"Perfection is...

...an interesting place, but I don't think it should have a place of honour in the creative process."

Here's a glimpse of what I'm making now:

(Finished sweater pictures on the way)

I think perfection should be left to Mother Nature, although I would consider her a great artist!

A little Ireland for me

I said I was going to Dublin, but technically I was never there...
In actuality I went to Malahide, which is a town just north of Dublin, and Limerick, on the hottest days Ireland has ever experienced. Okay, maybe not. But I didn't bring enough summer clothes and it was sweltering! The locals looked like they felt hotter than me.

But it was beautiful!
Once again I'm sorry I didn't take enough photos, however I was busy enjoying the experience :)

I took a three hour bus ride to and from Limerick which is a pretty good way to get around.  Good system, good price, possibly wifi and definitely air conditioning. Just outside the city (by taxi) I went to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park.  See photos below of the castle, a phone booth and a pub.  It was a gorgeous evening sitting out on the picnic tables of the pub in the sunshine with a small river flowing nearby and view of the castle, made oh so much more sparkly with Champagne. Two bus loads of wedding guests, bride and groom too, emptied out into the pub, but we preferred the outdoors.

Malahide was my favourite though. It is to Dublin what Sidney is to Victoria, except better.  People of all ages were enjoying the pretty village; its shops and restaurants and park along the seaside are quaint and welcoming. The large park that surrounds the Malahide Castle is precisely what I'd like to find behind my house if I really lived in Europe. There are trails for running or walking, grass for games and picnicking, ample space and well established grounds, even tennis courts and golfing! I even took a few jogs around the circumference myself... As in one per day, not two at a time! ;)

We ate out at a Thai restaurant on The Green (that's a street alongside a park) which was really rather delicious... Isn't Thai always the answer to Asian cuisine when you desire the flavour and the warmth that sushi just doesn't bring and do not desire the feeling you're about to go into cardiac arrest following your meal? Yes, Thai wins, never ties. I wish I could recall the name...
We also ate at Sale e Pepe, which sounds more Italian than it is in fact, but does boast locally sourced ingredients and certainly offers choices to the palate-restrained of the british isles. I wonder though... Am I just so used to Italian foods they have become ubiquitous in my culinary awareness?

With a little Howth on top!

Another little seaside village just south of Malahide is Howth. It's more touristy and if it's a lovely sunny day like the one I lucked out to be there on, the road will be crowded with cars and beach-goers as you drive down. It was too crowded for us, so we took a little hike above the town where I finally took a few photos. Howth is on the peninsula in the top photo.

Strawberries

There's something special about them -

These funny little fruits with seeds on the outside.

I know, it's summer and fruit is at its peak, but these tasty morsels here are truly perfection.

Much smaller than the ones available in the grocery store at home, with at least twice the flavour 

in every berry (the farmers name is even written on the packet!) 

and they are so cute with those tiny stems, no?

Their fragrance is intoxicating...

Eating Well the Northern Ireland Way

Believe me the cows here graze. Then they graze a little more. Feed your cow well, feed yourself well.  More glory from Harry the Butcher!  (No I didn't eat that all in one sitting)

Atlantic Salmon... Farmed.  Will be getting some wild fillets from St. George's Market next weekend to compare the quality.  

An ASDA Mediterranean mix... Maybe next week my order will come back from Malaga... That will be sensational. Until then I'm dreaming, mouth watering...

Geoff, my next door neighbour is quite the grill chef and those giant ribs are his Devine creation.

Delinquent, Tardy and Overdue Posting...

Sorry about that, but quiet, laid-back, relaxed Belfast has been busily consuming the hours of all of my days! It's what happens when the weather is so nice for so long in a location so well known for the rain. Actually these Northern Irish know how to have a good time rain or shine, but I'm not missing out on the sun if I can help it... It's summer after all!!! And training dragged on and studying dragged on but I've happily completed that now and since we are having an electrical storm I've retired my metal knitting needles from my sunny spot on the deck and come inside to get something accomplished here. 

No kidding, I have been working, too!

...24 blades of high by-pass glory
...the walk-around really isn't a touch-around as clearly that tail is even too tall for tall people(!)
...South-western tip of Portugal where the city of Sagres is located. Lisbon is to the North and Faro to the east, just in case you've never heard of Sagres before, because I just looked that one up :)

A View from The Top (of Descent)

Welcome to the Canary Islands. 

This is what the island of Tenerife looks like from about 160 miles away at 36,000'. It's a volcanic island as you can see and it's rather tall... The minimum flying altitude over top is 14,000! We made our approach from the west (to the right as seen in the photo) so we could arrive on the southern side where the airport lies. The second picture is of Isla de la Palma once we were lower and closer, of course.  And finally just a pretty shot of the clouds... Mmmmm soft fluffy clouds...

And by the way, it's an oldie, but also a goodie, the movie by the same name as the title :)

Cap for the Booties

I felt the booties needed to be part of an ensemble.

 So I knitted a cap to match, using short row shaping and live stitches from a provisional cast on to achieve the shape and seamless outcome, with inspiration from Poppy on Ravelry.

 The back is ribbed for a comfortable close fitting, warm edge, while the brim is again a lesson in short row shaping, all stockinette for a rolled, turned up finish... No baby model available to show true fit unfortunately, which would be a better representation of the rounded shape of the brim. 

For hiding your wrap-and-turn holes often found in short row knitting I suggest searching 

Short Rows, Eunny Jang, Knitting Daily on YouTube.  Excellent instructions.

Happy Canada Day!

I guess this is the moment to reflect on what I miss about Canada.

Mostly it would be awfully nice to take a shower hands-free with adequate pressure and heat, 

since I have this thought daily, as would I also like to just dry my clothes, towels and bedding in a dryer with air. Oh the basic things this side of the pond just has no idea about! 

 P.S. over in Canada we even wash our clothes in cold water! In the machine! 

Wow, you never knew your clothes could last so long :D  

The small things... Our ice cube trays, sinks with counters, 

our style traffic lights which are obvious and visible, the standard shifting position layout in a car,

 the texture of regular flour and sorry but I must also say, sunshine!

(You can tell I haven't been living on the West Coast for a while now)

Local Goods from Harry's. Except maybe the dates. I expect those were imports!

Since there are typically pros and cons to everything, I'd better list the things I'm currently 

taking for granted: Oh traffic circles, how I prefer you to four way stops, because I am rarely stopping now, buying food in small packages means I get just what I wanted,

 there's no waste and it's fresher all at the same price as buying twice as much, 

the green that's so easy on the eyes, the knitting club, the friendliness of people everywhere. 

Harry's, Mark's & Spencer's (btw they sell red, heart shaped measuring spoons and cups!),

City Hall inviting citizens onto their lawn to watch tv or just lounge, the copious flavours of crisps, the fact that a melted cheese and ham sandwich is called a Toastie, two cars are actually able to pass each other on such tiny roads without scraping mirrors or the rock walls on either side and 

last but certainly not least, the quaint cuteness... Everywhere!