Gaelic/English sign at the Gaelic College, St. Ann’s.
Departure: Dundee, Richmond County 9:00am
Destination: Indian Brook, Victoria County
I decided to take Mom on a day trip today. We both mind the heat and humidity so much, and although I work in air conditioning during the week, Mom doesn’t get much relief. I thought it would be nice to at least spend some time in the car in cooler conditions.
Our destination was Indian Brook, Victoria County. Why you ask? Through my workplace, I had been communicating, via phone and email, with a lady named Judy Brown. Judy operates a business called ‘The Other Cupboard Emporium’ in Indian Brook and I wanted to check it out.
Our first stop was the gift shop at the Gaelic College in St. Ann’s. I hadn’t been there in many years, but I remembered it always had some lovely items. I found a CD I had been looking for “Home” by Rachel Davis and Darren McMullen. (It’s a cork’er. I’ve already listened to it twice.)
Gift Shop, Gaelic College, St. Ann’s.
From St. Ann’s to Indian Brook is about 30-35 minutes. It’s a pretty drive following along St. Ann’s Bay (I think) and North River. There was a bit of traffic but everyone seemed to be just taking their time and enjoying the surroundings.
Our next stop was Cabotto Chocolates. Oh my. This is not a safe place for me to be.
Cabotto Chocolates and Colouratura Art Gallery
The shop and gallery are in an old church.
Photo called “Waiting for Spring”, on the outside wall. Oh how we wish it was spring.
Gorgeous display of chocolates.
We sampled both dark and mild chocolate and pistachio/orange fudge. All VERY delicious. Of course we came home with a bar each.
Mom chose the Seaweed Dark Bar and I chose the Mint Dark Bar.
I thought this was a cute barrier in the parking lot.
A few steps but very easy to navigate with the handrails. Mom isn’t fond of steps but she found them great.
I introduced myself to Judy and I was very happy to finally put a face with a voice. She is every bit as lovely as I expected too. She really has a wonderful shop filled with EVERYTHING! “At The Other Cupboard we believe in offering healthier, local and affordable options to fuel your mind, body and soul. ” This quote is taken from their website. Check out their website for the many items they stock. I came away with a bottle of haskap juice.
We had planned to turn around at this point, but Judy encouraged us to continue on for just a couple of kilometres as there were a glass blowing shop, woodsmith shop and The Clucking Hen Cafe and Bakery. We took her advice and had lunch at the Clucking Hen.
The Clucking Hen Cafe & Bakery
The cafe was quite busy but there were still several empty tables. A lovely waitress came with menus, utensils and water. She was so nice and accommodating. We debated between the lobster sandwich and the lobster roll. The waitress said the lobster sandwich on oatmeal porridge bread was the best. As we took a few more minutes to decide, she returned with a full loaf of bread to show us what it looked like. We both decided to have the lobster roll. It was a grilled bun with a lining of lettuce and stuffed with delicious lobster. But we did ask to purchase a loaf of the bread and two cinnamon buns to go. All in all, a great place to eat and so many hen things to look at around the dining area.
A felted fiddle playing hen hanging on the wall.
In the yard at the Clucking Hen Cafe & Bakery. I was tempted to run around it three times hoping for rain or snow, or at least cooler temps.
The glass blower demonstrating and working today was Mervi Haapakoski. She grew up in a rural area not far from Helsinki, Finland. She lived in Ontario for several years, and then came to visit Cape Breton in 2015 and moved here in 2016. She was very nice and also hilarious.
Mervi beginning the process. She was making a starfish.
We watched Mervi for a while and then went into the gift shop. WOW! What a collection of gorgeous glass works. Tumblers, vases, pitchers, birds, tiny animals, pendants, brooches, buoys, balls, etc. I loved going through and looking at the different artists works.
Buoys
Lots of pretty balls.
Glass and metal sculpture in the front yard.
Glass tube amongst the hostas.
Another glass and metal structure.
I bought a starfish made by Mervi. It wasn’t made today as it would not have cooled enough. It’s about 4″ wide or so. I love it.
The Woodsmiths Studio was next. Oh the lovely scent of wood when we walked in the door. I didn’t get his name but a very pleasant fellow who shared some of his travel experiences. I had asked him if he was open year round and he said no, that he travels for about 3 months each winter. He has beautiful cutting boards, interesting bandsaw boxes, business card holders, pencil boxes, pen holders and lots more.
The Woodsmiths Studio
We were heading back but still checking out some more shops and still in Indian Brook. What a great place with so many artisan shops to visit. Our next stop was the Leather Works.
Another distinctive scent when we opened the door. The lovely scent of leather. I had remembered visiting the business many years ago but I remembered it being high up on a hill. I asked if they used to be located where the Other Cupboard Emporium was and that’s exactly where they were until 6 years ago. Lots of purses, belts, wallets, change purses, bracelets and much more. I bought a leather pony tail holder which I hope will work with my thick hair.
Our last shop was Piper Pewter. I have a couple of Piper Pewter Christmas ornaments but I had no idea they were a Cape Breton company until today. I have no idea why I didn’t know this.
Piper Pewter shop
This isn’t a big shop, but it is well displayed and a wonderful place to visit. They have Christmas ornaments, Clan Crest brooches, bookmarks, earrings, pendants, keychains and kilt pins. I’m sure I’ve missed some products.
