Thursday, December 3, 2009

Sunshine, Frost, Christmas Card Making.

The Deenery on a Sunny Morning.


I've been too too busy to blog and now of course I have loads of photos and catching up to do. Oh woe! After all the rain and flooding, on the 28th I woke up to a beautiful sunny morning. I sat in the sun room which lived up to its name for a change. I took just a few photos to show the winter landscape. The photo above is of our road down to the neighbours' land. The road they are always complaining about! It looks wonderful in the photo above!

This is the view from the side window of the sun room. Now that the leaves have gone, we can see right into the orchard. It's really best in the spring when the branches are still bare but the blossom is on the fruit trees.
This is taken looking up the access road and from the top we can see Lough Graney. You can see one of our living willow fences here.

And finally the best view across the arboretum to the meadow and the hills in the distance. It was quite hazy, as you can see. The mud in the foreground will be grass eventually!

I seem to have gone backwards now as on the 27th I drove to Dromandoora to the nearest post office to post a parcel off to a very special bloggy lady. It was raining again but I didn't have any problem with the roads. I'd forgotten that the post office closes for lunch, so I drove on a little and turned left up to the GAA Ground (Irish Sports Association) and let Buster out for a quick walk. It was really cold, luckily I had a hat in the car. Buster didn't mind. The small creek alongside the road was running really fast and looked so pretty:
There was an old derelict house in the field opposite. There are many of these buildings in Ireland. Quite often, the owners have built a new house, but just leave the old one to rot as a sign of 'this is what we used to have, now look what we have'. Crazy!


Look at the standing water on the ground. It seems such a waste to leave such a house empty.

It started to pour so I turned around to walk back to the car. I took this photo but it's a bit dark:

The sky was dark and menacing.

I noticed the gates at the GAA Ground were interesting:

They look as though they need a bit of a re-paint, don't they? The bats on the gates are for hurling, and each one has a ball above it. You wouldn't see that in the UK.

Then it was back to the post office, which is owned by a delightful, friendly lady, often assisted by her 3 year old daughter. She also sells essentials and I always try and buy something there to support the 'local' store.

Jim's UK Overhaul

Jim came back on the 29th and I picked him up from Shannon airport, the roads being quite flood free thankfully. We chatted into the early hours of the morning. It turns out that Jim had had a long appointment with the doctor in the UK, high blood pressure (which he takes tablets for) and he's been generally stressed out. The never ending build doesn't help and we've both been rather 'tetchy' with each other! Sometimes it's good to clear the air and we certainly did that. I'm trying to be a helpful wife! But Jim is a bit of a worrier and always thinks the worst in any given situation, whereas I usually think, 'Oh, it'll turn out ok'. Ah well, enough of that.

Frosty Morning - Monday 30th

It was a beautiful Monday morning and Jim headed off to Ennis to teach his 'silver surfers' basic computing, which he really enjoys. Seeing the frost and the sunshine, I got up and dressed quickly and took Buster, and my camera, for a walk. Of course I took far too many photos so I will try and be a bit selective:

One oak leaf in the sun and the shaded one still covered in frost.
Lough Graney looked glass like and the frost shimmers on the fields on the other side.
Fabulous shot of the low winter sun and the glassy lake with the frosty hills in the distance.
The black hay bales at Kevin's farm have white tops.
Buster on the fishing stand, once again just above the water. The lake looks so cold. In fact it was, as I tripped on a bramble trying to get onto the stand and one leg was soaked and my boot was full! Luckily I saved my camera.
A rather splendid shot of Buster!
Sedge against the blue sky.

This is a panorama I took of Lough Graney. Please enlarge it to see the detail and the reflections.
Frosty bracken.

Red Leaf

Red tarpaulin and frosty old boot
A red thistle - it thinks it's Spring!

A frozen bucket, full of water and weeds.
The sun shone on these red willows in our garden.
The frost was thicker in our garden.

