WHY I RAN SHAKING FROM THE ALLOTMENT !!

l love allotments. I’m now lucky enough to have space in two of them while we are back in Cork, Ireland. Immersion in a beautiful space with other people who love to grow their own fruit, vegetables and flowers contributes enormously to my sense of achievement and inner calm. Despite the abundance of growth and produce, the allotment is a peaceful and tranquil place with usually no more than two or three people there at any one time. People come and go at different times of the day everyday between 9a.m and 9p.m. Often I have the whole place to myself.

After weeding and watering my plants I sometimes like to walk around and browse the wonderful crops the other allotmenteers have managed to grow.  

 Above photos are just a hint at the wonderful produce. No chemicals are used. There are raised bed with potatoes, onions, carrots, courgettes, squash, herbs and even fruit trees in a central bed. 

 The polytunnel is my favourite place! It’s always warm and bright and at this time of the year, August, it’s brimming with tomatoes, peppers and basil. The taste and flavour has to be sampled to understand why we all yearn for organic fruit and vegetables the year round. If only it were possible! But at least for the summer and autumn we will indulge in our delicious harvest.



Last Wednesday started off well. A glint of bright sunlight gleamed through a split in the bedroom curtain beckoning me to get up. As I lay there I planned my day ahead. Soon I was up enjoying a bowl of porridge while gazing at the blue sky and listening to the early morning birds. Not long after, I loaded a bag of compost on to my bicycle and headed off to the allotment.


There was no one there when I arrived. The sun was already warm and it was hot in the polytunnel as I watered the plants. I added compost to the tomatoes and when I’d finished I stepped outside for some cool air. 

There were three plastic compost bins not far from the tunnel which I noticed but hadn’t looked at before. Up to now, I’d been too busy planting. I wondered if they were in use or possibly full? 

I lifted the lid on the first one. It was half full but quite dry so not much chance of composting going on. 
I lifted the second lid. It was similar. All the weeds were dry but had not broken down as yet. Some more material such as grass, hedge cuttings and more importantly water and the composting process would continue. The third lid sat upturned on its bin. It was full of water from rain on the previous night.  I proceeded to lift the lid and carefully spill the water into the dried compost below. Then it happened.....!   Sharp stings! They penetrated my hand, ankle and a second later, my shoulder !  As I frantically focused my attention I immediately saw and heard the buzz of what I thought were bees.  O my God! I had disturbed a hive.............
I visualized myself falling to the ground and the whole hive clinging to my flesh! I would have to move far away from their location as quickly as I could.
I felt more stings!  I foolishly ran into the polytunnel only to see the bees were following me,  flying round me...... 

When I run it’s not a real run, more of a quick limp and a run. As I limped from the tunnel I flicked three from my clothes. I was wearing shorts and a tea-shirt. I ran as quickly as I could. I hadn’t run like this for years and I could feel the stings penetrating my body through my clothes and legs.

  As I looked frantically towards the entrance I saw two people had just come in to the allotment. 

A man whom I later learned was Dave was showing a friend around. He saw me heading in their direction and called out “Are you OK?” 
 I replied in an almost breathless voice. “I’ve been stung by bees, Some are following me.” 
 Are they still on me?” I uttered as I reached the now concerned couple. “Stand still” said Dave. He then flicked the remaining offenders from my back.
At last they were gone. 

As I sat at the wooden bench outside the allotment tea-room. I realized my hands were shaking. Dave and his friend advised me to wash the stings and apply antiseptic as soon as I got home. I pointed out the compost bin location to Dave and he told me the up side is bee stings are good for arthritis.
I don't think I will want any more injections of this type, arthritis or not.
When I arrived home I counted eleven stings in all. It took about 7 days for the swelling to finally clear.  I later learned that it was actually a wasp nest and had I known this I would have gone to the pharmacy sooner.
The allotment managers has since disposed of the nest and I shall be able to return to the quite and tranquility I so love. 

DOG MINDING/ALLOTMENT AND DAY TRIPS

Cassie and Ellie.

We love animals but since no longer having a cat or dog here in Ireland, we decided to do some pet minding again. We have plenty experience of this abroad. We had a wonderful time looking after Cassie and Ellie the cat in Marbella Spain a few years ago . We've also done cat and dog minding in Turkey for friends. 
Many people do not like the crowded kennels and much prefer the home atmosphere. We only take one dog at a time in our home. When its cat minding, we go to the owner's home.
It's been wonderful spending time with much loved pets,  they are used to being loved and just want to love you back every minute of the day! 