At this point we were both getting tired, so we decided we’d make Baddeck our next stop. We managed to get a place to park not far from the Flying Kite Artisan Shop where I found the other CD I was looking for today. This one is “The River She Knows” by Rose Morrison. We played this one on the way home and we both enjoyed it very much. We also had Death By Chocolate ice cream in a cup. Yummy. A quick stop for potatoes at The Baddeck Co-op since they were sold out when we picked up groceries in Port Hawkesbury last night. Another quick stop at The Farmer’s Daughter for a turkey pie which we’ll have for dinner tomorrow.
Although I’ve been hearing tourism is down in Cape Breton, all the places I asked said they thought it had been much busier. We saw lots of tourists and plates from many places; Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Colorado, Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, and that was without really looking.
Mom asked to go back home through Orangedale and Marble Mountain so I accommodated. That’s a nice drive, but a bad road in places.
We had an awesome day. Thankfully everywhere we visited had air conditioning. It was hot and humid with the temperature steady at 32C. We blasted the A/C in the car too. We did some Christmas shopping, visited lots of shops, had a great lunch, met some nice people, everyone we encountered at every business was so very lovely, but most of all Mom just thanked me for taking her on this day trip and keeping her cool.
I hope you enjoyed my day with Mom, as much as I did. As always, leave a comment if you wish.
I suppose it was in late February when Mike Hunter asked me again if I wanted to share some of my writings with the literary event he was organizing in May. Mike organizes two literary events a year, in West Bay, and usually has 4 readers sharing their work. Some people are published authors, while others are just people who enjoy writing. I am the latter, someone who just plays with words. The evenings are always wonderful and often there is a musical entertainer as well. I have gone to all of them and come away wishing I had the nerve to get up and share my work. I leave the event feeling I could but usually within a day or so and certainly by the time the next events rolls around, I’ve lost the nerve. For whatever reason, I agreed this time.
I had lots of prep time and couldn’t wait to go through my poems and decide what I’d read. But the weeks flew by and about 10 days before the event I got serious and chose four to present. I really questioned myself as to why I said yes. I’m not a public speaker and putting myself in front of anymore than 2 or 3 people, and I’m out of my comfort zone. I’m not a presenter. I went to school before heritage fairs and science fairs were a thing. No way I could ever stand in front of people and speak. My speaking was done on the ball diamond, the soccer pitch, the basketball court and later on the hocky rink. Whatever was I thinking? So yes, there were nerves during the final few days but thankfully I was busy enough not to pay much attention to the nerves. I did practice reading them aloud and even had a small audience the weekend before the event. The audience was just family though, not quite the same as friends or strangers.
I would be sharing the stage, (it wasn’t really a stage, but there was a podium and a microphone) with Janet Burbidge, Jeff Townsend, Lewis MacKinnon and Jennifer Klotz (accordion player). I was looking forward to meeting Lewis MacKinnon. He is an aquaintance of my brother, Sandy, and Sandy has high praise for Lewis. Any friend of Sandy’s is a good person.
The big day arrived. I rushed home from work, quickly ate my supper and then read through my choices again and again. I arrived at the hall about 20 minutes beforehand. I had this strange feeling that although nervous, I was calm. I had asked to go first so I could enjoy the rest of the evening and was granted that request. Thank you Mike. I did not feel like mingling, as I didn’t want anyone asking me if I was nervous, so just sat down and waited. A copule of people came over and gave me a hug and told me they were looking forward to hearing me share my writings. And then I turned and saw two friends coming in the hall from Creignish; Karen MacDonald and Tracy MacIsaac. WOW, I was moved to see them come out for me. I suddenly felt like everything would be fine. I have no idea why I felt this, but I did. It was just a very warm, comforting feeling. I met Tracy and Karen through playing hockey. We have a core group of friends from those days that have become close and to see them come out to support me was touching. Another friend, Monica MacKenzie was there as well. I read a poem about a friend who had passed that we all knew well. Knowing they were there to hear it meant so much.
It was go time. I will share what I said to introduce each poem, and the poems, further on. There was a nice round of applause after each poem. I think I was a bit nervous at the start, but grew more comfortable as I moved along. When I finished I went back to my seat. A lady in front of me turned back and had tears rolling down her cheeks. The last poem was difficult to get through and immediately after seeing her tears, I know I choked up and my eyes became watery. At intermission I went to check out the offerings that were for sale; books, CD’s and things. I was quite amazed at the number of people who came up to me and complimented me on not just my writings but on the presentation and that I had done so well. It wasn’t just people I knew, but total strangers. I was overwhelmed. I’m not used to that at all. I really don’t like attention but to have people relate to things I had written was powerful. I was blown away. Perhaps they were just being nice. But would complete strangers have approached me to say nice things ‘just to be nice’ or did they really relate and admire my stuff? It’s not something I had ever expreienced before. Simply mind blowing.
I’m glad I did this. Yes, I was out of my comfort zone, but sometimes it is good to push ourselves. It’s something I’m pleased I was able to do. Will I do it again? I’m not too sure. It might be a once in a lifetime event for me. And I met Lewis MacKinnon and he is every bit as nice as my brother said, and he speaks as highly of Sandy, as Sandy does of him. That made a great night even better.
(I have inserted a few pictures that have no meaning but since the topics are on the darker side, I thought I’d include some pictures to lighten the mood.)
