Bloom

Last Friday and Saturday, Jubal and I were warmly invited to our new friend's home in Kildare and to attend Bloom in Dublin. We had the most wonderful and fun time with our new friend, a basket weaver and meeting up with old friends at Bloom. It was such a highlight in our trip. I was invited to help demonstrate drop spindle spinning with the Irish Guild of Weaver's Spinners and Dyers and met some lovely ladies. We spent 4 hours weaving and spinning as people of all ages stopped by the tent for a chat or just to look on. I was very absorbed in what was going on which was great but I completely forgot to get pictures! Bloom was a very hectic crowded event with SO MUCH to see. It lasts for a few days. Lots of food demos where you get can practically eat a meal. And a lot of made up gardens. A lot of other stuff to see too which to me felt a bit commercial and packed together like sardines. But the demonstration areas where great. Open, airy, and interesting. Full of skilled craftspeople. 

The follow photos are all kind of jumbled with a combo of the beach here in Doolin and some of Bloom.

This boot is wedged in the rocks and taken over by the mollusk. Both interesting and very eerie.

Loved this faded peach strip on the horizon. From Doolin pier.

The mollusks really a bit overwhelming. I even discovered that if your very quiet and near, you can hear them making kind of a whisper sucking noise. Again, eerie and really fascinating. I captured a sound clip.

On this particular evening kids were investigating whether they should go for a swim by jumping off the pier. Today when we returned from one of the Aran island, there was a large group of them jumping. Here there was a scuba diver.

I ordered the starter portion of muscles... I lost tract around 30-40...

My favorite warmed goat cheese salad.

View driving down the hill towards Doolin.

Tullamore, Co. Offaly

This window over hang a river and was covered in ivy. 

Royal Canal, Co. Kildare

Garden at Bloom. Can you believe these lupine?!?

This tiny fish looked like a shiny pin from a distance. It wasn't dead but I think kind of stuck. I moved the water for him until he swam upright and under a rock. I think he was stuck!

I just love these colors together! 

A fairy garden at Bloom.

This is something I've been wanting to try. A vertical garden!

I loved the reflection of the clouds in the water. Royal Canal

Along the M6 (I think) there are various sculptural series, here is one that is part of a group of 5 I think. So interesting!

Jubal and I stopped for tea at The Bridge House Hotel. We really just wanted a bathroom break but then spotted that they serve "tea" and we thought, why not. Lets see how they do it. It was very nice (but Gregan's Hotel completely out does themselves!) while sitting there having a nice rest sipping our tea, a gaggle of young lassies saunter through. In their early to mid twenties. About 20 or so of them. Long hair, bleached, colored, streaked, you name it. Each wearing a hot pink t shirt stating something I couldn't understand- it was in English, but I didn't get it. All wearing sunglasses. All wearing black tights. And all wearing white lace panties over their tights. As the last one left, I asked our waited what that was all about and he said one word. And it was with a kind of tired sigh. "Hens." Ohhhhh.... In America we call that a bachelorette party. But my lord, the Irish (and the English I've heard) take it to a whole other level. The young waiter then kind of cheerfully stated, "I really pity the poor bus driver who has to take care of them for the next few hours." Yes indeed. That was all pretty exciting. 

We spent the rest of the week, well, resting. Ventured out to another knitting group in Ennis on Tuesday which was again enjoyable. And just yesterday we visited the middle of the Aran Islands, Inish Maan. With in stepping off the boat, I started planning how we could get back a second time. We loved it. More about that soon. And with pics! 

Eating Our Way Through Ireland

It's official. Jubal and I have been here for one month. And we have been married for one month and two days. As we've settled into our new alternate Irish reality (quite nicely, I'd say), I'd also say that soon we may not fit into our clothes. We have enjoyed with such great pleasure the Irish butter (HUGE) slabs of it over brown bread, our boiled potatoes, in the sauce pan for the green beans or the peppers and onions). We've been indulging in the cream so so happily and with giddy pleasure when served with the Bailey's cheese cake (every where we go). The warm goat cheese salads are just heaven with a side of lovely leafy greens. The Lamb chops and pork chops are succulent, simple and grounding. It reminds me why I am not (very happily) a vegetarian. Then there is the Guinness. Now I have never ever been a beer drinker or fan. I like sweet drinks (and food) and never bothered with anything bitter like beer. But Guinness.... Now, would you believe that this is my fourth trip to the Emerald Isle and the FIRST time I've ever tasted a Guinness? I know! SACRILEGIOUS!!! It is. So Amazing. Jubal's taken to getting a 1/2 pint where ever we stop. I think so he can pace himself because he'll be getting more later on anyway. Very smart. It is creamy and so smooth and just has such a wonderful taste. If it weren't for the hollowing wind outside our door at the moment, I'd be having myself one right now. But there is always tomorrow. 

