Summer Sunday!

As wet a day as ever was! No mountains, no ocean, just dark heavy cloud and a wall of falling water.
Midges and pollen.

Sunday, sweet Sunday..... An indoor day unless and until it lifts and clears. No early walk with the cats who have gorged on raw chicken drumsticks, and collapsed in a heap wherever there is room.

 

They are wise critters! But then they are mostly out at night now. Loving the freedom.

Plenty to do here; sorting yarn, knitting, watching various things on youtube. Just a pleasant relaxed Sunday.

Of course this could all change in the blink of an eye. Amid the ocean things rarely stay static for long..

Quintessence of summer.

Yesterday saw high summer... Sheer utter bliss. Benevolent sun with a warm breeze to offset scorch and energize.

One of those days you revel in and never forget.

Out here, surrounded by the mighty ocean, always the living, rippling changing face.

A day for action!

When the sun was at its zenith, out to the back garden area, north facing. Almost fell over Jacob, skilfully camouflaged ..

 

The grass has grown long and lush and I am cutting it little by little with one-handed grass shears. 

My potatoes failed; the long dry spell killed them. Just now the old roosters are cheap and many have sprouted shoots so I put down more cardboard, set them on that and covered them with the cut grass and seaweed . We shall see.

I worked out there until I could do no more. Visited periodically by various felines. Listening o the birds in their exuberant joy.   

Later, there was time to sit at the front in the small flower and bean and pea garden there. Checking progress, inspecting pods. It has  been a strange year; with the coolth and the winds that kept the bees away germination has been compromised. Even the marigolds are just withering and not setting seed. 

There is time and more buds. And they are a bright, blazing beauty.

The strawberry plants that seemed dead are flowering. 

Sweetness to sit there, fingers flying through cream wool, between the wild flower driveway and the white stone bordered flowers  with its bog oak features. Watching the bees in the fuchsias. 

Yes, yesterday was summer.  

It was the fortnightly grocery drop day so we are well stocked and at peace. 

Early hours

it was irresistible. the quiet coolth around half past four. Skies gently grey , no rainfall..

So we decamped , the cats and I.. OK it took a few hundred yards before they all cottoned on to a Serious Walk, then the stragglers caught up and even went ahead of me on the boreen to the shore

 

Heads down for all the fascinating aromas...

There they revelled in the areas of seaweed at low tide, racing and  running.. I filled a large bag for garden and hearth and added a posy of honeysuckle and sea thrift for my prayer table.

 Littlest cat decided the moving foot of my walking stick was PREY so pounced at every step I took

 An adoration of cats!

These last days the hedges and ditches have exploded into flower and fern.
That boreen is lined with the majestic flowering Royal Fern I took photos of this last week

                                           

All the more fascinating because of its history ..

http://www.wildflowersofireland.net/plant_detail.php?id_flower=599&Wildflower=Fern,%20Royal

Summer days rich in flowers..

Weekend and heat in sight

Contrails... resting easy in a garden chair in the sun, gazing at the deep blue clear sky.... And contrails, from the direction of Shannon, heading for ... the great world out there. Fewer incoming than outgoing...

Contrails; and at their head a tiny black speck. And in that speck, people.. many people. a skilled pilot, cabin crew, passengers heading ?????? Never fails to ....

Earthbound is enough for me.. The sturdy ground under my feet, birds a-singing, cats a -purring.All the small sweet things that make up life here.

Yesterday was perfect weather. Warm to sit in but not overwhelming so outdoor work was pleasant. I caught up with washing and it all dried in the benevolent sun. Sat knitting in between gazing at the sweet blue and watching the bees going crazy in the old wild fuchsia.   

You can all but see the peas swarming up the wire netting..their flowers smiling and a promise. Such a privilege to grow things.

The three new rescue cats continue to make swift sudden progress. The fluffy black one who was terrified of doors and silent now cries to be let in. She allows petting sometimes but this is something to be offered but not pushed,
Yesterday after a loud demand for IN, she raced to the kitchen and leaped on to the chair and nattered at me! Thinking she wanted food, I filled the dish. She took one bite then back on the chair and chatted on nonstop. Eyes wide and golden... When I offered to stroke her, she enjoyed that too in a way never before.. revelled in the contact she had fought shy of. Such a purr..

Six months on and still making strides.

Today will be as lovely as yesterday for at least much of the day they say.
The peace and utter silence here  are palpable and to lean into , Just.... 

So , soon, we will decamp outside with handwork ,   Last week this was a thick warm blanket with some of the odd balls of luxury mohair that were left....

Three feet by five..

Early hours

NB this was written several days ago; manana ism sets in in summer.. So peaceful and relaxed here in between gardening sessions between showers. Every hour filled.
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I walked the cats at first light. No compulsion needed! They simply... follow me now. The oldest demands his walk with me and the other four tag along.

A chill grey dawning with no visible sunrise. Often it seems familiarity mars enjoyment,  but then greater familiarity brings new facets and deeper affection. There are more and different wild flowers opening; always something new. A rock formation not really noticed before..

My oldest wanted to go further so I have promised him the shore tomorrow.

Home then before the showers started. Which they did.

A quick garden check. Fulfilment increases. Pea flowers, including the rare breed heritage pea Carlin with its lovely pink and purple blossom and strong growth.

A few precious tiny broad bean pods forming. The winds caused pollination havoc... Nasturtiums     glowing... 

Always later out here

And leafy greens for the picking; the  remnants still growing of broccoli, and the  first of the new kale that will last all next winter 

Morning glory,,

Utter sheer glory .  To see the sun rise, golden and smiling, after cold windy days... Calm, bright, all goodness.