Dandelion fluff
Thanks Mike for the introduction and continuing to have these literary events. Thanks to everyone for coming out tonight. I am honored to share this event with Janet, Lewis, Jeff and Jennifer.
He Didn’t Know Her Name – In early March, several years ago, on my drive home from work on a Friday evening, I realized I only had one headlight. I debated all evening whether to go to Port Hawkesbury the following morning to have it replaced. I finally decided it could wait until Monday. When I woke up on Saturday I decided that I had to have it replaced immediately. I was planning to attend a concert in Boisdale that evening and thought it was best to be able to see as much as possible while driving on back roads. As I was getting ready to leave, my Mom asked me to pick up batteries as the time change was happening in a few weeks, and we MUST have batteries well in advance. I explained that we had weeks to get the batteries and I wanted to get in and back quickly. I put on a burgundy coat but once I went outdoors, I realized it was much too warm for the coat and replaced it with a navy vest. I went to town and managed to have my headlight replaced in a matter of minutes. It was still early, so I decided to go to Walmart and pick up the batteries. As I got out of my car, a genteman in a nearby vehicle also got out and started to approach me. I was a bit taken aback as he made his way directly towards me. He then said ‘can you help me? My wife is gone. I saw her walking that way’ as he pointed to the opposite end of the mall. I talked talked to him, trying to calm him down as he was very agitated. I asked him what her name was and he said Mildred. I asked what she was wearing and he hesitated and then reached out to my vest and said ‘a coat in this colour’. I managed to get him to his vehicle and assured him I would look in Walmart as nothing else was open. I walked very aisle but saw no one that I thought might be his wife. As it was early there wern’t many people in the store yet. I picked up the batteries but before leaving I checked once more. Finally I saw someone I thought might be her. This is a poem I wrote when I arrived back home.
3 keys – I decided to go to town, I changed my burgundy coat to a navy vest and I decided to stop for the batteries.
He Didn’t Know Her Name
“Can you help me, please? I’ve lost my wife.
I saw her walking, she’s my whole life.
Bring her back, I’ll wait right here.
She’s wearing a black coat, I know she’s there.
Her name is Mildred, I love her so
Why did she leave me? Where did she go?”
I strolled the aisles, no one to find
I searched and searched, she must be kind.
I saw a lady, in my view
But she wore a coat of navy blue.
This could be her, I have a task
“Is your name Mildred?”, I have to ask.
“No it’s not”, her smile so warm
“My name is Jean”, she did inform.
I said “a husband has lost his wife
He’s in the parking lot, she’s his life.
Her face was stricken, I read the fear
“Is he in a red car? I parked so near.”
I said he was, it might be him
She said his mind is growing dim.
She thanked me so and rushed outside.
I felt her pain, I could have cried.
Such a pity, no one to blame
How sad he didn’t know her name.
Yellow Swallowtail on a Lilac.
I Remember – I have taken several writing workshops from Marjroie Simmins and for a couple of years I was a member of her online monthly writing group; Coast to Coast to Coast. One of her prompts was to write a story with “I remeber” as the first words.
I Remember
I remember when penny candy was a penny
when chocolate bars were a dime
when a bottle of pop was a quarter.
I remember running barefoot all summer
swimming daily in the lake
jumping the wake on water skis.
I remember ashtrays everywhere
juke boxes on diner tables
checkered tablecloths.
I remember full sized spares
seatbelts never in use
a dimmer switch on the floor.
I remember black and white tv’s
crank telephones
single speed bicycles.
I remember softball tournaments
game winning hits
championships lost.
I remember yesterday’s supper
last week’s appointment
last month’s concert.
I remember good and bad
happy and sad
truth and fiction.
I remember family and friends
faces and names
births and deaths.
I remember.
I’m lucky.
Many can no longer.
Tulips
Abe’s Way – Another writing prompt from Marjorie Simmins was ‘write about a man walking down the road carrying a birdcage and a suitcase’. I had no idea where this poem was going when I started, so I just let Abe take me on his walk.
Abe’s Way
As Abe began his journey
Along the lush and brilliant lane
He clutched a birdcage and a suitcase
But he left behind his cane.
He shuffled along in slippers
His memories growing dim
His eyes were tired and teary
His dentures were not in.
He soon met a young lad running
With hair like Abe’s so fair
A bat, with glove dangling from it
A ball he tossed in the air.
“Hey there boy. Where are you going?”
He called out to the lad
But he didn’t hear the old man’s voice
To the field he ran like mad.
Abe’s memory started to come back
How he ran the bases four
As homer after home he hit
The ball he could make soar.
He carried on along the road
The road to who knows where
When to his delight he saw a man
A man he knew did care.
As the distance started to diminish
Abe saw the young man’s dress
His uniform pressed so precise
With medals on his chest.
He carefully placed his belongings
Upon the lush and soft green grass
Abe stood up tall and so erect
As he saluted with military class.
Much to Abe’s surprise again
The serviceman marched on by
To fight the enemy and keep us safe
Until peace was restored on high.
He picked up his possessions
As he scuffed along the lane
Up the steep hill he did climb
His breathing causing strain.
And then he saw a beautiful lady
Someone he thought he knew
He called out ‘Mary, there you are’
But she just walked on through.
Trailing her were four young children
A boy and three girls of blond
Just like his own so long ago
Before young Annie was gone.
