Getting back to daily life

I've been back in Scotland for the past few weeks. My mother had been sick for a while but died suddenly from something other than what she was being treated for. The funeral service was lovely and  her ashes are now interred beside her mother. I had a good visit with my father, siblings and other relatives and friends. We were able to get much accomplished to help my dad and hopefully make his physical life around the house and garden a bit easier for him.
School starts back up tomorrow for my son, my daughter is coming for a visit, and some other family things need taken care of so I will not be blogging much from here for a while.

The Giants Causeway - Northern Ireland #3

A closeup look at some of the rock formation as we walked into the causeway. It is a natural phenomenon created by slow cooling lava flow.

The Giants Causeway - Northern Ireland #2

The Giants Causeway - Northern Ireland

This is part of the walk from the car park into the Giants Causeway. Very pretty area. We opted to stay in the main area and not try the long hike on the other side. We also took the mini bus back to the car park area. The basalt formations are quite striking. Most people stay on the main viewing and climbing area but if you go round back the scenery is steeper and less populated. We watched a number of people attempt the long steep climb up the mountainside. Hubbie took the photos I will be showing you over the next few days since I was helping our daughter try to negotiate the causeway.

Coastal Road Northern Ireland #10

Whitepark Bay was one of the first settlements in Ireland and is a very pretty area to visit. Not many people there the day we visited. There are rip tides in the water but that did not stop a dog and his owner from having a good time chasing a stick.
For some more info and stunning photographs visit http://www.peacecamp2012.com/locations/white-park-bay.aspx

Coastal Road Northern Ireland #9

One our way we stopped off at White Park Bay. A short hike in over grassy hillocks found us in a beautiful little bay with Portbradden in the distance.

Coastal Road Northern Ireland #8

If you look closely you will see two birds have taken over one of the holes in the rock to create a nest.

Coastal Road Northern Ireland #7

The coastal road to The Giants Causeway actually goes inland for a while. Very windy, very pretty.

Coastal Road Northern Ireland #6

Coastal Road Northern Ireland #5

Meet the hubbie :) Between the two of us we took a ton of photos.

Coastal Road Northern Ireland #4

Coastal Road Northern Ireland #3

Coastal Road Northern Ireland #2

Coastal road Northern Ireland

On the coastal road to the Giants Causeway.

So close yet so far

We were in Ireland and in Galway during the International Quilt Festival 2012. Did I get to it ....... NO :(  We saw the signs and banners, passed the college location, and took a fabulous bus tour to Kylemore Abbey instead. Some ladies on the tour had been to the festival. They liked the quilts on display but were not too happy with the organizing of travel and accommodations for the event. Hopefully some of the kinks will get sorted out for next time.
In all the stop offs we made around Ireland there was not much quilting to see BUT some of the cathedrals had some amazing ceramic floors, altars and other items that could easily have inspired existing quilt patterns and designs :) There was also plenty of other textiles to see which I enjoyed greatly.

One banner in St. Nicholas' Church in Galway caught my eye.

as did some random dancing as we walked around :) Seriously they showed up as a little parade (3 pipers, 2 dancers and a highland costumed guy carrying the Scottish flag), set up, did their dance and cameras and then moved along to another part of the street and did the same thing. We followed them for a wee while.

We took tons of photographs and I will share them over time and at each of my blogs. What impressed me the most - the scenery (obviously), the stained glass windows and ceramics, the wildlife, the historical ambiance intermingled with modern, and the seemingly random sculptures along the roadways, roundabouts and other places.
I was sorely tempted to buy one of the many ruined buildings we saw along the way but managed to resist the temptation. Maybe they will just have to show up in some of my art work (if I ever get back to it).
I also noticed a theme with the many cottages that we saw which I will share in another posting.