Miscellaneous (travels, outings, trips, interesting facts) May 2024

Dear Gentle Reader, 

Yesterday (11th of May) I went on a trip to Glendalough, Co Wicklow with my local photoclub. These 2 lakes are part of the Wicklow National Nature Reserve. Was an early start (get up at 7 am, bus leaving at 8 am) Absolutely fabulous day, hot, sunny, light cooling breeze, breath-taking views. I honestly didn't want to come home. It was an amazing day. The photo club is not a huge group, but the craic is mighty, the fun and banter compensates the numbers. Thanks to a well established management every outing is a success.

The bus dropped us at the upper lake (I must say it was a very comfortable bus, which is always a bonus) and from there the group had to make their way to the lower lake where the pick up point was. It was a long walk but everyone made it in our own pace, no rush, no hurry, with plenty of photo opportunities on the way. (I knew I was going to pay for it the next day, but that is OK, no pain, no game, every muscle pain worth it.) 

This walk between the 2 lakes is called the Bird Watching Walk (I think). It covers the distance between the 2 lakes, dividing it into a short and a long walk. We got the long walk. But before that something exciting was waiting for the group. 

As an amateur photographer, one always has a few gadgets in one's bag and a few tricks of the trade, or to learn something new from the more experienced members. They are a real fountain of knowledge, which I'm grateful for. Lens balls, black and white shots, debth of field, macro are just a few of these tricks and gadgets. A new lens with a built in macro, which I got from my dad. He loves his photography too (inherited the bug from him). 

As we were looking around, trying to find photo opportunities these 3 young teenage stags ran into the small clearing surrounded by the forest and peacefully started grazing. I was like "WOW, this is not happening!!!! “ (although I saw a few from the bus and one of the members told me I might see a few more around, I was like YESSSS, that's what I want). Anyways I dropped my bag, changed lenses and as slowly as I could got closer and closer and even closer. 

They were chasing each other, headbutting, testing eachother's strength just like more dominant stags would do during rutting season in the autumn. Usually young stags gather in groups called bachelor groups and they'll challenge the dominant stag, even try to steal his does. If the dominant stag is powerful and strong enough, they won't have a chance. Best of luck to these young Princes in the autumn. 

As we toddled along soaking in the view, and the sun, taking a few snaps here and there, we came across to this old graveyard and Lord behold, oh dear, there were more deer. This time a tad tamer, they even let themselves to be petted by the tourists around there. Even I've managed to pet one while he graciously took the offered dandelions from my hand. I was so delighted. Ive forgotten to take pics, so if someone managed to take a pic of me feeding the deer, please share. Thanks. And THAT was the highlight of the day for me. I loved every second of it. The little bond I shared with that lovely youngling was just magical. I shall never forget that moment 😁😍

And pretty much that concluded our journey as we reached the lower lake where we had our well deserved icecream and rest. 

After that we had food and dessert in Enniskerry, which went down like a treat. Yummmm it was :) 

Mushroom and chicken pie (which was absolutely scrumptious) and side salad, crowned with a big slice of coffee cake and more coffee. 

An absolute fabulous day, thank you everyone :) 

Sincerely yours

Annamaria 

My Garden - May 2024

Dear Gentle Reader, 

And all of a sudden we are in May. After a very wet March, and cold April, this month seems to warm up slowly. The weather forecast says "warmer weather is coming next week"....hmmm....heard that before...but I live in hope. My Garden and plants are seriously craving for heat, nothing can grow without heat. Even if the sun is out, it's still cold. It's shocking how everything is so behind. With a bit of heat every single plant in every garden will play the catch up game.

That huge blob of pink gorgeousness is my tree peony, it's still in her glory displaying these big cups of candyfloss delight. The plants in my greenhouse desperately need attention, but I got sick and I couldn't go out to tend them. I'm on the mend now, I hope I'll be able to do a bit of work in the greenhouses soon. My grapes are growing, soon they'll flower and self pollinate and then the waiting game starts until the harvest. Fingers crossed 🤞🍇 My peaches are swelling day by day getting bigger and rounder, showing off their peachiness. Can't wait to sink my teeth into their juicy flesh. 😜🍑 Tomatoes are blooming, early strawberries are forming fruit too. Life is good in the greenhouse. Plants are growing, which makes me happy 😜😁

As says pass by my garden flourishes and grows. Days are becoming warmer, yet still not as warm as in the past years. My pink Clematis Montana is blooming like crazy and shooting new stems all over the place, I have a white in as well and a honey suckle to cover the side of that shed. Well that's the idea, but sometimes plants have other ideas and here is where I need to train them where to go. We'll get there, no worries. I can't get enough of these gorgeous apple blossoms on my hubby's fav apple tree, Granny Smith. They are so beautiful, the softness of that pink, the light scent.... All I  need it now is to bear fruit and then the circle will be full. There's a new kid on the block, called Hops, I must say, I have high hop(e) s for my hops. And no, no I'm not going to brew anything from it, maybe just a few potpouries mixed with lavender and other sweet smelling herbs and plants for a better sleep at night. The blue Aquilegia there is the pure version of the wild one, credit to the birds for this one. The pink dainty little Dianthus, is a perennial one called Dianthus pinifloria, because it's leaves reminds one of the pine leaves. The other shrub that's gonna bloom (name I do not know, because the wind blew away the lable) it's a white one, light vanilla scented flowers. Bees love it. 

Now a blue Iris Siberica is blooming next to the white one. They are nice. My Snowball tree is full of little snowball like flower clusters, but if you take a closer look, you can the florets look like small Hydrangea flowers. So cute! My auriculas never sees to amaze me, year after year they just pour out their amazing little flowers that look like a gypsy skirt. Fabulous little plant. I have only this one, but I've seen ppl having collections of auriculas and they display them on a shelf in clay pots. It's really showcase like. The white Clematis Montana blooms a couple of days later then the pink one and it will last longer a bit then the pink one. However both mixed with the honeysuckle will be an amazing display 😍 Finally I've managed to plant my tomatoes, I couldn't because 1.the weather was too cold with light frosty mornings and 2.because I was sick, but once I got better, in the ground they went. Oh, I must not forget to lable them....duhhh🙄😜. 

Day by day the grape bunches (at this stage blossoms only) are getting bigger and bigger. Must get a mesh before they start opening to protect them against grape moth and then later in against wasps. I don't have anything against wasps, I know they are useful as polinators and as aphid munchers, but the grapes are mine 😜🍇. There's a little ecosystem going on among the gravel. Self seeded violets, wild calendula, forget me nots and alpine strawberries are fighting for space with the weeds. Time to give them a helping hand ✋😜😉pink flowered Bush was the pride of my late mother in law, blooms every year and displays these clusters of pink trumpet like flowers with a light citrusy fragrance. Cute Bush, doesn't mind drastic cutting back either. The other one is a saxifrage, I just love their tiny, pink flowers, it's like a froth of pale pink among all that green. It's an excellent ground covering plant. 

Sincerely yours

Annamaria