The Irish Photos

The photos were taken a few years ago on film - so the colors are a little off - but I've tried to clean them up a bit.

I didn't expect to see as many horses, ponies, and donkeys that I did, but they were everywhere there were animals. Cows and sheep far out number even people in Ireland I think.

The license plate says Michigan. Having the dog sit in your lap or on the donkey during the ride was an "extra charge." Someone paid it. :)

This is a convent - Kylemore Abbey & Victorian Walled Garden. The weather with the looming fog made it gleam.

Another shot of the abbey.

This was a "Gentlemen's Horse Farm, Carrigglas Manor. I remember having lunch there but not much more. I understand it is now a ruin.

This was spotted in Carrigglas Manor. My Grandfather made thousands of these - I don't know if this one was one of his though.

The Cliffs of Moher. Simply breath-taking.

More cliffs rising from the sea.

Given my fear of heights, this is as close to the edge as I got!!

No trip to Ireland is complete without a kiss. They lean you over backwards and slide you out over the abyss on your back and you lean upward to kiss the bottom of the Barney Stone. It's a good 85-90 foot drop there...

Back on the houseboat - on the River Shannon - there are "street signs" out on the river so it is hard to get lost!

Everywhere along the river are workingmen and fishing persons with their helper dogs of course!

A considerable climb up from the water - the conic towers are - forgive the pun, iconic. This is Glendalough Monastery in COunty Wicklow.

To get around the rapids and shallows on the River Shannon - usually between the many lakes, you go through a "canal lock". Here is one near Carrick on Shannon.

Waiting near one of the many locks was this family of Swans. There were to be many such families along the route.

Here I am in the yellow rain jacket bringing the boat out of a lock.

A view down into a lock, they crammed as many boats as they could into the lock when things were busy. All the boats had plenty of inflated "boat bumpers" on them. A canal further north was "self serve" and far less busy.

A self serve lock. One inserted a "fare card" into the board and the gates would swing shut and the lock fill or empty depending on which way you were going.

The many cows along the river and streams like to stand out in the water and let the houseboat wake wash over their knees - they were totally un-phased by boat wake.

The monastery of Clonmacnoise (Cluain Mhic Nóis in Irish, meaning "Meadow of the Sons of Nós") is situated in County Offaly, Ireland on the River Shannon south of Athlone.

Clonmacnoise was founded in 546 by St. Ciarán, a young man from Rathcroghan, County Roscommon. Until the 9th century it had close associations with the kings of Connacht. The strategic location of the monastery helped it become a major center of religion, learning, craftsmanship, and trade by the 9th century and it was the most famous in Ireland, visited by scholars from all over Europe. Yes, you read the dates correctly!

The houseboat is docked on a wharf in the River Shannon just below this hill. Another climb up a hill brings you into the "land that time forgot." This is one spooky place!

Here you can see a houseboat on the river approaching the Clonmacnoise dock.

Another houseboat. We shared several days company and a couple trips to local pubs for sing-a-longs. The lady with the camera was very friendly and from Limerick.

The Bed and Breakfast I stayed at both before and after my house-boating cruise.

Another family of swans closes this entry. :)

Labor Day Weekend in Chestertown, Maryland

This past weekend was rather gloomy and sticky in Chestertown, Maryland but the town was "hopping." There were a lot of activities planned - namely the reenactment of the War of 1812: Battle of Caulk's Field! Yeah... Woo-hee! :) I was there alone this weekend - as the parents were and are on Lake Michigan.

The "Pride of Baltimore II" was in Chestertown, Maryland to be part of the "goings on."

It was a "privateer" circa the War of 1812. This ship has been a hard luck case. On May 14, 1986, returning from the Caribbean, a microburst squall, 250 miles north of Puerto Rico struck the Pride. Winds of 80 knots hit the vessel, capsizing and sinking her. Her captain and three crew were lost; the remaining eight crewmembers floated in a partially inflated life-raft for four days and seven hours with little food or water until the Norwegian tanker Toro came upon them and rescued them.

The ship in the photograph is the second "Pride." On September 5, 2005, the "Pride of Baltimore II" suffered a complete dismasting while sailing in a squall in the Bay of Biscay off the coast of France. The ship returned to port under motor power for repairs.

