I’ll be back…

Dearest blog readers, I haven’t forgotten about you. I’ve just got totally caught up in some real life stuff here. You know the kind of thing, being a mother, working fulltime, studying and writing...

Music To My Ears

Live Another Day

Donal Walsh from his twitter account @Donal_Walsh_ If you were 16 years old and knew you only had months to live, what would you do with your time? Would you rush out and live it up as much as...

Happy wabbit season!

We seem to be having a ”wabbit” kind of Easter Sunday. Just a touch of Bugs Bunny craziness, what with the kids trying to eat a rabbit, followed by the Easter Bunny being late to visit our house...

Living in a Lighthouse

Have you ever stayed in a Lighthouse? Or to be more precise a Lightkeeper’s Cottage? No? Neither have I. But just look at this wonderful little cottage at Loop Head Lighthouse that is available as...

St Patrick’s Day in Ireland

The St Patrick’s Day parade in Ennis opened with a horse-drawn carriage carrying a visiting delegation from Ennis’ twin town of Phoenix, Arizona. I don’t know how those visitors coped with the...

Happy St Patricks Day To You

Statue of Daniel O’Connell in Ennis lit in green for St Patrick’s Day. Greetings from this Emerald Isle on St Patrick’s Day I have been asked what St Patrick’s Day is like in Ireland so I thought I...

I wish. I will.

View over peat bogs from midway up Croagh Patrick, Co Mayo, Ireland. I came across this quote on Twitter sometime over Christmas or in early January. It really struck a chord with me because it is...

It takes a village to make a phonecall

So there we were, driving home on a Sunday evening when we came across one of those “Only In Ireland” photo opportunities. Travelling slowly ahead of us was an old P&T phonebox sitting safe and...

Don’t stay out too late!

As my girls grow up and hit the pre-teen years I am constantly reminded of what it was like to be that age. To know everything and know nothing at the same time. And oh Lord, weren’t parents such a...

Some Idle Tuesday

A man sits by the bay, hoping the heat of the sun will warm his soul. Passers-by glance at him sitting there, staring out to sea. “Shouldn’t he be at work?” “Why is he sitting here? Has he not got...

Gathering my thoughts on The Gathering

What do I think of The Gathering 2013? I think it is a fantastic idea. Sorry Gabriel Byrne, I know, living as you do in New York, you don’t agree with me and you think we are shaking people down...

Too many diaries spoil the broth. Or something like that.

What is wrong with this picture of my “keeping everything organised” diary? You know, the one where I write all our family appointments, after-school activities, important dates, doodles, scribbles...

Spring has sprung!

Our weather men and women forecast snow for the weekend. Excitement reached fever pitch in this house as the girls had coats, scarves, gloves and wellies at the ready. We fell asleep on Friday...

Project Optimism: A Crow’s Step

My granddad had a saying about this time of year “The day gets longer by a crow’s step every day.” Image courtesy of clker.com Here on the the wet, misty wintry west coast of Ireland, it is dark...

Princess Lots Of Names

Do you ever wonder what events inspired the Princess fairytales we all know so well? Is there any truth in the Prince marrying his true love? Well, I have found real life Princess story, and one...

A new year begins, with Nollaig na mBan

What did I do for Nollaig na mBan? I’ve been sorting, storing, baking, washing. cleaning, writing, eating and drinking. First thing this morning I put away the Christmas decorations – all now...

My wish for you for 2013

I heard a song called “Feet of A Dancer” on the radio today. I hadn’t heard it in ages and though it is about a parent’s wishes for their child leaving home, I think it is appropriate for this time...

A Beautiful Christmas Carol

I heard people raving about this version of “When A Child Is Born” so I had to go and look it up myself. Guess what? I ended up buying the whole bleeping album!! I love this. I’m a big fan of Danny...

When Your Job Is Done

Reblogged from Emerald Pie: In this past month, I received news of the death of two people I knew well. One was my Aunt’s husband, the other was the mother of one of my best friends. Though both...

Christmas Ice On Fire

What would you think if an 8 year old asked you the following questions while she was busy making your Christmas present on her own in the kitchen: “If you cover ice in mud will it stay frozen?”...

Facing the future. In wellington boots.

Do you remember your first steps into the new world of Secondary School? I do, because I wore wellies and not by choice! I recently attended an Open Night at one of the local secondary schools here...

A Little Festive Bird Flew By

A Sleepy Festive Birdie This little bird arrived in our home this time last year. He was supposed to be a gift for someone else but when the time came I couldn’t let him leave. So he is still here,...

Cool, calm and peaceful.

Path in Cregganowen Woods, Co Clare Now this is the path to walk along if you need some calm and peace for a few moments. It is cool dappled shade. The path could lead you anywhere. But wherever it...

A Giveaway – Rory’s Story Cubes

Would you like to enter the first giveaway on my blog? I have a set of the fun little Rory’s Story Cubes to give away. Rory’s Story Cubes are an Irish invention. They are a fun way to let your...

What’s your rush? Take it easy.

This is the sight that greeted me last week when I walked into my parent’s back kitchen. Their cat, or as my mother says “Your father’s cat”, taking 40 winks. In a bucket. Apparently, it’s become a...

The Alien Has Landed

Ladies & Gentlemen, I would like to present the purple sparkly three-eyed alien who graced our Halloween Party with her presence. The spaceship dropped her off earlier in the day. So what do you...

Halloween Here We Come

Have you ever seen a three-eyed purple sparkly alien? No? Well, here’s your chance. The school Halloween Party happens this week, just before they break up for mid-term. The Halloween Party is the...

Toasting Toes in Autumn

There’s nothing better at this time of year than sitting in front of the fire on an evening, feeling nice and cosy, knowing the weather outside is misty, cold and wet. Want to join me? Pull up a...

Have you read Mona’s Wise Words?

The Blog Awards Ireland 2012 were held yesterday. Now this is a big deal, a proper big awards ceremony with dinner, drinks and dancing afterwards. I was glued to twitter all evening to get the...