It just takes time

We’ve been in Ireland for nearly 10 months now. Every day I feel more at home and less stranger in a strange land-ish.

The sun has shown for three days straight (which must be an Irish record of some sort) and to be honest, it’s been a bit much. I’ve grown used to my misty, windy, rainy, rainbows and flashes of sunlight Ireland. Three straight days of sunlight is almost a bit much.

My newly planted veggie plants agree, as they have both sunburn and windburn. More lessons learned about “hardening off” baby plants, sigh.

Everyday, I feel more like I’m in a place I could stay. Which, if you knew me, would make you gasp in surprise. I’ve never felt that “homely” feeling most people seem to be born with. My stone is a rolling stone and it comes to rest very infrequently.

But Ireland has been working it’s charms on me. Living on the East Coast, we finally had a chance to take a short trip to the West Coast. I found it “familiar” and “fun” but not really where I want to be day to day. If you are traveling here, that would probably be the place you’d want to visit. It’s full of quaint villages and international towns. But I like my quieter and more agricultural eastern coast. I feel less jangle-y and more in tune with the flow of life here.

I grew up with the international vibe and the buzz of all the new things to be found in the world. Now I want the more grounded and simpler version of life that was mine as a younger child. Gardens, pottery, cooking, music, nature walks and kitties. Time to think and time to feel. It’s not all that exciting but it fits me better than anything else ever has.

I guess it just takes time to find yourself. And it just takes time to find your way in a new country.

Cooley Mountains

Went for a ride on a foggy misty day in Early Autumn

Mini Rose

Fresh from Irish Rain

Wild Things In my Yard

Borage, Chinese Honeysuckle, Valerian all growing wild in the back yard.  We’ve been weeding, planting, exploring and identifying 😀

Eyes of the Forest

Here’s looking at you

I see strange things when I’m walking in nature.  Some I ignore but some stand out and make me look at them.  I’ve been in many pine forests, but for some reason this particular one has Eyes everywhere.

Of course, there are scientific reasons why these eyes appear in the wood (branches break off), but the sheer number of them in my local woods is astounding.

Yes, these are the same woods with the noisy Mr. Crow from my previous posts.  So, you know, they are a bit occupied in some sense.  😉

It was my M who noticed them first.  She has quite the ahem, eye, for these things.  Lately, she’s been becoming more aware of her intuitive seeing ability.  This has developed into a great love for trees.  Growing up in the desert may not have been the best choice for her.  Sometimes you have to live or experience the opposite of what you need to recognize it when it finally shows up.  Or, like me, grow up with it and lose it to appreciate just how important it is to you (the ocean).

See?  These eyes make me even more reflective.  Maybe if you gaze at this one, it will take you to a deeper place 😉