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,…
It's been a mild January so far, but if there is one word that springs to my mind this month, it's grey (and relentlessly so). Even my normal optimistic self is craving now for some sunlight, some hint of colour outdoors, some blue sky on the horizon. In their absence, I've been quietly focused indoors. Perhaps it's…
A decade ago I ran an online shop. In hindsight, it was a little ahead of its time, selling handmade, locally sourced gifts, the kind you find these days on notonthehighstreet.com. It was a part time endeavour, which I dedicated my evenings to while working full time during the day. It was also a labour…
As winter calls for snuggling up with a good book, I thought I'd share a few of my personal favourites. With common themes of nature, gardening and seasons, I love these books for their storytelling, illustrations, language and photography. 1.The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett I'm sure many of you will already know this…
As the end of year approaches, I've been thinking about the past twelve months, trying to assess how it all went. Looking back, it was a rather lovely year. We and our families enjoyed good health, we paid off our mortgage, Boris reached the grand old age of 3 and I hit the final year…
