Uragh Stone Circle: Magical Ireland
Accidentally discovering the Uragh Stone Circle was a magical experience that left me in awe. The weather report last week indicated that Thursday would be dry. So on the spur of the moment, Gerhard and…
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On Veils and Mysteries
For a few days last week, thick fog descended on the Dingle Peninsula. It veiled the mountains, hills and sea from view, turning the landscape into a hidden, mysterious world of silver. Gerhard and I…
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Discovering Derrynane House: A Happy Accident
Gerhard and I discovered Derrynane House by accident. It happened on our first trip together to Ireland (in 2017) when we decided to explore the Ring of Kerry. This is a lovely circular drive (about…
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Tadpoles in Our Pond: The Magic Continues!
I am happy to announce that we now have tadpoles in our pond! I am so excited that I feel almost like a proud grandma. For a while there, I thought it was touch and…
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Frog Spawn: New Life Begins in Our Wildlife Pond
I have been looking forward to seeing frog spawn ever since we built our wildlife garden last June. So you can imagine how excited I was this morning to find two dark, gelatinous clumps clinging…
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In Praise of Parsley
I think that parsley deserves some praise! Although it is often pushed to the side of a plate and forgotten, it actually has a fascinating history and is extremely nutritious, too. I bought a small…
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Killarney National Park in October
Killarney National Park in October is spectacular as the oranges, russets and yellows fill the woods with warmth and color. Of course, the park is beautiful at every time of year, but fall has always…
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The Black Valley-A Place of Astonishing Beauty
The Black Valley is a very special place in County Kerry. Its beauty and remoteness will fill your heart with joy, and its peace will soothe your soul. Only a few farm families make their…
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Turning a Boring Lawn into a Wildlife Garden
The home my husband Gerhard and I retired to in County Kerry in December 2019 is surrounded by about 1/2 acre of lawn. It didn’t take long until we decided to turn it into a…
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Ryan’s Daughter: Dingle’s Brush with Hollywood
The disintegrating remains of stone stand idle and mute. The fog that surrounds them hides the fact that they perch near the edge of a cliff overlooking the Blasket Sound. The building looks like it…
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How to Cook with Seaweed
A course at the delightful Dingle Cookery School in Dingle taught me how to cook with seaweed that I had just foraged on Wine Strand. Upon arrival at the school, chef Mark Murphy and hospitality…
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Foraging Seaweed for Food
Have you ever thought about foraging seaweed for food? I hadn’t, until I visited Ireland for the first time about five years ago. This is when I saw the famine houses and learned just how…
