In the centre of Belfast, in the oldest part of the city, lies a series of narrow cobbled streets and alleyways known as Cathedral Quarter, named after St Anne's Cathedral whose Spire of Hope rises impressively on the city skyline. Steeped in history and with a strong literary tradition, its old red brick warehouses now…
As is the tradition in March, the weather has brought us sunshine and showers. And just when we might think we have seen the last of winter, the snow arrives to remind us it's not quite over yet. Apparently, spring advances at a speed of approximately 1.9 miles per hour so living where I do,…
I've never considered myself one of those 'creative types' and yet in the past few years, that's what I've been called, much to my amusement. I suspect years of working in industry dulled my creative streak until I started blogging and discovered photography, a subject I've touched on before in this post and which many of…
In recent years, snowdrops have grown hugely in popularity. Perhaps it's because they are so pretty, perhaps it's the Instagram effect. Perhaps it's simply because in the dark days of winter , when clumps of their delicate white flowers start to emerge from the undergrowth, they are so welcome. In response to their increasing popularity,…
Two weekends ago, we took a short break to the picturesque town of Carlingford. Situated on Ireland's ancient East coast, on the edge of Carlingford lough, and with the impressive backdrop of Slieve Foy, the town is just over 100 miles from Belfast (about 75 minutes drive) and a short distance over the border that…
When I write these weekly 'Pause for Thought' posts, sitting at the kitchen table, I ask myself what good things happened this week, what caught my eye, what made me stop in my tracks to admire it, what made me smile? It's so easy for the weeks to fly by and then conclude that nothing much…
As we reach the final day of January, I thought I'd finish on a seasonal note. It may not be a popular month, many might be glad to say goodbye to it, but it hasn't been without its highlights. This past week, especially, we seem to have experienced all four seasons - snow, heavy rain,…
