Promise

This is our apple tree. We know for certain because when we moved in there were two apples hanging on it. Some of the other plants are still a mystery but we do know we have rosemary, hydrangea, clematis, another apple tree, a cherry tree, possibly honeysuckle and a tiny Japanese maple in a pot.

Somebody call 9-9-9, a fire burning off the back porch, oh, oh...

9-9-9 is the emergency number here in Ireland.  We haven't used it yet, but we keep it close at hand.  Some of you know about my pyromaniac tendencies:  the John Deere lawnmower incident of '04, the Kirby vacuum debacle of '07, etc.  So in true 'Fire Starter' fashion I baptized our new home.  It goes a little something like this:  Last Friday Bailey's friend Jocelyn spent the night.  I got up in time to make pancakes and bacon before heading off to the quilt guild meeting.  I made bacon in the microwave on a thick newspaper and paper towels.  As Davis says, "I can see where this is going."  After the bacon cooked I was preparing to discard the newspaper and almost put it in the trash bin when that little voice inside my head said, "Denise, that might not be the best idea you've ever had."  So, I carried it out to the back rock garden and left it there.  About one minute later Jocelyn said, "Is that fire outside?"  "Why yes it is."  As if Scott had not learned anything from Mythbusters, he proceeded to pour a pitcher of water on it.  I followed with a dousing of baking soda for good measure.  And that folks ends our lesson on spontaneous combustion.

Rite of Spring Meets Rite of Passage

Can you mow one handed?

The grass grows a lot in Ireland and so do young men.  This is Davis' first foray into unassisted grass mowing albeit with a Jetsonian, hovering, weed eater type vacuum lawn mower.  It took him about 4 minutes to do the whole front lawn.  Don't you love the smell of freshly cut grass?

Membership has its privileges.

It's official.  I am a card-carrying, dues-paying, show-and-telling member of the Irish Patchwork Society Eastern Branch.  A lovely lady named Mary sat by me and got me up to speed on all the goings on of the guild.  Pat Murphy's cousin's wife Ann saw me there again and was so kind to invite me to her sewing group that meets the second Saturday of the month.  It's on like Donkey Kong.

A gorse is a gorse, of course, of course...

It's everywhere, it's everywhere! All over the hillsides in Ireland that is. It smells like coconut, too.
These are pictures of from the harbor and hill of Howth. Enjoy!

Sur-prise, Sur-prise, Sur-prise--Gomer Pyle

Have you ever planned a surprise for someone?  Well, not only did God get Craig and Merschon on one of only 200 flights out of Europe Friday, He also got them to Chicago 30 minutes early so they could run to another airline to explain why they needed to be in Dallas for the Missions Resource Network dinner.  He got them on that plane, quick change of clothes in the airport, picked up by the Smiths and to the banquet 5 minutes early where they were able to talk to people interested in sending out missionaries.  Whew!  God is good!

Poor Scott Eads is stranded in Dublin until this Friday so we kidnapped him, fed him some dinner,and took him to Howth to watch the sunset.  He is our first unofficial representative from Central church in Huntsville; I hope we passed the test!

A volcano in Iceland, really?

These people can't get home

because of this.