Captive voice

During the summer holidays we went to Guth Gafa (meaning captive voice) held at Headfort House in Kells. It's an independent documentary film festival showing films from all around the world on a wide variety of subjects. Although it's been on the go for a number of years the festival has the feel of something low key and gentle. There was food, music, cakes and coffee but obviously the focus are the films themselves. We split up - Kevin took the the younger boys to see The Eagle Huntress while Hugo and I watched The Island and the Whales in the ornate surroundings of the Adam room. It was fun seeing the boys' eyes open to the possibilities of differently led lives, lives not shaped by western conventions and expectations. We saw a little flash of another world and it provoked a lot of excitement and wonder in all of us. It's important to remind ourselves that there are other ways of doing things, other ways of being and that the world is full of possibilities.

A-may-zing!

We have been having some truly lovely May weather. Morning walks are along dusty tracks with bluebells and cow parsley and the lake water looks almost warm enough to dip into. Those clear blue skies have meant lots of garden time - playing, reading and even barbecuing (duck sausages-a real winner!) and having friends over for impromptu drinks as the sun sets. It's amazing how quickly we have become used to sunny days- fingers crossed they continue!

weekending

Last day of the Easter holidays... a picnic at Castleroche and a walk up Slieve Gullion. I say that breezily but I'm not a natural mountaineer (apparently it was a hill I was climbing as Hugo kept annoyingly pointing out but it truly felt like a mountain) and even though I was encouraged to channel my inner mountain goat I fully insisted on not doing that, but instead used my small reserves of energy for complaining. Kevin wondered did I not feel a sense of accomplishment? I looked up from my 'yay, I haven't had a heart attack on a mountain-side' bar of restorative chocolate and said no, no sense of accomplishment just do not ask me to do that again. Needless to say the boys loved it and, with a sinking heart, I began to feel very out-numbered...

easter

Easter ~ hazel tree branches with glass eggs and paper chickens, cakes and tulips at Burtown House, walking along the River Barrow in the sleepy village of Graiguenamanagh with my sister, magical Huntington Castle, egg hunting and coloured bunting, home to the garden and weeding and planting. 

Spring ~ a time for growth, not always easy because sometimes growth means moving away from what you knew before and going in a different direction where perhaps the way ahead is less clear, and possibly even difficult, but somehow better for you. Have the courage to grow, even when it's hard.

walking

Last weekend we went walking by the sea. We chose an easy 4km or so loop which brought us to the Cooley peninsula near Carlingford. We passed golden fields and oyster shell strewn beaches. The distant purple hued mountains kept a quiet eye on us. It was warm. And we only had one mutinous child about half way along. Our trail started and ended at Lily Finnegan's pub, which by the time we got back there was thankfully open... never had the packet of Tayto crisps and glass of Bulmers tasted so good!

swimmimg

Down to the lake we go. Kevin and the boys swim while Mide and I scout along the lake-shore looking for water birds. He doesn't swim yet so we paddled and he poured water from the bucket endlessly filling and emptying it. I am hoping that bit by bit we will encourage him to enjoy the water. We are lucky, it's early yet and so no-one else is here. Only the swans and dragon flies and whatever swims beneath share in our adventures.

summer

The lanes are frothed with sweet scented cow parsley and from the fields the noise is of many gentle bovine breaths, the buzzing of insects on the wing and birdsong. The lane is dusty and in some places dappled with shade, everywhere leaf and green is bursting forth and the trees are turning their faces to the sun. The garden has exploded and the bees fly low dusted with pollen from a thousand flowers. Summer afternoons are spent in the garden, work barely done as the endless call of outdoors proves too hard to ignore.

evening

Late evening light on a lake near a friend's house. Strong early evening light in the garden, on the road and over the hill. These evenings are stretching and unfurling with possibilities, although sometimes we spend them by the fire as the rain falls...