Friday, May 27, 2011

Ay-yay-yay....it's bunkers here!

On our way to the next town today Aaron and I were listening to a radio program where the question of the day was: "who's the craziest person you've met?"  A guy called in and was talking about how he met Lenny Kravitz and he felt that he was the craziest person he had ever met.  He went on to say that he looked like someone who was "bunkers" which of course we recognized as the word bonkers.  However, I like bunkers better and shall be replacing it in my vocabulary.

As I was saying....it is quite literally bunkers here.  The roads are small and curvy and the cars so fast that all of this combined almost results (almost) in a heart attack every several seconds.  I've  had to employ the art of Lamaze breathing to make it.  I'm not sure how Aaron is coping with it.  We don't talk much during those times.  However, we did come to our own conclusion about the traffic/driving situation.  There are really only two types of drivers here in Ireland.  They are either drunk or not drunk.....either way, they are both very,very bad.  FYI- Since we are not from here, neither of them apply.

Let's see, since the last post we have visited several towns and traveled many a mile.  Some towns we've found to be refreshing and welcoming, with the shopkeepers urging us to stay there (read: smaller, rural towns like Westport or Doolin) while others have been cold, fast, uninviting and dirty (the bigger cities like Belfast and Cork ).  In fact, we were booked to stay in a hotel in the heart of Cork that was within walking distance of the city center.  Pictures and reviews said this place was great.  We were taken up to our room, had a look around and a couple of hours later (after really looking around at the awful little room with no heater, peeling/moldy ceiling and listening to some very loud men talking/yelling for a greater part of the two hours) decided we would not stay that and walked out and drove out of Cork.  Talk about relief!

On a plus side though, we've continued to take in the beautiful country of Ireland.  We've seen Boyle Abbey, what the Irish term as "derelict" castles, some major touristy and over done castles and a very cool one being Bunratty castle that not only gave you a great view of a castle inside but also an "insider view" of what life was like for peasants,farmers, etc. on 256 acres of land.  There was a lot of walking that day!

We were able to catch a live and traditional Irish music session in a pub that was amazing and still makes us smile.  We went to the impressive (and very windy) cliffs of Moher yesterday, waited for some sheep and babies to cross the road, and sampled some very interesting and not so interesting food. Tomorrow we are touring the Rock of Cashel. 

This trip continues to be a learning curve with surprises around every corner (like fast cars, slow workers and little sheep.)  We've come to see that not all that glitters is gold (as in the over-hyped reviews in travel books, reviews on rooms or fancy restaurants that serve mediocre food) but to take pleasure in the ordinary, beautiful surroundings and to take it all in stride day by day.  After all this is a great adventure!

I've got to get a little sleep before our early start tomorrow!  Goodnight for me and I hope you all have a good day!

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Fancy meeting you here!

Hello from across the world (I really never thought I'd be saying that!) 

Just wanted to let you know we are alive and still breathing....but just barely.

Okay, things are really not that bad at all.  So far so good and are we having adventures that I'll tell you about if you remember to ask me....

Anyway, after a grueling and sleepless 12 hour flight we arrived in Ireland 8 am Ireland time and 12 am US time. We hit the ground running/driving (on the LEFT side of the road AND right side of the car) and drove up North to Newgrange (sorry, tried to download pictures but they are SOO big and it is taking way too long!!)  From there we headed further up north and are working our way counterclockwise around Ireland.  We are learning traffic and culture as we go and feel like idiots most of the way (who knew you had to pay to use the toilet?!)

So far we've seen Belfast, the Giant's causeway, moto races, an abandoned manor in the middle of farmland, tons of old cemeteries, Underground caves with stalagmites and stalactites, Castle Coole, had tea with the owners of a B and B we stayed at, and we have a jam-packed day/week ahead of us! 

I hope to share pictures and some stories with you as we go and when we get back but I just wanted to drop in!

If you have the time check out some of the pictures on google maybe on your computers and follow us around Ireland!!!

Hope all of you are doing well and I'll check in later!

Monday, May 16, 2011

Things are happening....

Just wanted to keep you all posted and let you know that things have been moving quickly towards our trip to Ireland.  We've been packing, checking guidelines and trying to get healthy again to face the airplane air (yay).  Pretty soon we will be on our way there, so posts won't be as frequent but I'm hoping to at least make a couple while there, so you can all share in the field trip with us!!

Friday, May 13, 2011

Let there be light!*

I'm determined to make my last photo post fun (?) instead of a chore.

So, I'm going to set the mood.

"The mood for what ?", you may ask.

The mood for light bulbs.

First of all, the "mood music."  Listen to this little music ditty, won't you?



By the way I've never even heard of this song until I hit up my friend google with the words: song lyrics light bulb and BING....this is what popped up.

Believe it or not, I like the song.  A lot.

Well, let's get back to the mood I mentioned earlier.

Now for the lighting.

Are you in the mood? 

Are you thinking of light bulbs as never before now?

Yeah, me neither.

Well, look at this picture then, please?  And I'll never ask you about your feelings for light bulbs ever again.

My pinkie promises.

*This was a re-post for the post "blogger" lost...so I tried to make it up to you.

Fine!

Blogger has been down for roughly two days AND "stole" my last post....from two days ago.  I'm a little annoyed with "blogger" but I'm also sad you missed it because in that post we shared some real moments.

You cried.

I laughed.

Unforgettable moments people.

Oh well, just add it to another one of life's disappointments.

