Family Hiatus

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Family Hiatus Snapshots

Sunday Drives

A collection of our adventures touring around Ireland.  We took a 'Sunday Drive' nearly every week for a year.

Heritage Ireland

One of the best things we purchased when we arrived in Ireland was the Heritage Ireland card for our family.  As the Heritage Ireland website reads "The Heritage Card guarantees free admission to all fee-paying State managed OPW Heritage Sites located throughout the country for one year."  There are a lot of State managed sites in Ireland.

Read more here.

Sunday Drive: Blessington Lake

The view from the field --

Another chapter from "Life on a farm"

If we have any more playdates this year, we will not be visiting the pigs.

We don't have a pig bucket under the sink anymore for non-compost food scraps.

We had ham for dinner.

 

Since we arrived, we've seen the life cycle of beef cows, from birth (and another birth) to freezer, literally.  I can't say that I'm hardened to the process or that it doesn't make me a little uncomfortable, because it does, but my attitude has changed.

I feel far more connected to my food and appreciative of the work that goes into raising a healthy animal, humanely.  I 'get' why organic/grass fed/biodynamic beef costs more and believe it's worth it.

I also appreciate that raising animals is someone's livelihood and farms contribute greatly to the landscape and culture of Ireland.

We sing this song together before every meal:

For sun and rain and grass and grain,
For all who toil on sea and soil,
That we may eat our daily bread,
We give our loving thanks to God.

May the meal be blessed.

At the end of every meal, we say together:

Thank you for the meal.

So, farewell little piggies and thank you for the meal.

Derby weekend, Kildare

We were invited to Imelda's house in Kildare town on Saturday night to enjoy the Irish Derby festival.

We had a lovely dinner with Imelda and her family at their house and then walked to town for a street fair, and drinks at the pub.

It's nice to walk a town instead of driving through.  I never noticed some of the fine old homes along the main street --

It's also nice to visit a local pub, with a local.  The door on the left leads to a street-front pub.  Ah, but the door on the right leads to the local pub where you feel right at home --

On the way home on Sunday morning we drove through the Curragh and right past the start of an early race --

St. John's Fire

St. John's Day at Grangebeg, a sister community.

We sat in a large circle around a bonfire, sang songs and ate fresh strawberries with ice-cream.

The community is made up of a wonderful group of mostly independent villagers.  There are 15 people in the whole community.  That's smaller than our house.

The houses are beautifully decorated with plenty of space for everyone.  The community has a nice, comfortable atmosphere and great views.

Driving home around 10 pm -- Midsummer sunset:

 

Sunday Drive: Irish National Stud & Gardens

We took our Sunday drive today (Monday) and we had some company -- the whole house plus Imelda, our housekeeper, and her daughter Sophie.

We visited the Irish National Stud, the Japanese Gardens, and St. Fiachra's Garden.  All on the same grounds.

We admired the beautiful thoroughbred horses in the National Stud --

We walked through the Japanese Gardens.  The Japanese Gardens is a wonderful place to take a walk because it's a 'walk of life' starting in the birth cave and exiting through the gates of eternity.

We walked through the tunnel of ignorance, crossed the marriage bridge, parted ways, celebrated old age and reflected on the mourning hill.

We chose different paths: some took the easy path and some took the adventure path.

Some of us needed a little extra help along the way...that's life.

When the path ahead is too scary, ask a friend for help --

You'll get there with a little help from your friends --

Relaxing in St. Fiachra's Garden --

We stopped at a pub for dinner and everybody had dessert.  Happy day.

Good night on the summer solstice.  10:25 pm and still light outside.

House Trip: Dingle, Ring of Kerry, Lakes of Killarney

We were in Dingle from Tuesday afternoon until Saturday evening.  All 16 of us.

We enjoyed beautiful scenery, good food, and great craic across counties Limerick, Tipperary, Kilkenny, Laois, Kerry, Cork, and back to Kildare.

Lots of laughs.  Lots of memories.

A few highlights:

Dingle Bay -- we took a boat trip to see the famous wild dolphin, Fungi, who swam alongside our boat:

Beach off Slea Head drive, Dingle Peninsula -- we relaxed in the sun:

Inch Beach -- we walked in the sand, found starfish, and flew a kite:

The Ring of Kerry, Gap of Dunloe:

 

 

Sunday Drive: Altamont Gardens

We took our 'Sunday drive' on Monday this week, because it's a holiday.  It rained but you can't let rain stop you from walking in Ireland.

Altamont Gardens is a great place to take a long walk...

...past the old main house with moss covered steps and a peacock on the front porch

down the rose petal strewn path

under the hedge

to the lily pond

through the forest

down the ice age glen

to the river

and back up 100 steps

to the meadow

over the bridge

and back to the garden.

A wonderful loop.

After our walk, we drove to Dermot's house near Kilkenny to pick him up after the long weekend.  His mother served us pavlova and tea.  I must learn how to make pavlova.  With fresh cream and strawberries -- it's heavenly.