This journey made him grow so tired
A bench he stopped to rest
He opened up his old valise
To see what he had left.
He pulled out an old ball glove
Tarnished medals and a beret
A family portrait torn and tattered
His family. Where are they?
He touched the face of little Annie
Her blond curls were so dear
A tear rolled down his weathered face
He knew his time was near.
A nurse came in his room at eight
His needs she would have tended
But he has passed away that night
His journey now had ended.
She noticed one lone tear he shed
His cheek showed a faint stain
But a smile slight she could detect
He was no longer in pain.
They opened up his suitcase
“What’s in it?” said the staff
And there they found his dentures
Abe gave them a final laugh.
He never liked to wear them
They never seemed to fit
He hid them daily on the crew
Always trying to outwit.
The empty bird cage is a mystery
Whatever could it mean
Underneath they found a letter
He wanted it to be seen.
Set your goals with enthusiasm
Live your life, be free
See and do all that you want
Soar high above the sea,
Don’t cage your dreams and close the door
And not experience life’s beauty
Go forth and spread your wings so wide
Abe says that is your duty.
Wild Rose
The Beauty of Alayne – If we are lucky we are blessed to have very special people come into our lives. I was lucky when I met Alayne Martell. She became a great friend. Someone who was there for me when I needed a helping hand, or a kick in the butt. She was the absolute funniest person I ever met. Sadly Alayne lost her battle with leukemia in 2020, after a year long fight. I remember a truly amazing person with this poem, the Beauty of Alayne. This is a tough one. Hopefully I can get through it.
The Beauty of Alayne
You are the puffy white clouds, on a bright and sunny day
You are the gentle warm breeze, and the sweet smell of mown hay
You are the brilliant rainbow, your colours seem to glow
You are the valleys lush and green, and the mountains topped with snow
You are the angel on the tree top, elegant in your beauty
You are the eagle in the pine, majestic while on duty
You are the beach, the sand, the rocks, and the white cap on a wave
You are the beacon in the dark, reaching out to save
You are the sunrise and sunset, the beginning and the end
You are the alpha and omega, a true and forever friend
You are a piece of red sea glass, rare and held so dear
I’ll forever cherish our friendship, for you are always near
You are a special greeting card, tucked away in a drawer
“Thinking of you”, I often read, when my heart is oh so sore
You touched so many people, more than you could ever know
You are the wind upon our sails, to carry us as we grow
I’ll carry on and focus upon, the air, the land, and the sea
You may be gone, but you live on, in the beauty that surrounds me.
Eagle
Thank you for reading. I love comments, so please leave one if you wish.
Recently I had a couple of people come up to me and say how much they love my Facebook posts. They love the positivity and the pictures I post. They both said they had had some difficult times in the past year, but always found my posts gave them something to think about and it helped them work through their issues. I was pleasantly surprised. I’ve had people comment on my posts and pictures many times, but to have people tell me this in person means a lot.
I haven’t posted on my blog since my Ireland trip, so I thought I’d post one before the New Year. I’ll try to share a picture or two, in case I can’t choose just one, from each month and perhaps include a few words about what they mean to me.
I hope you will find some enjoyment, or inspiration, from them, as I do. Going forward, I will try to post more blogs in the coming year. And I will try to remain positive in a world that has much too much negativity.
Here we go…..I thought choosing the pictures would be easy, but not so. I struggled and spent hours looking through the whole year. Some months will have two, while others will have three.
JANUARY
What is prettier than an Amaryllis? Love the rich red colour of this one. They are fun to watch, as they grow so high and quite quickly. And they come in a variety of reds, pinks, whites and combinations.
Amaryllis
My Happy Place – is a location in my yard that I can sit and look towards the upper end of Black River, the river that borders my property. It’s a gorgeous view no matter the weather or the season. It’s a place I can go and meditate, think, knit, read, sip coffee or just sit and admire the view, the wildlife, and nature.
My Happy Place
FEBRUARY
I am blessed to see so much wildlife in my own yard. There is an abundance of eagles, which thrill me, and I see them almost every day. I’m happy to say there is a nest being built very close to where I live. I’ve been watching the progress and I plan to do a blog on just eagles and their behaviour soon.
Eagle
This is MacRae’s Island just after a snowfall. It’s a short walk from my home and I think it is stunning with the trees covered in snow and the water so blue. There is actually an eagle in the tree second from the right. This island is shaped like a heart.
MacRae’s Island
MARCH
Look at this face. Is that not cute? Love the Highland cattle and my friend Robert Pringle has a few. They are adorable, but I’d not want to have one turn on me. We are blessed to have some local farms around that provide us with fresh meat and eggs. I’m not sure I could eat this cutie.
Highland Cattle
I love sheep. This picture is from Katherine Farms where I got to go in the pen and see all the baby lambs. So so so cute. Some of them were tame enough to pet. Such a cute face. (PS…I don’t eat lamb.)
Lamb
APRIL
Crocuses make me happy. They are so hardy, sometimes popping through a late snowfall. And their colour is so vibrant. They give hope of spring arriving and bringing sun and warmth. I know….I’m in Cape Breton and spring is rarely sunny or warm. But they still make one hopeful. One of the first colours in the spring.
Crocus
One thing I love is sitting around a table, with friends and family, sharing food and drink, and conversation. This was our Easter dinner table at my brother’s. Such a nice time. Sandy and Greg did the cooking and it was so delicious.
