philandpatricia

1981

Early in the morning, 31 years ago, Jacob wanted to be born. It took much of the day. He was born September 10, 1981. One time when he was a teenager, I got a call that he was being transported to Duluth, MN, by ambulance with a “head injury” from a ski hill community aContinue reading “1981”

3 rainbow day

May the wind loosen all tautness. May the salt air cleanse. May the sand give certainty. May the rainbow remind of God’s presence always and always.

landscapes from Valentia Island

Yesterday found us on Valentia Island. Here are a few views from the day: Four who found their way to Valentia yesterday:

Innocence

All twenty lines of the poem, Innocence: They laughed at one I loved – The triangular hill that hung Under the Big Forth. They said That I was bounded by the whitehorn hedges Of the little farm and did not know the world. But I knew that love’s doorway to life Is the sameContinue reading “Innocence”

Love’s doorway to life

Today our travels took us back to the Dingle Peninsula so Bruce and Roberta could experience Dingle and beyond. Among the treasures we encountered was the Dingle Music Shop. Conversation led to conversation which led to conversation. Eventually Caitriona asked Michael if he would play a bit for us on his button box. This isContinue reading “Love’s doorway to life”

eat ’em fresh

On a beautiful walk in the Ireland sun we picked blackberries yesterday. On line, I came across this poem by Seamus Heaney: “Blackberry Picking” can be found in Opened Ground: Selected Poems 1966-1996. Heaney, born in 1939, won the Nobel Prize in 1995. According to his Nobel biography, he grew up as a country boyContinue reading “eat ’em fresh”

Whispering across the half-door of the mind

While in the Glendalough Valley, we wrote almost daily about there not being words for its ancient, mystical beauty and grace. On our first trip to Cahersiveen, which is the first town to the west of where we are on Kells Bay, we saw the Barracks, the remnants of an old castle, sheep, meadows, theContinue reading “Whispering across the half-door of the mind”

3 pics

Bruce & Roberta

Neighbor/friends from Sarasota arrived in Shannon yesterday. We had a good time with them. They are struck with the majestic beauty of this particular piece of Ireland on the Ring of Kerry. Signal comes and goes from here (the house in Kells). Even as I type it is on and off. So will just postContinue reading “Bruce & Roberta”

a couple pics from a day in Ireland

We got to The Kerry Woolen Mills. Great fun. Then to a “pharmacy” in Killarny where I got some Sudafed. Some relief of congestion. Thanks be. Then went to St. Mary’s Cathedral and lit some candles and prayed for people in need. Then had some lunch which was good and included an animated, delightfulContinue reading “a couple pics from a day in Ireland”