Travel

Skerries Mills

IMGP4339-1-2

30 KM north of Dublin, along the M1 into county Fingal, and out toward the coast is a small town of Skerries. Skerries isn’t a particularly big town, nor is there anything particularly different about it in the town center. There are pubs, shops, and the typical Irish curving town main street. What is interesting about it is that not far from the main street of town are two gorgeous “Holland style” windmills which are located, along with the mill pond, in the town’s main park.

IMGP4343-55

Opened year round and restored by the Fingal County Council, the mills are pretty spectacular on a sunny day and allow for views of the coast and off shore islands. There’s tours 7 days a week, a handful of crafts at the visitor’s shop, and they often have the two windmills (and the watermill – there’s been a watermill on the location since the days of Henry VIII) working during tours. There is a nice little cafe, plenty of ducks to feed if you choose to take a stroll around the mill pond, and a farmer’s market on Saturdays featuring organic foods.

IMGP4340-52

If you’d like more information on Skerries Mills, you can see their website at: http://www.skerriesmills.org/

If you’d like to read more about the nearby New Bridge House and gardens, please click here.

Share

Mullingar Fog

IMGP4689-1

I’m finally getting through some older pictures from here in Ireland, after having had a very very busy time at work and in my private life for the last 3 months. Things haven’t slowed down much – but I am finally finding a few hours to actually try to work on pictures and get back to blogging.

The first photographs to grace us are a few that were taken the morning of Jacqui and Zac’s wedding back in October in Mullingar, Ireland. We had hoped that it would be a good sunny day for an indoor /outdoor wedding. Mother Nature, however, had other plans – trading the brief bouts of sunshine and showers from the drive over for a deep white fog against the autumn color. It made for a magical morning – like something out of a storybook. It was something that I could not resist – and I had to bring the camera as I was on my way down to breakfast at Annebrook house. From my balcony, I caught photographs of the soft fog making the Gazebo seem like something out of a Grimm’s fairy tale (above) and the pond and park feel eerily as if it came out of a detective novel when the occasional stranger strolled past the and hidden sulfur lamps (below).

IMGP4696-10-2

Then there were the dewdrops that made the previously invisible spider’s handicrafts appear visible to the naked eye while hiding the most delicate of church spires made of dark grey stone.

IMGP4692-6-2

IMGP4697-11-2

By noon, the wispy veil of morning fog had burned off – to be replaced by another type of veil – and the busy day of portraits and memories had begun.

Share

November Fog

Morning Fog

When I woke up this morning, it felt like November. I don’t think I can really describe what November feels like, but I’ll try. To me, it’s blue light at dawn, cold icy fog, and blustry winds which make your cheeks turn pink and your body crave hot drinks. November is the leaves pouring off the trees in final effort to escape their masters, it’s the beginning crunchy chocolate mud puddles and of silver-white frost underfoot. November is the scent of chilled decaying dampness mixed with the intoxicating burning smoke from peat fires. It’s the need for hats, scarves, and warm woolen pullovers. It’s the first vision of the white cloud of your breath and the steam off the dog’s stream as he takes his morning walk. It’s November, and it’s a feeling that we’re just on the cusp of winter. Perhaps it’s best put into pictures…. as November is finally here.

Morning Fog

Somewhere in the picture above is a 7 storey building, that is 2 blocks away… Can you see it?

Morning Fog

Even the shopping mall is blurry in the fog and mist and blue light. It feels like depth perception as seen through a fish eye, but no, it’s just November.

Share