Charlie was just 3 months old when he first came to stay.  He is adorable as you can see from the photo which I managed to capture on one of the rare moments when he sat still!  He is bigger now but still as soft and as lovable as ever. 

In between dog minding and traveling to our family's homes,  I find some time to tend to my allotment.  I really love the taste of home grown organic produce.  I have a mini tunnel in my back garden where my tomatoes are doing well.  They are flowering already and hopefully will be worth all the effort since they were planted as seed last February. 

I have another tiny mini tunnel at the allotment. Butternut squash seeds have burst through the soil and hopefully will bear fruit. Fingers crossed they have enough water until l return next week! 
The parsley and lettuce are doing well and my line of onions and chard are coming on too.  We have already been eating the chard. 

Weeds are a real problem.  With the recent rise in temperatures, 21c today  they are thriving!  Hoeing takes a huge amount of time and effort.  My hoe is very old.  I really must buy a new one soon.  

Now that's summer is here, we will take a break from the pet minding and do some day trips. West Cork Kerry and Galway are so beautiful. 

We love going to Dublin too because our daughter lives there. The photos below are from the Botanic gardens in Dublin.  We love a morning walk around there and usually work up quite an appetite for lunch in the lovely restaurant while admiring the flowers as we eat.

There is a huge variety of trees, scrubs and flowers to be seen and the colours in summer are stunning. 

We keep returning again and again to our favorite places. I'm so looking forward to gazing at the horizon at Inch beach, Co. Kerry while breathing in that non polluted fresh sea air.  Pictures will follow here later when I have more time indoors.   Take care, bye for now. 

A GRUMPY BUS DRIVER

I woke early last Wednesday morning.  Rather than laying there to ponder my day ahead, I decided to get up right away. There were no clouds to be seen as the sun rose, it filled the sky with a beautiful light.  I decided then and there I would go visit my sister. She hadn't been feeling well and I wanted to surprise her. I would buy an apple pie and freshly baked bread when I reached the city center.  

 The house was quiet, as I eat breakfast at the dining room table. Mr. D still sound asleep.  On checking the bus timetable online, I saw there was a bus due in 12 minutes.   I left a note on the kitchen worktop, then wrapped myself up warm in my padded jacket, hat, scarf and gloves.  Soon I was outside in the cold morning air on my way to the bus stop. There was about 15 people waiting so I knew the bus was due any minute.... We all waited and waited, it eventually arrived 35 minutes late.   The  double Decker bus looked almost full as we lined up to get on.  
I had my prepaid card in my gloved hand ready for when my turn came to pay.  It was a Christmas present from my daughter and this was my first opportunity to use it.  I rarely travel by bus and felt quite excited to be heading off on what felt like a little adventure.  As I approached the driver, I said "city center please"  I looked around in search of where to scan my card.   There was a glass screen between the driver and the public. I couldn't see where to put the card. Within seconds the driver grabbed the card from my hand. He gritted his teeth as he said sarcastically "you need a bigger glove!" He had a look on his face as if he wanted to say something else but was restraining himself.
I was taken aback at his abruptness.  I made my way to the back of the bus where I found a seat.  I though to myself how stressed this man seems to be.  What pressure was he under?  Was he in the wrong job?  Did he have any training on how to treat his passengers?  Was he going to smile at anyone today?  I put him out of my mind as I listened to the happy chatter of young polish girls who sat in the seats in front and beside me.  30 minutes later we reached the city center.
I thought about not saying "Thank You" as I left the bus but I decided I wouldn't be rude because then I would be just the same as him.
I had about 45 minutes before my next bus and made my way to the bakers for my purchases.  Such an array of cakes and breads. I made a mental note to google bread making.  I decided on a cranberry and pumpkin seed bread and a sweet little apple pie.  I was greeted by a friendly shop assistant who smiled as she wrapped the freshly baked treats. 

Then I made my way to the next bus stop where the bus was already waiting.  What a contrast!  The driver smiled and said "Thank you" as he took fares from all of us as we boarded.  There was no glass barrier and he answered questions politely when asked about different drop off points.  He left on time and the journey was a comfortable and relaxing experience.  I mentioned to him where I would like to be dropped off.  He told me to be careful walking because the road was narrow and very busy with traffic.  He said "Thank You and take care" as I alighted the bus.   Needless to say this bus was a private company.  Service with a smile!  

When I reached my sisters house she was still in bed. She was happy to see me and got up straight away.  We spent a lovely day together and we have planned another visit for next week. 

WARM AND COSY IN CORK

Spending Christmas back in our home in Cork was wonderful after being away for the past few years. The "icing on the cake" was our daughter spending a week with us.  Here she is decorating the tree.

