Erin has been at her desk for much of the day, catching up on a vacation’s worth of work email. She’s got full windows looking out into the forest, and the birds at the feeder entertain her. She looked out and noticed this box turtle moving through the grass.
Video upload to come
One of many vacation surprises was the meal we had on our last night, at the Old Storehouse Bar & Restaurant in Dublin (Temple Bar area), and now I want to recreate it here at home: fresh Irish salmon served with creamy root vegetable orzotto. And at the market today, pearled barley was on sale.
Finished reading Twist by Colum McCann on the Dublin-to-Charlotte flight yesterday. I seemed to be the only passenger using the reading light in the darkened cabin, one or two others using e-readers, most watching movies. Twist was a good read, its riff on the speed of internet traffic timely. 📚
Yesterday, after a train to Bray to hike the hill, I doubled back to Dublin, transferred to the Luas Red Line, and walked to Rascals Brewing for some tastes. Moving again, I noticed the canal lock across the street. This delighted me, so I walked along Grand Canal to the next stop at Goldenbridge.
In the middle of Johnnie Fox’s Hooley show (Irish singers and dancers) outside of Dublin my phone gave me a notification that Hapa (my favorite Hawaiian duo) has a new EP. Music is life.
Monday’s tour of Dublin’s Kilmainham Gaol Museum also was full of history and astonishment.
My visit yesterday to the Guinness Storehouse visitor experience in Dublin was unsatisfying even if the pint at the top bar was well poured. Today’s train trip to Belfast was more substantive with an eye-opening tour of the city’s dividing walls and the excellent Titanic museum.
Our visit to old Dalymount Park did not disappoint tonight, with total attendance at 4421 and Bohemia FC beating Shamrock Rovers 2-nil. Erin and I stood, then sat, in the Des Kelly Stand, though both Bohs goals were in the first half at the other end. Dublin has such energy. #Ireland
Somehow I missed the news that Colum McCann has a new novel, yet since I check the shelves of any bookstore I visit, I came across Twist in a shop steps from Kilkenny Castle. Was already having a great day and that made it even better. 📚
Texture old and new in Ireland on a lovely day.
Overnight flight to Dublin on a 777 and just like that I am having cappuccino and croissant at Nick’s Coffee in Wicklow, Ireland, a few minutes after a walk to Travelahawk Beach and the ruins of Black Castle.
Lunch break critter #2: admittedly cute raccoon, fluffy white belly, in the chicken run but hadn’t yet stolen the 2 eggs, scampered out and up 60 feet of tall oak tree. (Must finish wire top to the run!)
Lunch break critter #1: black snake near rock pile.
I’m not in UNC’s Kenan Stadium tonight for Mexico vs Turkiye but I am watching the stream. I see so many empty seats. I wanted to attend, but ticket prices were too high, and I’ll be watching football in Dublin soon enough.
Today’s news and views had me feeling a bit blue, so I’ve ended the day by rewatching that great audition scene in Coda, where Ruby sings Joni Mitchell (Both Sides Now ) and signs love to her family in the balcony above. So sweet.
I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It’s cloud illusions I recall
I really don’t know clouds at all
My installation of Feedland is working well for me, although I’ve encountered a couple of glitches to troubleshoot: For my main account, I’m not receiving the login email notification, and an RSS feed of a blog I read isn’t updating. For the first, I got in by getting the code in the database.
Oliver joined me for Sunday pick-up soccer. He’s got a driver’s permit so he took the whel of the red truck. The summer humidity had me sweating heavily, but I played well, and suprised everyone when I received the ball in midfield, then spun and shot on an empty net. Goaaaal! Great feeling.
Scrolling the feeds in my river this morning and I came upon this article. I swam with a dugong on Epi Island, and we often saw them swimming near the north end of Paama.
Saving the Sea Cows of Vanuatu atlasobscura.com
Another turtle down the way, this one met by my brother-in-law Michael. Might be same turtle Ginni saw yesterday.
Done with work, I walk from Studio B to the house and notice this robin’s egg at the base of a big pine tree.
