Month: February 2025

My Spring

~ Ashley ~ 59 Comments

Just before Christmas I came down with a viral infection and so I spent the next few days in bed.  No Christmas Day lunch with family, no wedding anniversary (our 53rd) and no New Year celebrations!  We were determined that we should still enjoy those celebrations but at a later date.  Thankfully, I was able to move the night out we had planned for our anniversary to February, when it was also my birthday.

We have just returned, having spent a couple of days on the shores of Belfast Lough.  First it was a birthday lunch in The Stables, Groomsport and then on to Donaghadee where we spent the night at Pier 36.  Here are some photos from Groomsport:

Having feasted at The Stables we drove on to Donaghadee.  With the skies starting to dim, we signed into Pier 36 for our one night stay.  Here are some photos from Donaghadee:

On arrival back home after our little adventure, I spotted some bright yellow flowers in the garden:

From dark days,
To brighter days;
Look, daffodils!

Ashley

Note:  In case you’re wondering if you recognise Donaghadee from the television, you’re right.  The town was featured in a series called Hope Street and called Port Devine.  The series also featured a pub/hotel called the Commodore which in real life is Pier 36. 

My first “Kick-About” Rorschach #125

~ Ashley ~ 36 Comments

Finally, I plucked up the courage to enter Phil Gomm’s Kick-About.  My special thanks goes to Phil for his blast of encouragement, and also to Kerfe, a regular K-A contributor.  The subject for February was Rorschach’s Ink Blots and since I missed the January Kick-About when the subject was Self Portrait, I decided to put the two together.  Follow this link:

The Kick-About #125 ‘The Rorschach Test’

February 2025

~ Ashley ~ 69 Comments 

February;
Springtime brings the light,
And hope.


Green tongues,
Sense the growing light;
New shoots.
 

Mid way between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox is Imbolc, a pagan festival of renewal; I read that in Old Irish the term means “the belly of the Mother” (Earth).  In Christianity this time is known as Candlemas, also a time of renewal and the returning light.  The earth is stirring from the cold of winter, plants are beginning to grow and since the Winter Solstice in December, the days are perceptibly longer.

All my photos were taken at Rowallane, near Saintfield, County Down.  It was a day for hat and gloves but every now and then the sun shone brightly.  As we entered the walled garden we could see the work already done by the many volunteers who joyfully tend these borders.  Whilst there were few flowers there was one exception, Daphne bholua “Alba” (see my first photo).  This shrub was covered in wonderful little flowers and in this walled garden the scent was heavenly.  If there had been a seat close by we might still be sitting there!

Have a wonderful Spring.

Ashley

#Note: WordPress have once again made changes, resulting in me not adding as many photos as usual and I found it very frustrating producing this blog. I know of one or two others who’ve had similar difficulties.

#Note: my email notifications were filled by someone “liking” many of my posts and as usual WP asks if I’d like to check out this other persons blog which I did and I was taken to a website that shows my blogs but on someone else’s page! Beware of SPAM!