Train trip, Galway fare

Myself and OH took a train from Athlone to Galway Saturday last, planning to visit the Christmas fare in Galway.

It was my first train journey in a long time.
It was a re-baptism of fire; Crowds both ways, a Hen party with drunks and shouting on the way there and a loud phone caller on the way back. Sigh
The weather soon turned wild with large gusts and downpours putting the big wheel off-limits and setting some of the festive decorations to gyrating.
Really enjoyed a lunch in The Temple cafe - great studentie vibe, tasty wholesome food and some of the profits actually go to bettering the lot of the locals not just caching.

After walking about an viewing interesting stands we were glad to sit in a cafe of a local hotel with a lovely fire and Christmas three and another snack.

Goodbye November Hello December

November passed on with its intermittent wildness and calms after the storms.
December came in with rain then cold them mild again - days shortening and darkening, heading for Christmas

Alone the way the lakes Finland fall, the sun makes sudden appearances with low-lying lemon-yellow intensity.


PORTLICK AFTER THE STORM

OUTSIDE THE BELLFIELD HOUSE MULLINGAR FOOD AND CRAFT FESTIVAL - CONNIE CAN'T COME IN, TOO MUCH FOOD ABOUT. GOT LOTS OF PETS WHILE SITTING ON GUARD OUTSIDE WHILE WE INSPECTED THE OFFERINGS WITHIN. I BOUGHT TWO LOVELY HAND-BOUND DIARIES THERE, MADE BY WRAP IT OF PORTLAOISE

A happy gathering of wild mushrooms this early December - happy to have been rained upon I guess.

Three puddings made - in store awaiting the food feast on the 25th!

Wineport Harbour

Visited Wineport Harbour, Killure Bay off Lough Rea today  - another short drive from Ardnacraney

Waters are still low and it was a very mild day for November.

The swans are back - along with a small posse of ducks.

As we were driving away, we noticed a Pheasant perched on a wall by the road.

It decided to jump down and proceeded slowly across - seeming to check for seeds or other tip-bits as it went.

Further on, the pheasant's partner flew by - we having to slow down to avoid banging into him/her

Sweet November Days

Clocks Forward since October so darker evenings now. Nonetheless, there have been may rather lovely days these first days ofNovember

Trees still holing onto some colourful leaves despite some short-lived windy weather

Down by Barley Harbour on a serene day:

Connie retrieves a stick from the water;

and carries it off in triumph

Meanwhile, Huddie (now aged 16 1/2 years) snoozes at home

A Small Hallow'een

Quiet and sedate, this Halloween
A small pumpkin:

Pumpkin Pie - Anthony Worrall Thompsons recipe - my favourite. Just enough pumpkin flesh in this pumpkin to make it.

Some dull grey days recently - and then some sparkling beauties.

Chilly but bright

Corlea on a cold day

Suddenly very cold with sporadic icy rain. This curtailed our afternoon walk and led me to drive to Corlea to view, if possible, the ancient bog road.
We were lucky - it would have normally been closed but we got lucky as a bus full of archaeology students pulled in behind us and we were able to attach ourselves to their information tour.
Very interesting indeed.

The ancient (145BC) oak planks, samples painstakingly retrieved from a sunken path of about 2Km across the bog.






































Assembled in the order they were found after care to preserve the planks.



They say the road could not have stayed above the bog for more than 10 years or so - which seems a lower return than one might expect given the extreme effort that had to have been involved in the construction. On balance, it seems probable it was erected for some specific purpose - to allow passage across the stretches of bog for some special event and not preserved 9as had been done with other bog roads) as events had moved on. Apparently thee is another one traversing another stretch of bog in line with it so the trick on foot must have been an long one. This area has raths and hills which were of general importance and wont to be sites of gatherings e.g. at  the hill of Uisneach to hold legal courts, then this may represent a trail laid out for some such gathering.

I noted a nice mural above the entrance to the preservation chamber





Some other interesting artifices and replicas thereof were on display too.

Well worth a visit.

Raised Dog Bed

Looks like you can grow more than veg. in a raised bed

Soft October

There have been several absolutely magical days this October.
Here is one by the Royal Canal Ballymahon:




A more "serious" view - sun washed out the colour - very bright indeed




There is another canal around here. Here we are at the Grand Canal in Tullamore.



They have great sticks there too.



The Autumn Fire in full flight


fireplace by Potluck lake



Dry banks by the lake - sometimes under water, but not today.





A funny thing on my way to Athlone


Hello moon! - and so to bed.

A little bit of summer returns

Several days have started out rather drearily, weather-wise only to cleanup and return to yet another afternoon of late summer!

The canal was replete with running, jumping dogs and the water liked as clear as a spring, allowing a view of the wavy growth on the bottomed many shadowey fish floating beneath the surface.

MYSTERIOUS HOLES

Out by the compost bin and the pump house, Connie has been very attentive and curious about something in the ground.
Upon examination, several holes were noted, one under the bin another running back towards the fuel tank and some more in the bank below the hedge.

Connie went further later on and began digging and one evening I saw her apparently give chase to something after her excavations.

We puzzled about the owners of these holes - seem too big for mice, apparently rats don't do this so maybe Stoats?

They are known to extend rat hoes - in search of a meal and even line the tunnel with their skin (eek- very "Silence of the Lambs").

So I've told Connie "Leave them alone!".
OH made a little video of the tunnels:

Seasonal Changes

The weather has been pretty variable -actually, not "pretty", rather more like "extremely" or even "nuttily" variable.
Some cold grey "winter is acoming", some "season of mists and mellow etc" and some "I can't believe it not summer".

To be fair, for those who can get out an about at will, there have been some of THE most glorious days - sending dogs (mine included) into a frenzy of joyful activity.