two years. The first year was far too cold for prayer and the next year there were jack hammers on the cliffs outside. This year perfect. I loved comparing the deep dark interiority of St Benedict's cave with the glorious sunshine and freedom of the hills and valleys outside. My mediation was to watch the swallows swirling and dancing on the air in the sunlight and know that God wants us to dance and swirl in his love. We were able to climb above the Cave area to the place where Romanus must lave let down the food to Benedict when he lived in the cave. So little would have changed, except now that the Salesians Sisters run a retreat centre, where I hope one day to have a few days retreat.

The day after Subiaco we had the three days break in the program for the sisters to see other parts of Italy. We three staff - Karen, Marcia and I went to Siena for that time. I had always wanted to see where Catherine of Siena lived. Walking the streets in the very early morning was a great insight into why she acted so strangely in her life: in the close society of those close streets it would have been so difficult for anyone, let alone a young girl to have followed a different calling other than what had been planned for her.

I liked Siena but did not find Catherine well served by the artworks at her sights. The Basilica of San Domenico - her parish church - was like a barn filled with bad examples of 18th century Mannerism and excutible late 20 th cnetury modern art. The area of her house was quiet and peaceful - when one was allowed in. I arrived too late for early morning Mass, decided to stay to pray and was shortly ushered out.

Later that day Marcia and I did a 5 hours bus trip. Wonderful, wonderful , wonderful. First we were taken to the lovely Chianti in Catellingo town, an old beautiful village around which we could wander. Then we went to a winery that produced excellent Chianti Classico wine for a wine and cheese tasting. We were taught how to taste wine, through a range of 5 fine wines and 3 marvellous percorinos. Even though we had only small amounts of each I came out feeling satiated!!! Then we went on to the town of San Gimingano with its 14 dramatic towers in which the wealthy of the medieval period lived. They were abou 10 stories high and the kitchen was on the top floor for fear of fires. They must have had strong legs in those days.

Siena was hosting a major art exhibition of its works from the Early Renassiance with pieces brought 'home' from around the world - even from Melbourne. This exhibition was held across a number of sites and in the two days I had I could not get to them all. Much as I enjoyed it there was only so much I could appreciate. I find with art that I get full and can't take in anymore. YEt this does not happen with nature. This summer is glorious, after a wet, wet winter and a cool, wet spring, the summer is mild enough for glorious greens and radiant flowers.

Everywhere looks lush. The farming areas particularly look so fruitful. I wonder if the farming community has the same sense of bouyancy the Qld farmers out west get after a good wet season. In the next few days we are home for reflection so I hope to have time to catch on on this blog.