Growing up

The stuff in my raised bed is taking over

Glenveagh National Park

A nice spot to visit in Donegal

This is Ireland

Another 'This is Ireland' post. I really should think about doing this as a series

First selfie

Spent a couple of days in Donegal with friends. It rained the entire time but we still got a few walks in. While we were there I took my first ever selfie (see below). I still won't be joining any social media sites any time soon, though.

Fermanagh

I spent a night at The Watermill Lodge near Lisnaskea. This was the view from my room

Ghosts

Just playing about with some camera settings.

Me and a ghost

Football, football, football

All I hear is football. I fucking hate it. July 10th can't come soon enough.

Ballycrochan

Star Wars

My son Martyn got chatting with the barman  in Farren's when we were in Donegal last week. As mentioned in a previous post Mark Hamill had visited the bar. As a souvenir he left a stormtrooper boot signed 'Forcefully yours'. Here's a shot of Martyn with the boot

 A happy Star Wars fan

This is Ireland

Spotted in a bookshop in Donegal...

A tail of a snail

Some people drive LIKE snails - this guy drives WITH one

Gumby (garden planning) update

The stuff growing in the greenhouse and the raised bed is now coming on really well. We've had our first strawberries and a few gooseberries and a feed of home-grown peas. The broad beans are nearly ready too and my potato plants look like trees. All my other bits and pieces are doing really well too. Such a contrast from last year

 

Donegal break

Martyn and I spent a couple of days in Donegal checking out a B&B for future visits. I managed to get plenty of photos and Martyn got to visit Malin Head, where part of the new Star Wars movie was filmed and also Farren's Bar, Ireland's most northerly inn where Mark Hamill paid a visit

 

Malin Head

Culdonagh Manor, the B&B near Carndonagh where we stayed

Big Yellow Tree

It's May, the time of year when the big Laburnum tree in my garden comes to life with yellow flowers that bloom for only a few days.

Ta Da!

At last father-in-law's greenhouse is finished. Because it was bought greatly reduced/no return/open box, numerous parts were missing. Nevertheless over the course of the last couple of weeks my pal Gary and I managed to get the thing built. Screws, washers, angle iron, silicone and duct tape were all pressed into use. Hopefully it won't fall down.

 

 A proud Gary with the completed greenhouse

Cowboy builders

My pal Gary and I are going to get a reputation as cowboy builders as we're currently alternating between several jobs. Gary's own greenhouse is on its way and we're also in the process of erecting a garden shed for a neighbour and a greenhouse for my father-in-law. Dominic Littlewood and Judge Rinder are going to be after us. Hopefully we will get better weather than in the photo below

Double rainbow after a heavy shower

Gumby (Garden planning)

The weather has been good this week. In addition to assisting father-in-law to build his greenhouse I have been doing a Gumby and tending to the heaps of stuff in the garden. Here are my greenhouse and raised bed with loads of things bursting into life

 

Walking the dog

Colin, my close friend and next-door neighbour, had to go to hospital for a couple of days due to an unexplained pain. I volunteered to walk his dog Moxy until he's fighting fit again.

Moxy, patiently waiting for Colin

2016 Elections

Voting was today. Despite knowing that the usual bunch of useless wasters will get re-elected I voted anyway. The sheeple will vote as they always do along sectarian lines. Is it any wonder so many young people bugger off to somewhere else as soon as they can? By this time tomorrow night we'll probably have the usual lot back in power again. Ah well, that's Northern Ireland politics for you

Back to work

I'm now back at work 6 months after my cancer op and chemotherapy. To start I'm doing a few days a week working from home. After a month or two I'm hoping to get hiking up mountains again but for now I'm starting to increase the speed of my daily walks a little and jogging short distances as I go.

River Barrow, Co. Carlow

Snow

Bloody hell, it's nearly May and we have snow.

 

Snowy fields near Omagh