This past weekend, Jubal and I took a nice trip up to Co. Mayo to Ballina. We really wanted to visit The Jackie Clarke Collection on Pearse Street which proved to be something else. We were not prepared for the type of collection or rather the manner in which it would be organized. It was state of the art and very well organized. There were hundreds of old news papers collected by Mr. Clarke pertaining to history being made in Ireland, dating back to the 1700's. Very rare books regarding Irish travel, Irish identity, Irish history, and many other things. There were touch screens in ever room that you could virtually visit the inside of these rare books and newspapers. There was a poster collection of meetings being held regarding Sinn Féin, the Land War, The Young Irelanders, and a massive book collection from Ireland's first president, Dr. Douglas Hyde which included the first Bible in the Gaelic language. My absolute favorite piece; a hand written voting tally of the Irish Free State with Michael Collins signature and a note he wrote describing his feelings of the absolute recourse that the result would bring the people of Ireland. If you are ever to find your self in Ballina, you have got to take yourself to the Jackie Clarke Collection. 

We had a wonderful two night stay at the Brigown B&B on the Quay in Ballina. Marjorie was a wonderful host and A.M.A.Z.I.N.G cook. She greeted us at the door with homemade frosted brownies (much like the ones my mother makes) that she made that day. (We each had two) and tea. Our room was lovely and cozy and we slept so well there. Our breakfast consisted of 3 courses all fresh indigents including Marjorie's homemade jams, breads and potato cakes.  The first morning we had yogurt and fruit, tea, muesli, and I had poached eggs on toast. Jubal had, Marjorie's famous potato pancakes with bacon. The second morning I skipped the cereal and had what Jubal had the morning before and he had the "omelet". Marjorie will create a wonderful omelet from what ever she's got in the press. The morning after we had returned to our cottage we were missing very much Marjorie's breakfast:( As we were leaving, she gave me a pile of her recipes and we will be making every single one. I am just kicking myself for not taking a picture of the magnificent spread she puts on in the morning. It's impeccable!  

So both mornings we were full to the brim with food that could last us all day. As we were also visiting my long time and dear friend, Cáit and her husband, also newly married, We did go out to eat for every meal!! It was heaven. We ate at The Everest Restaurant where they serve Indian. I ordered a salmon tikka masala. It was just the best thing I've ever ordered in an Indian Restaurant. The flavor was unbelievable. And just realizing right now that it is very near the River Moy which is famous for its salmon. The night before we after our dinner at Crockets and then stopped by the ultra fancy (posh) Ice House Hotel for a very late cocktail. I could not pass up the Toblerone Cocktail and it was yummy! i really must take more pictures of food! 

I loved sending my Dad this picture of the butcher shop in Ballina. Though, they all look like this more or less, to us Americans, particularly those who love meat like we do, it's just beautiful. But no one, I mean NO ONE loves meat more, I think, than my Dad. We could talk endlessly about his smoker, outside pizza oven, various cuts and rubs and sauces and temperatures and recipes. He really has instilled in me just how good meat can be. Really miss his bar-b-q ribs btw.... miss you Dad.

This here is my favorite dish so far. You can find it at The Stonecutter's Kitchen in Doolin and its warm goat cheese salad. Heeeeeeeeeeaaaaven. They also serve something similar at O'Connor's Pub in Doolin, but on a tart. Again, Heeeeeeeeeaaaaven. I've attempted once to replicate it and found it lacking a certain flavor. Must revisit one of the two places to take better notes.