Easter Dinner Table
MAY
I travelled to Ireland in May and the next two pictures are from my trip. It was so so hard to pick only two pictures this month. The first is a stained glass window at St. Mary’s Church of Ireland in Killarney. I am not really religious, but perhaps more spiritual. I do love going into churches to see the stained glass windows, the architecture, the pipes if there is a pipe organ, and many other aspects of the church. I also enjoyed roaming about on my own, when time permitted on this trip.
Stained Glass – love the rich colours and the black background.
I think the Laburnum tree, sometimes called Golden Chain or Golden Rain, is gorgeous. How can something this gorgeous be so poisonous? As I understand it, every aspect of this tree is poisonous from blossom, leaf, bark, trunk and root. It contains cytisine which is toxic to both humans and pets. Mind you I had no desire to try a taste of any part of the tree.
Laburnum Tree (Golden Chain, Golden Rain)
JUNE
Dandelions are one of the first flowers that bees use in the spring. I don’t mind seeing them take over my yard when they are in bloom. They provide colour and I love watching the bees fly from blossom to blossom. However once they start to go by, and they lay down when the mower arrives and refuse to be cut, they do become annoying.
Dandelion
Dandelion Seeds – I do love the symmetry of the seed tufts though.
Bleeding hearts were never my favourite flower but they are growing on me. I bought two at an end of season sale several years ago, one of which has survived. I have since bought another one and had a white one given to me. They seem slow to grow, so I might have to look at moving them to give them more of whatever they need. I’m thinking they are too shaded. I’ll have to research what conditions are best for them. I think it is more of the name of the flower that I don’t like than the actual flower.
Bleeding Heart
JULY
I started growing Bearded Iris a few years ago. They are gorgeous. I love some of the names they have and their construction is interesting. The three main parts of the iris are the “standards” which are the three upright petals, the “falls” which are the three lower petals that either fall down or flare out and the “beard” which is the fuzzy catipillar from which the bearded iris gets its name. The following iris has peach standards, purple falls and orange beard.
Coup de Soleil (translation is Sunburn) Bearded Iris
I love what this picture doesn’t show. Simply this is just a platform for diving or jumping into the water. Beyond this is the Bras d’Or Lake, MacRae’s Island, and further across the lake is West Bay and Lime Hill. However the fog was heavy and I saw nothing but the platform and its reflection. Simplicity.
Platform for diving and jumping into the water.
AUGUST
I love planting my garden. I embrace weeding, finding it a time to just unwind and relax while pulling weeds and making the garden look nice. This picture shows a cucumber maturing and giving me hope for a successful garden. It was not to be. The deer finally found out that they can jump the rather low 3′ fence I had been using for years. Why it took them so long is beyond me, but this was the first year. They basically decimated the garden. We had very few peas and beans in our freezer for the winter and they are long gone. They tried most of the zucchini and realized they didn’t like them. I found many that had been bitten off and spit out. I did get a few cucumbers and tomatoes but very few. The deer were so bold that even yelling at them did nothing. I had to actually run after them to get them to leave the garden. I love wildlife and enjoy seeing the deer in my yard, but it did become very frustrating this year. I haven’t decided if I will bother with a garden next year.
Cucumber
I still miss my dear friend, Alayne Martell. Although her presence is no longer, it is comforting to know her memory lives on in Harbour Wars, Alayne’s Legacy. This is a fun competition, which was started by Alayne, between fisherman/fisherwoman, that raises funds for the Tom MacNeil Cancer Centre in Sydney. It is run by a passionate group of volunteers. This year they raised close to $50,000. Mind blowing from a small fishing community, but the local support is tremendous. She would be so proud.
Harbour Wars Alayne’s Legacy
We may find ourselves surrounded by larger than life people, or by intimidators, or we may feel inferior by others actions, or we may just be uncomfortable at times. But we are all beautiful in our own way. My Hibiscus thrived out on my back deck this summer. It is dwarfed by the Canna Lilies which grew to enormous heights. The foliage on the Canna Lilies is beautiful, but once again they didn’t bloom. But the wee Hibiscus brought me so much joy with its beauty. We can find beauty in most anything, but we just have to look. Like the foliage in the canna’s or the blossom in the tiny Hibiscus. Like the plants, we all have something to offer.
Hibiscus dwarfed by the Canna Lilies
SEPTEMBER
I love to go for walks with my camera. Sometimes I take no pictures and wonder why I brought it. Other times I see so much and take tons of pictures. This image is simply birds on a wire. All too often I find myself looking down or off to the sides when walking but rarely looking up. When I did look up, I saw this and thought it was cool. Nothing particularly special, but it appealed to me.
Birds on a wire
One of my Mom’s and my passions is doing jigsaw puzzles. We usually do only 1000 pieces or more. They are relaxing and fun. They can be frustrating too if they are hard but so satisfying when we complete the more difficult ones. We have a few friends that we trade with, or just pass them along too. It’s a great pastime, particularly during the winter. We started early this year, in September, and we are working on puzzle 22 now. Since writing this we have completed #22.
One of our favourite pastimes, jigsaw puzzles.
