"It was imprudent of us, in the first place, to become authors. We could have become something regular, but we managed not to.
We were lucky, but we were also determined." Roy Blount Jr

"I don’t change the facts to enhance the drama. I think of it the other way round, the drama has got to fit the facts,
and it’s your job as a writer to find the shape in real life."
Hilary Mantel

Saturday, March 17, 2012

St. Patrick's Day



Sheep, photographed (by me) at Dunbeg on the Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry, several years ago. A view of the Irish Spring. Have you ever seen grass so green? Me, either.

Yes, it's been a while since I blogged. Sorry about that. My life was overtaken by a particular project--well, a mission, really. On the 15th, the mission was successfully completed, and though I shall be peripherally involved in upcoming phases, I do not expect almost-daily (and nightly!) meetings, nor the compilation and editing of massive amounts of documentation within a fairly short time frame.

Ice went out completely on our little lake sometime on Tuesday the 13th. The remaining piece of snow, about 5 inches by 4 inches in size, will go out of the front yard sometime tonight. There's still a mound of snow here and there at the edge of the forest and the end of the drive where the snowplow piles it.

My snowdrops are free and clear, my bulbs are sprouting. Tomorrow or Monday I shall head outside to remove leaf litter and expose them to the warm sunshine.

The state of the local road is not to be described! It was dreadful, but attention from the town "highway department" has remedied the disastrous driving conditions. At least for now....

I spotted the first chipmunk zipping about on Wednesday. My Friend From the North Country had stayed overnight with us, and she saw it, too.

The crazy robin that attacks its reflection by head-banging the glass of windows and doors has returned.

My winter hibernation ended a few weeks back with a couple of jaunts south of New Hampshire--one only slightly south, the other south of the Mason-Dixon line. More such forays coming soon.

I spent all day at the diocesan Stewardship Institute at Lake Opechee--a lake adjacent to the Big Lake. It was a fantastic and informative gathering. And we had green cake! Well, partly green. Better than it sounds--quite delicious, in fact--and decorated with fondant shamrocks. A good time was had by all.

I've bracketed this post with photos from Ireland. Here is the dolmen at Poulnabrane, located in the odd and rocky terrain of The Burren in County Clare.




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