A Few Photos on Friday

this tree caught my attention on our walk this morning

out of the shadows

doing the school run in whatever vehicle is available

Enjoy your weekend!

Share

Finn Says No Walls!

Hiya! I'm Finn.

This is me today a couple of miles into my walk. I'm still kinda new here--only been hanging around these parts for a few months--but I like it! Shari and Bill are my neighbours and this morning they heard me barking as they were leaving to go on their walk, so they called over to ask my mom if I wanted to go with them, and Mom said I could! She got my fabulous short lead, handmade out of Donegal Tweed so I'd be looking good for any adoring fans I might meet along the way.

There was a lot going on and I raced along, so I could get to the next bollard and sniff, but sometimes I had to stop and leave a message of my own. The thing is, I'm a wee guy and my bladder is small, so I ran out pretty quickly. But you know what they say, 'Fake it till you make it!' so I did! I kept lifting my leg and lifted as far as I could go, even though I had nothing left to give, but a couple times I almost toppled over, so I had to be more careful.

I was bouncing along when I suddenly saw this terrible thing!

I did not like it AT ALL! I backed up, crouched down, and started barking at it. Shari told me there was nothing to worry about and we could keep going, but I was wary and looked at it for a while.

I'm a tough guy, though, so once I had barked enough to get my message across, I trotted right by--guess I taught this thing a lesson! Shari told me that there was a big dog in the window across the street, but I was busying giving this face thing a piece of my mind and didn't see him.

On we walked and there was a lot to see and sniff--so much going on. Eventually, we came to Killybegs Seafood Shack. Over the weekend, they won the gold medal in the All-Ireland Chowder Championship, so I was hoping maybe there'd be some samples, but they were closed. Bummer!

When we got back to the bottom of our lane, I still had a spring in my step, so Shari and Bill decided we'd keep on going to the grocery store. When we got there, Bill went in and I waited outside with Shari. There is a low stone wall by the footpath, which I tried to tear down with my front paws. I got a rock out of it, so I did my part. Then I decided it would be a lot of work, so I jumped on top to supervise Bill as he put the courgette and raisins in his backpack. I waited for him to give me the treat I was sure he must've picked up for me in there, but inexplicably, none was forthcoming. I can see I have some training to do with this guy!

It was a good 3 1/2 mile walk, in spite of my untrained companions. I am sure they will improve as time goes on. Hopefully they will be fast learners and their training will not require too much work on my part. They told Mom that I could come with them on walks again in future, so they'll have a chance to do better next time!

I'm having a little rest now. I hope you're having a nice day, too--and that no one forgets your treats!

Share

Finally Deconstructed

I found this necklace in a charity shop a few weeks ago and bought it for parts.

When I sat down to take it apart, I found I couldn't do it--the rings were tough to open. I set it aside and waited until I had some needle-nosed pliers. Yesterday was the day for that, so today, after we got home from our walk and had lunch, I took it apart.

So many fun ways to use these bits--even the one I broke as I was taking everything apart.

We did a quick 2 1/2 mile loop today. We'd gotten a late start and wanted to come home and have lunch.

In a few minutes, I have to get the pizza crust going in the bread maker. I have time to finish my cuppa first, though.

I hope you're enjoying a pleasant day.

Share

Wee Seed Pots

For the past few springs, Lidl has had a gardening promotion where they give away these wee seed pots. I think they're mostly aimed at kids, but in spite of no longer being a spring chicken, I think they're fun, too.

The directions for planting are inside the cardboard, which is wrapped around a tiny pot that has a seed disk and small marker inside. You don't know what kind of seeds are in there until you open it up, so it's a surprise. A friend gave us a couple and we've picked up a couple more each time we go--they have a box of them on the bagging counter for people to help themselves. Turns out all the ones we have are different. One is aubergine (eggplant) and I am not sure how well that will grow here, but I'll give it a shot. The others should do well--salad mix, chervil, spring onion, coriander (cilantro), and beetroot.

I guess I'll start these soon and see how things go. It will be a while before I can plant anything outside, since the forecast for the longer term indicates that we will go back and forth between mild days and nights and cooler days, nights near or at freezing, frosts and possible wintry precipitation through at least the middle of the month. Eventually, I'll get some stuff growing out there and maybe the hares will leave some for the people in our little neighbourhood!

Share

All Four Seasons in One Day

There are jokes and souvenirs here about Ireland being a place where you can experience all four seasons in one day. We've lived in several places where people told us that if we didn't like the weather, we should wait five minutes and it would change. This was never actually the case--until we got to Ireland. It is certainly true here. Sometimes the change comes in a few minutes and sometimes one doesn't even have to wait at all. I can remember days in Moville when I could walk out the front door into the rain and out the back door into the sunshine. The only reason that's not possible here is the lack of a back door! Since the time change the other day, it's still light at 8:30--even if the westher is unpredictable, we can know what to expect as far as sunrises and sunsets go!

Yesterday was a day in which various seasons were on offer. There was bright sunshine and warm temperatures one minute before it cooled off as the rain bucketed down and then moving to a sharp wind and hail shower situation. We experienced several seasonal changes back and forth throughout the day.