There were "public sailings" on the ship and it sailed past the houseboat several times but I didn't go on any of them.

A view of the mast and rigging.

The town was festooned with 15 star flags from 1812. Note the stars.

In Fountain Park, I found a crafter's display of carved wooden fishes. This is a "Dolphin" or "Mahi Mahi." I didn't bring this home. I wouldn't know where to put it.

Motoring past the wharf is the Anne D., an Echo Hill Outdoor School buy boat.

I took a boat ride in my dad's boat with a fellow "Wharf Rat" to see the Pride of Baltimore II from the water. The Schooner Sultana is in the distance on the right. It is about half the size of the Pride.

Of course, it wasn't all boat riding and sightseeing! I took a couple long walks up the hill from the wharf and visited with my friend Huckleberry. He's not been around for several weeks and I was beginning to worry about him. We enjoyed a pleasant belly and ear-rubbing (for him) reunion.

The sky that evening made me think of several friends - and since I was at the wharf alone - I kind of got lonesome.

The next day I went into town, mostly just to see some people, and caught this young woman tossing some coins into the fountain at the park. The family had a large dog that they tried to have pose in front of the fountain for photographs, but he wasn't having any of that! They finally got a "sort of good one" when someone else took a snap with the whole family at the fountain (see Flickr if you want)

My car turned 150,000 miles on the way back to the houseboat. It is getting old.

While I was at the wharf, the one-legged lady sent me a cellphone photo of Barley - and labeled it, "My Copilot." He's so cute. :)

Busy Weekend

Last weekend, despite it being overcast and gloomy - with periods of gentle rain, was a busy one. Friday evening found me in Baltimore, Maryland with my parents enjoying the Inner Harbor sights and sounds. I enjoyed watching the folks take out peddle boats that were made to look like dragons - some were green and some were purple. It was a little odd watching some folks peddle them backwards - the red ship in the background is a lightship. The Power Station, the home of a seafood restaurant, Barnes and Nobles, and the Hard Rock Cafe is behind it.

Early the next morning, we boarded a cruise boat and took an extended tour of the Baltimore Harbor that focused on the various lighthouses and ship channel navigation lights. My favorite (photograph) was the one of the abandoned Fort Carroll light, with a Cormorant on the top, drying his (or her's) wings. The odd sunlight coming through the clouds makes for an interesting effect.

The abandoned fort is well out in the harbor and is covered with birds, Cormorants, Egrets, Herring Gulls and others - I wouldn't want to walk on it since it is covered in white splatter - but I did have a good laugh at this sign at the "Sally Port" entrance. "Private Property! Keep Off! Guard Dog!"

After the cruise, we went to the houseboat, where we rested briefly from the drive (Baltimore is confusing and the traffic over the Kent Narrows bridge is horrible), and the I went with the one-legged lady and her dog, Barley, to the Chestertown Fountain Park to hear Vic Vacuum and the Attachments (no kidding, that's the band's name!) play some rock and roll tunes from the 1950s and 60s. It was quite a sight watching old grey-haired ladies with walkers dancing to the tunes! The weather, while gloomy, was comfortably cool. Barley made some new friends - he seemed to enjoy Mr. Vacuum's music.

Woof!

Stop and Smell the Roses!

On Sunday afternoon, on my way home from the houseboat, I was stopped in Georgetown, Maryland when a drawbridge opening occurred. I've been keeping track of how often I have to sit and wait at this bridge (not that I mind, the views up and down the river are nice!) and have been stopped seven out of seven times heading home and two out of seven times heading to the houseboat.

I took this photo with my cellphone and sent it to my mother and to the one-legged lady at the wharf telling them I had been stopped once again and both of them told me, "Patience! Reflect on the fun you had during the weekend and enjoy!"

The hood of my car is a mess, I parked under a tree at the wharf to keep it in the shade!

Before heading to the wharf, I make sure I mow my lawn, sometimes I use a push mower when I want the exercise. It takes me about two and a half hours pushing - the riding mower is much faster, but I've been having trouble getting it to start. Turns out the connector to the starter was loose - and I fixed it, so when I'm in a hurry, I ride the mower and get the job done in about forty minutes. I was so happy when I got it to run!