On Christmas day we enjoyed a delicious Turkey and ham dinner.  I made a traditional desert, Trifle and we relaxed in front of the fire for the evening. 

 It was lovely to see so many houses decorated during the month of December. A house not far from here really goes all out.  People come from everywhere to see this display. There is a donation box in the garden where people can leave money and this is distributed to the poor in Cork via a charitable organization called Penny Dinners.

The weather was very mild throughout December and we managed to cut up more tree branches to add to our wood supply.  I think we overdid this because now we are both in a lot of pain with our backs.  Serves us right!! Too much in one go!  Ten minutes of sawing is really enough but when you make a start you want to continue and one ignores the warning signs....
We are now at the end of January.  Mr. D smoked his last cigarette almost 2 weeks ago. He is using a vap electronic cigarette with a very low amount of nicotine.  He is finding it difficult after 50 years of smoking but taking it day by day and doing really well.

The weather has turned really cold this week and we had a dusting of snow yesterday which froze as soon as it fell. The garden which is bare and desolate at this time of year looked pretty with it's white blanket.  

                           My homemade seat is still standing.

There were many accidents on the secondary roads with cars sliding on the ice on their way home from work. Motorists here do not change over to winter tyres because it's hasn't been necessary in the past due to only getting a few days a year of snow.  
Perhaps with global warming and so much ice melting in the northern hemisphere there will be more extremes of weather. 
It's actually colder today with rain which has washed the snow away. More snow forecast for tomorrow but we are so lucky in comparison to America and Canada who are experiencing a polar vortex right now.

ADJUSTING OUR FOCUS AGAIN!

We are back in Ireland almost a month.  Our first 4 days were spent with our daughter in Dublin and the following Friday we traveled by train from Heuston station to Cork.  We were pleasantly surprised with a full day of sunshine and the back garden still held some autumn colour.  

However, It took me about 2 weeks to adjust to the drop in temperatures.  We had prepared some firewood in the garage during the summer and this was a welcome sight on our return.  Mr. D. lit the new stove and we basked in the warmth. It didn't take long for the rain to return. I've become quite accurate in judging time between the showers and cycling to the supermarket.  So far, I've managed to get drenched on only two occasions.

 It didn't take long for our wood supply to burn out so the search was on for a firewood supplier.  I found several on the internet but to my surprise they were all extremely busy and none were local.  They couldn't guarantee a delivery for at least a week and some said I was too far away! I eventually found a young man in Mallow, north Cork who was happy to supply a trailer load. It took him one hour to drive to our house but he was kind enough to help unload the logs. He also agreed, at a price, to cut up some large logs which we had in the front garden since the summer.  They were far to big for our little hand saw. You can see them here beside my bicycle. They are great, very slow burning and give off great heat.

There is just about enough space for the three bicycles and the logs in the garage. It's a tight squeeze to get to the garage door!

Being back in Ireland means my focus has changed yet again, I'm acutely aware that the sea is far from me now and there is no roof terrace with magical sunsets.   I took full advantage of it in Turkey by swimming three times a week and walking by the sea on the other days. There is sunshine here in Ireland but it's intermittent!

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 When I look out my window here in Cork, there is no sea view.  It's mostly a grey sky which greets me.  I decided to bring the sea to my dining room!  I've hung some of my seascapes on the walls and they do manage to bring a certain cheerfulness to the room. I long to do some gardening but it's impossible most days because of the dampness and the cold.  I did however plant up two window boxes on my front window with some cyclamen and winter flowering pansies. They have already added a splash of colour. I also noticed daffodil bulbs are starting to shoot!  Spring is on the way?

THE PULLING POWER OF HOME

It wasn't a difficult decision to make.  We were missing our daughter and having been back in Ireland for the summer proved to us that we needed to be nearer to her. 
It was wonderful to have her with us in Turkey last Christmas but it takes so much time between buses, two flights, and two more buses. By the time she arrives and again on her return, she is tired and stressed from all the indirect travel. During the winter months there are no direct flights and inclement weather can often mean delays which cause stress.  
My sister is also under a lot of stress. Her husband had an accident at work and will not be able to go back due to his injury. She works full time and when we Skype, I can see the extra stress is having a serious effect on her.  With all of this in mind, we decided to return to Ireland for a year or so.  We will go back for holidays as we did in years gone by and review things again next year. 

We said our goodbyes to our house, neighbours and our three garden cats.  I've given a supply of food and money to one neighbour who has agreed to feed them.  I miss them so much already. Fingers crossed they will be ok. I worry about stray cats who will wander in and take the food.  Poor Chico Shishman is a gentle nervous creature and he will run and hide at the sight of the big un-neutered male cats who can be very aggressive...

