An island trip

Bye bye mainland Ireland

Passing by Inish Meáin on the way. But this is not the island we are sailing to. Staying on the boat 'til the "last stop".

 Hello Inish Oírr (the smallest of the 3 Aran islands)

The dolphin escorted our boat into the pier! Can you see her fin?!

Stepping onto an island of green and grey with dots of bright pinks, whites, yellows and purples. Tiny green fields enclosed with ancient dry-stone walls. The only place in the world (along with the Burren and the other Aran islands) where Mediterranean, Arctic, Alpine and Temperate varieties of plants grow together in the one habitat.

Forest melody

The promised heatwave came and went. Yesterday evening on my walk, a little change; the first rain in two weeks, extracting the freshest scents from the grasses and greenery and air. The little forest above looked silent enough but closer to it the sound of thousands of drops pattering down through the leaves. Hoping the sun returns for a little trip to a small island.

Hide and Seek

   

Summer has been playing hide and seek with June for the past few days - until this afternoon. Then the white-grey clouds floated away to let the blue skies appear. Bare arms came out of hiding in cardigan sleeves. Me out in the sunshine, hiding from my painting desk.

The weatherman on the radio says today could be the hottest day of the year so far at 26 degrees celsius. A lady from the painting class I teach promised me last Thursday that a heatwave was on the way. Maybe bare feet will come out of hiding in shoes.

above: a little painting for a little one.

Friday in June miscellany

It rained all day today. But it was a nice, cosy soundtrack whilst painting at my table. The birds remembered, though the weather forgot, that it was June and chirped through the rain. Thinking about the weather outside today, remembering the weather last friday on a sunny evening walk during a weekend trip to the west..... 

Collecting flowers from along the roadside. I hope my aunt wont mind me putting them in a jar on her kitchen table.

Sun beginning to set. The little triangle in the distance is Croagh Patrick, 60km away in the distance, 764metres high (a big triangle really!).

This song has me bopping in my chair while painting, with the rain for company :)

Shadow shapes

 

A path painted yellow by the evening sunlight. Too inviting to not follow and see where it brings me.

  

  

Stepping over stripes painted by shadows.

Hawthorn scents and dapples of light. 

 Light and dark

 For once I am really tall, :) 

The South Wind blows

   

Listening to violin music on a radio programme broadcast from the edge of Europe from the most westerly tip of the Dingle peninsula. Sounds from one place to another. Funny how sounds can travel so far. And what stories they tell. And feelings and atmospheres they create

Here is some music (for ears that are far away and near), for a tranquil and balmy weekend.

Above: a boy making his own music despite (or maybe because of) the ever-changing waves. 

"I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship" ~ Louisa May Alcott, Little Women.

September blooms

     

Creamy white Roses and Baby's Breath from a friend's September bouquet. Add some apple blossom (the Apple tree is for the month of September in Irish folklore, symbolising replenishment and healing) and not forgetting some Sweet Williams for the groom :).