Reading My Way Around the World

Friday 8 July 2016

Five On Friday


In an effort to get back into the swing of regular blogging, I thought I'd join in this week with Five on Friday which is run by Amy at Love Made My Home



This week we've had rain more or less every day so my baskets and window boxes are not thriving as well as I would have hoped ... yet ... and some of the debris from cutting out some of the shrubbery has still to be removed.   But the garden is looking great since we cut down the hedge and I can't get enough of looking out at the sea at different times of the day.

So....


One - low tide last night and the sunset lighting up the trees.

Even after all the rain we've had, the world can suddenly turn on its axis when the sun shines and casts a brilliant light over everything.  









Two :  Flowers
I love the blue eyes in this hydrangea 

And my heart's delight - the wild fuchsia - it just makes my heart jump for joy.
Didn't spot the wee visitor on the stem ... nor on the next one


Three:   Ripe for the Picking




We're not great gardeners in this house ... I have an agreement with plants - there's the garden, now you do your thing!   If you want help from me you're probably not going to get it - so some of them, at least, appreciate being left alone.





Four:   Pugs

I'm not really a doggy person, although most of my friends have dogs and we dog sit from time to time for them.    But we met a wee pug down in Australia earlier this year who was not taking no for an answer when it came looking for attention.   I wrote about him here.
Anyway, two things this week brought him back to mind - Firstly there was a festival for Pugs in England recently, called ... wait for it ... PugFest :)   Talk about cuteness.   Their website isn't great but you'll get the idea.
And then someone posted this photo on Facebook and I burst out laughing ... poor dog!   I didn't have my glasses on and at first I thought it was a sheep ... They look so worried ... But with so much bleakness in the world at the minute, they bring a much needed dose of joy and I love seeing them.




Five : Sessions
We now have sessions running 6 nights a week here in Rostrevor - not full-on traditional tunes sessions, but a mix of singing and tunes - mostly songs.   We are blessed with beautiful pubs in the village, and the place is coming down with songwriters and song interpreters.
Last night we went along to a new one which starts early for a change - everything was in full swing when we went in at 9 - normally they don't start until 10 or 10.30 by which stage I'm ready for bed, or at least I'm prostrate on the couch watching TV.  But it was superb - songs were sung from traditional to ballad to brand new to comedy to Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen and there were two story tellers there as well.   There were visitors in from Australia, Germany and America as well as a bar full of locals as well.
Someone asked me recently about finding music in the pubs in the North of Ireland - that it's a bit more difficult than in the South.   Well it is and it isn't - most newspapers list where there are sessions taking place and usually in the smaller villages you'll find music going on somewhere where you are more than welcome to join in.
So if you ever make it to South Down, to Rostrevor, you can visit the Corner House on Tuesday night, the Rostevor Inn on Wednesday from 8.30, the Cloughmor on Thursday from 10, the Kilbroney on Friday, the Old Killowen on Saturday and the Kilbroney again on Sunday nights tfrom 7.30.   We are spoilt for choice.  Oh, and if you happen to be here on a Monday, then Gabriel leads the session in the First and Last in Warrenpoint, 2 miles away!  No excuses.

This is an old pic from the Tuesday night session in the Corner House over the Winter.

See you soon.










17 comments:

  1. Hello, I'm Pat from Southern California and I'm delighted to discover your blog. Your garden looks amazing and the little pug brought a smile to my face. Wishing you the best, Pat

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  2. You have certainly done well on the garden some great fruits, particularly the gooseberries. The little pug made me smile too, what a joy. Sounds like you have some great places for Traditional sessions.

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  3. Hello! Nice photos. I especially like the one of the sun through the trees. The low tide looks lovely. We don't have tides on the Great Lakes, but the water level does seem to go up and down! Sounds like some fun times at the pub - wish I could visit.

    Have a lovely weekend

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  4. I have just picked my first wild raspberry and it was delicious. I am the same kind of gardener as you are, it is largely left to do what gardens to best, grow wildly. Did you know that the Fuchsia flowers contain very sweet nectar? My kids suck the flowers like sweeties. Have a great weekend.

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    1. I never knew that about fuchsia - but they are so sweet looking that they must have sweet centres :)

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  5. Hellooooo!!! Lovely 5things. Your singing sessions sound wonderful! I love the sound of them!

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  6. Lovely five! The sunset is very beautiful and the singing sounds good! If I was that dog wearing that jumper I would be worried too! A better look for sheep! Thank you for joining in Five On Friday, I hope you have a great weekend! xx

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  7. Great photo's. The pug one really made me smile :) You are doing well with your garden even though you are not hands on so to speak. Have a lovely weekend. Leah xx

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  8. Well it sounds absolutely fantastic over with you, spoilt for choice! Have a great weekend. :-)

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  9. The blue on the hydrangea is wonderful - like someone (maybe fairies) have gone round with a paint brush. Love the beach view too and the pug made me smile.

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  10. I loved the pug, so sweet! The wild fuchsia is such a lovely flower... and yes, raining makes a garden beautiful :) I would love to go to Rostrevor and go to a pub with music! By the way, my blog is under maintenance, will only be again on air on Monday! But I am happy because of that, good news! Hope you have a nice weekend!
    DenisesPlanet.com

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  11. Wow! Great view out to sea. Looks like a great time you are all having. Lots going on. Enjoy the sessions x

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  12. This Saylor enjoys seeing your lovely watery views, pretty flowers, stalwart fruit, furry lamb-pug, and imagining the fun of your shared music and stories. Thanks for posting!

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  13. Hello!
    Lovely Five! The first photo captured my eyes.It is poetic photo. The pug makes me smile. he is lucky. The jumper really suits him! Have a good new week!

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  14. Hello!
    Lovely Five! The first photo captured my eyes.It is poetic photo. The pug makes me smile. he is lucky. The jumper really suits him! Have a good new week!

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  15. Oh I do like the idea of Five on Friday - and what lovely things you've chosen to share. I'm swooning over your view of the sea and imagining it at various times in various lights. I'm going to insist you keep us posted with various views. :-) Your garden look charming and I wholeheartedly endorse your approach - give the flowers and elementals full reign over creating their magic. Wishing you a wonderful week.

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