 Chico Sishman in his usual spot on the mat outside the door. Felix is the tough guy in the foreground, not afraid of anything! He will survive. Pedro was of chasing crickets.

We had an early start.  Up as usual before the alarm. I'm always anxious that I will oversleep but I never do!  4.45 a.m. It was still dark.  I got out of bed and Mr. D was not long after. We had a light breakfast. I gave the cats one last meal just before our transfer company rang to say. " I'm  your driver, I'm at your gate, take your time".  Within minutes we had our small cases outside and the door locked. A quick goodbye to the cats and we were off to Bodrum airport for our  flight to Istanbul. 
 Our second flight was from Istanbul to London and then a wait of five hours until our third flight to Dublin. 
We arrived in Dublin and took a bus to the city center where it was cold and wet!  I shivered as we walked to the Luas tram line where we got our last  mode of transport which took us to our daughter's home.  I rang the door bell, 18 hours since we started our journey in Turkey.  It was wonderful to see her smiling face as she opened the door.

A TRIP INLAND TURKEY WITH FRIENDS MARY AND ALISON

Our dear friend Mary who loves Turkey as much as we do arrived back in Bodrum in early October.  She planned to stay for around six weeks meeting up with friends and traveling to various scenic and historical locations.  We were delighted when she asked Mr.D and I to join her and her friend Alison on the second week of their travels.  We packed our cases and were excited on that sunny Tuesday morning as we headed away from Bodrum heading inland towards Pamukkale ("cotton castle" in Turkish).  We've been there before but love to go back.  It is a natural site in Denizli. You can see it in the background of the photo below.

The area is famous for a carbonate mineral left by the flowing mineral-rich thermal waters flowing down white travertine terraces on a nearby hillside. 

It is a world heritage site. In order to preserve it and not to damage it one has to walk barefoot.  Mr. D hadn't walked through it on our last trip but this time I managed to convince him to try it.  

Some areas are very rough and sharp underfoot and Mr. D. had a few choice words to say when suddenly a very sharp rock cut his foot!  

There are many photo opportunities in this stunningly beautiful place and there are enterprising photographers eager to capture yet another shot for a holiday advertisement.

I especially love the hot thermal pool and I could just stay there all day. The water is wonderful for aching backs and joint pain.
As the day came to an end, we reluctantly climbed out of the thermal pool, got dressed just in time to capture the sunset.

Time to book into one of the local hotels,  get dressed up for dinner and head along the town to one of the small family run restaurants where we relaxed over yet another delicious meal.   

It was wonderful as we traveled along the miles of smooth motorway, chatting and stopping here and there to take photographs and stretch our feet.  

Mary had done all the research and always manages to find quaint, out of the way villages where we can wander and find such lovely places as Birgi. A town with a mixture of old and new.

 We spent a whole day wandering around the streets. We chatted to the shop owners and bought some copper pans and some delicious fruit from a lovely lady at the market who was happy to pose for a photo!

We stayed overnight in a beautiful hotel which had been recently restored and looked like we had stepped back in time. 

Breakfast here was also delicious. 

We didn't eat again until dinner that evening!  

 Next morning after a leisurely breakfast we were on the road again.  This time we headed for Ephesus.
 During the first few centuries AD, Ephesus was one of the most populated and most affluent cities on our planet, with periods of great flourish especially in the 2nd and 5th centuries.  This ancient Greek city was famous for its Temple of Artemis (near Selçuk), which was recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. ... In 123 AD, the Library of Celsus (third largest library in the ancient world, after Alexandria and Pergamon) was constructed at Ephesus.

Many years ago before I ever went to Turkey I worked on a painting of this library.  Months went by and I couldn't complete it.  I was stuck!  Every time I painted the columns I was not happy with the colour.  I wasn't sure from the little photo which I worked from, how close  I was or was not to the original.   Then we went to Turkey!  We went on a two day bus tour to Ephesus. I was so happy to walk all around this ancient city, to stand and touch these columns.  I now knew the colours.  I could go home and complete my painting. 

Ephesus terrace houses, show us how rich families lived during  the Roman period.

There are six residential units on three terraces at the lower end of the slope of the Bulbul Mountain. The oldest building dates back into the 1C BC and continued in use as residence until the 7C AD.
Ephesus terrace houses are covered with protective roofing which resembles Roman houses. Most striking is the breathtaking variety and beauty of the decorations embellishing many of the rooms. The mosaics on the floor and the frescos have been consolidated and two houses have recently been opened to the public as a museum. We were excited to finally see these and while we were there we could see the archeologists still working.