Saturday April 10, 2010. Mixed Bag.

Lough Graney and the hedges full of golden gorse. The grass in the field hasn't greened up yet.
Do click on it to enlarge the photo.
ATCs

I have received a new ATCs from Lisa in my ATC/ABC group of ten. Lisa has been doing butterflies and moths and this one is L for Little Metalmark Butterfly.


Isn't it beautiful?

I have just done 'N' for Net. It's quite a simple one, but stylish I think:

The net on the 'N' is actually gold but it looks more silver here. I have actually added a bit more to this since the photo. This is going to Mim in America.

I have also done 'P' for 'Puffin'. This is going to Lisa in the USA, who has just sent me the butterfly:

I hand stitched around the puffin to give him an appliqued look.

I made another Puffin ATC for a new lady in the USA called Judith. It's similar:

Now I have to make an 'O' for Sunday. Hmm, no ideas yet.

Buster

Poor Buster has been in the wars. He must have been attacked by one or more dogs and came back 3 nights ago in a dreadful state. He had a puncture wound on his thigh, a weal on his front leg and a nip on his bottom. He was very shaken and cried occasionally. I stayed up with him overnight and in the morning he seemed a bit better. He was stiff getting up but apart from that didn't seem too bad. He stayed in most of the day and sat in the sunshine for a while:

Then he headed off! I went and fetched him from down the road and he seemed to have perked up. However, the next morning he could hardly get out of his bed, so I took him to see the vet in Gort. He bathed his wounds and gave him 2 injections, one of antibiotics and one a muscle relaxant. We have 4 days supply of tablets to give him too. Well, this morning we had a different dog! The old Buster was back, leaped out of his bed when we appeared and his tail was wagging like crazy. Phew! Animals. Who'd have them?

I had been told previously that Buster was overweight and was dreading the 'main' vet saying the same. He said he wasn't overweight at all and that he was in fine condition (apart from his bites) and lovely natured. Ah, I felt better then.

Gort

After the visit to the vets I took a few photos in and around Gort while Buster slept in the car.

The main street in Gort. They do seem to have a sign for everything!

I love this old painted Guinness sign.

The Catholic Church dominates the town. It has 2 arched doorways with splendid paintings above:


Either side of the main door there was a wreath of flowers - presumably for Easter.
Just round the corner is another church - part of which is the library. I'm not sure whether the church is in use, but I think it probably is. I took a few photos of it:

I rather like all the 'spikes' on the roof.


This rather attractive little bench was outside the church railings. A passer by asked if I was a tourist! I suppose not many Irish people take photos of their towns unless they're on holiday.

There is a little park between the two churches:


I think it might be quite difficult to get into the door above the white door!

Finally, some signs and a splendid clock from the main street:


The Garden

We've been very busy outside, as the weather has warmed up. Yesterday I finished building the wall along the bottom of the fairy hill and filled behind the stones with compost. Today I planted some pansies, primula 'Wanda', Marjoram and Saxifrage along the length of the wall.


I planted this little clump of Wanda a few days ago and it already looks bedded in.

Jim has been planting heathers in the new gate bed and the new acers are coming into leaf:


This one looks almost orange.


These narcissus have just come out and there are still loads of daffodils too.

On the arboretum there are some rockery tulips. They are so pretty:


The magnolia stellata has come into bloom today and Jim took a couple of lovely photos of it:

In the same bed, we had an olive tree but sadly the Winter frosts have put paid to that - it's just sticks now.

Jim caught me planting the pansies - I always seem to be in that position!

I do stand up occasionally. My grey hair is now growing apace! Beyond me you can see the grass which Jim has now mowed - it looks much better. He has also done some strimming today.

Tonight I had another bonfire - I always seem to create lots of rubbish to burn - I had one in the orchard a couple of nights ago too.

Finally, Jim took this joiner from our meadow:

Do click on it if you have time. The colours are lovely. On the left is The Deenery, the hill at the back is Flagmount then you can see Lough Graney and more of our meadow.

Have a great weekend everyone.