Stop over in Dogs Bay, Connemara

Saturday morning, day before Easter: Having spent the night in Clifden, in Connemara, we spent the next day driving home through the incredibly scenic route around the coastal roads of Connemara. Superlatives abound in our experience of this trip. While the temperature was absolutely freezing, the sun was shining, and the water and landscape was striking! I think we all felt as if you could have pulled over every 10 feet. As it was, there were lots of pull overs to take snaps, but Dogs Bay was worthy of the hour plus we gave it. Rounding the coastal roads, we came upon this spot, which could just have easily been in the Caribbean-only about 40 degrees colder, plus intense wind chill factor.

Parking the car, we made our way down to the beach. I think it's human instinct to make a b-line for the waters edge. This shot below is Paul holding Elijah, talking to Sasha about the little sea life in the water. With my new, handy dandy camera, I got a great 'close up' from very far away!


Having finally made it to the beach, Paul took this shot of me holding Elijah with J&S in the background. The water was much more intense in color than I think what shows up in the photos, but I think the message gets across. It was a stunning beach.


Paul took the E to the car, which left me with the big kids. A very nice Englishman, apologetically wearing a colorful scarf wrapped around his head to keep his head warm, wearing his hat on top of the scarf, offered to take this photo of us. With the wind whipping all around us, I think it was all we could do to stand up straight long enough for him to snap the shot. Yea, I think we did it!


Facing the water looking out toward the coastal road.


On the way back to the car, Joshua stole a few last moments before we had to squeeze back into the car. It was hard to deny him the opportunity. We loved Dogs Bay...Next stop: Roundstone, then home.

Last Stop in NW Ireland Tour: Roundstone in Connemara

We loved Connemara! To say the area is picturesque is an understatement. There were incredible photos at every turn. Our last big stop was in a town called Roundstone, where we found the shop of bodhran maker, Malachy Kearns, who is one of Ireland's master Bodhran makers. To add to the local flavor of the area, after looking around and having decided that we were going to get each of the kids a small personalized bodhran, we met the man himself! He shook each of the kid's hands and wished them well with the instrument. I took this video on the [long] drive home, just after leaving the Roundstone:



It was a fun [if not long, did i already say that?!] drive out of Connemara! Of all the towns we visited, Roundstone was among my personal favourites. We will come back again and again!

Weekend in Dingle Bay!

A few weekends ago, at the tail end of a school holiday, we took off …to see what we could see…We squeezed ourselves into the mini (that’s a feat for five!) and drove 4 hours to Dingle Bay, a wonderful little resort town in the south west.. One of Paul’s friends and Vyro board member, Brendan, very generously offered up his holiday home for our use. What a treat! We promptly took him up on it and, by the days end, found ourselves in a fully stocked home-away-from-home.

In the morning, we readied ourselves for adventure. It started with fresh fish and chips (caught that morning!) and while I took Elijah home for a nap, Paul took the kids out on a little tour boat to meet the lone resident dolphin who had been living in the Bay for as far back as 20 years!


As the story goes, this dolphin, who is a HE, has been a bachelor all this time, and apparently over the years the town has offered up she-dolphins to expand the pack, but to no avail…he’s shown no interest. This has lead many to wonder….

Next morning, we drove up the road to Dingle Horse Riding, where Paul took Elijah and the big kids and I each took a horse back riding trip for an hour. What great fun! We drove up at 11am, where the young 20s-something riding instructor, Louise, had our horses all saddled and ready to go! I was excited, but couldn’t remember the last time I had actually sat on a horse, let alone ride it! Was I an old lady already, being anxious about something like that? Louise, set Joshua up on his horse, Fuschia.


He was happy enough. I don’t think any of us had ever really ridden a horse the way we were about to for the next hour. I had no way of knowing whether or not the horse was going to buck him off. It was one of those moments, where I had to trust and get on with the experience.

It was also interesting to note, as I watched Louise help Joshua get settled into his saddle, that we had signed no waiver, had not yet paid; we just got out of the car, walked over, found our riding boots and hat and climbed the horse. Welcome to Ireland!... the last frontier of trusting and non-litigious societies.

Then it was Sasha’s turn. Her horse was Blackie. Very excited to be there, Sasha climbed the horse and turned to wait for me.

While Louise was saddling her up, I climbed up onto my own horse, somewhat awkwardly, but…I made it up with some semblance of grace, I’d like to think, then was told that my horse was a lazy one. It was in that moment that any fear of my horse bolting off at a gallop uncontrollably –died away. Lazy horses don’t do that. Now I could enjoy myself. After a few directions we walked over to the staging area, circled a few times...and headed out on our hour-long ride.