Today is much the same. There's a bit of a roar from the wind and it's chilly enough to wear a jacket. The sunshine has sparkled off the water and then given way to showers of rain and hail. We walked into town to do a few errands and Bill was happy to have sunshine with us the entire time. It began lashing down just after we got home.

We stopped at the charity shop where I was happy to see that some new books had been added to the shelves. I found a couple of good ones that I was unaware of, so would not have known to look them up in the library and Bill found a nice photography book. I also found a wooden embroidery hoop, so I brought that home along with the books.

I will probably read the library books I have checked out before reading the two I got today, but I expect I'll get to them fairly soon.

Here's the rest of my March book list--a few older ones in this section, along with a couple of new ones.
The Descent of Man and Other Stories by Edith Wharton
I needed something to read on the bus one day, so took my e-reader and chose this book of short stories. It was a good choice.

The Red House Mystery by Margaret Hungerford
I discovered this author in the book about modern Irish women writers that Bill got me a few months back. several of her books were available on Project Gutenberg, so I downloaded them. This one was published in 1893 but the main storyline seemed to be so current in a sad kind of way. The red house of the title is home to Dr Darkham, his wife, and their grown son, who is deaf, unable to speak, and has some other ailments. This is not a happy family. The son and his mother have a strong bond, but neither of them care for Dr Darkham and he cannot stand to be around them, either. He married his wife for her money and often wishes he had thought twice before doing so. He has no affection for his son. He has, however, become obsessed with the orphaned niece of a patient. She, in turn, finds Dr Darkham repulsive, sinister, and wants him to leave her alone. She is interested in someone else. Mrs Darkham takes a fall, is unconscious, and is soon helped out of this world, leaving Dr Darkham free, as he sees it, to more freely continue the stalking of the young woman who is uninterested in him. Twists and turns occur. In addition to the stalking issue, the book also addressed gender ideologies and class issues of the time--one might have hoped for more progress since the 1893 publication of the book, but as we know, such things are still affecting people, albeit in more modern ways. In spite of the tidy ending, which was not really a surprise, I thought this was a good book and I look forward to reading some of her other work.

The Hermit and the Wild Woman and Other Stories by Edith Wharton
Another bus ride and another Edith Wharton short story collection begun. I find it handy to have my e-reader with me when we hop on the bus and short stories are the perfect thing. I finished the book here and there when I had a bit of time.

Stargazing at Noon by Amanda Torroni
I came across this poetry collection while scrolling through the e-book section of the library. One poem begins with ‘you are not lost/ but in transit’ which I quite liked.

Useless Magic by Florence Welch
This is a book of poetry, song lyrics, doodles, drawings, artwork, notes, and musings by the frontwoman for the band Florence and the Machine. I am vaguely familiar with one or two of their songs and her voice is distinctive, so if I heard others, I might be able to identify the band, but I am not a huge fan or anything. I came across this book in the e-book section of the library website and because I am very interested in the creative process, checked it out. I’m glad I did. It was an interesting glimpse into someone’s creative life. It was a bit dark at times, but still worth the read.

I hope it's a pleasant day in your part of the world.

Share

There's That Sorted

Today was our 'big shop' day, in which we topped up supplies of a few heavy staple foods (canned beans, canned and frozen fruit, strong wholemeal flour, frozen veg, etc). One never knows whether or not items will be in stock, but we found most of what we wanted today. And we can always pick up the frozen blueberries some other time. I was organized, with a list for Lidl and one for Aldi. I make my lists in the order in which things are shelved in the store, so we don't have to spend time wandering back and forth--we like to get in and out. Some things were on both lists, so I could make sure to get them in one place, in case they weren't in another--prices are mostly the same in each place. In both stores, just as we were coming up to the till with the full trolley, there was an announcement that they were opening till #3, so we moved over to that. Funny that it was the same number in both stores.

We rode with a friend who was going to pick up some stuff too, and it was nice to have time to chat and to not carry a heavy load home. It's a weird weather day--one minute sunny and warm and the next hail, rain and a few degrees cooler.

Stopped at the library, returned a few books and picked up one I had in. Before I start that one, I have a few that I picked up last week to read. I will be starting one in a while, now that I'm home and the groceries have been put away. I picked up a quiche at Aldi and we'll have that for supper, with veggie sausage and fruit, so it'll be quick.

 I know there are several people in the queue for one of the books I returned today, so I'm glad it can be passed along to the next person.
The Border: The Legacy of a Century of Anglo-Irish Politics by Diarmaid Ferriter
This is a timely book by a well-respected Irish historian whose work I find quite useful and informative, so when I first read about it, I immediately went to the library and put myself in the queue. It arrived quite a bit earlier than I expected it to--one morning, I was at #45 and by that afternoon, after we’d picked up other books at the library, it was in. They had a lot of  copies, so things moved quickly. I’m glad it came when it did, given the current drama surrounding Brexit. Since the border between Northern Ireland and the republic is one of the major issues, it was good to be able to read this now and see how things have evolved in the (almost) century of its existence. In terms of the EU-third country border that it will become if and when Brexit happens, there is more border on this island than at the eastern flank of the EU. I’ve had people tell me, and Ferriter bears this out, as do circumstances as they unfold, that there is a lack of interest and knowledge about Northern Ireland on the part of people on the ‘mainland’ UK in general and those running the country. I have a better understanding of the border now and how it has evolved.

