Purple Loosestrife

 The river in bloom

ROCK POOLS

 Liscannor, a coastal village on the west coast of Ireland, famous for its stone 

The rocks are a natural wonder, full of marine life

And wonderful beauty and colour in small and large rock pools

 From deep purples, pale pinks, emerald and olive greens, yellows, browns  

reds, black, white

All thats missing, is a mermaid. 

May Day (Lá Bealtaine)

Bealtine the celtic beginning of summer.

Summer snowflake down by the riverside

Across the road, over the neighbours garden wall




Apple blossoms in the back garden

One of the several shrubs in the front garden



Daisies glistening in the sun

and Primroses at the edge of a walking path.
To-day the hymn "Flowers of the Rarest" is usually played on our local and national radio stations. 
Here is a verse of the hymn:
Bring flowers of the rarest, bring blossoms the fairest,
From garden and woodlands and hillside and dale
Our full hearts are swelling, our glad voices telling
The praise of the loveliest flower of the vale. 

 

An Spideog (The Robin)

This little Spideog is singing its heart out in my garden morning, noon and night and getting more friendly with each day,  it is difficult to say if it is a male or female, as both look identical. Spideog is Irish for Robin.

Linked to : http://http//ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.ie/

LAVENDER BLUE

On Saturday morning at the market, I spotted some nice bouquets of dried lavender for sale.  
The bouquets brough to mind some photos that I had taken last summer

 

Busy bumble bees happily buzzing around pollinating the lavender

The Tortoiseshell butterflies almost queuing up to get at it 

Even the Large White butterfly, often referred to as the Cabbage White, abandoned the cabbage patch for the lavender  

 

The peacock too was very interested in the it, not for any good reason, only to eat the butterflies

 

And this little lady I thought might be nice here, but I'm afraid she doesn't look too happy.

 

 

Harry the Heron

For a few years now, this heron is attracted to my garden pond. I call him Harry, he usually visits early in the morning .  Yesterday, I heard his harsh high pitched sound, out I went with my camera, and right enough, there he was, walking along the roof .

 Harry looking happy and content and getting ready to settle down.

 

I wondered if he was just nodding off or hanging his head in shame after eating all my goldfish, again.



Irish Thatched Cottage

Bothan Scóir, was usually a small, basic one roomed cottage of the poor landless labourer who worked for the local landlord.

 

 

The walls of the cottage were whitewashed inside and out, whitewash was a solution of lime powdered down and mixed with water.  Over the years the accumulation of whitewash helped weatherproof the cottage. In some districts a touch of colour was added.
Most cottages had half doors and earthen floors. The earthen floor comprised of gravel, straw, sand, dirt and clay, sealed with linseed oil. Because of the unevenness of some floors, three legged pots and stools were used, some stools had legs with slightly different lengths, making it easy to position them on such floors.
I took the photo's last August on a visit to Bunratty Folk Park. 
Linked to: http://smilingsally.blogspot.com

Frozen Over

A Day for Wrapping Up and Getting Out

Believe it or not, the sun is shining



The Sky is Blue 





The trees are white

The ducks are happy




Athlunkard Bridge is looking splendid

And the river is almost frozen.



The Neighbours Cat

Cheeko, the neighbours cat, deciding what to have for dinner, a shubunkin, a red cap oranda, a koi or maybe just a plain goldfish

Got nothing there

A bird might be nicer

No luck

Maybe a bee or a butterfly

A quite snooze might be best.

Who would ever think, the cat, a cherished pet, is supposed to be the second most serious threat to the song bird population around the World.

Peacocks

These two glamour boys are living in our area for a few years , they are often seen walking the road and visiting gardens, they are regular visitors to my garden, at night they take off and sleep in some high trees in the area.

Last night there was consternation when a neighbour saw four boys bundle one of the peacocks into a car. She had the good sense to take the number and phone the police. All ended well, when after about two hours, the four boys were back with the police, to the relief of the neighbours, the peacock was set free. He looks none the worse for wear except for a few ruffled feathers.

Greylag Geese

Greylag Geese enjoying a family outing, swimming, relaxing, survaying the scene, vocalising with each other and having the time of their lives meandering around the waters edge.

Angling Cot Boat

Miniature models of an Angling Cot (Brocaun)

The brocaun was the traditional fishing boat of the Abbey Fishermen, a group of snap net fishermen who made their living by fishing a particular section of water on the Shannon river. The boat was a flat bottom boat, measuring twenty four feet wide and two and a half feet wide, ideal for poling over rapids and shallows. With the installation of the Hydro Electric Scheme in the late 1920's the fishermen were deprived of their livelihood.