Three young girls, whom I learned along the way traded stable help for riding time lead the way, followed by Joshua, Sasha then myself. Leading up the rear was Louise. As it turned out, the ride was calm, pleasant and just great fun! Louise turned out to be a very kind riding companion who, as we were following the trail along the base of a hill, which we shortly thereafter would turn right to ride to the top, as I was asking her about her background, it just so happened that the valley scene were passing off to the left at that moment, she pointed to saying, ‘see that house way off in the distance? That was my grandfather’s fathers house. My father was born in that house and my brother is now renovating it. I live in that house over there [pointing off to the left]; that’s where I grew up.’ It turns out that all the land off to our left was her family’s land! As she was telling me this, I was admiring the life this young girl had and wondered when it would occur to her what an amazing gift she had been handed; to live in such a gorgeous land and be so close to nature.


As we climbed the hill, Louise offered to take a few shots of us, then we climbed over to the other side of the hill and descended back down. As we came closer to the town, and our ride came to an end, we quickly noticed that our hour long ride passed literally within feet of the Brendan’s house! Had we known, we would have Paul standing out there with Elijah to welcome us back! It was a wonderful and unforgettable ride. We know we will return to Dingle again and again!

Copyrights Rule!...really?

Aside from the Trailer, which you'll be able to view below when you click on the word, you will find the following when you try to click the other two links below for the Performance and Speech: This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Oh, well...YouTube had it's moment, and i guess it's over. Enjoy the film and let me know what you think of it!

The Movie Once, Ireland...for all dreamers and aspiring and working musicians

I'm endorsing a fabulous little film called Once, which we just saw last night. As a small indie film set in Ireland, it's done well, having just won an Oscar for Best Song as well as a Grammy, and a number of other awards.

Many of the scenes, including the scene in the music shop, where they improvise the creation of the hit song which ultimately won the Oscar, we've been to and know well. Bonus fun factor. The whole opening sequence is right around the corner from Paul's office.

Trailer

Watch the movie, then click on the Oscars acceptance speeches link below. As soon as we finished the film, we were interested in the actors and their histories, and watching the combination of the film/real life successes was a wonderful testament to the impact of art, music, hope and following your dreams.

Oscar acceptance speeches

Performance at the Oscars

Even if you've already seen the film and the Oscars, viewed back to back, the impact of the message will bring on the tears...in all the best ways!...

Lastly, over the weekend, we also just discovered that the new film from the holidays, PS, I Love You, which was made two years ago in the Wicklow Mountains, contains scenes which were shot just on the road by our house. ...I guess Ireland must be a beautiful place to be...

Waiting for the day to start…

So here are Joshua and Sasha waiting on the other side of the road, out the front door, on Garbage Day, or Rubbish Day as they say here, for our friend Linda to pick them up to take them to school. School starts at 9:00am. It's a 20 minute drive to the school from where we live.

8:30...

Linda is the mother of Joshua’s classmate, Paul, who live down the road from us and with whom we’ve started ride sharing. It’s been wonderful! Linda happens also happens to be the woman without whom we would have not found our house! She’s a wonderful, delightful woman with whom I’ve gratefully found a fast friendship. We have great hopes of dyeing lichen together and felting slippers for our children…

8:35...

8:40...

8:41...and we're off...thanks, Linda!

...as the dust settles. Looking back on 2007

Somehow, the need to bridge the gap between my last posting in July and now in January, brings with it the perfect opportunity to send holiday greetings and wishes for a Happy New Year!

2007 was a good year for the Kewene-Hite Family! In the Spring, we welcomed our third child, Elijah Manahi into the family. He was born April 20th at home, in the water. It was one of the most beautiful experiences of our lives.

In the Summer, we did the summer things we all love to do...one highlight being a week at the lake where Joshua, who turned 10 this year, experienced his first year of Sail School at the Eugene Yacht Club! Natasha, who learned to sail there growing up, has fond memories of this place, so it was quite wonderful to have her own children attend, in addition to two of his best friends, Sage and William! We are most grateful to our Grandpa for this opportunity. It was a week of great fun and building memory.

By Summer's end, we confirmed that Ireland would be in our future!...this left only the question of when to leave... Ultimately, we packed up our house and pulled out of the driveway the end of September.

Autumn, as it turns out found us landing in Ireland on October 5th, and after a month searching, moved into our new house on November 1, the kids started school on Nov 6 and we're now settling into a new life on the other side of the planet. Halloween came and went. Then Christmas brought Natasha's father from the States and her brother, his wife and child over from Germany for a terrific holiday together. The holidays have come and gone and now here we are...2008! Whew!...what an adventure.

Now, the dust settles and life is falling into a routine. It's beautiful here in Ireland! We are getting to know the lay of the land, Paul is enjoying his work, the kids are making friends and we're just starting to be able to make use of the weekends to see some sights. Now life is beginning anew...


To all our friends we left behind in the States, we love you and miss you! To our family near and far, we love you and miss you! We look forward with great anticipation for the opportunity to see you again and, if you're so inclined, to have you come visit us in Ireland!