Breaking Out....

I have always liked colour and comfort in clothing. During my working years I was restricted to the standard drab office shades of black and clerical grey, although I did manage to get away with a bronze mohair suit on one particular contract in Bristol.

Ties of course of a modest design were compulsory all day long and every day.

I recall that on Saturday mornings, during my training, we were allowed to wear sports coats and cravats. On the hottest of days widows were allowed to be opened to let in a slight movement of air on the proviso that there was no disturbance of drawings or papers. 

Towards the end of my life in design offices, I took it upon myself to leave off my tie during the summer and wear an open neck shirt. To anyone who remarked on this I would tell them that I was engaged for what I knew and not to look like a tailors dummy.

I retired early, took a few years off for myself and changed direction. 

Suits, books and the brief case were parked in a cupboard. Jeans became my weekly attire as well as green lovat trousers and check shirts for going to the pub.

I branched out from green to blue trousers a few years back and was always looking for 

a pair that was maroon or scarlet.

To my delight two weeks ago I found a pair of maroon cotton trousers by Gurteen and then yesterday I dropped into a friend's shop just on the off chance. 

I emerged came with the pair shown below, tailored by MMX.

I knew as soon as I had put them on that they were going to come home with me.

The jacket is linen by Carlo Gross

Wonderful scarlet turnups

The shoes are Dubarry

I really love the detailing about the pockets

To my utter joy the tailoring of these trousers actually 

gives me a slim look! 

I would like to assure my readers that this isn't turning into a fashion blog, nor will you see me wearing a red pointy hat, I just wanted to share my glee with you!

http://www.galvintullamore.ie

GOOD NEIGHBOURS

These Lads are our nearest neighbours, we see them on opening the curtains in the morning and throughout the day. They are quiet unobtrusive fellows who apart from grazing the lush green pasture only raise their heads to stare at our comings and goings.


It is rumoured that they are grazing on holy ground, for there is said to have been an ancient oratory that once stood on the rise of this field. I fancy that it was long ago and probably made of wood for there is nothing to be seen now. Nothing, not even an indentation on the ground remains, just a sense of peacefulness.


Many rumours surround my old home and I was told when moving here that there was gold buried behind the cottage. What they didn't say was how far behind.
I think it would have to be many miles away, in the nearest town; although on digging once, I did find some yellowed old bones of an animal - probably of an ass.


There are of course 'the good people' who wander around just before dusk and at times they can be quite active. A bottle of whisky went missing once when we had a party that went on for two days in the back garden.
We had laid down the drink in the long grass to keep it in a place of safety away from the dancers and frolickers and there it stayed for two nights along with a bottle of cider.
In the morning only the cider remained...... 'they' know what they like best you see.

WINTER: Food and Cures

A Cornish Pasty

The pasty has to be one of my favourite dishes and especially at this time of the year. This one was made quite recently by Mrs H when I was feeling slightly under the weather and her culinary skills cheered me up no end. It contains cubed swede, parsnips carrots and lean beef steak, plus white pepper and an oxo cube for additional flavour. 

It was absolutely delicious and very filling, so much so that I was unable to consume all of it at one sitting and approximately half of it became a meal on the following day  

A cough remedy

I recently suffered an irritating dry and tickly cough which disturbed me both day and night. After having tried homeopathic drosera which helped, that alone was not sufficient and so I resorted to Manuka honey to which one drop of thyme oil had been added and stirred into; the dosage I took was one teaspoonful twice a day for about four or five days which am delighted to say completely cured me.

Cayenne Pepper

Another one of my home remedies is cayenne pepper which I use fairly frequently throughout the year. It is well known for improving the circulation and has many uses; my best advice is for you to look it up on the internet and make your own decision.

I take it once a day: one teaspoonful in a small glass of cold spring water.

The Cayenne Pepper Drink

The cayenne pepper drink is extremely hot and the way I take it is have one large mouthful and to hold it in the mouth for about three seconds before swallowing down as rapid as is possible, quickly followed by drinking second glass of water to flush away any residue from the gums, of course another way to reduce the burning sensation in the mouth is to have a spoonful of honey.

I try to avoid pharmaceutical medicines and visits to medical practitioners as far as is possible, unless it is absolutely unavoidable. My preference is to eat wholesome foods, exercise regularly, do nothing to excess and maintain my height/weight ratio.

My plan is to grow old disgracefully by being a geriatric hippy !

Bealtainne - May

A decorated Maybush

The blossoming May tree with a well hidden

in it's roots.

Mare with a foal that was born

on 5th May

A possible Grand National winner ??

New Chest of Drawers !

I get an earthy sense of May or Bealtainne, as it is in Irish Gaelic, a few days before the start of the month, a quickening or enlivening of the inner self, so much so that I understand what is meant in the old poem about 'the merry month of May'. For yes, I feel Merry and slightly Loopy - actually it is with me now as I write this blog :-)

There are many folk traditions throughout Ireland and indeed Europe to do with the this month, too many for me to do them justice. Locally in the mountains the Maybush is still decorated with rags, ribbons and egg shells and some people get up early in the morning to wash their face and hands in the dew.

The swallows have returned though there are few near us, so I am wondering whether this is may be a portend for bad weather. I did see a huge amount of them on the West coast the other week and I heard a Cuckoo there too and I have yet to hear one near us this year.

I have been rather busy this last week assisting Mrs Heron rearranging and redecorating the roost (bedroom) The colour she chose is I am told Ashes of Roses, though to me it is a sort of lilac-pink, which I find amusing because it is similar to what it once was before herself deigned to migrate from Brighton (UK) to join me on this sacred island. As they say here 'What goes round comes round' and that is true.

Being a simple male little did I realize at the time I agreed to assist, that it was not going to be just a paint job or that it would entail the purchase of new curtains, bed-coverings, a chest of drawers and a decorative cushion solely to catch the light! To be honest though it does look and feel rather more comfortable than it did. I think this transition has much to do with the change of energies it being Bealtainne.