it is an ireland sort of day here in western new jersey today. its grey. its drizzling. the temperature is moderate. the air seems textured and rich. there is a kind of greyness, a kind of dampness that misses nothing in its blanket-like covering. it reminds me of ireland.i spent 16 days in ireland a few years back doing some studies on the protestant/catholic relationship there, both in the republic and in northern ireland. got to see dublin, belfast, and, my personal favorite, galway. i took this photo of a sheep somewhere west of dublin. we were on our way to a monastary when i saw her, and so i asked the bus driver if he might not stop for a bit so i could take a photo. he obliged. i was the only one who got off the bus. i ran back several hundred feet and slowly approached the sheep. she just stood there, examining me as much as i examined her. she was probably forming (mostly true) opinions about americans while i stood there shooting her with pixels. but, she was cooperative, and i absolutely love this picture.
i love ireland, and would seriously consider moving there if i had the chance. there are methodist churches in ireland, after all. i could do a pulpit exchange for a year or something...
Comments
don't know much about Ireland but love the sheep - aren't there snakes? you should not go there anytime soon (like before Rachel graduates HS) they would not like you there (yet, anyway) one thing about CUMC parents - we're not above shameless begging and kissing up.
Make sure the kids know about your blog - this is really great stuff
thanks for your comments, and for your encouragement regarding the blog. i have mentioned that i have a blog a few times, but i don't want to sound like i am shamelessly promoting myself or something, so i haven't tried to draw much attention to it. i figure people will discover it soon enough, you know?
mostly this is a venue for me to stay in touch with family and friends who are at a distance from me, and to share my mental meanderings with whoever cares to read. i have always loved words, and have been a pretty consistent journaler for the last 15 years. now i just share some of my journal with anyone who wants to read. its fun to be able to have some conversation and get some feedback on some of this stuff.
anyway, welcome to my blog. i hope you stop back in and aren't shy.
greg.
ireland is incredible. i would highly recommend it. besides the possibility of bumping into bono, the land feels richer, the people friendlier, the grass greener, the pubs are more like the town center for music and fellowship, with a built-in accountability, the sheep are more photogenic, the pace slower, the food blander, and the air cleaner. i was in a foreign country for 16 days, and it felt just like home...