The sky is a cloud pageant and this may be shortlived but it is intensely, hugely wonderful. As long as there is just enough moving air to keep the local wildlife at bay,,

The roof is ticking as the sun warms it!   A largely unheard of sound this last while. 

It has been below 10 degrees much of the time these   
last days. But there we are; no grumbling here for life is sweet and precious and no time to waste in discontent.. Taking each day as it comes, busy indoors and with handwork when outdoors has not been feasible.

Always a short walk very early as I am awake around 4 am or earlier to "call home" with the sheer miracle of the phone system.
So I am out around 5 am.

And am never ever alone. My oldest cat demands WALK, and actually runs these days. And the others follow.. Still not managed to get all five on one photo but this one  is rather fine.,

The two small black cats are of the three newbies from last winter.. strangers to each other then unrelated then but great friends now and loving the outdoors. Strong and safe and a joy. 

Earlier I checked the small garden area between gate and dwelling. Even with the chill and lack of sun, inspiring growth. The first nasturtiums are glowing, in the container that will sit atop the wide sturdy gatepost for the summer. and the strawberry plant that had apparently died has two flowers. Peas are flowering and swarming up the wire fence,,,,Broad beans preparing to pod.  A joy and a deep fulfilment and content to see the new growth. 

The rose hedging is only just flowering; late this year but still lovely. and always the ocean, in all its moods. Today a mirroring of the incredible clouds up aloft. Skylark untiring and cuckoo still calling.  

Abundant time for inside work and for knitting! A total addiction here and with no orders  in just now... Years ago at a craft fair in Killarney, an old lady and her brother came to the stall and asked if I would like some wool.. Often this is a bag that has been sitting around; but they know the work we do and bless us with whatever they have.

This time it emerged that they wanted to clear the contents of their mother's craft shop! She had closed it as she could not afford the commercial rates many years before and now years after her death they wanted the room.. 

For many weeks they came in on the bus with six huge black bags filled with top quality yarns. Threads, needles, patterns. A lot was by then vintage mohair that would be costly now. 

That gift blessed us mightily. and I still have bags of the mohair. Odd balls in many wonderful colours and marls. 

So now I am working a wide thick blanket... 77 stitches, 7 mm needles, double mohair yarn, in striped with lacy inserts. 

So far it is around 25 inches wide and nearly 30 long and growing fast...

And rain now but the garden is thirsty and  nothing can undo the blessing of that early dawning. 

Calm after storm

The gale and sideways deluges that erupted yesterday were not really expected at the severity that came.
 South/south west are the worst directions for my small patch by the big gate. The wind slams along the enclosed drive and hits direct!

Worst of all is the path between the dwelling and old cowsheds as it becomes a real wind tunnel. In my first winter here there was a day when I opened the door to have it pulled away  and the restraining safety hinge torn off.  It was so swift it took me with it and threw me across the concrete drive  in a split second. No real harm done and after that filled in the space so it cannot ever do that again.
The solid and heavy container there is full of seedlings that were getting smashed by the wind so I lowered a cardboard box over the top...

It was so cold and I am short on socks so? Knitted a swift thick pair.

The gale suddenly increased as it was due to ease and checking here showed a new warning of severe gale ie up to 100 k  .. The dwelling was shaking as in winter. Comes hard in June..

Then I thought back to my years on a North Sea island. Every year there would be a great damaging storm at the end of May/ start of June. Plantings would be seared and ripped, sea birds nests torn from cliffs. They called it the Gab of May. This was exactly the same.

Now? Woke early to deep peace and   quietude . Sweet relief.. My scatter of cats took me for a ramble. They raced and played and climbed fence posts as I picked a wild flower posy as the rose gold  sun emerged between the mountains.

Cuckoo and lark carolling..                                                                                                                                                                       
For me, a quiet day of deep thankfulness for a new year to my life. Sheer wonderment as to how I have managed to reach this advanced age.. and sincere gratitude.  A safe roof,  food in the cupboards, water, a place of peace and beauty, as is said " no shouting in our streets" .  Cats safe and contentedly exuberant.. work for my hands that will help feed babies.. Nothing lacking that is needful and a deep deep peace in that. ALLELUIA!

Welcome, June...

A glorious, lively, invigorating day,,,. Wonderful start to the month.

The deluges persisted yesterday with winds, and it was afternoon with a better outlook before the ferry left and evening before my groceries etc came.

Our postman called at around 7 pm. Inspected and watched by Smudgie  who does guard duty from the safety of a wall.

Such is the dependency on the weather of life out here, and that makes it rare and rather livening. The sky and the rain and the wind are a real part of our lives and we interact with them, and respect then without any disappointment if the sun is absent,
Or if things are held up. Or never happen.
Integration not co existence.

Early today my old cat begged a walk. He does this often.. Sits at the gate when I open the door, yearning and longing and in eager expectation, He is 15 and a delight  .

I was still sleepy but what can anyone do? So I set off with the scatter of cats racing. And my old one so happy he ran .. Never seen him do that before...amazing cat. 

The lane has changed from gentle spring to exuberant summer. The rain after drought has wrought that change. A summer of flowers.  Bramble, elderberry,  rose hedging... 

There are pea flowers as well as broad beans and seedling are awesome. Two of the 12 geranium seeds have true second leaves, miniature markings true to type. Poached egg plant seedlings up and lupins needing  potting on.

In the crate at the back, Russian kale for summer and winter greens have shot ahead and now many are transplanted into existing containers, to mingle with flowers. Something has been nibbling so action taken against the slugs that are endemic in damp climates. They have vegetation galore that I cannot eat after all...

Birds carol June. Lark faithful and swallows swooping and wheeling in blue sky,,and the sweet deep peace of this small place.