After our visit in Ballina ended Sunday morning, we headed slightly south east to Roscommon to visit the The Roscommon Lamb Festival. In the center of town there was a tent set up with crafting vendors inside. Various quilting, felting, woodworking and even a cobbler! Loved a pair of red leather shoes that now I'm kicking myself I did not purchase. I did however pick up a few rolls of quilters fabric at the Seams Sew Simple table with Lynn. Really looking forward to using these fabrics when I get back home. I imagine knitting needle cases though I have a sneaking suspension that I'll be getting into quilting squares. Side note here- I have always dreamed of making lovely, wonderful, bright colorful quilts and have indeed made some bright colorful lopsided ones for my family. But I have not YET mastered the quilting part of it. I can sew fabric together no problem. I'm just not very good at lining it up. Fun things to work on in the future.

I met up with Michelle of Michelle Made This who I chatted with on the phone prior to the event in order to get a good sense of the happenings of the weekend, she was so lovely to talk to and so helpful! Michelle makes fabric gifts like onies, cushions, embroidered greetings, cards, and much more. All in fresh fun colors. There where so many things I wanted and I was sew (i couldn't help myself) inspired! Through her, I met Frances Crowe, a tapestry weaver also in the area. Frances and I also had a lovely chat and she kindly gave me some of a fleece of hers that she got from a farmer I had just talked with. The fleece is Texel and I've since washed a small batch and its lovely! Really looking forward to dyeing this up and spinning it.

As I stood petting and rubbing this sheep's jowls, which I think it would have let me do forever, sweet girl, the farmer stood by watching me on and off and making conversation to others as they inquired about this unusual breed. I too was curious on their breed and just thought, oh it's some Irish breed I'm not familiar with. I mean there are a few hundred breeds out there. I lose track. I finally piped up and asked. I was answered with something I could not understand and then it was followed with, "are you interested in the fleeces and how much would you pay for a fleece?" I was taken a back slightly and tried to process both what was being said to me and what I needed to answer back. I guess I took too long and with the kind of blank look on my face, the farmers son appeared speaking more to the point (could you get more to the point than that I wondered?). Both men were very pleasant though and come to find out, the breed they were proudly showing off that day were, wait for it... I just love this; Zwartble. A primitive breed from Holland. They are raising them for breeding. They did have lovely pretty soft fleeces. We talked price of wool, exchanged mobile numbers and they promised to give me a ring when shearing time came but they. Had to wait for the weather to warm up a bit. Pretty pretty excited to take some of this fleece home and share it with my fiber ladies. 

Next to the Zwarbtles, there actually were two wallabies.... They look like baby kangaroos. SOOOO cute!!! But they looked so nervous and upset. Not that I've ever seen a wallabies before. But I couldn't help but wonder; WHAT THE BLAZES WHERE THEY DOING THERE?!??! Someone please tell me that you can spin the belly hair of wallabies. Please. Please tell me they are a fiber animal. Otherwise, I don't know what.

Thanks for enduring yet another long and rambling post of my favorite things. Sheep, cream and other goodies. 

Week Two

We are really settling into our new routines of sleeping in late, cooking a big breakfast, setting off for the day somewhere local, coming home and cooking dinner & building a fire. We've been delighted to find the local music happening every night in at least 3 pubs. But as we get home each afternoon, & cook together, have a fire going, we don't feel like leaving. We pour more wine, discuss our trips we'll take around the country, friends we'll visit and enjoy the local paper or a book we brought along.

As of this past Saturday, it was officially one week that jubal and I tied the knot. Still looking at each other and saying, "I can't believe my luck that I found you" to each other. Although for months we have been planning this trip here in Ireland, it really hit me this past week what actually being here means to us. It's not just a time of taking time off work and traveling in an ideally cool place. But really getting away from everything familiar and routine and focusing on being together. We realized today just how much time we've spent together this last week. Doing everything together, nearly. We're very good at it but it takes work sometimes which is a good thing. Every few days we get our internet fixes by going to McGann's Pub here in Doolin where they have free wifi. It's very dark inside but they always have a roaring fire going and the people behind the bar are so friendly. Our first visit there I left my favorite green water bottle there by mistake. The next day I went back for it and the women remembered it was mine and she had washed it for me the night before.

