My favourite Tea Set

In response to a post by Josna at Tell Me Another earlier this year, I thought I'd put up some photos of my old Belleek Tea Set that I guard like a mother lion incase anyone should break a piece.

Belleek is best known for it's shamrock ware which was mostly exported to the United States and was a big seller with Irish living anywhere abroad.  We sent it as presents and it was especially sought after for wedding gifts.

And second to that was the basket ware - hand made and hand woven baskets with hand made and hand painted flowers.

A finished basket

Wet clay being rolled into flowers.

The basket before firing

I spent a couple of school holidays working in the Pottery, in the office, learning how to do up the wages and piece ware books (the potters were paid by the piece) ... but most of all I learned my way around the workings of the pottery.   I used to love watching the guys working at the basket ware  ... the wet clay was a bit like pasta when it was pressed out into strings of clay and it had a very unique smell.

But then there were designs that weren't so popular and those were far and away my favourites and are collectors items.   Nowadays, the china has changed a bit in texture but it's still lovely.

My tea set was passed on to me by my mother after Dad passed away.

The design is Mask I think from the period between 1925-55.

I love the ritual of using a special tea set ... it takes me right back to my childhood.

This parian ware (another name for the fine white porcelain), they said, could be dropped on a stone floor and not break .... I've never wanted to test that out, but for sure tea and coffee tastes a lot better in it.

This blog is Day 18 in Sarah Allen's 30 day blog challenge

A dream for another day

I'm playing catch up on my 30 day challenge and going back through some drafts that I hadn't published I found this one.

I had wanted to share this picture that a friend of mine painted - it links in to a song I wrote called Dreaming back in the mid 90s before the ceasefires here ....

It won a song contest and one prominent politician when he heard it, commented "That'll split the camp!"  This is the story of it  - you can also hear the song there.

Colum McEvoy - a wonderful artist who hails from Rostrevor  - painted this representation of the first verse of the song ...

"I saw the devil, he was running after me

Past the Madonna who was happy just to be

in a room that was falling around her with thunder

that was coming from the floor not above like it should be

and when I looked around the door I just come running through was gone

and I awoke to find myself in the middle of this song

I'd been dreaming."

Colum illustrates books and his work has been exhibited across the world.   I love this picture - one day I might own the original.  

This is my  Day 14 blog of a 30 day blog challenge 

Photos of the week

Blue door

It's blowing a gale here this morning and I'm playing catch up on my 30 day challenge...

We've been in the studio these past few days - I'm putting down guitar parts for some of the songs for the album and making use of the school mid term break -  no choir, no students, no distractions for the coming week.   But we're fighting against the noise of the wind blowing against the window.  

 Out for a walk earlier in the week I noticed Autumn colours are really showing now.

This wee lane leads to the sea - there are surely fairies down there;)

 I love the fact that our weather changes so much - there'll be storms for 5 minutes - now the sun is shining :)   Four seasons in one day.

I don't know what that berry is,
but it's a spectacular blast of colour for the time of year.

The clock's go back tonight ... Have to remember they Spring forward and Fall back.









This is my  Day 13 blog of a 30 day blog challenge 

Home Schooled

My grandparents and uncle c 1965

This arrived in the mail a few weeks back - I thought you might like it :)

Most of our generation was HOME SCHOOLED but did not know it at the time.  

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.

"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside.

I just finished cleaning."

2.My mother taught me RELIGION. 

"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

3.My father taught me about TIME TRAVEL.

"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock

you into the middle of next week!"

4.My father taught me LOGIC.

" Because I said so, that's why."

5.My mother taught me MORE LOGIC ..

"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck,

you're not going to the store with me."

6.My mother taught me FORESIGHT.

"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case

you're in an accident."

7.My father taught me IRONY.

"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

8.My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.

"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9.My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.

"Just you look at that dirt on the back of your neck?"

10.My mother taught me about STAMINA.

"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11.My mother taught me about WEATHER.

"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12.My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.

"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13.My father taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.

"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out..."

14.My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.

"Stop acting like your father!"

15.My mother taught me about ENVY.

"There are millions of less fortunate children in

this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

16.My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.

"Just wait until we get home."

17.My mother taught me about RECEIVING.

"You are going to get it from your father when you get home!"

18.My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.

"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to get stuck that way."

 

19.My mother taught me ESP.

"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20.My father taught me HUMOUR.

"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

21.My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.

"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22.My mother taught me GENETICS.

"You're just like your father."

23.My mother taught me about my ROOTS.

"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24.My mother taught me WISDOM.

"When you get to be my age, you'll understand.

25.My father taught me about JUSTICE.

"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you !"

So there y'are now! as they'd say here :)

This is my  Day 12 blog of a 30 day blog challenge 

Who cares!

With concerts over the past couple of days I'm a bit behind with my 30 day blogging challenge so this is short and sweet and tomorrow will be catch up day.

I try to not watch the news too much - headlines are enough to see all the badness that's out there.   But I'm at a total loss to see why (a) there's so much interest in Oscar Pistorius' trial .... why has he captured the media attention to such a degree?   The cynic in me suspects diversion tactics.   And (b) who cares what Renee Zellweger has done to her face!!  I spend far too much time on Facebook, and I noticed her name coming up a few times this evening and, wondering what new movie has she coming out, I clicked in to find 100s of people aghast that she apparently looks younger now that she used to!!!   Duh!!

I don't get it - all the more reason to not tune in.

