The Road to Glendalough

On the road to Glendalough

As I was looking for a photo yesterday to post for St. Patrick's Day I found a number of pictures from my visit to Ireland last June that I hadn't shared. I thought I had well documented the trip, but it doesn't look like I shared one picture in Buttercupland. Betsy and I had spent four days in Dublin, sightseeing, walking many miles and enjoying fiddle music and fish and chips. It was a wonderful visit and I was grateful for the opportunity then and even more grateful now.

On our last day before flying home we made separate plans before meeting up for dinner. As I had been to Dublin before -- I'm firmly convinced that I cannot get to Dublin too many times -- I decided to see a little of the Irish countryside. One of my stops was the Shrine of St. Kevin in County Wicklow.

Glendalough, the Glen of Two Lakes, is the site of the monastery of St. Kevin, one of the main pilgrimage sites in Ireland. St. Kevin originally came to this beautiful site to live a hermit's life in the sixth century. His only companions were the birds and animals. His piety became well known and eventually a settlement was started on the lakeside. In time a seminary of scholars grew from the settlement. Today it's a national park and though it's less than two hours from Dublin it is still a beautiful and serene place to visit.

On the right is the Round Tower of Glendalough and the beautiful Irish wild roses. 

In the other photographs the sky is very dark, but this much better reflects the day.

One of the entry ways to the site. More wild roses and not pictured, a lone piper playing.  

Glendalough feels very far away, not just in distance, but in spirit. St. Kevin was called to a hermit's life and entered it by choice. The great majority of us we have taken up a hermit's life suddenly and not by our choosing. I am not making light of the many hardships and tragedies so many people will face, but the Irish monks are an example of fortitude during some of the darkest times in world history. May we all find the fortitude and grace to live our finest hours.

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care of yourselves. Much love and wash your hands! 

This Is What Passes for Spring in the City Random 5 Friday

I know yesterday was Happiness Day, but I'm happy today, too. It was sunny, warmer and it's time for Random 5 Friday. That's an unbeatable combo for me.

1) Pussy willows have always meant spring to me, even when they're stuck in a bucket in one of the most crowded urban settings on the planet. This isn't the prettiest picture I've ever taken, but this was my first pussy willow sighting this year and it's spring to me.

Yes, that's a shadow selfie in the bottom right corner. 

2) I started to do some research on sights to see in Dublin this summer. I'll be there for not quite three days and I compiled a list today that could fill a week easily. I want to leave some time to enjoy a cup of tea, take lots of pictures and do some walking. If anyone has been to Dublin I'd appreciate your thoughts. 

3) I don't think I say this often enough, but I love the comments I get. I'm still laughing over the thought of being rescued by a "hunky fireman" during my chair almost-disaster. My thought at the time was that I was going to be humiliated by a fire truck racing to yoga. But on reconsideration, if they promise to send cute firemen -- aren't they all! -- I'm willing risk intervention by the FDNY.    

4) While we're on the topic of blogging, I'm wondering what happened to my page views this month. I was getting about 200 every day and in the last two weeks the number has dropped to closer to 120. I did a little research and all of the page views from the Ukraine are gone and most of the ones from Russia are gone, too. I never could have predicted that the Ukraine crisis would have an effect on my blog. Has anyone else noticed this trend?

5) I'm looking for a favorite and easy chicken slow cooker recipe. I'm in a cooking slump and need to get out my slow cooker and make something easy and yummy for the tomorrow's dinner and the freezer. I know there are creative cooks in Buttercupland and I welcome your suggestions. 

These five just flew by and I've really enjoyed chatting. As always, thanks for visiting and have a great weekend!

Next Stop...Heathrow Airport, London

Actually Heathrow is not the next stop on my travel list, but it is a stop. After days -- part of my blogging absence -- of pouring over airfare and hotel websites I've booked flights to London via Dublin. England has been high on my travel list and was my first thought in 2013. I knew I wouldn't get there last year and I won't get to see all of the places in the British Isles that I want to see, but I will be spending three days in London and three days in Dublin. I wouldn't have thought of including Dublin in this trip, but the cost of flights via Ireland -- yes, it's a stop off and adds hours to getting to England -- was significantly less expensive than a non-stop flight.

London and Dublin will be book ends for the rest of my trip -- a cruise with my friend Sue north to see the coastline of Norway. Norway was at the top of Sue's vacation list and after lots of fun email we've worked out our itinerary. We booked the cruise at the end of last summer, but I booked my flights yesterday and that made the trip seem "real." I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to travel with a close friend to see long dreamed of sights. I'm eager to hear about your favorite places in London or Dublin. Sue and I have both been to London, but Dublin is new to me, and somewhere I've long wanted to visit.

Besides all of my internet activity I've had a quiet few days and it's been tough to motivate myself to do chores and take care of errands. But I made a list of things to begin to attempt today that includes nineteen items. A few are very quick -- add a graphic to this blog and pay a bill -- and several will take a lot of research and won't get done for awhile. Happily it's sunny out after yesterday's cold rain and I will be leaving soon for my first errand. Happily, too I'm going to  return clothes I ordered online to Coldwater Creek because they are too big. But that's a post for another day.

As always thanks for visiting and take good care of yourself.