IRELAND, PT. 2 (THE BEST PART)...

The rest of our Ireland trip - 5 days - was spent road tripping through south Ireland! We made stops in Cork, Kenmare, Skellig Michael, Killarney, Limerick, Doolin, Ballinasloe, and Athlone.  Mostly what made it the best part for us was the natural beauty and unique experiences.

Driving into Cork

We stopped at St. Anne's church to ring the bells in the belltower!

That was a fun climb and experience!  Great views from the top!

Really?  We didn't have time, though...

We ate in an English Market in Cork - ironically we found out later we love Monkfish!

We stopped at the Toy Soldier factory in Macroom and spent 2 hours there!  The manager asked us if we wanted to do a "Make & Take" and we learned how to make a die cast metal figure and then we painted them.  They have the world's largest miniature battle scene on display- the Battle of Waterloo.  

After that we took Google Maps advice and spent 40 minutes on forest roads without seeing another car!  It was pretty crazy and actually a little scary!  

Spent 3 nights in Kenmare - a little town that we loved!  It was a good place to do day trips from...

Our favorite day of the whole trip!  Getting to boat out to Skellig Michael and hike up the ancient steps made by monks in the 6th century was pretty amazing!  There were stone cottages to see after a long climb up.  The island has gained recent fame because it is the site of Luke Skywalker's death in Star Wars.  But it is amazing because of the history of the monks and the puffins!  Hard to get tickets but we followed a blogger's advice and showed up early (got up at 5:30 a.m. to drive 90 min. to the port) and started asking the sea captains if they had an cancellations on their boats that day.  We absolutely loved the nature, the history of it - unlike anything in the United States!

Puffins have to be the cutest birds ever!

Kerry Cliffs

Skellig chocolate shop for free tastings!

Quick dip in the Atlantic Ocean!

So many pretty sights like this on our trip!

Killarney National Park

 In KNP we biked to Torc Waterfall, the Muckross estate and tour, and Muckross Abbey ruin.

We rented the bikes in Killarney but we didn't care for the city itself - too big and touristy.  The Hubs had to pose under the "Danny Mann" sign!  Our B & B had the prettiest flower garden!

We stopped in Limerick for a few hours and got the most awesome hot chocolate and checked out King John's castle.  

The Cliffs of Moher was another awesome sight!  We bought sandwiches in a little town nearby and took them with us so we could sit near the cliffs, relax, and have a little picnic.  We also walked through the underground visitor center and saw the exhibits.  We stayed nearby in Doolin.

Evening in Doolin

Another great morning - as we were leaving Doolin we decided to go to the Cliffs of Moher one more time.  this time we didn't want to pay the 16 Euro to park at the Visitor Center but try to find the "free" place I had read about on blogs.  We did find a farmer's land and he had a gravel parking area and this sign by the deposit box.  We walked along a gravel road for about 15 minutes and then got to the cliffs.

We saw a trail that went down below the cliffs and since it was early morning, no one was around.  We had the place to ourselves.  It was pretty awesome!

 Cemetery near the Atlantic Ocean and a stop in Ballinasloe

Best dessert I had - kind of like a Snickers cake!

Athlone - best Thai in Ireland!  It was very good!

View from the Athlone Sheraton - we got a free stay for our last night in Ireland!

IRELAND, PT. 1...

June 15-22 we were in Ireland! A big trip like this is usually planned for months in this family, but a sudden business trip for The Hubs in London quickly turned into a week in Ireland before that!  So I quickly learned as much as I could and found us some places to stay and things to do...AND we fell in love with the place!  Here's a bit of Dublin:

Our Air BnB on a sheep farm in Maynooth

The Little Museum of Dublin - great tour with a short history lesson!

St. Patrick's Cathedral - took the guided tour here as well.  Jonathan Swift buried here. 

We took the student-led tour of Trinity College which was very interesting!  It also included getting to see the Book of Kells and the Long library - amazing!

A modern sculpture on the grounds of an ancient college.

In the Chester Beatty museum, who, by the way, was an American beloved by the Irish, we saw actual pages from I Corinthians written in Greek that are centuries old.