OK, rant over - see you tomorrow with something calm and sensible - ish lol

This blog is Day 10 of Sarah Allen's 30 day blog challenge

Messing with filters

This new camera is a thing of wonder!!! :)   I've always loved photos that pick out one colour and leave everything else black and white - you see it a lot in adverts.  But I thought it was some hifalutin trick in a TV studio editing suite ... But lo and behold I can do it on my camera ... whoop ...

I haven't the heart to cut the fuchsia yet although I can hardly see out ..

but I'm not sure I like it ... it's a very cold effect.  Still, it may come in useful sometime.   All you wonderful photographists out there can maybe give me some tips?  Pretty please?

Cotoneaster in full berry

Have you tried out anything new this week?  Do write and tell me.

This blog is Day 5 linking in to Sarah Allen's 30 day blog challenge

Narnia Part 2

The entrance to Narnia

Well, we managed to get down to the woods again this weekend to see some more of the Narnia surprises.  There were children of all ages exploring the place -  brilliant.

If you haven't read part 1 of this blog, I should tell you that I live in Rostrevor, in Northern Ireland at the foot of the Mourne Mountains, on the shores of Carlingford Lough, with the Cooley Mountains opposite and thousands of years of myths and legends surrounding the whole area.   And C.S. Lewis was so enamoured by it as a child that he told someone that this area was his idea of Narnia.  And our local council have organised a Narnia trail in the woods to honour him.   
It won't be officially opened until 31st October and there is no signage up yet, so I'm guessing at these exhibits.  With each visit new things are appearing and no-one is seen working on the pieces which is adding to the excitement:)   Everyone you meet is talking about it.  

The first place we found was the otters house, I'm guessing - a place for little people at any rate....

Looking up, this is a part of the wood I've walked past on many occasions without paying much attention ...

Some more little people must be living in this part ...  the doors to your imagination for sure..

 and this must be the important person's house ...

I can't wait to get up and see more.  

We're preparing for a concert at the weekend and trying to find time to be in the studio after some family problems and the emotional exhaustion that goes with that.   But these walks in the woods in the Autumn sunshine are a brilliant distraction. 

This is Day 4 of the Sarah Allen's 30 Day blogging challenge.  

Road Trip

During the A to Z blogging challenge I followed lots of interesting blogs which I still read quite regularly and gained some lovely friends on the way.   I had intended to spend more time after the challenge to take part in the Road Trip and check in on some more blogs, but as yet I've only managed to do this a couple of times.   So here's a peak at a few I found today.

Bonnie Gwynne - Where Legends Begin.   
Lovely writing, but sadly nothing was posted after the start of June.  I would have enjoyed reading more.

Elegant Articulation - beautiful writing

A Rose Is A Rose Is A Rose - this is a blog full of wisdom mixed with reviews of (mainly) Indian literature - I like the way Shilpa writes and I love the look of this blog.   I think I'll follow along for a while.

Quiet Laughter This is a blog of a novelist who lives in Curacao.   One of things I've loved about blogging, and particularly the A to Z challenge, is getting to know people around the world.   This one definitely fits the profile.

Thrift Shop Commando - this one definitely speaks to my heart and one I've had to follow - I love shopping in charity shops (thrift shops on the other side of the pond) - there are always treasures to find.  And Tami at Thrift Shop Commando has made a blog out of her passion.   I'm hoping for some tips.

Onomastics Outside the Box - I had to visit this one, just to learn what the word meant if nothing else - it's the study of people's names - there y'are now as they'd say here.

This is my Day 3 of the Sarah Allen 30 day blog challenge

Singing two notes at once

I have to share this video with you of an incredibly unusual singer.

I've heard of overtone singing before - the Tibetan monks learn how to do it ... but it baffles me entirely .... However, this singer is in a league of her own.  She sings a bass note and at the same time manages to sing a high scale at the same time.

Amazing.

On her website Anna Maria Hefele she explains more about the tradition which she says comes from Mongolia.





Anything unusual in your finds these days?

This is Day Two of  Sarah Allen's 30 day blog challenge

Colours of Autumn

I've decided to take part in another blog challenge - I realised that the discipline of regular posting was starting to fade thought it took a while to notice that I missed it.  So this will hopefully get my head back into the swing of things again.   There's no theme but there's a backlog of stuff I've wanted to write about.


For today I had to share the park in its glory on yet another gorgeous Autumn day.

Kilbroney Park belonged to the Bowes Lyons family - that's the Queen Mother's family - and was left to the community.  It's got lovely Victorian style walks as well as access to the mountains behind.   Great use is being made of it - a new mountain biking trail was opened last year bringing lots of tourists and now the Narnia Trail which will open later in the month - more of that later in the week.   You can read Part One here of my visit to the trail.   But with all this the place was packed today.  Well needed and long awaited tourism is coming to Northern Ireland.

The park is starting to look resplendent in its Autumn clothes.  There are a lot of oak around here and Autumn will carry on well into November, fingers crossed.

I once saw the Fall in New England - or rather the trees in all their splendour before the leaves fell.   Actually I had a really crazy day up near Boston somewhere - I'll maybe tell you about sometime....   But the trees were magnificent - miles and miles of orange, red and gold.  The vastness of the landscape took my breath away.  Apparently it all happens so quickly because there's such a difference in temperature between summer and autumn.  

Here things happen much more slowly - usually anyway - I'm hoping that they don't fall took quickly this year since we've had such a quick move into cooler weather.

And in our garden we still have lots of colour - the cotoneaster is beautiful

....and the fuchsia will soon be trying to get in the window totally but I haven't the heart to cut it back yet when it's still in bloom.

This is Day One of the Sarah Allen's 30 day blog challenge
How's your Autumn shaping up?   Do you still have much sunshine?   What's it like at the minute down in the Southern Hemisphere - has Spring shown up?