Croquet

1950's croquet set The history of croquet is long and storied, going back to the Middle Ages. Today's game of croquet was introduced to England in 1852 by Ireland who called it "crooky". The game's popularity spread and became a primary social activity of England's "leisure class" by 1860. The game's popularity spread around the …

Irish Mist

County Kerry Ireland: always lush and green. Johnny Cash called it "40 Shades of Green". Aye! The Emerald Isle. With all the rain that falls it's no wonder everything is green. Words like "clouds", "mist", "wind" and "rain" are common in daily weather forecasts. Do not expect to see the sun rise or set in …

Over the Wall

I didn't take this picture; found it in my archives and thought it was funny. In 2005 my daughter was studying in Ireland for a semester.  One of her friends took this picture of her going over the wall. It looks like she is breaking out of prison. She wasn't in a convent or anything, …

Johnnie Fox’s Pub

Nothing says, "Happy St. Patrick's Day" better than Johnnie Fox's Pub in the Wicklow Mountains south of Dublin.  Definitely a destination place -- you reach Johnnie's at the top of a mountain by a steep, narrow winding road.  It's not the kind of place you stop by after work for a quick pint. Established in …

WTF!?

Texting is another whole language.  My wife got a smart phone for Christmas; she wanted to maintain contact with the teenage grandchildren who communicate solely through their phones.  Verbal conversation is sooo yesterday--texting is the first language of teens. She was disappointed in the response she got to her first eloquently-composed, 75-word text to the …

Easter Tradition

Once in a while you have to break tradition.  Typically, our Easter is celebrated with the entire family gathered for a special Easter Dinner.   But, one Easter Sunday we found ourselves alone in Ireland, traveling south from Dublin to Waterford to meet our daughter.  So, for Easter dinner we tried Johnnie Fox's Pub.  What? A …

Powerscourt Estate

In a previous post I talked about pet cemeteries, namely the one I found at Powerscourt Estate near Dublin, Ireland.   This is a panoramic view of the Powerscourt Estate, compliments of Wikipedia.  (In case you're wondering, the pet cemetery is up close to the mansion, off the frame in the upper left hand corner.) …

Pet Cemetery

Ever have a pet cow?  Ever have two pet cows?  Ever bury a cow in a pet cemetery?  Ever bury two cows in the same plot in a pet cemetery?  (Geez, can this story get any more weird?) I discovered this pet cemetery prominently situated on the 47 acre grounds of the Powerscourt Estate, located …

Irish Roots

Just north of Killarney, Ireland, along the main road to Limerick, is the former manor of Lord Headley.  He was a British nobleman, given Irish land by the British king for his loyal service to the Crown, blah, blah, blah.  The manor is now privately owned and a youth hostel.  The owners were very friendly, warm-hearted, …

Valentine Grunge

I found this bit of artistic expression on a residential street in Dingle, Ireland -- a small coastal town near Dingle Bay.  It was raining, of course, so the only color that was reaching my lens was gray ... until I came upon these yellow flowers planted in a pair of colorfully painted combat boots. …

Limericks

Do you like limericks?  I find them light-hearted, humorous and refreshing.  I've tried writing a few in my time, but found they're not as easy to write as they are to read; its difficult to find three rhyming words that can be used in the same context.   I marvel at people creative enough to …

Cliff Palace

Mesa Verde National Park, near Cortez, Colorado, was the last stop on my 10-day photo safari.   Cliff dwellings of ancient Puebloans that inhabited the area between 700 and 1200 AD, were difficult at times to reach, but very interesting and well worth the effort.  This shot of Cliff Palace, the largest cliff dwelling in …