Blame it on the ipad

I had resolved to post monthly but since buying an ipad the use of my computer has diminished and posting a blog requires photos to keep it interesting and I don't often take photos with the ipad.

However this is a season of change and I want to post the observations.  This photo is of the snowdrops on Lime Tree Walk at The Argory.  Ethel called for us on a Saturday and we rode down to this National Trust property to observe the first flowers of Spring, much like crocuses I suppose but what do I know about flowers?

It was a typical Northern Ireland winter into spring day with storm showers making you wonder what you were doing trying to take a walk in a park?  The property is built on a river and the water was quite high.  The house itself was closed so the visitors are there only to walk and enjoy the grounds of this old estate now maintained and managed by the National Trust.

The difference between days with temperatures between 0 and 5 C and 5  to 9 C is tremendous.  We have smiles again as the weather is warming up.  It looks like we have escaped a winter of snow and ice.  This winter was cold for a long time but no snow nor ice to worry about and we also escaped the flooding that England suffered.

On another topic we have marveled at the quality and increase of art in many places from the cartoonist at the networking gathering that the Mayor hosted for the 4CornersFestival to the Peace Paper making event this week.

This is the finished art of our friend Helen Sanlon commissioned for the Drumalis Retreat Centre.  It's inspiration is an aerial view of the property and it is very beautiful.

Next month I will be able to share my delight at discovering this completed work (I saw it in Helen's studio in bits) with my other artist friend, McCall Gilfillan, as we participate in a Tres Dias weekend cloistered at Drumalis Retreat Centre.  McCall will bring her sketchbook.  Me I want to bring my Bible, listen and hear God.

It feels like months

I posted in October, a visit to Patrick's grave made in September.  After the Nielsen's visit, Suzan and Eric Miller came to tour Northern Ireland.  We four then went on a big trip and joined 20 other Organization of Women Architects friends and family.  We first went to London for a day, to Venice for three days and then onto a big boat for a cruise of the Mediterranean. 

In this photo in front of the Basilica in the Piazza San Marco,  Darlene and Bruce were not ready and four hadn't yet come. We had a meal together and the next day boarded the MSC Divina which seemed like a floating Las Vegas hotel.  The highlight was being with old friends, getting to know many better and meeting new friends.  
The ports were good too:  Venice, Bari, Katalon near Olympia, Izmir near Ephesus, Istanbul, and Dubrovnik. 
This was a test of Ward's mobility.  He fared well and especially enjoyed the warmer weather.

September all systems go

Ward, Marda and Bill McKnight displayed their work in the Cathedral Quarter for Belfast Culture Night the evening of September 21st.  It was a clear day and the buzz and attendance was good.

Most of the Faith and Arts Group are painters.  There was a lot of fine work displayed.  The Calvary Centre is a wee church in a wee street next to the University of Ulster Art College.  It use to be a Salvation Army centre so you can imagine what it looked like.  However it was transformed for the evening as you can see below.

Other churches have asked about sponsoring a show for the group.  As we continue to show perhaps we will also sell.  We were in a lecture
in the Centre for Psychotherapy at Knockbraken and the room had a large three paneled painting which made the space quite arty and warm.  This inspired Marda to think about space planning and decor.

At this point she is contemplating seeking funding for a vision and change management project so first things first.

End of Summer

We retired this photo of Ward at Mt Stewart from the home page of our website.  I shows that he has been wearing his Irish cap for a long time and that he has had tip toes as a gait for a long time. 

This photo was taken in February 2006 in the gardens of Mt Stewart, a National Trust property on the Ards Peninsula east of Belfast.  We stayed with a family in the Schoolhouse compliments of the head Gardener.

We were again on the Ards Peninsula last night for a dinner with Ethel and her friends at Harrison's a restaurant on a farm just south of Greyabbey with a beautiful view of the Strangford Lough.  A more beautiful evening we couldn't have imagined.  One farmer diversifying his economy and believing in the growing economy here in Northern Ireland.  Praise God for the beauty He created.

11 July - Ward's birthday

We've had a great month with the visit of Arlene and Larry Hatfield. Marda ran them around as she likes to do but we made time to sit and talk and Larry made a few drawings and painted.  This one from the beach at Downhill.

Today is 11 July and the bonfires are lit tonight as a pre-event for the twelfth of July the big holiday for the 1690 Battle of the Boyne.  We normally can't stay awake that long as it is light until 1030 and the bonfires start at midnight, it is raining, or the local party is too drunk to participate but THIS YEAR Ethel emailed and said Philip Orr is going to give a talk for the Irish School of Ecumenics at one of the bonfires so we are going along with her for an educational evening.

