The Romance of the Emerald Isle

Romance is watching The Quiet Man with John Wayne while writing and reminiscing about our time in Ireland only eleven days ago.  Have you seen the movie?  Have you experienced the Irish people?  Their culture?  Their heritage?

We arrived on a blustery cold and rainy day.  Checked in to our cute little cottage in Milltown and headed off to the quaint little town of Dingle on the Dingle Peninsula.

Enchanted, we drove past postcard perfect scenes of sheep grazing in green pastures, the bay and the Ring of Kerry in the background.

Enchanted... and hungry, we ducked into Murphy's Pub in search of a warm fire and hot food.  Our waiter with his dark hair, charming smile and even more charming accent brought us lunch fare which we ate while listening to the handful of women nearby speak Gaelic. 

Dingle is every bit the dreamy little harbor town we had heard it was.

Something I love about the Irish is that they're full of delightful little surprises... out-of-the-blue-nuances that make a person smile.

After admiring sharks and an abundance of peculiar and beautiful smaller sea life and petting stingrays we strolled past village shops.  One of the shops was a tiny jewelery store where LeRoy bought me a new wedding ring.  While the ring was being sized we waited at the library down the street... When I asked the man if I needed anything special like a code or password to use the computer he smiled, held up his hands, and said, "You'll be needing your fingers, Miss."  
 

At Murphy's ice cream shop we ordered ice cream for the children...

...and coffee for us grown-ups.

Claddagh Ring: Love, Friendship, Loyalty 

embraced by the Celtic knot symbolizing eternal love.

Thankful.  Abundantly thankful... for

1. Relationship...

2. with Jesus: Eternal Love, my Redeemer, Friend, Lover of my soul;

3. with my husband, my hero, lover, confidant;

4. with my children: my teachers, Arrows, blessings... in abundance.

5. tradition

6. laughter, smiles, and more laughter

7. the curiosity of the tides

8. creamy ice cream in a shop with oh-so-blue walls

9. big, heavy raindrops that splash when they land

10. cheerful, witty librarians

11. the lilt of the Irish accent

12. toasty fires and welcoming ambience

13. Irish tea

14. grocery shopping in a tiny market for breakfast food