OCTOBER
I’m lucky to have my Mom living with me. We get along, most of the time. We share many of the same interests and enjoy doing things together. Mom loves to play cards and although I’m not as keen to play as she is, I do usually play 45’s with her before I go to work in the morning and one game of crib in the evening. She would play for hours on end if given the opportunity. She’s a competitor too. We played crib on the deck early in the month on a rather warm gorgeous weekend. It was a close game, but she won. Special times for sure.
Crib on the deck with Mom.
Another one of nature’s beauties is a rainbow. No words to express the beauty of this one and the picture really doesn’t do it justice. Spectacular to say the least. It was one of the most vibrant rainbows I had ever seen. This is looking down our driveway.
Rainbow
NOVEMBER
I couldn’t get through the year without sharing pictures of my foster kitties. They are owned by my next door neighbours and I look after them when their humans go away. I love them so much. I can be feeling down when I go to visit them and they just lift my spirits. Miella is very friendly. She has learned that as soon as I go inside and take off my Crocs she is supposed to roll on them, turn her belly upwards for belly rubs and she will be fed quickly. It took a few visits but she gets it now. Gus is a bit more standoffish. He likes belly and armpit rubs on his terms only. He also learned that if he lets Miella get the rubs first, they get fed much faster. He does like to play bird on a string sometimes and really goes berserk at times. He’s fun. They are both the best kitties. So cute.
Miella Angus
The moon. I tend to take lots of pictures of the moon. Why? Who knows. It’s just cool. Sliver moon, quarter moon, half moon, full moon, it doesn’t matter, I just like to photograph the moon.
The Moon
DECEMBER
I love to knit. Knitting relaxes me and takes me to a happy place. I love the clickety click rhythm of the needles, and the feel of the fibres moving through my fingers. I love the end product. While I knit, I usually know who the recipient is going to be. I think of that person and I like to think I’m putting love in each stitch, or a happy memory, or a hug, or a wish for well being, for that special person. Knitting is my passion. I have always loved knitting but more so in recent times, as it had become coping mechanism for me. When things are upsetting me, knitting lets me drift to a place of contentment. It might not fix the situation but it calms me allowing me to perhaps reassess and carry on. The following picture shows works socks I gifted for Christmas.
Work Socks made with Briggs and Little Wool
Family are our most precious gifts. I’m lucky to have a wonderful Mom who is my best friend, who has been my support, my confidant, my advisor, my teacher and my mentor. She puts up with my quirkiness, my messy cooking adventures, my attempt at making music, and my stubbornness. I’m also lucky to have an amazing brother, Sandy, who has many of the same attributes of my Mom. He is level headed and makes me see more than one side of any issue. He’s kind, caring and compassionate. He put up with my endless teasing and pestering when we were growing up. He must be a saint. I love him more than he will ever know. I’m also lucky to have Greg, Sandy’s partner, who is like a second brother to me. I know I can lean on him and I have, and ask for advice and he will offer, as he has in the past. I know I can trust him unconditionally. I’m so glad to know he is in the family. This picture was taken by Mary, Greg’s Mom, at Christmas. These are my most important people.
Greg, Sandy, Hughena, Enid (Mom)
You’ll see that I tend to enjoy flowers, wildlife, nature, knitting, jigsaw puzzles, spending time with those important to me, and the simple things life has to offer. No drama for me. This is just a bit of what I love to do and see.
Friends are also so important to me. I have many friends who have been and continue to be very supportive of me. I’m very lucky to have such wonderful people in my life. You know who you are and I thank you for being my friend.
I also love music and attend concerts when the opportunity arises. Music is also a relaxing environment that makes me slow down and appreciate the talent. I would have posted pictures of concerts, but I didn’t have permission from any of the musicians, and didn’t want to reach out and ask at this time of year, as everyone is so busy. I also play music and have many instruments. Am I any good? No, but I love to try and when something works it is rewarding. It’s just fun to experiment.
I enjoy writing, which you are reading a sample of right now. I tend to write poetry, more than prose. I’ve participated in an online writing group for a couple of years, and I enjoyed an incredible writing session with Newfoundland author Donna Morrissey this past November.
There is never enough time to do everything, but we must make time to do the things that bring us happiness, and that we are passionate about. We need to slow down and count our blessings. We need to be grateful for the people in our lives and let them know what they mean to us. And we need to appreciate the little things as well.
In closing I want to wish you the very best for 2024.
&
If you like what you read, leave a comment. If you didn’t like what you read, leave a comment as well.
All photos taken by myself unless otherwise noted.
Molly Malone statue – nicknamed the “Tart with the Cart”
May 26 – Day 9 Dublin City
Today is our last full day in Ireland. It seems impossible that the trip is winding down. This morning we sit back and enjoy a panoramic sightseeing tour of Dublin. Dennis points out many sights and explains a great deal of the history of Dublin. We stop in Phoenix Park at the Papal Cross. In 1979 Pope John Paul II delivered an open-air sermon to more than 1.25 million people. The park is is 1750 acres of recreational space. It contains the Dublin Zoo, many gardens, many monuments, the residence of the President of Ireland and the residence of the United States Ambassador to Ireland, a castle, a fort, headquarters of the Garda, a seniors home, a cemetery, several ground for hurling, football, soccer, cricket and polo, and Farmleigh – the official Irish State Guesthouse.
Papal Cross in Phoenix Park
Looking up at the Papal Cross from the base.
View from the Papal Cross – stunning
Lots of green space in Phoenix Park
More green space
Entrance to the US Ambassadors residence in Phoenix Park
The Phoenix Park Monument in the middle of the main road.
