Ireland Archives

Trying to Forecast Weather – Packing for May in Ireland!

February 25, 2019

Honestly, if I could tell you with any degree of certainty what the weather is going to be in May in Ireland, I would be doing something to make a fortune, like buying penny stocks and selling them for millions of dollars. The weather requires that level of omniscient genius!

But you can be strategic, right? Let's start with a beautiful photograph of an Ireland shore, to help define a color palette:

Okay, time for strategy. First, you can't take ALL of your wardrobe with you, so you have to make some smart choices. If we accept that it's not possible to pack for every possible kind of weather, I submit that it's smarter (in the spring and summer) to carry with you clothes for cooler weather, working with the ... View the Post

Ireland: The Amazing, The Great, and The Less than Perfect…

February 20, 2019

Yes, you really do see things like this all over the country; their history is LONG, and cherished. They haven't been able to preserve absolutely everything in pristine condition, but even when things are a bit mossy and crumbly, they're beautiful!

Much of what we did on our vacation was to drive to someplace beautiful and amazing, and then get out and WALK a ton. Some of the roads aren't quite what you're used to (unless you live in rural West Virginia, maybe), but they're worth braving for the isolated pockets of wonderment that you will find...

And my packing was... overall, great! Getting dressed was easy, and I was pretty comfortable (with 1 exception, which I will share in a minute!)

At the last ... View the Post

Dublin Ireland, August 2017

August 21, 2017

When you read this, I will be in southern Illinois to see the solar eclipse! Belovedest and I decided that this was almost certainly the best chance that we will ever have to see a full solar eclipse, and that we would be daft to miss it. So we're spending Sunday night downstate in a hotel, and then driving further down to see the fun. Should be entertaining, I'd say!

But I want to share with you some really random highlights of my recent trip to Dublin. I was there nearly 2 weeks, and really didn't venture beyond the suburbs; I LOVE Dublin, and am never bored there... it must be in my blood!

First up - where I stayed when I was there the first week, before Belovedest arrived. I was in an Airbnb apartment 2 blocks ... View the Post