Spring is Here

Today a brisk walk in the sunlight brought a sense of harmony after months of dreary weather.
Snow was not general all over Ireland, for the first time in several years, but Winter is always a shock and it's good to see it banished.

Here's to days sitting out of doors and planning gardens that give pleasure all year round...

There Are Warm Places Elsewhere

February is beginning to wear a bit thin here.

Today working with Iphoto opened up more subtle colour possibilities and offered a welcome reminder of a world where burning fossil fuels to keep warm is not necessary.

Winter Landscapes

Although there is a strangely early bud burst in some secluded gardens, the wintery look continues to make the countryside look stark.

Winter is Over

At last we have sunshine and bright days again. This is a reminder of how the garden looked in January.

Letting Our Little Light Shine

Some years ago, having got used to my Flickr account and having got onto amicable terms, my now virtual friend Billie from the Beach asked a very sensible question.
"Does the sun ever shine over there?"

It's difficult to explain that I probably have come to prefer muted tones and mysterious dusky photos, with a strong bias towards black and white images in real film rather than digital. Friends from brighter climates are forever putting on lights which startle me into an over-alert state as, in Summer at least, I like the long steady evening light.

However, the ongoing gloom of January is ahead and at this time, the only strategy is to avoid looking at anything out of doors by bringing the blinds down and filling the house with good strong electric light.

And the sun did actually shine a few days ago and I managed to capture the moment on film..

Well, Blow Me Down With a Feather...

I don't have the energy to post on Davimack's blog, being in another system as it is.
However it is a relief to know that they are surviving merrily enough given the circumstances of being caught up in some tornado or other. I don't know if the hilarity the pieces have caused me are intended, but having weathered snow last year my virtual friends have taken the gales on the chin and are knitting, writing and making beautiful photos as usual.
I woke to a report from the BBC that a delighted arboriculturalist was actually out in the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens to study the top of a 50 foot felled tree. It's rare to be able to study such a specimen, it seems. Good news was forthcoming. The lichens at the top of the tree are numerous and healthy, evidence of good air quality.

Somebody out there must have heard all our pleas for the moaning to stop.
We are now being blown away with happy stories...

Really and Truly

Winter is not my favourite. I've been rummaging through photos taken in warm weather to try to distract myself from the wind and rain out of doors. So far it has worked very well...

No Time to Spare

Writing has gone far down the list this week.

Root canal treatment, shopping for Christmas gifts, doing some much needed Winter Cleaning... chores certainly take up time and energy, but are worth the effort in the long run.

The rain and wind fall and bloweth as is often the case in an Irish Winter, but good humour is sutained through much friendly banter with friends.

I have even started using the telephone again from time to time.  
Since everybody has gone to ground with work and December duties, it's nice to chat, even if one doesn't have time to meet up.

Carbon

The debate on carbon issues has reached stalemate, it seems. The latest idea, that house insulation will cut down on problems and lessen one's carbon footprint is given governmental backing and grants are available.

I have problems relating to health when it comes to over insulating a home. In winter, I tend to just go upstairs where the rooms are warmer (and those who don't have an upstairs will already find they are losing interest)and wrap up in many layers. Having been in houses that have been subjected to the new systems, I find it difficult to feel comfortable. The air is inert in these spaces as it does not flow. A house should be allowed to breath and wrapping it up over securely may not actually make one ill, but, in my experience at least, it can make it very uncomfortable. I have stopped visiting such houses.

The alternative to insulation is to winter in a warmer country. This is not always possible, but it certainly solves most of the problems faced by those who are going to have heating bills that could send one into overdraft. There will be carbon taxes and many different inconveniences involved, notably the problem of not being in own's own well-loved home, but if faced with ruin, it is a reasonable option.

And getting back to the insulation, the mess involved, whether the system is inside or out along with the hidden costs of electricity and water usage is worth studying before a plan is drawn up. Over the years, having builders in the house has been manageable, but not enjoyable. Obviously, wealthy people can afford to live elsewhere while work goes on but for the average householder, getting out every day and living in squalor for the duration of the work is the norm.

Also the building trade is so stressed at the moment that inviting stressed people to work in one's domestic space takes a preliminary course in PR and psychology. Many builders, used to working on new building estates, have not thought about how to deal with house owners. They say what they want done and try to convince the would-be employer that they know best. I would never buy a house that had been owned by a professional builder. Everything is done to the exact letter of the law as it is officially set out at the time the work was accomplished. It is usually a very fine example of excellent craftsmanship and is stuffed with heaven only knows what sort of materials were fashionable at the time. Upgrading would involve ripping a lot of rubbish out.

The last few months were spent studying insulation systems. Any that I've met so far have left me with a simple solution... Sell up and go somewhere warm...