Lunch break

I worked hard on the family history until 12.30, then packed up some lunch and headed out - what a fabulous day. I went along the old green road that leads to Kilcrohane, ate my lunch overlooking Dunmanus Bay, turned left at the spruce tree, down the tiny track across the ford and onto the road, before turning off to the right and going down a small track that leads to the sea before coming up the windy boreen to the main road, and back home - first admiring the rather odd pink wheelbarrow. 

The blackthorn is just incredible this year, so thick with blossom they look like pompoms. The gorse is also positively glowing and butterflies have emerged - I saw lots of speckled woods and teeny arsenic green hairstreaks. Primroses, violets, lousewort also making an appearance along with squadrons of willow warblers. Just lovely.

One of the things I love about living here is that whoever you pass will salute you be they in cars, on bikes, in a tractor, on foot - and amazingly, this includes teenage lads. If you should encounter another walker (which I didn't today) etiquette insists you stop for the chat. If you don't know each other the conversation will continue until you have a point of reference ie mutual acquaintances. If you do know each other the topic of conversation will be the weather. 

Poor Himself had had a very different sort of day and had to go to Cork city for an eye test. He had a two hour wait and was in there for approximately 4 minutes. Ooof.