The Brazen Head, the oldest pub in Ireland,where we ate one night.

Irish Stew for me, fish & chips for Dan

Flower garden by Dublin Castle

 Ha-penny Bridge - what they used to charge to cross it!

 The Spire - I believe the tallest sculpture in Ireland

 Main Street for shopping, restaurants

 Heart of Christchurch cathedral - it is a sprawling long church!

Maynooth castle near where we stayed

We also enjoyed the Do Dublin Hop On, Hop Off tour bus, our go-to in new places when we're jet-lagged and just trying to get a feel for the city.  

What I loved about Dublin is that it still retains it's charm and it wasn't just another huge European city.  It's evident they still don't like the British, but they are generally lovely, friendly people.  

SPRING READING...

My spring reads have been pretty sparse...but here they are!  Mostly this spring I enjoyed studying I and II Corinthians with a group, and have done a lot of online research for travel.

Inheritance, by Dani Shapiro

A memoir about Dani finding out her true identity after her parents had died.  Although a fair-haired person, she grew up in a strong Jewish family.  Growing up there were always jokes about whether she belonged. She did indeed find out after doing a test on a whim that she had no real Jewish genes, and set out to find answers.  This story chronicles her journey as she found those answers and her feelings of betrayal and love.  An interesting read and it shows how complicated medical ethics can be as it affects the individual.

Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis

Another one from Rachel Hollis which is much like her previous one.  She addresses all the excuses you might have for not chasing after your dreams.  He advice is to just focus on the one thing you want to achieve, and don't apologize for it.  Make it happen.  Great read if you need some motivation to move on in life!

Moon travel guide - Mount Rushmore & The Black Hills, by Laural A. Bidwell

I heard the Moon guides were the best travel guides, so I checked one out.  I like the size of them - they fit in the hand easily.  They have beautiful pictures but not too many, just enough to whet your appetite!  Each city in the region is described well with a few choice accommodations, restaurants, and activities listed.  I think generally what I like is that the guide is not overwhelming with choices.  They recommend the best of what is available according to several budgets.  Also, it features a good map of each place, including restaurant, shops and accommodations.

DK Eyewitness Travel - Dublin

After reading and doing a lot of online research about what might be interesting to see on our road trip to the Dakotas, all of a sudden our plans changed with a business trip over in Europe for The Hubs!  So all the books changed and this one about Dublin, Ireland is a good one.  DK books have a lot of pictures, which is good for someone who knows very little about the place!  Seriously, it's got a little history, some maps, and plenty of information about attractions.  

BEING STILL WHEN ACTION IS ALL YOU KNOW...

"Let us not become weary of doing good, for at the proper time we  will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Gal. 6:9

For so long I've used this verse to remind myself that many give up, many grow weary of doing good, and I do not want to be in that group.  To me that means serving physically - taking food to someone or doing some kind of chore for someone who cannot do it for health reasons, a death in the family, or whatever. 

But my aching joints are telling me otherwise nowadays.

Being a stay-at-home mother for the last 20 + years and considering my job keeper of the home, I feel that cooking or cleaning for someone is what I do best and that's my best way to do good.  I taught children for many years and that felt good.  Serving in Women's Ministry through planning and executing events are also my way of doing good.

So my aching joints telling me to take a break is playing with my mind.

You might notice this scripture does not define what doing good is....do you suppose that's intentional?  Of course it is!  What does God's word say about doing good?  What good things did God do?  What kind of good did Jesus do?  Those are our models for GOOD.  Off the top of my head I can think of many examples of good, and I'm sure I could find more with deeper study.  I think about the creation story in Genesis.  Each day God looked at it, and said, "It is good." However God made this Earth, a work of his mind, a work of his hands; he reflected about along the way.  Micah 6:8 tells us what good is:  "He has showed you, O Man, what is good.  But what does the Lord require of you?  To seek justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."  Being still this morning and praying; connecting with the Father - that is good.  Praying for others - that is good.  Seeking justice for someone is action based to me.  But praying for justice is an action, too.  Loving mercy and walking humbly - those are a reflection of the Holy Spirit working in your life .