Will report later.

OMG May already!

Rhodies are out.  Trees are full.  Everything is green.  This week is warm.  Days are long and I'm wanting to go to a garden. 
Ward is a homebody and I have to pry him out.  He will come along mostly willingly but he would NEVER initiate a trip anywhere to anyplace.
That's how we know that this "call" to Ireland was not his own idea but inspired by divine means.
We are basking in the optimism of a new era

here and we are hopeful that the tipping point of
people will get behind a revival of soul, heart, and mind.
I did get to two gardens this week.  We went to Greenmount walled garden which is on the grounds of the Agricultural College.  I also went to Rowallane where we went with the Eastons to view the handkerchief tree.  In bloom here to the right. The tree is from 1904 and was brought from China.  Amazing!
You all must look at the write up of the first vertical garden in Northern Ireland.  Hint it is on the Skainos Building.  I am finally excited about what I'm seeing building and environment wise in Belfast.  Come and visit.

Not freezing yet!

High cross replica in Ulster Museum. 
Can anyone identify it?

The temperatures have stayed around 10 degrees centigrade but today the car told us 3 degrees.  At 3 degrees the temperature is blinking advising me to drive carefully.  Now is that amazing?  Do all newer cars do that?  We are staying well and warm.

Last night Marda presented her slides from her trip to China to the Cornerstone Community members.  Tonight she will go to a lecture hosted by Contemporary Christianity Ireland. Bob Goudzwaard will speak on 'Money, Magic, Greed and the Power of Illusions: A Christian Critique of Our Time.'  She will hope to understand economics, sure she will!  Ward will attend the church midweek meeting where Jack is teaching about Gospel in Conflict. 

A trip to the neurologist today yielded a nod of approval and "keep it up and see you in six months".  What can we do with chronic illnesses?  You live with them.  Ward confirmed the meds don't affect the kidneys or liver and is doing his exercise routine right now.

Long days out and about

missed a posting in June. With the long days we were out a lot and tired when we got in. With long days and regular watering plants flourish. These Chinese lanterns are twice the size of the ones in my Berkeley garden!

What a glorious month of feeding we have had too. We were reminded of Mount Stewart and Portaferry, by the Presbyterian Women bus run. Mount Stewart was the place where we were hosted by an English couple who were Buddhist back in 2005. Now we learn the Rollinsons have moved to the Zen Garden that is part of the National Trust. That is good karma for them. In hindsight they were people placed along the way to point us to where we would go. Claire said we are lonely here but you will have an easier time moving to Northern Ireland because you will be a part of a church community. She was also one who welcomed us to stay with them when a devout Christian turned us away with a Bible quote. Because we stayed at Mt Stewart we were able to meet Maureen and Doug Edmundson who also encouraged us by many kindnesses. So bringing us to this week's outing we went back to Portaferry to visit Hugh and Anne, friends of the Edmondsons,. God washed us with blessings as we shared time and stories with this precious couple. Hugh has lived with Motor Neuron Disease (ALS) for 10 years and is still enjoying a full life.

Break from Dinner Party prep

Today is a Saturday and I'm ahead of time in prep for our small dinner party. Other than Thanksgiving this is the first dinner party we have hosted.

This photo is from December. Right now the snow is gone but there is a fog in the yard and the temps are down to freezing.

Our tickets are purchased and we head for California on 9 February. Renew our visas and return for a year or more. We like it here. Why Belfast? Because we can, because there is community, because we have a place to be here.

When we return we will pray, do poetry and pottery, resume visitations, assist the minister, weave relationships and welcome guests. Spring is coming!

Final few thoughts

The red door is ours. Now we have a doorbell too. People do drop over and we are blessed by their visits.

We have prayer time on Monday and Wednesday mornings at 7 a.m. and quiet meditation at 5 p.m. on Wednesdays. An evening visit from the Belfast L'Arche community to inaugurate the prayer room was also held this month.

We had eight days of frozen heater pipes but thankfully none burst and three people came to our rescue with space heaters. This started while Marda was away for a short jaunt to Lebanon while she got delayed in London's Heathrow airport both ways. Ward was worst for the wear and Marda returned with our friend Mui who good naturally suffered with the cold as we did.

We are enjoying the last few days of the millennium's first decade. God's blessings to all of you for 2011.

Spring? A different meaning here.

