I'm a night owl. I do best if I go to sleep between 2 and 3 in the morning and get up between 9 and 10. This is only possible for some of the year because I'm not able to stay asleep in summer, although I cannot get to sleep any earlier. I savour the restful nights I have at this time of year because I know they are fleeting. I hate giving up any of these mornings by getting up too early, but sometimes choices must be made.
We recently learned that Friday is Market Day in Falcarragh, a small village that is nearby. One of the vendors is the veg man, a mobile greengrocer. I was thrilled to know that he was there! Dungloe didn't have one and I missed this.When we got here, I asked around but was told that no one does this in the vicinity. no one mentioned Falcarragh and it was just by chance that we learned about it. We had to go there for something else and saw a sign, then asked for confirmation.
There are some buses that get to Falcarragh from here in 15 minutes, but one comes at 7:30 and the other at 8. One day we will take one of those buses to spend more time there, preferably when it's spring or summer and I wake up early anyway. These are large buses and probably would have a hard time on the coast road, which is narrow and very curvy. The bus we take is a small, van-sized bus--the same one that brings us to Dungloe. It comes through here at about 9:20 and takes the scenic route along the coast. It's the only bus that runs along that route and people get on in the middle of nowhere to go to Falcarragh or the village 5 minutes before that where there is a grocery store. When the bus leaves Falcarragh, it comes back through here and on to Dungloe. People all along the route use it to go in that direction, too. Today someone was going for a medical appointment. It takes longer to get to Falcarragh--about 40 minutes--but it's a gorgeous ride and an important service for those who live along the way.
Anyway, this morning we got up earlier than usual and got ready to visit veg man's stall. I was struck by the colourful sky, the play of light, and the shapes of the undulating coastline. It's not a time I am usually outside at this time of year, so it was a treat to see it! I decided it was kind of worth it to lose an hour of sleep. 😀
I took a bunch of pictures out the bus window as we rolled along to Falcarragh.
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| outside our apartment waiting for the bus 9:15 a.m. |
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| breakfast time for the sheep--we stopped here for a minute so the lady who lives across the street from them could board the bus |
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| i think that's Muckish in the distance, but not sure |
9 comments:
Lucky you to be able to stay up at night. I love your photos. Such pretty scenery.
I love that small town way of being. That he'd wait for you is precious <3
I'm so glad you found the veg man after all of that!
Did you get his email/schedule and see if he is available other places on other days?
While a pretty journey, it sounds a good way out of your way for him to maybe not be there.
Vicki--isn't it interesting how some things are just 'there' from the beginning? Our daughter was also a night owl from the time she was a newborn! She was just a few days old when she started going to sleep in the middle of the night and waking up late morning. My MIL had come to stay with us for a few days after she was born and insisted I had to wake her up to feed her. I asked, 'Won't she let me know when she's hungry?' She insisted she had to eat on a schedule. I was 19 and had zero baby experience, but this seemed weird. Still, to make her happy we did it her way, but when she went home, I let the baby decide. She's 40 now and still goes to sleep in the middle of the night and gets up late morning when she can--LOL
Erika--it's a lovely area. I do feel lucky to be at a time in my life where I'm mostly able to make my own schedule!
Joy--in our experience, if the actual veg man cannot show up for some reason, they have someone take over for them. They're really consistent as they make the rounds from place to place--market days are different in each town/village. Falcarragh's is quite extensive--vendors and awnings all up and down Main St, although admittedly, Main St is not very long--LOL It is not as convenient as having one in our town/village as we've had in the past. There used to be a guy who set up in the next village, which is just over a miloe from us and where our 'local' PO is, but he stopped coming. There really isn't anywhere between here and Falcarragh :-) We're in the boonies.
Just thinking out-loud here.. Being in the boonies would seem to be 'where' the veggies grow. I'd almost think it'd be easier to meet up with the veg-men lot as needed because they'd be nearer-by than in the city? Do they allow them to have a farm-side kiosk? They should set some up on a bus stop area and then people can bus-in to buy their perishables, in and out in 10 mins or something. (Maybe doing orders ahead online?) Look at me trying to make things convenient for you and fixing income opportunities for them without really leaving their properties lol.
Farming in this area is almost all livestock--dairy/beef cattle and sheep. Also, these veg men don't grow the food, they buy it in bulk and sell it, setting up stalls in various places. The benefits for us include a wider selection of produce than we can find in grocery stores and no packaging. Grocery store produce that does not involve layers of plastic packaging is limited to a few types. We had a greengrocer shop in Ballinrobe on Main St and he had loose produce, so we were happy to discover the mobile greengrocers in some of the places without greengrocer shops.
Dear Shari,
As a young woman I was on vacation in Finland, and there I discovered my innate rhythm, which is independent of light and darkness (it was the time of the midnight sun there). I got tired at two o'clock in the morning and slept until 10. But my job has forced me to get up at 5:30 or 6:00 am and go to sleep at midnight for most of my life. Therefore, as a pensioner, I am all the more "stingy" with my morning sleep. I can therefore well understand that you usually struggle to get your morning sleep. But sometimes (e.g. before vacation trips) I am also happy about beautiful sunrises ;-)) - Getting up early that day was really worth it - a beautiful coastal road, sheep, fresh vegetables and a nice bus driver. It sounds really great to ride this bus!
I wish you a wonderful Christmas holiday and a good start into 2022! 🎄🕯️✨
All the best, Traude
https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2021/12/advent-2021-bei-den-rostrosen.html
It's true--I do appreciate these days when I sleep at my ideal time, particularly since I know that this time goes by quickly and soon enough I will be waking up too early and won't be able to go back to sleep!
Almost all the bus drivers we've experienced here have been pretty cool--just a few grouchy ones. The rural routes are so different from the larger buses that go longer distances to places like Galway or Dublin. On these little buses, everyone knows everyone else and it's a social occasion, which is fun and interesting.
Happy Christmas, Traude!
Aww bummer I was hoping it was more integrated than that (for types of farming choice).
Huh now that brings the higher question, from where do they purchase it in bulk?
I don't know if your friend Traude will see this or not but Finland is amazing and I'm so glad she got to see/experience things at Midsummer! =) (I used to live/go to school there.)
Re Sleep: I always do better now if I'm up late and early (the less heat in the air the better) because then my systemic inflammation and allergies etc are less complicated. I can get more done, less pain etc.
Yes, that sounds like a good plan for you.
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