Mirror, Shoulder, Signal by Dorthe Nors translated by Misha Hoekstra
I’d seen this author interviewed on a you tube channel called The Louisiana Channel, which is all about artists of various kinds, including writers. I think it is from The Netherlands, but not sure. I read this interview, because the author is Danish. She was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize with this book, which is a bit strange, but quite good. In it, Sonja is in her 40s, a translator of violent Swedish crime novels into Danish, living in Copenhagen, learning to drive, and trying to repair her relationship with her estranged sister, who still lives in the rural area in which they grew up. Sonja finds urban life to be quite unsatisfactory and she is very lonely. The reader watches her as she searches for herself, sometimes in her own head and sometimes in her interactions with the people around her--her two driving instructors, her massage therapist, and unsent letters to her sister.

Karate Chop by Dorthe Nors translated by Martin Aitkin
This was the first of the author’s books to be translated into English. I’m a big short story fan, so when I heard the interview with her and looked her up, I was happy to find this in the library system. I must admit, though, that I liked the novel better in some ways. These stories are powerful, direct, well-written, and spare, but also unsettling and even disturbing, in some cases--or at least I found them so. When I was done, I clicked around to see what was written about this book and I found an interview she’d done back in 2014 with The Paris Review. In it, she talked about the title of the book, among many other things. In Danish, her native language, the title is, Kantslag, which has four meanings. One is a karate chop. Another is a rimshot against a drum. A third is a chip that breaks off a piece of porcelain. The last one is ‘the battle you experience on the brink of something new.’ She says it is this last meaning that she was thinking about when she gave the book this title. I can see how the other meanings would also apply.
 
 Libraries are wonderful places!

tiles in the sidewalk outside the Central Library in Letterkenny--this one says Donegal Library 1922-1997

I hope you're enjoying this day.

Share

Gotta Change the Calendar Page, Too!

We changed the clocks forward yesterday, so I am a bit off--as I usually am. The autumn time change never bothers me, but the spring one does every time. This unfortunate event also meant that, in the middle of the night, I lost an hour of reading time. Bummer. But I had planned leftovers for supper yesterday, so used the time I would have used in meal prep to make up for it. And today we enter a new month and I have yet to turn the calendar page. We have a yellow warning for periods of wintry weather and possible icy patches from just after midnight to midday on Wednesday. Could be a bit of extra reading time ahead!

Last month was filled with some great books--here are the first few:
The Devil at Saxon Wall by Gladys Mitchell
This is a Mrs Bradley mystery. I am late to these books, but I have to say that I find them fascinating. They are all so different and the more of them that I read, the more I see how ahead of her time Mitchell was in some ways. In others, we get a glimpse into what psychology was like in its early stages and how it evolved, as Mrs Bradley’s views change as the series progresses. In some books, like this one, there is also an anthropological quality, as we learn about the places in which the books are set--the folklore, the traditions, the dialects, the food, daily life, etc. I request a few at a time from the library, read them, then tae a break before requesting the next batch--there are over 60 in the series. In this book, successful author Hannibal Jones has a novel due and has writer’s block. Mrs Bradley advises him to go off to a quiet rural village to have a change of scene. He chooses Saxon Wall and is at first intrigued by the locals, their quirky ways, and hints of the secrets they keep. Things become more sinister, though, and he calls on Mrs Bradley for assistance. It was a complicated plot, but quite an interesting one.

Threads of Life: A History of the World Through the Eye of a Needle by Clare Hunter
I LOVED this book. The author takes readers through the history of needlwork and how it has been used by women through the centuries to make connections, to empower, to protest, and to encourage change.

back cover

dust jacket

contents

The House of Stairs by Barbara Vine (Ruth Rendell)
The book begins with Elizabeth, a novelist, looking out the window of a cab, spotting a woman she used to know. She rushes out of the cab and tries to follow this woman, only to lose track of her. From there, we learn the story of who this woman is, what relationship she had with Elizabeth, what happened to bring them to this point, and what will happen now. The story goes back and forth between the past and the 1980s when the book is set. The house of the title refers to Elizabeth’s aunt’s house, in which much of the action takes place. Elizabeth has always been close to her aunt, especially after her mother died of an illness that is genetic and may or may not have been passed on to her.

St Catherine’s Church and Graveyard and the Medieval Town of Killybegs published by Killybegs Community Response Scheme
We picked up this book at the tourist information centre. It is quite informative! It provides a general historical overview of Killybegs and the church and graveyard, talks about the archaeological work that has been carried out, and provides information on the flora and fauna of the area.

And now, I am off to turn the calendar page. Hope the new month has started off nicely in your part of the world!

Share