Street Art

This is some street art we happened upon in Dublin.  It wasn't facing a busy street so we were really lucky to find it.  I didn't see any sign saying who made it or what it represented or anything.  It's really well done though and quite impressive!

I Started!

I started quilting Jane yesterday!  I haven't been in my sewing room for about three weeks so I'm a little rusty, but I got some stitch in the ditch stabilizing stitches done and ....

About nine blocks in the center of the quilt quilted.  It's going to take awhile but I'm going to take my time, so that I have to do as little "unquilting" as possible.  I already did a little yesterday.

I also mentioned that I would share a few fun design idea photos that I took in Ireland.  This is a table in the lobby of the hotel we stayed at in Dublin.

Miss Happy is Eight Months Old!

Our granddaughter turned 8 months old this month!  Her new favorite toy is a spatula :)

My son said they need to photoshop in a light saber in this photo, with that cute expression on her face!

She is also sporting four new teeth!

Oops, there is the iPad - the spatula is still not enough to distract her from the iPad!


She makes me smile everyday :)

Last Tour Day :(

 

The the last day of the tour finally had to come.  We had such a GRAND time, as they say in Ireland.  We loved it!  Above is our picture with Bébhinn and the van we spent a week in.

 The last day we were in the Connemara region and got to go see Kylemore Abbey, which is in a beautiful setting.

We also stopped at Aughnanure Castle and had a fantastic tour.  The tour guide has a masters degree in the study of castles and she talked and talked for an hour and a half.  She was so knowledgable and it was quite interesting.

This castle was built by the O'Flahertys in the 16th Century.  Look at the designs carved into the stone window arches.  It's just amazing how old these structures are and how they've survived through the ages.  Some better than others of course, but amazing nonetheless.

We did climb the tower (above), even though there is a large colony of bats that live in there, over 5 different species we were told.  Luckily they are night creatures so I didn't see any!  The stone spiral staircases in castle towers curve clockwise so that the defender (the person coming down the stairs) has the advantage because they would typically have their sword in their right hand and it would put the right handed attacker coming up the stairs at a disadvantage. They also had trip steps (steps at different heights) and murder holes (to pour hot boiling liquid on attackers).

Our last stop before arriving back in Dublin was the Kilbeggan Whiskey Distillery.  We had an interesting self guided tour there, learning how whiskey is made.  Since Michelle and I don't drink we donated our samples and souvenir glasses to one of the young men in the group.

I did find a bag of porridge at the distillery though!  Mike and I love Irish porridge so it was exciting to find some to take home :)

We were dropped off in Dublin, said our sad goodbyes to our new friends and headed out to a hotel by the airport where we spent one more night before taking our long journey home the next day.  It was such a wonderful trip!  Thanks for hanging in there with me while I journaled and shared our photos.

I have a few more "design idea" photos to share that will be more quilting related.  It's amazing how you can see quilting designs everywhere you look!
Oh and tomorrow I'll have to share Phyllis' photo of bog butter :)  Have a great day!!  Or a grand day, if you're Irish :)

Abbeyglen Castle Hotel

Our last night on tour (Saturday night) we got to stay in a castle! The Abbeyglen Castle Hotel in Clifden, County Galway. It was built in 1832 by Sir John d'Arcy, who founded Clifden in 1812. The property fell derelict during the potato famine in the mid 1800's and was eventually bought in 1969 by the Hughes family.  Paul Hughes himself welcomed us at the door, and we were royally treated throughout our stay!  Our room was lovely - you would hardly guess that this building is almost 200 years old.

The grounds were beautiful!  Our key was old fashioned and on a huge gold key ring.  They were making sure to collect them as we left the next morning because apparently a lot of people like to keep them as souvenirs.

We saw a LOT of old tapestries as we toured about this week.  This is one that is hanging in the castle hotel.

 

Above is Fróda, who I believe they said is a budgie.  They told us that they were not responsible for any bad language she used.  I only heard her whistling and telling people goodbye :)

As we arrived they took a picture of our whole group around the throne.  Michelle and I had our own taken later :)

There is a golf course nearby and the hotel provided clubs.  They also have a tennis court and spa.  Our room, like I said, was fantastic.  One of the girls in our group, we are pretty sure got stuck in the servants' quarters - down a long narrow hall with her bed taking up the whole room and her "window" opening up into the smoking lounge.  I think they were fully booked that night!

Dinner was a feast!  They seated our whole group together which was really fun, especially for our last night.  They put American and Guatemalan flags on the table to show their welcome.  When the food arrived, it was covered with the silver domes and the wait staff counted down from 10 and revealed our meals all at the same time.  It was fun.

Here are their collection of table flags, to welcome their guests from all over the world.
Paul Hughes was at dinner, as well as his son, and his son played piano in the lounge later in the evening.
They were both at breakfast the next morning to, to greet us!

Below is our dessert buffet - all homemade - all delicious.  How do I know they were all delicious?  Because I tried them all of course! (Well nearly :)

 

If you ever want to stay in a castle, I highly recommend this one!  It was a royal way to finish up our tour of the south and west of Ireland.  Wait, we have one more day!  I hope you're not getting too tired of my photos, but blogging is a good way for me to jot down these fun memories.

Our group photo!  They asked who was going to sit on the throne and we all nominated 84 year old Bruce, but Stuart is 81!  So Stuart sat on Bruce's lap :) At dinner Bruce said, "Wait, I have not given my loyal subjects permission to eat yet!  No one has bowed or curtsied to me!"  His wife Miriam said, "Oh, don't let it go to your head!"  They've been married 57 years.