Goodness gracious! I didn't count. but that may have been the longest stretch of no blogging so far. Excuses, go!
- My kids had a week long mid-term break from school. It sure is a lot more hectic having those two little angels home from school every day! (Redemption: They did chill in a coffee shop twice with me while I wrote. Good kids.)
- Umm... Yeah... Still no wifi at the house. (Redemption: I finally got the piece of mail I need to fill out and mail back in to get the piece of mail I need to go open my bank account and go and open my wifi account. Like Alice down the rabbit hole this wifi adventure has been!)
- While my kids were on break, we traveled across the country to the West Coast and tried to check out Clare Island, where the Pirate Queen of the 16th century, Grania O'Malley was from. Atlantic swells prevented us from catching the ferry to go on the island, but we did get to see it from afar. Why this prevented me from writing my blog, I don't know. I just wanted a number three on this.
While I went a while without posting, the kids and I did get to go on a few great adventures. We went to the Museum of Country Living in Castlebar (for my purposes) located next to a beautiful old house, restored and functioning as offices for the museum, called the Turlough House.
In this photo, the museum is off to the left of the house.
After making a record breaking fast trip through the museum we took the trail around the grounds and decided to go see the ocean. We drove out to Achill Island and saw beautiful coastline and crashing waves. The ocean was a deep teal color and the rush of the waves colliding with the rocks threw a magnificent spray, creating a dynamic visual display. The mountain goats didn't seem as impressed, but they did impress the kids, who did impressions of them. It was quite a spectacle.
The second day, we winded along the coastline south from Westport, where we had stayed, and explored more coastline on our way down to Kylemore Abbey. I guess it can be said that keeping your eye on the gas tank isn't as important as interpreting and doing something about what you see. I watched it descend, and I did stop at a station, but without an ATM around and only fifteen euros in my wallet, I decided to just wait and fill up after we found an ATM. So, in the next town, I found the ATM, but not the station. Eh, I figured I'd just do it at the next town. And away we went, the kids contentedly listening to C.S. Lewis on an audio book, and I expertly trusting we'd make it. It was then we were presented with driving down through the exquisite Dough Loo Pass with the gas light on the whole way. It took everything I had to not stop and take pictures at every turn out, knowing that we were going to be quite lucky if we made it to Leenane, the next town, and hoping Leenane had a gas station! The voice in my head went on about how silly I had been for not turning around in the town that had the ATM to find petrol, but I kept drowning it out with a mantra of, "We'll make it to a service station. We'll make it to a service station," willing the car to take us safely to a pump, its reward being a full belly upon arrival. I am happy to report my mantra worked! We coasted through Leenane twice on fumes until I realized the one petrol pump was on the curb in front of a pub. We pulled over and got petrol and a bottle of water and were on our way to Kylemore Abbey!
We stopped at Kylemore and had a wonderful time exploring the expansive Victorian Walled Garden and the parts of the Abbey open to visitors, The Abbey is still being used by Benedictine Nuns, who moved in after their Abbey in Ypres, Belgium they lived in since the 1600s was destroyed early in WWI. Down a bit along the lake, stands a Gothic-style cathedral we visited, also. The carvings inside were intricate and breathtaking. We each lit a candle at the prayer alter and then made our way back along the lake. Stopping at the cafe, we enjoyed some of the most delicious soup I've ever had, served with gluten free rolls! It was a magical day and a magical holiday! I can't wait to see the West Coast in the spring. With how beautiful it was now, I can only imagine what it will be like after everything blooms!
The highlight for the kids: the swimming pool at the hotel. Period.
So, as you can see, it has been a busy week and I am glad for the first time that the kids are back at school. (sorry guys, no offence) I can go back to my schedule of following wherever I feel the urge to go for my research each day and it feels great. Like coming to Halperin's this morning to sit at my computer and type this. I've been excited to do this for two days now!
Like I said in Excuse #1, I did get to write a bit over the week which was grand. I came across an exciting envelope in the story, but we left the coffee shop before I got through writing what was in the envelope and I forgot. So that'll come back to me, I'm sure. At least I can remember who the letter in it pertains to, so that's a start.
Last Monday, we went up to Powerscourt House and Gardens and ran into some classmates of the kids and their mom. We had a lovely day walking around the gardens with them and I even got a sketch done!
The gardens at Powerscourt were listed as one of the top ten gardens to visit in the world recently, and it could easily be seen why. The gardens began in the 1730s and have been cultivated and loving cared for throughout the lineage of the residents of the gorgeous Powerscourt House overseeing their maintenance and updating over the years. The gardens are a little too splendid to be the basis for Sophia's family's gardens, but they did show me a fantastic walled garden area that was promising.
The Friday before, however, I got to see a ruined house and triumphant garden only fifteen minutes from where we live. It is all and all very promising and I am excited to go back on Wednesday for another look. I am speaking of a place called Kilmacurragh, now a National Botanic Garden and home to one of the most important collections of mature exotic trees in the world.
Walking through the land, it felt familiar, as if I could almost see Sophia walking around there, with the forests creating themselves far behind the house and gardens for my purposes. And even the house spoke to me of her home. As I said, the once gorgeous house unfortunately fell to ruin when most all of the men who either owned it, or oversaw it died in WWI. The remaining family did not have the means to care for the house. It was ran as a Hotel for a bit, but was eventually taken over by the Land Commission after disputes of land ownership. Still, looking at old pictures of it and seeing the ruins myself, I feel like they are pieces of the puzzle I am collecting. Here is a link to an article about its present condition, including a picture of what it looked like in 1932.
Well, by now I'm sure the lovely ladies at this coffee shop are wondering if I'm moving in, so I better be off. It's been nice to get caught up. I think I even kinda missed you, blog. Hope all's well in your world, whoever is reading this. Much love!
cheers
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