The Walk Back to the House

Blackberries are Lilly's new obsession

Triomphe Steps

Mama on the steps

Jardins des Champs-Élysées

Lilly's First Blog Post

[just now]
Mom: Does anyone want to make a blog post?

(silence)

Mom: Maybe about driving in Ireland?

(silence)

Mom: Lilly, do you want to make a blog post?

Lilly: eyes widen and she nods yes

Mom: what do you want it to say?

Lilly: tay-too (thank you)

Amazing.

Limericks

Last night at dinner we discussed how the town Limerick wasn't too far from us and the brilliant poetry they spurred.  So we made some of our own:

There once was a boy who was funny
This Jackson, he often got wrecked, sonny
He was sort of Coo-coo
He went off to Peru
And he picked up his own pet bunny


There once was a girl named Molly
And she has a friend named Holly
They jumped on a plane
And left in the rain
And now they live over in Bali

There once was a girl named Lilly
She was small and also quite silly
She really liked blackberries
And also ate cherries
She then got a kitten named Billy

PS...She also liked chap chap (chapstick)

Girl in Pink

Find the pretty little American girl with the Irish name standing near the wild Atlantic

Ireland

If Paris was a giant inhale of all things I love - Ireland is an equal exhale with its gorgeous rolling green hills and dramatic layers of slate punctuating hills and cliffs, sea breezes, friendly people and the echoing sounds of waves, birds chirping, seagulls crowing, and seals howling. The natural air conditioner of the breezes and the gentle sun rays are incredibly relaxing. Imagine if a population the size of Dallas was spread across a rolling green space that stretched between Dallas to Houston and the only traffic jams were caused by sheep and cattle and the fact that the narrow roads edged with wildflowers and greenery bursting out into the street are sometimes too narrow for two cars to pass at the same time- yet everyone carefully watches and happily awaits to let each other through.

Ireland is also the first place since leaving the US where we've seen both people working out and over weight people. And much to Joes delight- we hadn't even left baggage claim before he exclaimed his delight for a place where things are so easy because they speak English! He walked right up to someone, asked a question, had a conversation and got information! Easy peasy!!

Its delightful to roll through these gorgeous gentle green filled roads and countryside scenery only to turn a brushy green corner and be entering a quaint and colorful little village full of all the things a town would need: a pub nor tow, a grocer, perhaps a charity shop or a housewares shop... all with some colorful banners draped across the street and hydrangea bushes that look more like trees.

I can't believe I have never been in this gentle, kind place before. The week just started and I'm already planing our return!


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