Something I'm really enjoying and becoming better at is talking to people and asking questions like do they live in the area, have they always lived there, where can you rent a video, and other random things. I'm finding that you ask one question of someone and all of a sudden, you know so much more about them. Reminds me of a certain lady I know back home by the name of Mom <3. The thing about being in such a beautiful, historic setting is I want everyone I know and love to be here too. I've been picturing planning large family trips back here with both our families. Last time I was here in 2007, it was on a 10 day solo trip that I planned a bit last minute. I drove the entire bottom half of the country and barely talked to anyone. It was ok though. That trip was just all about clearing my head and being in a place I missed and loved. But I felt such an ache to have my family with me then as I was here alone. Traveling alone though can be invigorating and challenging. I got my fill of it and am so happy to be here with such an amazing partner who is just as happy to be here as I am. And he's got more Irish in him than me! So far I only have a wee smidge but it's such an important smidge! Oh, and that smidge would come from my mother's, mother's father's side. Otherwise known as Scanlon from County Clare. I'd really like to find out more of this name. I've been reading that I may not be able to find much more out about the family as some of the best dates to look for are around 1900 and I'm looking for 1790.... I'm going to give it my all though. I'm also pretty determined to find out more about my Bingham name. Which now I can call my maiden name. I've always been extremely proud of our Bingham name. However, back in 1999 while I was going to art school here just down the road a piece at the Burrern College of Art, another post for another time, I discovered a book called the Mayo Bingham's. I researched the meaning of this book a little bit and even purchased it (I'm so ashamed to say I've owned it for 14 years now and still have not gotten around to reading it!) But! It's main focus is about a man named Sir Richard Bingham from England whom the Queen hired to send over to Ireland to wipe out villages.... There is a village on the Belmullet Peninsula in Co. Mayo called Binghamstown. And in December of 1999, I took a bus up from Ballyvaughan to this little 2 mile of a town just to see what it was all about. The lady whose B&B I was staying at suggested I knock on the door of the oldest Bingham in town. Telling me that if no one answered, to walk in and yell.... She dropped me at the door, and I could not bring myself to do it. Instead I walked the length of the town and combed the beach for shells thinking to myself, what the hell am I doing here and there is no way I can tell anyone my name. I was also 21 at the time and kind of timid. These days I like to think I have a little more confidence. Jubal and I are planning a trip up to Mayo soon and I'm going to be more diligent about inquiring after this name and see what happens.

I'm not sure what this next week will hold for us but a side trip either north or south is in the works. This afternoon I got in touch with my dear Irish friend who is also newly married and living in Dublin. We will be meeting up with her and her husband and I cannot wait to see her! It's been 6 or 7 years since I saw her last. Also other meet ups with friends are in the works that I haven't seen for 14 years. Really looking forward to that as well.

It's going on 11pm and I'm not nearly tired enough. The sun has been setting here around 8:45pm. We sleep till 9-11 and drink about 3 cups of tea a day. It's wonderful. But it must be all the fresh air, sights, and talking to strangers that gets me to sleep at night because this mattress is very much the opposite of our mattress at home. Something that puts an extra cozy layer on for us at night (in addition to the two duvet covers & each other) is watching the reflection of the fire on the walls as I fall asleep.

Week One.

We're here! I can't believe it!! Jubal and I left the day after our wedding ceremony in Portland. We said goodbye to our families and friends for three months to come here to Ireland to... Relax, explore and drink cream and Guinness. At some point during the weekend, I was asked by my oldest nephew, and ring bearer, Addison, "so.. Why three moths? I mean... Why not like two weeks or something, but three months?! Geeeez." My answer, "Why not!"

After landing at the Shannon airport on Monday morning at a startling 5:35am(!), we retrieved our car and attempted to make our way through Ennis and then to Doolin. I was completely COMPLETELY wrecked, tired, useless, could not keep my eyes open. I have no idea how Jubal managed drive and find our place. Oh and we stopped at a few food stores to collect staples and peat to burn.

After driving past the road three times, we managed to find our place and settled in. I think we've nearly caught up on our sleeps that we were falling behind on the last week.

We've know been here three full days and have managed to visit Galway, the Burren, cook a few meals, hear music, go for drives and visit my old stomping grounds. Many more to share with Jubal. More and more I can feel that Doolin was absolutely the best place to park ourselves.

Our cottage is located on an out of the way hill in the middle of nowhere in Doolin. Expansive peat bog in front of us with a walking trail and donkeys, horses and cows and sheep near by.

We've really been enjoying going over last weekends events, making our plans for the next three months here in Ireland and not working:)

Here's some of favorite pics so far...