The most photographed door in Dublin at 46 Fitzwilliam Square. It was installed in 1907.
Driving through Dublin
After our tour of Dublin we visit Epic the Irish Emigration Museum. Epic opened in 2016. Here we learn the history of the Irish Diaspora and emigration to other countries. We are provided with an audio guide for our self guided tour. I took my time going through and realized that I needed to step it up if I was to get through the whole museum in our time allotted. There are many interactive areas and one needs to have several hours if you are to partake in all. There are motion sensor quizzes, video galleries, a place to try your skills at step dancing, remastered audios from over 100 years ago, and videos that bring the history to life. Upon entering you get a passport and after each stage you have your passport stamped to show a record of the journey through Epic. There are 20 stages of the journey, some of which are; An Open Island, Leaving the Island, Arriving in a New World, Conflict, Playing the World, Leading Change, Music & Dance: Sharing the Tradition, amongst others. It’s a fascinating experience that I would love to revisit sometime.
EPIC – The Irish Emigration Museum
Not often I see the name MacDougall, or McDougall, so took this picture in the museum. Isabella McDougall emigrated to Australia.
The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, amongst others.
Looks so real but actually superimposed on the wall. Tribute to Irish authors.
Just a cool image from the museum. So much to see, and do, and watch. Much of it is interactive and you need hours to experience the whole centre.
Krista, Bob Cameron and I decided to get off the bus in the city instead of going back to the hotel. We wanted to walk around and were looking for a shop selling bonafide Irish products. We lucked out and did find a wonderful shop. We walked around for a couple/three hours visiting St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Christ Church Cathedral. We did not tour the interior of either, but viewed them from outside. We just enjoyed walking around the city before heading back to the hotel for a light lunch at The Bleeding Horse pub beside our hotel.
Grafton St Dublin
Olympia Theatre Dublin
John Behan – Millennium Child Statue – 2000.
Plaque on Millennium Child statue
Thought this was cool. Seen on the side of a flat during our walkabout.
Part of Christ Church Cathedral
Christ Church Cathedral
Christ Church Cathedral Bridge
Christ Church Cathedral
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
There are cranes everywhere in Dublin.
Garda – Police
Daniel O’Connell Monument
Not a great picture, taken from a moving bus. Anna Livia statue or commonly called the “Floozie in the Jacuzzi”. I love their send of humour.
This evening we were off to Taylor’s Three Rock for a farewell dinner and a cabaret. Taylor’s is located in the heart of Rathfarnham and is named for the Taylor family and Three Rock Mountain which rises directly behind the pub. There were several coaches there and the place was likely sold out. I’m not sure how many it would hold but a few hundred for sure. It was a nice evening, but a bit too polished and schmaltzy for my liking. Did I enjoy it? Yes, some aspects. The fiddle player and bodhran player and the dancers were wonderful. The male singer just didn’t fit the role. I’m sure he is very talented but just not what I would expect. I didn’t dislike the event, but perhaps I didn’t quite expect what was presented. I’m glad I experienced it but I’d not go again. It was a fun atmosphere and a wonderful crowd. I’d have preferred a traditional Irish music event, than a stage polished performance.
Arriving at Taylor’s Three Rock for our final supper and a cabaret.
Decorative critters on the roof of Taylor’s Three Rock and photobombed by a crow.
Stained glass window inside.
Thatched ceiling/roof.
Another great menu for our group. We ate well. Soup and traditional turkey/ham for me. I passed on the dessert.
Pretty stage
Rebecca Murphy
Brian Garvin
Dancing and playing on the tables; John O’Brien
There was audience participation and Tom and Frances’ daughter, Fionnuala Sweeney was randomly chosen from the crowd.
She was truly a great sport.
The bodhrán player was also chosen from the audience.
First the spoons, but then the bodhrán. Multitalented.
The many faces of Fionnuala. She was so much fun to watch.
It was a lovely drive back to the hotel, with the sun setting for the day. My heart was heavy as I was sad to be heading home the next day. I stayed up way too late and had a 5:30 wake up call. I was surprised that I actually slept a bit. We were late leaving the hotel but we had lots of time once we arrived at the airport. I experienced no delays getting through check in and security. I had the most amazing Air Canada agent who was funny, accommodating and who loved his job. He was from Turkey and only arrived in Ireland 9 months prior to learn English. He said he knew very little English when he arrived. He has picked up the language very quickly and when I commented to him how well he was doing, he was genuinely appreciative of my compliment.
A 7 hour flight to Toronto, 2 hour layover, 2.5h hour flight to Halifax, pick up luggage, pick up car at Park N Fly and a 3 hour drive to Dundee, arriving home at 8:30pm. It was a long day but the memories of the past 9 days filled my heart so much.
I cannot really put it into words how hard it is to leave Ireland. I relate it to saying goodbye to a relative or friend, who you may not see again. I really get overcome with sadness. My throat tightens as I walk to the plane, and my eyes well up with tears. I have been lucky to have been to Ireland three times. I can only hope I’ll get back again someday.
In closing, I hope you have enjoyed my blog posts and following along on this amazing trip. Many thanks to Nuala, James and Sinead at Brack Tours, the best tour company ever. And also many thanks to Brian Doherty, Kevin Evans and Tom Sweeney for providing the music and hanging out with our group for 9 days. To the many friends I’ve travelled with, most of whom I didn’t know prior to, but many who I can now call friends, thank you for your company, not only on this trip but those on the 2019 trip as well.
