After the strong winds of the past few days (thank you Hector), I've been back out again in the garden, sweeping up the debris and surveying the damage. To my surprise, though, everything looks ok - a bit battered around the edges perhaps but not as bad as I was expecting. The good old Irish…
On the north eastern shore of Lough Neagh, the largest freshwater lake in Europe, lies a hidden gem called Rea's Wood. The last time I was there I was about 10 years old , on a walk with my dad. Except then I didn't know it was Rea's Wood - it was just an area…
The second or third week in May almost always brings good weather here. It reminds me of my teenage years when I had to study for my O Levels and A levels. At the very moment when I needed to be indoors doing revision, the long awaited sunshine arrived. I can remember wistfully looking out…
The weekend has delighted us with hours of lovely May sunshine and time to potter about our little plot. These past few weeks I've made several trips to the local garden centres, picking up some alpines and cottage garden plants to add to the borders, after the harsh winter took it's toll on some longstanding…
Yesterday, we took a drive along the Antrim coast to Glenarm, a picturesque village and home to Glenarm Castle and it's walled Garden. It's a beautiful spot at any time of year and this weekend the garden is hosting 'Bloomfest' - an event held over the May Day weekend with craft stalls, music, food and drink,…
On Sunday we drove into Belfast to watch a movie at Queen's Film Theatre. It's located in University Square, a pretty row of academic houses adjacent to Queen's University itself. The university quarter is one of the more photogenic parts of town, and being popular with students and tourists, it can be a challenge to…
Unusually for me this year, I had a whole week off at Easter. It's been lovely - catching up on sleep, Easter Sunday lunch with family, a touch of spring cleaning and some sweet treats for good measure ! The weather has been far from kind, but in between the April showers, I've been out…
