Ah, salmon, finally!

Dinner this evening, salmon w/o stuff on it, sides of a sort of mashed potato sun dried tomatoes w/ a prawn bisque,and 'chips.' Of course Guinness and Powers Irish whiskey then ramble back to shed shoes and open window. Yes open window - huge bay tower window! Birds r singing their hearts out. Have I mentioned pampas grass, palm trees? B&b yard rose trees & ancient clematis - stem as thick & twisted as wisteria last night. Pub was mother/Bob/Dort/Geo type. Beautiful old hotel.

Saw some really strange cattle front back ends black, middle band about 1/3 body all white. M didn't believe me until 2nd group too late for pix.

Have seen the Atlantic from so many places. Looked across at you all this afternoon. Love ya'

A very nice surprise...

After thinking no net here in Tralee the hostess Juliette O'Callaghan hands us # like UBS WiFi :-) Breakfast wonderful fresh poached eggs, saw their new greenhouse, outside and talked constr. The walls are double block w/ insulation between. We've seen many new constr Toomullin host said cost €600 K. Last night b&b on the large size of that :-) Huge grounds beside stream. They know hosts of tomorrow b&b so we're transporting fresh eggs w/ a story :-) Drove down Tralee best over Connor pass (like Ouray mill $ hwy) to Single bay around headland. Smoke salmon tart & spinach w/ spring salad, M lox & cream cheese panini & espresso. I had French lemonade. 2 hr's this a.m. @ county library. You'll love the story of pkg here @ gr gables. Rest a bit then town pubs about 5 mins walk. Tomorrow last b&b - have to sort tax receipts and organize cases. Today one suitcase all dirty - must be over halfway Yesterday shirt needed warmer today cooler needed. Gorgeous sunshine all day today light frost in Glin last night. 2new tomato plants in greenhouse btw. More later...

Tues. Morning

Sunshine and wet ground. Hosts say light frost last night. Vined plant is wysteria. Won't have internet today unless library does - none @ B&B. Hosts here friends w/ New Ross B&B - we'll take some eggs for fun to them - as a greeting.

Want to have a look at the greenhouse before we need out again. Love to all...and off we go again.

Glin, Limerick afternoon tea time

<p dir="ltr">For all our scoffing @ the snooty castle atmosphere, that had to be the best breakfast ever. Of course, nothing so crass as coffee or tea or ice in the room - that's room service, or nothing.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Spent today not getting lost :-)&nbsp; Drove around Ballybunion and Listowel where Patrick Mullin and sibs came from. Shannon river dirty and green. Strong cold wind blowing in from the ocean. You can prolly tell by the trees leaning to the east how this wind blows. Charming B&amp;B with gardens and chickens and fresh eggs just gathered from the hens. Have to have eggs for breakfast when they are that fresh! Host said she usually has a garden in by now, but not this yr. Sounds familiar.

Good morning!

Am I sounding Irish yet? The Irish cprolly don't think so, but I can fool Americans now The French baker thought I was French briefly when I said bonjour :-) Words: lift, petrol, lie down, mobile, a step out (a long walk) a ramble (stroll). And pronunciations: Galway sounds like gall bladder, not my gal Sal Sorry! I thought a ceillie was an evening entertainment. It's a type of music, at least according to the Irish couple from Galway. Eamon is a bus driver; suggested a more entertaining route for today's travel to Ashford Castle. More later.

Sunday evening

6 hours to drive an hour and half distance... Hm. Absolutely gorgeous scenery. We only went about an hour out of our way. But we found the most delightful marble gift store - Joyces Connemara Marble. Thinking of Jay! Mountains all around as we went, with lots of streams, sloughs and lakes. Pine tree patches here and there. So eventually found the castle (it really IS a castle!), met at the gate by the gateman and checked of his list, and then greeted at the front door by a valet (all older men) who said he would park our car and bring the suitcases in.... Inside a young woman 'processed' our registration along/ credit card swipe and said we were upgraded to suite. Sheet in drawer says 475 euro per person not including breakfast. Is someone playing games with us??? Huge room - seating area with divan and chair, super king-sized bed, turn down and truffles, slippers and robes. Feels like something out of the John Cleeves movie Hotel whatever. No wireless except in public places, no ice machine (room service ya' know...) Can connect with cable which is at Brian's, reservations only for any dining but the bar. We didn't know what we wanted to eat, drove back to little town, didn't like that, reservations in bistro an hour later - we'll pass. No thanks. So - we went to the bar and had the whiskey sampler trays. I can now say I've had Laphroaig (I did pronounce correctly, although one of the guys at the bar made it sound like frog on the end :-) Very peaty background as did the Connemara Irish Whiskey (3 samples - M wants the glasses :-) He'll post pix on his post. I can't get 'em to here unless I take pix with it. I sure need to learn text type. We had a wonderful late lunch so truffles (choc on pillow) and dried apricots and Jill's choc/craisins/nuts and our M&Ms are fine. M said he's losing weight, I might be too - we have big breakfast, late lunch at pubs, and have been splitting something in the eve. It's the Irish fast food :-) Guinness and whiskeys. And prolly all the walking? Pix count increases daily: 80, 90, 200, 300- nobody s going to want to see them all. Feels like bed is feather bed - M says it's not. Scented room, too oh good grief. Will send off in the morn. Sandman calling.

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Moon's Musings. Here ya' go...