Friday, May 29, 2009

The Deenery from Afar, Has She Grown?

Local Views

I drove to the post office today to post some ATCs, then when I drove back, I headed up the hill opposite our cottage to take some photos. So you can see where we are situated, this shows the most distant view:

You will have to click on the photo to enlarge it. There is an orange/red roof almost at the centre of the photo, that is the barn roof. Lough Graney can be clearly seen. Not bad views, eh? Here is almost the same view, only with the telephoto lens:

The house in the foreground is ours. The grey section is the extension and the red/orange roof the barn (the one that's coming down). Below is a panorama I put together. Please click on it to enlarge it. Again you can spot our house from the red barn roof.




I also called at the cafe opposite Brodericks Furniture Store. I have mentioned this before. It is run by the previous owner of the store, Anne Broderick, purely for charity. Her sister is a nun in Zimbabwe and she nurses AIDS patients and runs a nursery and school for the children out there. All the money Anne takes goes to her sister's charity. There aren't any prices, you just pop what you like in her collection box. Anne wasn't there today as her sister came home from Zimbabwe for a 3 month break, her first for 2 years. But I did take some photos from the cafe, which is perched on the hill above the lake and has wonderful views. I made a little panorama:
Of course you will need to enlarge it to see properly. You cannot see our cottage from the cafe, it's down a dip! But it's still a fantastic vista:


On the right of the photo just above half way is a house and a large field. That is Michael Flaherty's field and it backs onto our meadow and vegetable plot, so we're just down below the top of that field.

I meet a new neighbour

As I drove down the hill, I spotted a gorgeous foal in a little field and stopped to take a photo. A lady came out of the house to see what I was up to. We ended up chatting for over half an hour! She's a lovely lady called Mary and is 84 years old, though you wouldn't have thought so. We discussed everything from her childhood to the waste of money couples spend on weddings, to our cottage. I have promised to call again. She was certainly entertaining company and is clearly lonely as her husband died some time ago. I almost forgot, these are the 2 photos of the foal:

Isn't he gorgeous? A new foal amongst buttercups and daisies. Perfect.

Jason, Sam, Jack and Kitty

Jason and Jack and Sam's Mum Rene went to visit Sam and Kitty today in hospital. Guess what, some more photos. I think she's grown since Wednesday!!

This is the best one, Jason with his son and daughter. How proud does he look?


Kitty is clearly bored by the whole procedure!
Poor Sam didn't get much sleep last night. Probably because of the noisy ward I expect.

Great Grandad Ivor and Nanny Maureen also visited and lots of 'pass the baby' went on! Jason then took Jack to Ickworth, a fantastic National Trust Property very near their home.
Jack just hanging about!
I think he looks rather wistful here. Maybe considering the situation with the new baby sister!!

He rode his birthday bike and here he's having a rest after all that peddling!!

The Deenery Update

Jim and I have been gardening today as it's been lovely and warm. Jim did a lot of strimming where he can't mow and I finished clearing behind the sleeping shed and raked it flat to sow some grass seed. Then that can be mowed too. Easier to keep tidy that way. I also did some weeding on the fairy hill and cutting the grass around the steps to the top. Eventually it got too festooned with midges to carry on, but we did manage to work until about 9.30pm.

The electricians came back today and finished all they can do for the moment. There are wires hanging everywhere! They have been super efficient, fast and friendly. Just what you want. We don't think we'll see the builders until they come back to break through into the cottage - and we won't see them then either because we'll be away!

I am still making ATCs as and when I can. I'm really enjoying the challenge of producing something worthwhile and attractive on such a small piece of card. The ATCs have to be 6cms x 9cms, about the size of a playing card.

I do hope you enjoy today's photos.

18 comments:

Twisted willow said...

Can't wait to meet Mary. She sounds like my kind of person.

BT said...

She said she'd pinch you off me!!

Anonymous said...

The pictures of your property are as magical as I imagined them to be. Everything is lovely. Thank you for sharing.
It was nice to see new photos of Jack and Kitty too. My older brother wanted to trade me for a puppy when they showed me to him in hospital! HAHA
How nice to meet your new neighbor and what a pretty photo of the foal in the flowers.
Sounds like the extension is coming along nicely. Thank you for such a nice, enjoyable post.

Feedsack Fantasy said...

This makes me want to come back & visit once again ... the shades of greens were beyond anything we can imagine in this country (USA) & were so relaxing to view touched with the lambs of spring & daffodils. Oh, I feel sad you are there & I am here ... cherish the land you have, it is exquisite. TTFN ~ Marydon
PS those little ones are darling!

Bella Sinclair said...

Oh my GOODNESS! A HUGE congratulations to everyone. Kitty is absolutely darling! And teeny tiny! And beautiful!

Gorgeous views, too. You are so lucky to be living amongst all that splendor. And your new neighbor! Such a treat!

marianne said...

lovely pictures!
So good to see a new life is bringing so much joy and families closer together!

Sue Guiney said...

Congratulations on the new baby. How wonderful!
And the top photo looks surprisingly like the view out my window up here in Eyeries on the Beara peninsula. I always get this room when I come here and one of the main reasons is because I love the view!

KathyB. said...

Yes, congratulations on such a healthy and beautiful granddaughter. Also, what pretty country surrounds your home, and it is nice to have friendly neighbors, isn't it?

Jason said...

Hello mother Great shots accross the valley. Looks amazing.

Brilliant you saw the neighbour. She sounds great. A good place to stop for a cuppa and a chat. How nice for her also.

Lovely to see the pictures of day 2. All a bit mad here of course. Sam is home, got her 11pm last night.

We are all looking forward to your visit. x

Rachel Green said...

Beautiful :)

Carol said...

Those views are absolutely stunning!!! (as are the pictures of your family :-D)

C x

Bea said...

Just beautiful as always.
So lush and green. :)Bea

The Weaver of Grass said...

That little foal is enchanting. I love the way you do your panoramas.
I quite fancy doing ATC's - what is the procedure?

BT said...

Thank you Mildred. I think lots of older brothers wanted to do that! Or change them for the opposite sex!
What a lovely comment Marydon. Of course we only have all those greens because we have all that rain!! We certainly do cherish our land especially on days like today when it's sunny and gorgeous.
Thank you so much Bella. Kitty is home now and I shall see her next Thursday.
Thank you Marianne.

BT said...

Hello Sue, good to see you. Is the book selling well? It's always better when yo can stay somewhere with good views.
KathyB, good to see you too. Your remark about friendly neighbours made me laugh! We have one couple who are horrid horrid! But the rest are lovely!
Hello son, so glad that Sam and Kitty are home, she'll be much happier. Glad you like the photos and the views. Mary was a good person to meet. I will call again!
Thanks Rachel and Carol and Bea.
Hello Weaver, you'd be good at ATCs, I'll email you with the info. So glad you liked the photos.

DK said...

ooh lovely foal shots! Smashing panoramas too.

But the shot of Jason with his children, that one brought tears to my eyes; so very beautiful to see. :-)

Stampmaiden said...

Oh BT, your pictures are so breathtaking. So many beautiful things to view from the lovely greenery of the Deenery (HA!) to the beautiful foal and of course to your precious new grandbaby. What a doll.
Thanks for sharing your part of the world with me.
Linda

BT said...

Hi DK, it is rather special, isn't it? Sam says it's probably the best she's taken!
Thanks for visiting Linda, I'm so glad you enjoyed the post so much.
xx