Slight Detour: Snow in Idaho? Hurricane in Ireland? Hmmm!

Ireland above; Idaho below

Elisabeth sent me a photo of our west yard just a few minutes before we arrived in Kenmare, County Kerry in the southwest of Ireland yesterday afternoon.

In fact, twas about the time I snapped the photo directly above out the car window.

Our Sunday turned out to be mostly dry with a few tiny pockets of rain, only as we drove.

Later, after arriving in Kenmare and checking into our B and B, we went for a lovely stroll around town.

At the time, most stores were closed, but downtown Kenmare was revving up for the evening crowd at its many restaurants and pubs.

We walked for about an hour, stopping to meet Jerry O'Sullivan and his two Border Collies and to spend some time at Holy Cross Catholic church to reflect.

I also lit some candles, always one to honor my mother, a couple of candles for grieving families and one for America.

Maybe a candle lit in Ireland will offer a small bit of much desired healing for our nation.

After all, those of us Catholics from the older set can surely remember the words to a closing hymn at Mass: if everyone lit just one little candle, what a bright world this would be!

On our walk, we also saw a horse-drawn cart and lots of folks just out enjoying coffee or tea or doing exactly the same as we, walking.

Lovely afternoon and a filling, tasty dinner at PF McArtheys, one of our favorite eating spots in Ireland.

We are not strangers to abrupt weather changes here, so this morning's rain comes as no surprise. What is mildly shocking, however, is talk of the aftermath of a hurricane hitting this area today and tomorrow.

Apparently, Hurricane Lorenzo is out there in the ocean near the Azores putting up some havoc. The news item I read suggested heavy rains here.

Since I made every effort shy of putting my raincoat in the suitcase before leaving home, there's gonna be a purchase somewhere in Kenmare before we head off for the Dingle Peninsula.

As for the talk of hurricane residue, we'll just go with the flow, since there's not much else we can do.

Maybe go light a candle at Holy Cross for the weather.

A major part of our Sunday morning yesterday involved another lovely breakfast gathering at Lawcus Farm. We met Australians yesterday and some travelers from Chicago.

For the second consecutive morning, Eric and Jessica from Vancouver, Wash., were in the breakfast crowd. Eric works as a K-9 sheriff's deputy, while Jessica is a stay-at-home mom for their three children.

We're getting to know this couple quite well, having seen them at Lawcus and at Fred Malzard's Pub and even yesterday afternoon far on down the road at a grocery store.

Bill spotted Jessica first and yelled down the aisle to her. Just after that, I came around the corner to meet Jessica face to face.

We have learned that they are also spending time in Clifden where we'll be later this week. Bill thinks a dinner get-together will be appropriate since we're fast becoming old friends.

Our morning also involved a tour of the Mark and Ann-Marie's magnificent brick home with even more magnificent tales about how each segment evolved.

Mark--yes, if you think he looks like John Wayne, he does---is a creative genius for both design and reclamation. Along with that comes a deep, reflective/romantic soul within this Englishman and a great passion for history.

Every aspect of the home has a story, even the cannon ball tucked among the bricks on the side of the house and the downright cool Thomas Edison light switches.

If the door doesn't fit where it's supposed to open, fix the wall so it does. Mark says it's good to build and it's just important to find a fix for things that don't look like they're gonna work.

And, so on this wet morning in Kenmare, weather is on our mind along with some excitement about revisiting one of the highlights of Ireland, the Dingle Peninsula.

Ireland is old; Dingle seems older, especially because in that area, travelers hear more Gaelic than English. We may not understand a word they're saying on the radio, but the sound of the language is truly music to our ears.

Hope you enjoy the photos, and, back home, I do hope the winter storm has passed so you can all get back to enjoying those autumn leaves.

Happy Monday.