I was told yesterday that the odds are greater that we would get snow on Easter than on Christmas in Northern Ireland. If last night is any indication I think this must be right. It blew and stormed and snowed all night.

When we returned from California in mid March, we saw crocuses in the parks and my California sensibilities said ah Spring has sprung. Longer days, flowers true. I forgot the "March winds, April showers.."

This is one of two window boxes planted with bulbs. Yes that is snow on the soil. They get no direct sunlight thus the plants are rather scrawny but since we have to move I'm hoping for a home with a sunny window ledge.

Halfway thru January!

The snow/ice is finally gone. With short days sunrise at 8:30 am and sundown at 4:30 pm we feel like hybernating. Our car survived a drive up to the North coast thru the snow and started sputtering two days after our trip. Thank God, it didn't happen on the trip north. Diagnosis: engine running on two cylinders, so coil packs and spark plugs replaced. Runs fine now but what are coil packs?

Our trip included an overnight at Corrymeela, a visit to Portrush Presbyterian, lunch in Portrush, coffee with the Gilfillans at Downhill Hostel, and little hikes at the Giant's Causeway, Carrick a Rede, and Lion's Gate where I almost got stuck in the snow. The National Trust shop at the Giant's Causeway yielded many gifts for our houseguest to take home. Why else are we driving up to the North coast in the snow. God is gracious and everything was beautiful.

August came and went

We went with it and now mid September and we have had nine days without any rain! It is unheard of.

Everything in our lives is back into full swing with the exception of a Cross Border class using ICT (basic computers and Word) as a tool to explore attitudes about peace and reconciliation. We look forward to this new opportunity to engage on the subject. It starts in October at the Vine Centre.

I've started to make decent pottery. This vessel was made in a studio of an expert. Let's see if I can duplicate it and make more and better.

July came and went

Last week I experienced the loudest thunder that I have ever heard in my life. We have also seen the kind of downpour with the stream of water pressure in the storm drains that lifts manhole covers in the streets. High speed beating wipers can barely keep the windshield clear.
On top of that we saw this double rainbow as we were emerging from a church after an evening worship. It only lasted a few minutes but it awed us all. I suppose I could have taken a more artistic angle but I did capture both before they disappeared. With the changing weather comes our changing moods. Ward says its because we have nothing to do with the summer lull in programs. Maybe he is right we busy ourselves with programs.
Me I'm seeking to manifest the joy of the Lord all the time. I'm done with moods. I'm finding joy in the meditative exercise of creating something with my hands. Sometimes I'm full of joy with words and the computer. Often with communicating. But always while making something that wasn't there before. I've posted the beginnings of my pottery at www.quonstothers.com

Weather

It is raining today. Jerem and Conor came last Monday and brought California sun. We have had exceptional weather beautiful long days. The sun was up when we woke at 5 this morning, to take them to the airport. Today they left and it started to rain at 10 a.m. This was after I washed the car and hung a load of wash to dry. I had to run out to get the clothes off the line.

When we went to California in February it rained. Many people thanked us for the rain. Thank you Jerem and Conor for the sun!

March winds

I'm quite aware that you may read the title as March winds as in "winds up" but I am in fact talking about the stuff that blows. We are getting quite a bit of wind and then we will get April showers. So as we took the rains with us on our short trip to California during which everyone praised us since there had been a drought, we are happy to return to Belfast where it doesn't rain continuously just periodically. In fact the sun is out today and we get credited with bringing the sun back from California.

Never give in to the jetlag notion of just a short nap. It will only prolong the problem. Since I returned with a cough I gave in to naps to rest and that caused me to wake up at 4 in the morning for a week. Then my cough became vertigo. So I have prolonged a day's transition into a week and a half of slow motion sluggish existance.

This makes up for the 200 miles per hour that I was clocking in Berkeley.

Musings on the weather

Today the sun is out brightly. It lifts my spirit and makes me feel energetic! When Irish people ask us why we've come here, from California, and what do we think, they often comment about the weather in a negative tone. I surprise them by saying I rather enjoy the weather. I've noticed some relief as if somehow they were responsible. I truly do like the weather. It changes constantly. Aye, they say, you are right it changes all the time.

Praying people start their public prayers with thanksgiving for the sun and the rain. Actually we do need them both. Ireland is the emerald Isle, with all shades of green and brightly sparkling as a gem. You gotta have the rain AND the sun for this.

Today's low is 5 C and high 15 C or 40 F and 60 F. It is very nice!