(Some of) The Sights I Saw

The best view in Edinburgh, Edinburgh Castle

I've been home from one of the best trips ever to England, Ireland and Scotland for four days. I'm finally able to stay awake beyond 8:00 PM (actually 1 am in Edinburgh. Jet lag has been rough coming home from this trip, but the days away were well worth it.  

Incredible  Alnwick Castle, in Northumberland, England

Friends have asked what were the high points of the trip. So many! Two especial adventures were meeting friends that I'd been in touch with via Instagram, enjoying York and Edinburgh, seeing the beauty of Connemara on Ireland's Atlantic Coast and Holy Island, a beautiful tidal island in England. 

Loved the thatched cottages that I saw in Ireland...

...And the scones that I enjoyed.  

I enjoyed this delicious scone during my visit to Connemara. 

These are just a few of the high points. I'm hoping/planning to do posts on a few of the places I've written about. I'm getting back on track with all the home errands and feel reasonably caught up. I realized that the jet lag would be difficult and I kept this week very lightly scheduled.  

Keep cool, friends in Europe, and prayers for our friends in Venezuela, dealing with a devastating earthquake.

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care. 

 

Return to the Emerald Isle

 

Memories of Dublin, 2019

It's the waning hours of Saint Patrick's Day and today my thoughts have gone to memories of my two trips to Ireland. I visited Dublin twice and enjoyed my visits very much. I don't have a long list of places that I want to visit, but a return trip to Ireland to see the Atlantic coast was still waiting for me. I can happily share that this June I have plans to return to Ireland. As part of a cruise from Newcastle upon Tyne in England via Edinburgh, I'll be visiting Ireland once again, with stops in Belfast, Killybegs and Galway. Ireland, here I come!

I stopped at the library this afternoon for a guide book for Ireland. The cruise ship has tours I can sign up for, but I want to do more research before I commit the precious time I have in these ports to something that might not be a good choice for me.  I enjoy having a structure to the trip, but I very much enjoy the planning and research, too. There is so much that I want to see and so little time. I also want to make sure that there's time to wander through the ports, take lots of pictures and have a scone at a tea shop. Does anyone else enjoy the planning phase of the trip, almost as much as the trip itself? 

Not my usual greeting, but this sign caught my eye on the way to the library. You, my dear blog friends, Sham-Rock! 

And on the reverse side of the sign, a truth about weather in New York City, on a day when I needed my down coat and gloves. 

Definitely, second winter today!

   

I hope you had a happy Saint Patrick's Day and, dear friends in the Midwest, I hope you're digging out of the massive snowstorm. I also hope that our second winter -- a new phrase to me -- is soon history. 

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care. 

Happy St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day Greetings from Dublin

 

As much as I'd like to be sending happy wishes from Dublin today, alas, I'm not in Dublin today. I took the photograph of the Ha'Penny Bridge during my first visit in 2014. I loved my time there and was fortunate enough to return in 2019, when I took another picture of the River Liffey, shown below.

Beautiful Dublin

I started my St. Patrick's day celebration on Sunday with the viewing of The Quiet Man, which starred Maureen O'Hara and John Wayne. This is the seventieth anniversary of the film and it was one of several theater showings this week. I'm not sure if I ever saw this movie previously, but I enjoyed it tremendously. Set in 1920's Ireland, it captured a time and place of countryside and community, in a beautiful setting. If you have the opportunity, it's definitely worth seeing. 

  

  

What are your plans for St. Patrick's Day? Did anyone bake soda bread? 

As ever, thanks for visiting and have a grand day!

On Saint Patrick's Day Everyone is Irish

 

On Saint Patrick's Day everyone is Irish 

With thanks to my  Butttercupland friend, Darlene

I've been poking along with this post off and on all evening and Saint Patrick's Day is actually now behind us. It wasn't the holiday of years past -- especially my office years -- when most people were wearing green and there were several home baked soda breads in the lunch room and on the spare desk in my office section. 

The neighborhood was pretty sparse for decorations, but I did manage to find this Irish cottage across the street from the post office. It's not quite like being in County Wicklow, but it was a lot more accessible and I didn't need a passport or to quarantine. I've never eaten at this restaurant, but I've added it to my list. 

A visit to Ireland, via Columbus Avenue

In order to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day, I decided to go back in time to my two visits to Ireland in 2014 and 2019. Both visits were add-ons to other trips and I'm so glad I decided to add them on. The photograph above is the River Liffey, which flows through the center of Dublin. The photograph below is the Ha'penny Bridge, which crosses the River. 

