The Countryside

Irish mountains are not large and imposing but they are very beautiful in the soft light that falls on them.

At Last...

We're out of the woods here as the weather has improved beyond all expection. Scented flowers, viburnums and skimmias lighten the heart and lure us into the ever greener gardens.

What at beautiful day...

Come Back, Signor Berlusconi, (Almost) All is Forgiven?

I have only twice been to Italy and the effort to negotiate buying dinner with a smattering of Latin and vast translation from French, which many waiters speak there, has left its mark. Travelling with friends who have not bothered to learn any foreign language leaves one in the position of a UN representative. A war could be caused by the slightest misunderstanding of the nuances.

Loud enthusiasm usually impresses Italians, from my experience so far, but it was also explained by a helpful English couple that one should learn to indulge officials in functionary positions, as they are not helpful when spoken to as if one were their equal.

Although the Irish have often been called "The Italians of the North", I think that this prejudice must be based on lack of efficiency and the aforement yelling. It could not have anything to do with kow-towing to authority and I was surprised to find ticket sellers in train stations so unhelpful. Even in France, instructions will be screamed through sound proof glass at a pitch that would wake the dead, leaving no room for ambiguity or misunderstanding.

The latest news from Italy, relayed through my only trusted source, the BBC, is that the new chief bottle washer there has now got his wife doing the cooking for every social gathering that could implicate partying at the expense of the "the tax-payer". Do I, I ask myself, want to revisit a country where women are called on to support their husband's career beyond the bounds of reason?

Six years studying Greek have ensured that I would not step foot in a Greek jurisdiction without signed contracts with fellow travellers, regardless of linguistic ability. There is a law in Greece that claims that when a man is arrested his wife or partner is often held in custody as well, because women always know everything. Whoever put this onto the statute books must have a vivid imagination. And since my knowledge of this law is based on the case of two English people who were at an air show where military aircraft were photographed years ago and that the details are too confusing to repeat, I've also added air shows to a long list of no-go events.

Travel does not broaden the mind. It can wear people out and cause untold psychological damage.

And as for going to Italy again, the jury is still out. We never got to the Vatican because the nice sign at the entrance to the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj caught my attention. The sign was for food, of course, and the palace itself was a highlight of our trip to Rome. Also, I had forgotten that, being a separate state, one gets put through security systems again so I thought about if seeing another basilica was worth the risk of getting frisked and subjected to suspicion.

I draw a veil over the fact that the Irish government has taken an attitude to the Vatican that seems extreme. Davimack's reaction to politics is very similar to mine... why waste time thinking about problems that other people have made?

Not only is the political not personal in my mind, the personal is not political. And I think for many people the two may have parted company for some time to come.

Grinding to a Halt?

This blog seems to have dozed off for Autumn.
There is not much to say at the moment and waxing lyrical on the everyday household chores does not really inspire. We have gone out into the country a few times, notably to a free Sunday concert in Castletown House. It is a beautifully restored 18th Century Palladian mansion and the stucco work is very beautiful. Ireland is probably a surprise to visitors who have heard only stories of poverty and deprivation. Some of the most skilled artists came here during the 18th Century, mostly from Italy but also from Switzerland. A visit to Riverstown House in County Cork is very highly recommended. Contacting the Georgian Society is a good idea, as they know all about the hidden gems.

Thanks to having uploaded a photo of the fine outdoor balustrade at Castletown, I have learned that there is a Flick group that combines geology and architecture.
A very good idea indeed.

The Past

I've started looking through the archives.

This blog seems to have been running for an eternity, but it is interesting to look back and see the photos that started me off on the path to improvement.
The Irish countryside is certainly a colourful place...

From Photographe à Dublin

Sunshine

The weather has certainly been a great consolation at the moment. 30 degrees in Melbourne yesterday and, while today is overcast, doors are open and the happy sounds of industry come from down the road.

"Does the sun ever shine over there?", my Flickr friend, Billie in California once asked. Ireland is certainly a land of magical shadows and mists, but having looked at the photos tagged "Ireland" on Photographedublin, I have to admit that my palette is of a Stygian darkness that even the early Romantics would have found a bit oppressive.

As a result, I started jacking up saturation to make shots, even taken on dull December days, look cheerful.
Somehow they just look unreal...

Dublin in Winter

The Color Purple

Irish Bloggers Unite

"Writing in a Twist" has been nominated
for the
Irish Blog Awards, 2009.

Many thanks to all who made this possible.






Irishkc.com devised this cunning .gif.

Fair Dinkum.

Dreaming of Forest Trees

Memories of Country Life

Voyage Into the Unknown

Well, let's put it this way, having read about all the confusion
caused by missed bits in computer programming I'll be staying
with the more secure areas of photography for some time to come.
My ethical problems in relation to this new technology are almost
on the verge of being simple-minded.
Living in a small city, I tend to have great qualms about uploading
photos of people on the street, in case they may not like it.

These are paltry concerns when compared to the life and death
realities that many computer professionals face daily.

"Computer Ethics and Professional Responsibility"

presents the alarming proposition that cause and effect
are no longer predictable, once computers are involved.

Far from causing fear, this idea has opened up a vast
area of curiosity which should keep my Winter reading very
lively indeed.

But the prospect of writing code takes on a
link to social responsibility that may
prove a burden?

Cherchez la Femme

Award winning Irish bloggers are gathering mainstream media attention at last.

This article in today's "Irish Times" re-introduces
some very well-known faces to fans.

Pressing on Regardless

I finally got Wordpress to work.

Shall post photos there for a change.


The link is in the Title Bar, here.

But just to be on the safe side, here it is again:


Anouilh at Wordpress

La Saint Patrick

There's nothing for it.
I go into Paddy's Day mode every year,
working out how to make mint sauce for the
new Spring lamb dinner

that is "de rigueur",
making photos that are of a green shade
so extreme that they seem
to burn a hole in the paper.

Let's get cracking.
Let's enjoy...