I have returned home from my friends Terri and Lol in Clifden, Connemara. The Arts Festival was in full swing in the town, with a real buzz in the air! Staying with my friends whose house is outside of the town near the ocean was a calm and reviving experience. This is one of their beautiful cats in the garden.
Driving home through the landscape of this beautiful part of Ireland was a holiday in itself. The road from Clifden to Westport is the stuff made of legends, with mountains that rear up in front of one and water reflecting the ever-changing sky.
This is Kylemore Abbey, where I stopped for tea and a welcome rest…it’s a long drive, over three hours in total!
If you look closely you can see the mountains behind the tree…
Then I arrived home…
Three days away makes a big difference as I walked the woodland gardens admiring the rapidly developing colours of Autumn. Today is the Equinox and midway between Lughnasadh and Samhain, so the Autumn is really colouring the land.
Jack was delighted to have me home…well the feeling was mutual, as I was over-joyed to see him!
Lots of work to get done now that I am feeling invigorated with new thoughts and ideas, especially here in the Lughnasadh Garden…masses of bindweed to remove as well!
It is pure joy to be able to be outdoors at this time of year…ah…if only there were more hours in the day!
Thanks to all of you who have ordered a calendar…I shall be posting calendars and books in the morning! Lots of calendars left…the link is at the top of the page!
When Autumn gets going, She really gets going. 😀
Reblogged this on dreamweaver333.
Colette, I just wanted to tell you how much I have been enjoying your blog and youtube videos – I recently discovered you and look forward to your posts in the upcoming months I live in Connecticut, USA and our climates and growing times are similar.
Colette
We have bindweed too. We’re managing to control it on a casual basis by removing all the leaves and stems we see (we’re not systematic!) and burning them. Eventually they become less of a problem as they weaken. But you can never ignore them!
We have something that eats bindweed leaves – it doesn’t touch anything else. I wish I could breed it.
The autumnal equinox was wonderful here in Clare – a beautiful sunny day and a clear night with a full moon. Energising!
Keep up the good work,
Regards
David
My plan too…and mass planting!
I have had the pleasure of touring both southern, and northern Ireland. My late son-in-law hailed from Omagh. County Tyrone. Ireland will cast it’s magical spell over you for sure, and you will quickly realize that a lifetime there isn’t enough.
Its always nice to get away and so lovely to return home. You had such lovely views on your drive and such a great place to stop and rest a bit. Autumn is slow arriving here in Florida but it’s showing in subtle ways.
Reblogged this on Blue Dragon Journal.
We are coming to Ireland the 10 thru the 22 of October. ( a life long dream and I hope the first of many trips) we fly into Shannon, plan to go up the coast to Sligo. I was so excited to see your trip to Clifden. I love pottery photography and all types of art, so will make stops there and Roundstone. If you have any time during our trip I would so love to meet you and walk among the trees. I found Bealtaine Cottage trying to find old cottages to visit while there. Each time your site came up I would tell myself no I need to research my trip. Finally the third time I went in, you were walking in the trees and I began to cry. (I am emotional thinking about it) From then on I was hooked and rushed home every night to watch. I cried every time for the first 3 months I know this sounds silly and could not understand what was coming over me other then from the age of 6 I told my parents I was moving to Ireland some day. I have started to write you many times but thought you would think oh no a crazy American. I finally opened up to a friend who was not surprised at all. When I heard you say if you get an emotional response from viewing the bogs, is a memory in the blood. My blood is all Celtic and my memories or feelings are strong. Not sure why I had such a strong reaction to Bealtine, but still become emotional sometimes. I also became emotional when you took us to the burial ruins close to Kilronan Castle. Anyway I would love to meet you I hope you don’t think I am a total nut, this is all new to me.
Best wishes and Blessings Sue Johnson Wyoming USA
On Sun, Sep 23, 2018 at 1:03 PM Bealtaine Cottage and Woodland Sanctuary wrote:
> Bealtaine Cottage posted: ” I have returned home from my friends Terri and > Lol in Clifden, Connemara. The Arts Festival was in full swing in the town, > with a real buzz in the air! Staying with my friends whose house is outside > of the town near the ocean was a calm and reviving expe” >
Email me when you are near Sligo…I can’t make any promises as I am very busy, but if I have the time then we can fix something up. coletteoneill2010@hotmail.com
Thank you
Beautiful, Colette, stunning photos. We’re in Spring here in NZ (my fave time of year really) a time of year when I realise how forgiving and resilient Mother Earth is, as seedlings of echium and forget me nots are all flowering madly in the paths, despite all that heavy rain earlier in the year! My only “problem” is finding homes for all the seeds I just HAD to sow in the shed so I’m getting quite creative 🙂 I think the scenery in Ireland is quite similar to ours, except for the amount of older buildings of course!
So glad you had a lovely time but it’s so nice to be back at Bealtaine . Have a lovely evening Colette . Blessings to you all xxxx