As always, all photos taken by myself unless otherwise noted. Please feel free to leave a comment, or two, or three. There may be one additional post to come answering some questions I’ve been asked and sharing pictures of just cool things that didn’t make it in the blogs.
We leave Dungarvan this morning and head for Dublin where we will spend our final two nights. (The road to Glendalough was by far the narrowest, windiest road we’ve been on, and there was some very skillful driving by Dennis when we’d meet other vehicles. Not for the faint of heart.) We stopped in Glendalough, which means ‘valley of two lakes’; Upper Lake and Lower Lake. It is a glacier valley in County Wicklow. Wicklow is nicknamed the “Garden of Ireland” for obvious reasons. Here we visit St. Kevin’s Monastery. Glendalough is surrounded by the Camaderry Mountains, Turlough Hills, Conavalla mountain at the head of the valley, and the peaks of Lugduff and Mullacor.
Glendalough Visitor Centre Entrance
Some information on Glendalough and St. Kevin
Information on The Gateway
The Gateway
The rock slab with the cross engraved on it.
Lots of rhododendrons in bloom here.
The Monastery was founded in the 6th or 7th century by St. Kevin. Kevin lived as a hermit and by all accounts he didn’t like people. Prior to Kevin’s arrival, Glendalough would have been a very lonely and remote area, which is likely what attracted Kevin to it initially. His companions were animals and birds. He lived his life by fasting, praying and teaching. He is the patron saint of the Diocese of Dublin. One story indicates he was a man of great patience. He held out his hand in which a blackbird built a nest, lays an egg, the egg hatches and the bird fledges and Kevin never moved.
I lovely poem by Seamus Heaney, an Irish author I enjoy.
St Kevin and the Blackbird
And then there was St Kevin and the blackbird. The saint is kneeling, arms stretched out, inside His cell, but the cell is narrow, so
One turned-up palm is out the window, stiff As a crossbeam, when a blackbird lands And lays in it and settles down to nest.
Kevin feels the warm eggs, the small breast, the tucked Neat head and claws and, finding himself linked Into the network of eternal life,
Is moved to pity: now he must hold his hand Like a branch out in the sun and rain for weeks Until the young are hatched and fledged and flown.
And since the whole thing’s imagined anyhow, Imagine being Kevin. Which is he? Self-forgotten or in agony all the time
From the neck on out down through his hurting forearms? Are his fingers sleeping? Does he still feel his knees? Or has the shut-eyed blank of underneath
Crept up through him? Is there distance in his head? Alone and mirrored clear in love’s deep river, ‘To labour and not to seek reward,’ he prays,
A prayer his body makes entirely For he has forgotten self, forgotten bird And on the riverbank forgotten the river’s name.
Seamus Heaney 1996
Some of the monuments in the lower glen of the site are the Gateway, Round Tower, St. Peter and St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Priests House, St. Kevin’s Church, amongst others.
Information on the Round Tower
The Round Tower
The top of the Round Tower
The Priest’s House – usually this is not accessible to the public, as gates are locked on the doorways, but our tour was permitted to go in.
The main graveyard at Glendalough
The ruins of the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul in Glendalough
As well, the property has hiking trails and waterfalls. Vegetation consists of lots of oaks, many mosses, bluebells, bracken, ferns, holly, hazel and mountain ash. Wildlife consists of deer and various species of birdlife such as common merganser, great spotted woodpecker, common redstart, peregrine, cuckoo, and eurasian jay.
Little brook running through the property.
More ruins
More plant life growing out of stones.
Deerstone – click the link to find the story. There are several stories as to its origin and purpose.
Cattle country – on the way to Powerscourt
Lots of room here. Not like the narrow road on the way to Gledalough. Wish I had pictures of that.
Lots of gorse blooming on the hillside.
After a guided tour and some time on our own to roam about the property, we then headed off for Powerscourt Distillery located on the grounds of the Powerscourt Estate. Distilling began in June 2018 with the first barrels being laid down in August of 2018. According to the website they offer a “complete sensory immersion experience from grain to glass.” We had a guided tour which explained the distilling and maturation process before settling in for a sampling of the award winning Fercullen Irish Whiskeys. I can’t really say which of the three samples was my favourite. 😉
Powerscout Estate
Lovely copper covered mashtun.
Various stages of the process.
Casks – €5000-6000.
Taste tasting – samples are on barrel staves.
Getting ready to sample.
Did I, or did I not?
No, they weren’t trying to hold one another. The samples were that strong.
They were trying to get the Brack Tours logo.
Our fabulous group.
With the taste tasting complete, and some purchases of their products were made, we were soon on our way to Dublin. We had a lovely group meal and our last musical session by our trio of talented men.
Another menu with fabulous choices. Soup, Salmon and Fruit Salad were my choices.
Delicious – forgot to take pictures of the main course and dessert.
Beautiful patio outside the hotel.
Our last session.
One of our tour mates, Greta, joined the guys for a song.
I hope you enjoyed Day 8. One more day to go. I’m feeling sad by this point as our time is winding down. Please leave a comment if you wish. I always enjoy the comments.
As always, all photos taken by myself, unless otherwise noted.
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