Built in 1816, it was the first pedestrian bridge across the river. 

The library at Trinity College, Dublin. 

Trinity College is home of the Book of Kells, a magnificent ninth century manuscript. The campus is beautiful and a place of green and history in the center of Dublin. It's not to be missed if you are fortunate to be able to visit this wonderful city.  

From the sublime of Trinity College Library to the less sublime Pep Le Monkee. Pep is celebrating one of his favorite times of year with a spin around the living room. 

Even in the midst of fun and celebration, I want to express my sorrow to those in Georgia who have suffered losses from the murders in Acworth and Atlanta. 

As ever, thanks for visiting and take care.  

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! 

By Yon Bonnie Banks

Soon!

And it will be just a little later when I am standing by one of the bonnie banks of a Scottish loch. 

 

I had a wonderful time visiting England last summer -- many thanks, again, dear Sybil -- so that the thought of a return trip to the British Isles was in my mind when I stepped on the plane at Heathrow to come home to New York. My college friend Betsy had scouted out a cruise to Scotland that included both Shetland, the top of her "to-see" list and Iona, a long desired location for me. Even though it means skipping BookExpo this year, I happily said yes. This particular itinerary only sails once a summer and since the timing (mostly) worked for both of us, we made our reservations last summer. 

 

Now a almost a year has gone by since our first discussions and after much planning and reading, we're only ten days away from our trip. A definite bonus is that our ship leaves from Liverpool. I'd long hoped to get there to see my blog friends, Sheilagh and Ralph -- any good holiday includes blog buddies! -- but it never seemed work well into an itinerary. We've scheduled an extra day in Liverpool and I look forward to seeing Beatles' sites, Sheilagh and Ralph and perhaps a few other blog friends. You know there will be pictures.

 

    Liverpool to Shetland!

 

I've been to Edinburgh and Shetland but the other stops are all new to me. As an Outlander fan, I'm excited about our stop in Invergordon and very excited about visiting Iona, a center of Celtic monasticism. It's not an especially easy trip -- Tobermory, Isle of Mull in the Inner Hebrides, and then a ferry to Iona -- but I'm excited to see where the Book of Kells was created.

After our return to Liverpool, we had a change of planes in Dublin. As long as we had the time, it seemed a shame not to visit Dublin. So we will spend a long, long weekend in Dublin. I was there five years ago and enjoyed it very much. We have a number of activities planned, including a tour of Abbey Theater. The days will be very long and there will be lots of time for sightseeing and enjoying Dublin. Any blogger friends in Dublin?

Now I'm making lists and buying a few last minute things, as well as downloading books to read. I'm just about ready and of course, Liverpool can provide just about anything I may have forgotten.

Besides the excitement of the trip, life is pleasantly quiet. Weight Watchers, time at the Y and my Monday water aerobics class have been the high point of the week. What are your weekend plans?

As ever, thanks for visiting and have a great weekend! 
  

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Trinity College Library, Dublin

 

It's a day for celebrating all things Irish and I'm remembering my visit to Ireland in 2014. One of my favorite places to visit was the Library at Trinity College. I'm not saying it's the most beautiful library anywhere, but it may be the most beautiful library I've ever seen. Do you have a favorite library?

 

Wishes for a very happy St. Patrick's Day!

 

Grounded Hearts

If you're looking for a good -- actually really good -- reading choice for your summer reading, please put Grounded Hearts  at the top of your list. I especially enjoy historical fiction and have read many books set during World War II, but the setting -- Ireland -- and the characters and plot make it an absorbing book.

Nan O'Neil is a widowed midwife in neutral Ireland who gives shelter to a wounded Canadian RAF pilot. Taking in Dutch Whitney is against the law and Nan faces prison for this act. I will avoid any plot spoilers, but the story drew me and kept me reading. I especially enjoyed the scenes of life in Ireland during the war and the characters who are part of Nan's life. It's a romance, and an unusually sweet one, a historical novel and a story of faith. I am hoping that there will be a sequel. Please, Jeanne M. Dickson!

On a different note, the summer is flying by. I know it always does, but I blinked and realized that September is barely a month away. I love the autumn but I'm not rushing pumpkins and leaves. I've got a few more beach days to come and there are a lot of summer veggies -- sweet corn at the top of my list -- to savor. Here's to a quiet afternoon on a porch, iced tea or coffee by my side and a good book.

As ever, thanks for visiting and have a good weekend. Happy reading!  



 

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!