An interesting Christmas note to my brother Mammoths from a monk at Blue Cloud Abbey in South Dakota
MERRY CHRISTMAS JIM AND ALL WOOLLY MAMMOUTHS (sic),
Thanks for those elegant photographs, Jim. As much as I hate winter, I have to admit a work of art when I see one.
Recently I went to a meeting at the prison in Appleton, Minnesota. The facility is closing the first of February. At present there are only 230 inmates in a building that can accommodate 1500. I suggested to the inmates that maybe they could finish out their sentences at Blue Cloud Abbey because we have plenty of room and so few vocations.
One of the guys asked his fellow inmates, “Would you like living with a bunch of old monks?” One of them answered, “It might be better than living with a bunch of old convicts.” Some people think the prison will reopen soon because crime is increasing. Monks are decreasing but convicts are increasing.
The cat just came into my office. This fall someone dropped off a cat and fled. Brother Chris has assumed the care of the 
cat. It lives in the garage but when doors are left open, Da Cat (that’s its name) strolls down the ramp and into the house.
A Blessed Christmas to you and yours (and stay out of the blizzard)!
Benet
(note: these pics are by Woolly artist Jim Johnson who does not know whether he is a falcon, a storm or a great song.)
