It is heartening to see everything bursting to life around us, and some days have been truly glorious. Every year I promise myself I will start a garden and every year it becomes 'next year', yet again. Ours is a wilderness, and some day I will tame it. Someday.
But it is wonderful to have family and friends who do garden, like my parents who really and truly do make the most of their little plot. It's so lovely for the children to spend a couple of happy hours planting and watering, knowing the day will come very soon when they will be sent out to snip and pull for their dinner.
And isn't summer all about hanging out with friends, having picnics and going places? Well, we have been striving to do just that, in spite of the fact that it's not actually the holidays yet, but after all, we have to grab the sunny days when they arrive on our doorstep!
And there's nothing quite like an ice-cream sundae for a gaggle of kids on a sunny day.
But my house has been rather quiet too this week, with My Only Girl off up in the far North of the country, Donegal to be exact, a Gaeltacht where they only (mostly) speak Irish. This is the child who doesn't even do sleepovers, and in spite of the fact that she is finding it hard being so far from home, is doing it all the same.
And The Eldest has been away a bit too, off up the coast working as an extra on a film, and I have to say all of this brings a feeling of being somewhat rushed along into the next phase where they are away, gone off living their lives and oh, please!! Just hang on a sec...
Let's just pause again, for a bit...and go at toddler pace? Because they are really good at slowing things down and making the most of those long hot summer days that are just around the corner!
22 comments:
Wow to that last photo!
Yes, the weather has been very mixed, hailstones here today, but a glorious sunny morning.
I remember too well what it was like when they went off to Donegal for the week- but it's so good for them too. I think!
A wilderness is the best sort of garden - a field of buttercups and clover that I can lie in all summer suits me just fine. Good luck to the Only Girl! She's brave to go off by herself, and I hope she has fun and impresses you with her Irish. From what you've said of her, she's the sort who'll make her own world up there, and think of you steadfastly.
Ohh I would love to visit Ireland someday! Your ever-changing weather sounds much like Arkansas, USA. I love it. And I completely agree that gardening and ice cream sundaes are all about summer. What a wonderful way for children to grow up! If only we COULD slow them down...
Oh, I love all of your photos! Such a good feel--- maybe we'll have ice cream tomorrow :)
In one day you can have hail, rain and shine.
Sounds like the weather where I live too; the season can't decide on itself, so it's giving us a little bit of everything (except snow - it's done with snow. I think).
But whatever the season or the weather of the day, you have a gift for finding the beauty in it. Great photos. And yes, keep making the most of sunshine (and of rain).
Yes, the olde iPhone is quite the artist's brush these days, isn't it?? Your photographs are always lovely and these are no exceptions!
I love the child in the yellow hat. Just like Paddington Bear.
Your lyrical writing and lovely photos make all of Ireland seem magical. Happy beginnings of summer! Soon your little one and not-so-little one will be home and full of exciting tales, which will make it all worthwhile!
Wow - can it really be summer? still so cold and rainy here...
Lovely post! I felt like I just took a little trip to Ireland. I have a son in Africa and he said they talk an awful lot about the weather too.
How exciting for your Only Girl! Isn't she brave? And as your children grow they get to do it with the help of such a loving mum. What could be more wonderful than that? The photo of the little ones riding off down the road makes my heart melt, Ciara. Sending summer thoughts your way. xoxo
I love your blog and your lyrical writing and your beautiful photo's...You always seem to find the EXTRAordinary in the ordinary
in everything you do!
Have Irish blood in me and yet still haven't visited your beautiful country. I think I had better change that soon.
Have a great week you and your lovely family.
God Bless Julie x
yay for summer and iphones too, you've just done a fantastic advertisement for them,..and the weather is always a great opener for conversation isn't it ?
and congratulations ms. milkmoon , your the winner over at mine, i'm off out now for the day but i'll be in touch about that very soon .
My grandboys and I have been out reclaiming our back garden for the first time in 4 years. Oh, how they've been loving discovering worms and caterpillars and watching the Mason Bees work! And picking whatever flowers Grandma will let them to then 'deliver' to Grandma...my vase and cup are overflowing. We've had an especially cool and rainy spring, snow just recently in the mountains still...but mud is fun to play in, too! I read something about gardening with children that has helped me let it go at THEIR pace..."Don't expect it to be perfect". Amen to that, but watching their love for Nature and for tending God's sweet earth is pleasure enough for me. The last photo? Bliss!
It must be something about being close to the land...Canadians talk about the weather all the time, too. It's a way of breaking the ice with people you don't know well.
Toddlers just can't wait to get where they're going...all we can do is give them the best equipment and watch them run. Kids are such a joy at any age. Your posts always demonstrate that fact of life.
i know what you mean! my daughter is more than happy to stay at grandma's for weeks on end!! my son, however, is a homebody. thank goodness! but i know this will not last. your morning photo is just lovely! how i miss Ireland! i was watching a documentary last night on Tara and all i could think about was when can we take the kids to Ireland??
have a lovely week
lisa
Hello again across the many miles...! I suppose the Canadians are very similar to the Irish - always talking on about the weather. It's a latitudinal thing, I think, for we have had very similar 'all four seasons in one day' to yours, but are soaking up a string of beautiful bright jewels of days right now. We must also be on the same mental latitude as my recent post is about my son turning 17 and how that makes me feel. Love that last photo turning "reality into dreams". Lovely thought indeed.
Cheers and Happy Happy Spring days.
It looks like one of those lovely Mays I remember from childhood, when Simon's birthday party would be held in the back garden. Lovely photos. We have been having cold weather here. Come on summer! Heading to Alabama this weekend for a float down the Coosa River. It should be nice and warm there. Can't wait!
Oh, your little girl is off in the Gaeltacht- is it that time of year again already? Try not to worry too much about her. She sounds like me at that age- I remember going kicking and screaming my first time- but in the end some of my fondest memories are of my summers in over in the west. In fact, some of my closest friendships were formed there. I suppose it is a lot further from home for her than it was for me, but the people over there treat the students like a second family. I do remember that the food was terrible, though, and the beds were like rocks. But sure isn't that all part of the charm!
:)
Is there anything more wonderful than summer in Ireland? My happiest memories are there. Your blog takes me there again, enjoy these precious days. x
I love all of your photos! Such a good feel
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I love all of your photos!
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