Or, maybe I'll try to remember these moments and re-post them.

Maybe.

Anyway, on a very positive note, yesterday was my last day to post a picture for "picture a day."

I'm sooo glad it's over and I'm a little suspicious you are glad too!

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

My favorite flowers

Tulips!  They are soooo beautiful this year!

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Oh, Deer!

I went on a field trip of sorts the other day in search of new territory (not my back yard) and new sights (again, not my back yard) to photograph.  I decided to drive across town to the lake and meandered through the park over there, then drove along a road that parallels it for a bit.  I saw several new things that were begging to be photographed. 

First, I spotted several deer lying down in a field next to someones house.  I pulled the car over and took pictures of them without them even caring. 

Thanks for the photo-op deer little friends.


Then, as I was pulling away from the deer, which were on the right side of my car, I looked to the left and saw this:

I thought, "are you serious?!"  This scene also seemed a little too posed.  But I couldn't pass up the opportunity.  So I pulled over again and took this picture from my car. 

I felt like a paparazzi of nature.  I got over it though and so did nature.

Anyway, I like to call this "the layer picture" because of all of the different layers: you see there is a goose layer, a grass layer, a water layer, a boat layer, then a hill layer, another hill layer and a mountain layer. 

See the layers?
Layer.
Layer.
Layer.

I apparently like the word layer.

I also like field trips.

Maybe I should do this more often.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Sister, sister and the cookie crunch conspiracy


Today I spent some much needed time with my sister.  We live in the same town but rarely see each other.  I know, I know....both weird and kinda sad. 

We didn't necessarily do much as far as activities go, but what we did do was enough in my estimation.  We caught up.

Oh and we ate Cinnamon toast crunch cookies borrowed from espresso and cream



Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cookies
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup canola oil
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup butterscotch chips
  • 1 1/3 cups Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two cookie sheets with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
  1. With an electric mixer, beat butter and oil together until combined. Add in sugar and powdered sugar and beat until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
  2. With the mixer running at low speed, gradually add in the flour until just combined. Stir in the butterscotch chips and Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal by hand.
  3. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto cookie sheet or roll heaping tablespoons into a round ball and place on cookie sheet. Flatten cookies slightly with your hand.
  4. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until just slightly golden around the edges. Cool on baking sheet 10 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Friday, May 6, 2011

The lady of Shalott..

I've been listening to the radio A LOT lately and due to that have learned of some new songs I'm luh-ving!  For those who hate country, stop reading.  For those that don't mind it, or better yet, actually like it check these out.

This first one I automatically like because it totally reminds me of the "dramatic" scene from Anne of Green Gables where she takes the boat out into the water and ends in"..the lady of Shallot."  Any-hoo, here's the equally touching and super-great video from "The band Perry":

Then there's this one from Jarrod Niemann.  I just like the sound of the harmony with the faint-girl singer (although I don't love the video). 

And last but not least, a song from Glee that is awesome simply because of all the acoustic guitars:

Bark, bark...


I have a dear friend (you know who you are) who once rolled down her window in the middle of traffic because she was "hot" ( I think she was just bored) and barked at the man next to us.  He gave us a dirty look and the whole car cracked up (except for her husband).  At the time it made me laugh because I could never see myself doing that and I thought she was a little crazy-pants. 

Things are different.  Now I'm the crazy.  No, I don't bark at passing cars...yet. However, in the middle of silence or if I'm bored, sometimes I'll turn to Aaron and bark at him.  Like this: Bark-bark....bark, bark.  You get the idea......

I'm not 100% sure why I've told you this, because it only reveals my impending insanity but I thought hey....pictures of bark + a story about barking = a perfect post.

Was I wrong again?

Fine.  Here's another picture of bark then. 

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Spring is in the air

I've always had a love/hate relationship with spring.  Allow me to explain before you judge me as a bitter and wholly negative individual.  After all, who doesn't like spring?  Nature certainly has a "thing" for it. 

Here's what I adore (not just like) about spring: the longer days accompanied with the warm sun, the chirping birds, new spring buds and vibrant green grass that carpets the terrain.  I enjoy spring so much that I always thought I would like to be married in spring. 

However, there's this one thing that held me back from getting married in and declaring spring as my favorite season of them all: my insane, hateful allergies.  I don't just sneeze a little and my nose doesn't just run a little.  I do all things that pertain to allergies A LOT and I do them well.  So much so that I feel like I have a full-blown cold until spring decides my misery is over, changing all of the buds into whatever they're supposed to turn into.  There.  Now you know.  That is why spring will not be my favorite.  Not too bad, right?

Despite that, I try to enjoy the season and all it offers as much as I can. 

Enough about me....Look what I found!


Tuesday, May 3, 2011

I'm sorry

So sorry......
     The idea for this photo seemed so much cooler then it turned out.  The idea came about as I was laying on the couch and I could see reflections in the screen of the laptop that was right in front of me.  As I looked into the laptop I saw this image above: a reflection of my two favorite trees that you  have seen several times already.  But they seemed different....because they weren't actual representations of the real trees but reflections.  However, now that I see them they look just like trees. 
    
     So again, I'm sorry.  The prize for creativity does not go to me.
    
     Bleh.

   

Monday, May 2, 2011

Beer glasses on



When the "beautiful" scenery of your town lets you down and out and with little inspiration, simply stack up some of your husbands' sampler glasses and shoot away.  Classy (he he) AND cool.......