My mom's birthday is coming up soon - and I've been looking around for something she might want and like. I spotted this wooden wire reel at the wharf and asked the owner if he had plans for it. He said, "Take it away and it's yours!" So I stuffed it into my car and brought it home. The next weekend my mom said, "Durn, the wire reel is gone! I was going to ask if I could buy it. I think it would make a neat patio table.

Mission accomplished.

One day last week, I got home from work and saw an ambulance and a police car in my neighbor's driveway. I was very concerned about them, they are good neighbors. By the time I walked over, the ambulance and police car were gone and no one answered the door. Their dog, a seven year old mutt that thinks she is still a puppy was tearing around the backyard like a maniac. An hour later, she was still out there and no one answered the door - it being hot as heck out, I let myself through the gate and made sure she had a bowl of water (she did). She seemed a little lost, so I sat with her for a half hour, hoping her mom or dad would come home. It grew dark and quite late so I went home, but I checked her a while later and a light was on in the house so someone came home.

Turns out her mom, who had lung cancer, had a dizzy spell and was choking on something. She called 911 for herself and put the dog out in the backyard so she wouldn't jump all over the EMT. She went to the ER and her husband drove there straight from work. I told them I "doggy sat" and they were quite pleased that someone was around - I told them it they ever needed a doggy sitter, emergency or not, I was "up for it." And if they needed a helping hand, I was "up for that" too.

Last weekend was the annual "Swim for Life" event at Rolph's Wharf. I loaded some photos into Flckr. There were about 300 swimmers and they swam 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 miles - unless they were in the triathlon, in which case they swam 2.4 miles and then biked 110 miles and then ran a marathon.

I was feeling somewhat cocky, having swam a mile and a third at the YMCA the week before in an hour and fifteen minutes. And then I heard during the awards ceremony for the swim, someone had swum a mile in nineteen minutes! Some days, I can't even walk that fast!

Life keeps ya humble...

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Been very busy. Trying to catch up.

My older brother came to down for Memorial Day. He and I walked down the Delaware Canal towpath before and after stuffing ourselves with "holiday food." The goose family came by to honk at us.

The houseboat is in the water and (mostly) ready for a summer season of fun. I have to work next Saturday though.

After walking 8 miles just to get things from storage and into the houseboat, I enjoyed the serenity of a quiet sunset.

Will the last person out...

...turn off the lights?

It was with certain feelings of sadness that I closed up the houseboat for the season this past weekend. I always hate to see the end of a season - with its uncertainty as to what the winter and the next year will bring.  This past boating season was a mixed one - interrupted for a long stretch in July when my dad suffered a heart attack - it was also interrupted by a number of rainy weekends too.

I did however, enjoy getting to meet the dogs, Huckleberry, Newfie, and the new wharf dog, a black Labrador named Gracie.  Gracie provided a bit of comic relief a couple weeks ago as she got her head stuck in a red bucket that held feed corn for the ducks, geese, and chickens.  Unable to shake it off, she ran around the parking lot like a maniac until she rammed into a parked black pickup truck - the impact freed her head from the bucket and the appearance of the "huge truck that came out of nowhere" scared her witless.  She jumped up and backwards at least three feet!  The owner of the truck, and the owner of the wharf and I witness this cavorting and broke out in laughter.

Huckleberry and Newfie are the "tree farm guard dogs" - but neither of them seem to see many people and both are as shy as can be.  I started carrying "Beggin' Strips" when I walked up the long wharf road past the tree farm to see if I could tempt them.  The first meeting was uncertain, just as Huckleberry was just (finally!) going to allow me to pet him, my cellphone beeped for an incoming text message - that startled him so badly he took off and soon had a hundred yards between us!  The two dog slowly warmed to me, however as the weekends went by - and this past weekend, I was met at the farm boundary by two drooling dogs in search of a head pat (I suppose they actually just wanted a Beggin' Strip).

The boats are being taken out of the Chester River, one by one and the Water's Edge will be out within the week.

Until next year... I leave my water-borne friends and neighbors.

..and get ready for the "Pumpkin Season," those 6-7 weeks between now and Thanksgiving.  I do enjoy the cool air and the changing leaves.  Recently, I went to the Morris Arboretum and looked at the scarecrow contestants.  They are in my Flickr account (here).  I think you will enjoy them.  They are so creative!