These little hazel catkins look so pretty on the arboretum.
These hazel leaves lay underneath the bush displaying the catkins.

I took well over 100 shots, so I did quite well I think! I hope you enjoyed them. I feel cold now and must go to bed. It's a coffee morning tomorrow and Ann Broderick is picking me up as Jim has gone off with the car this time. I mustn't oversleep!

15 comments:

marianne said...

Wow what beautiful pictures again!
Here it rains a lot too We have had more than enough!!!!
Have it will be winter soon, this endless fall and rain will do noone good!

Enjoy the extention! Warm and cosy!

KathyB. said...

I love the pictures of the frosted leaves..and your weather and scenery is so very much like that of the Pacific Northwest, where I live. I actually get depressed if there are too many sunny , dry days because home means lush green foliage and brooding skies!And as far as I am concerned, one of the best sounds on earth is that of raindrops on sky-lights and roofs. Your post definitely evokes a sense of your home and surroundings.

Rachel Green said...

what splendid photographs

Jason said...

Ohh have a good coffee morning. The willow fence looks a good idea. Great pics.

xx

Anonymous said...

You should make photographic cards with these frosty leaf pictures - they are wonderful! Like your son, I love the willow fence. What pretty views you have from your sun room! I hope you have fun with your friends at coffee. Wish I could join you! Give Buster a big hug from me (and Harriet!)

Golden West said...

That really is a lovely collection of photographs! I especially liked the frosty bracken and your pup all lit up with sunshine.

Glad to hear things are drying out somewhat - it's certainly been a wet autumn there and the UK.

Heckety said...

The frosty photos are stunning, but the long shots of the views are lovely too. You can see why overseas people like the look of Ireland, can't you? I hope you didn't get frostbite in your wet foot! Its snowing here on and off today, but not lying- if you get snow please take LOTS and LOTS of photos?!

Bea said...

Looking at your photos was like going to a gallery showing. I loved them! The old boot one on red is worth of framing. LOVE THEM :)Bea

Heather said...

Jim will be so relieved when all the building is finished - it is a stressful business. Your photos are beautiful as ever Gina, and I specially love the living willow fence and all those gorgeous frosted leaves. Even that old boot on the red tarpaulin looks artisic! Keep warm and dry.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Lovely shot of Buster BT.
Sorry to hear Jim is a bit under the weather - do hope a few days sunshine are due and that that cheers him up. Lovely frosty photos. Keep warm. Love

Lynn Cohen said...

amazing photos love the boot and the red thistle and the frost on the leaves.... wow

Priti Lisa said...

OH Gina, I enjoy your blog over
much.

Love to you, Lisa

Carol said...

Beautiful pictures!! I especially love the frosty leaves!!

C x

Nikki said...

Stunning pictures, as always, but I do love the frosty ones :) The air is lovely and clear in the Buster shot.
It's been sunny here today and quite warm, I have been able to put the garden away for winter!

Siobhán in Minnesota said...

Thank you so much. I am looking to illustrate a 1200 year old lovely Irish poem for a Celtic arts newsletter here in St Paul and your haunting images are wonderfully apt. I will give you credit-- I hope it OK if I one.

-Siobhán Dugan

Here is the poem, by the way, in English and Old Irish:

News from me for you,
the stag bells,
winter snows,
summer has gone.

wind high and cold,
sun low,
short its course,
the sea runs fast.

deep red the bracken,
its shape has been hidden,
common to be heard
the cry of the barnacle goose.

cold has seized
the wings of birds,
season of ice,
that is my news.


Scél lem dúib,
dordaid dam,
snigid gaim,
ro fáith sam.

Gáeth ard úar,
ísel grían,
gair a rrith,
ruirthech rían.

Rorúad rath,
ro cleth cruth,
ro gab gnáth
giugrann guth.

Ro gab úacht
etti én,
aigre ré,
é mo scél.