Psalm 37:3  says "Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness." I've heard from time to time that it is hard for older Christians to feel useful.  Aging robs of us doing so much action.  I've never thought of it this way, but maybe it's God giving us one more chance to draw near to him.  

So my conclusion here is that my idea of doing good has been action based in my life for many, many years. How about you?  Action in the name of the Lord is good.  But it will change, and change is hard.  The Holy Spirit is helping me see that doing good can mean reflecting, loving, being humble, and cultivating faithfulness through making connections, prayer, and Bible study.  

So take that, you aching joints!  

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE PUDDING...

For all the dark chocolate lovers out there!

Bittersweet Chocolate pudding (adapted from Epicurious)

·       1/3 cup sugar

·       1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

·       2 tablespoons cornstarch

·       1/8 teaspoon salt

·       1 3/4 cups whole milk, divided

·       1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

·       4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60% cacao), finely chopped

·       1 tablespoon dark rum

·       1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1.     Whisk sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt to blend in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually add 1/3 cup milk, whisking until smooth paste forms. Whisk in remaining milk, then 1/4 cup cream. Using flat-bottom wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, stir mixture constantly over medium heat, scraping bottom and sides of pan until pudding thickens and begins to bubble at edges, about 5 minutes. Add chocolate; stir until mixture is smooth. Remove from heat; stir in rum and vanilla.

NOTES:

I did not use any whipping cream  or rum in this recipe, and it turned out fine.  For the 4 ounces of bittersweet chocolate, I actually used a couple of plain Hershey bars that we had on hand.  I also added a spoonful of espresso powder to give it a darker flavor.  Can be poured into a baked crust.  Refrigerate.  . 

Made 4 pudding cup servings or perhaps one small pie.

GREEN PASTURES...

Psalm 23, probably one of the most well-known scriptures, has been on my mind lately.  I've been in a Wednesday night ladies class with a video by Jennifer Rothschild on the subject.  It may seem tedious to some, but looking at such a wonderful passage verse by verse can really help you focus on the real meaning of it.  It helps you get into the mind of the author.  It help you realize how it affects your life.

We were focusing on the meaning behind what shepherds do with their flock - their care and leading of them to green pastures.  They lead them to what's best for them.  And we got down to the real application for us...

WHAT ARE MY GREEN PASTURES?

Then Jennifer asked, "Are your green pastures your home?  Your family?  Your cars?  Travel?"  Are you leading yourself to those things?  Or are you letting the Shepherd lead you?  Are you letting Him take you to what is best for you?

WELL, THAT WAS A GUT PUNCH!

For a while now my life has been focused on ME, and my own green pastures of the excuse of a woman who has raised three kids with all her energy and now is ready for rest.  To sit in my own green pasture of relaxation and recreation.  Yes, I do have projects going outside of myself, but I'm not sure I'm letting the Shepherd lead.

I had to give myself an attitude adjustment earlier this year when we had to cancel our January plans to go to the beach for a couple of weeks (the Hubs would still work out of the condo).  His need to travel to other offices for work and also to help with a project at church just made that impossible.  So  I reluctantly cancelled our reservation.  I was not too happy but tried to focus on the blessings I do have (which are many).

Then we started thinking about a summer vacation.  The Hubs wanted to go to North Dakota, of all places!  It would be his 50th state to visit!  Really, what fun is there in North Dakota? Needless to say, I was a little disappointed but tried to get over it. After some research, I actually found some interesting things we could do on this lengthy road trip, so I was getting excited about it.

Then a funny, amazing, exciting thing happened! Three days ago I heard him talking on a conference call about some meeting in London.  I started wondering...then he said at dinner that it looked like he would have to go to London 2 days after we got home from North Dakota!  Well, long story short, we cancelled all those North Dakota road trip reservations and are now making reservations in Ireland and London!  So, my grateful heart is excited to travel with my husband to a new place, but I also have realized I must be careful and not let pleasure become my green pastures.

OUR TRUE GREEN PASTURES,

OUR TRUE SOURCE OF NOURISHMENT,

PEACE, AND CONTENTMENT

 CAN ONLY COME FROM THE SHEPHERD.