Irish Reflections.

The Emerald Isle is certainly quite green, but no different weather-wise, from South Devon and home. Lovers of quiet, out of the way places, us two pensioners found many friendly faces amongst the locals, and plenty of visitors doing the rounds of scenic hotspots. Some of the roads we ventured along are not to be recomended to those of a nervous disposition. Including one I would not dare attempt a second time. It's the single trackway heading across the high pass from the Sailor Bar, Kenmare and R571; not named or numbered or sign posted, but serving just the rural sparce community. Our low-slung Morgan chassis had its underside brushed by the buttercups, grass and daisies growing down the centerline of this narrow, little used country lane.

Although our hosts and all the locals showed great friendliness, there are overtly hostile signals from the troubled  recent past  that tell of bitterness towards the English. Like an omission to fly the Union-Jack alongside those of our close neighbouring countries. The prominent displays of heroic leaders that were hanged by us at the Easter Uprising, during the first world war, whose faces and eulogies appear in many a shop window, street corner or community centre.

Dramatic

Crystal clear Atlantic waters 

Good fishing to be had in these waters.

Divers fish hereabouts

Looking towards the Ring of Kerry 

The suspension of our Morgan two seater was treated to two liberal applications of the grease gun during our tour

Homes&Gardens

Touring southwest Ireland in glorious spring weather the number of abandoned homes that pepper the landscape soon becomes apparant.
On glancing one estate agents window we spot a recently sold derelict house with six acres at E65,000.
At the same time news media reports on a housing crisis and homelessness.
The sad fact seems to be that most of the desersion and dereliction has been ignored. The shells pictured here are far beyond economic repair. The strange thing is that they blend and disolve into a  countryside too beautiful to notice any blight or blot. 

Spot the Morgan by middle telegraph pole

Abandoned to the four winds and the Atlantic swell

Overgrown and overblow -- No garden should be left so out of hand. 

A  little draughty but structurally sound. -- Everest fit the Best...... . 

Retaining many original features. Here is the inglenook fire place. 

Open views towards the north west. 

The Ivy has taken hold of this Freehold

This lodging house has no lodgers  

A tin roof disolves to stain the wall in a drizzle  of rust

An open- plan interior greets the visitor

Further-Images-Here

South West Ireland

Planning a tour in the Morgan /4/4 is always exciting and Ireland is one place Helen and I have reached at last. Sons Matthew and William enjoy surfing the west coast and brother Andrew describes it simply; "Quirky".
So with M.O.T.  passed, tool roll bagged up, a tarp readied in case rain arrives, the GPS waypoints keyed in and we are off via Rosslare.
A  fine weather window is with us for a few days and the Ring of Kerry makes the first  day out a winner. The scenary excels and easily matches that explored elsewhere. AlbumHere

Thursday and the weather window stays clear blue. The scenic roads are tortuous and not so coach friendly as those explored elsewhere.
My next planned Blog Page; to be entitled "Homes and Gardens" will focus on the wide variety of abandoned dwellings which seem to slowly disolve into the lush green landscape.

Garinish Harbour 

Garinish Harbour

Clear water

Hideaway  home for a few days 

Ring of Kerry honey pot 

Dolphins  play in the clear blue sea 

R574 crossover the Beara Caha Mountains

Beginner beekeeping Blunders.

My pride and joy TopBar Hive is good, but I seem to have some husbandary errors which has left the colony lethargic and down.
I fear I opened the hive too frequently overwinter and possibly chilled the brood.

I mixed fondant using sugar.  Later to  learn it containes an anti-caking agent. The weakened colony has also come under attack from robbing queen wasps, twice they gained entry into the hive that I know of.

Another possibility is that the veroa mite has taken hold.
I shall try a herbal water supply in the form of an infusion of tea derived from tree fungus. Bees themselves will ocasionally drink from the drain off from a variety of mycelium to gain a naturally occuring antibiotic remedy.

My attempts at keeping this first colony is in jeopardy.  Much diminished in numbers they are now reduced to just the upper half of three combs. At the end of April I return from holiday and hopefully shall dust over more powdered sugar. Veroa Mite is the culprit and my feeding through winter a mistake which permitted more to flourish on brood that should have been absent at that time of year.