I'm an old "Friend of the Monastery," as they call it, visiting there dozens of times in the last couple decades. As city-dwellers, we've made our parish home Most Precious Blood Catholic Church, just southwest of downtown T-town in the countryside by Chandler park, where the Traditional Latin Mass is offered.
Attended the CC Workday last weekend, and a campout there last October. Love to drop in for the Divine Office once in a blue moon, when I'm passing through that part of the state.
Right now I can afford a tiny plot of land and to build a little cabin, but in a year or two a bigger section to build a bigger cabin. I love to hike, fish, hunt, and just immerse myself in nature, which has always indirectly nurtured my spiritual life, and offered a much needed repose from the modern world. I would be more than willing to help with any land offered for possible use, by clearing out dead trees, etc, and can sign something about liability.
My Idea:
So I've been enjoying the great outdoors during these colder winter months from my Okie armchair, as I call it, watching on Saturday mornings youtube videos about what is called "bushcraft" camping, which has inspired me to do something like this. This video is my favorite:
And the Clear Creek area would be just the perfect place. Just an hour from Tulsa. Of course the monks are nearby, where I can go to pray and attend Mass, but also the countryside is some of the prettiest I've encountered in this part of the state. What better place for a weekend retreat?
So if there is a bit of land available out there, my idea would be to very quietly hike into the woods with just a backpack on my back, for a day or two, and to clear out some dead wood to make a small shelter, a rock fire ring, and clear the ground around the "cabin" 10-15 feet around the structure, leaving the rest of the area untouched and very clean. Very low impact and quiet. At first, I would pitch a tent or make a lean-to, as I come out on occasional weekdays to make the little "cabin." Would hope to hike around a bit, and fish if there is a nearby stream.
Would you love to do something like this, to have such a blessed, simple place to get away from it all once in a while?
Here is my email: JosephOstermeir@gmail.com
Or comment below. Thanks for any feedback.