I'm back from a most beautiful trip to Ireland and the sun and blue and cool air have, so far, followed me home. I felt lucky there because I saw blueberry skies when everyone said I should expect grey and rain. The incredible expanse of green didn't quite follow me back. The ground is silver and tar here. But the blue did. It did.
I hope the calm I felt there also stays. Spending that many hours on country road drives, climbing mountains, or standing at the foot of the shore breathing and thinking and being, everything wide and open, looking out, feeling as if all I saw could sail the dirt if it wanted to, it made me feel more peaceful than I have in a long time.
There came a moment, towards the end of my travels, when I realized I wanted to go home before the trip was officially over, which is a very rare occurrence for me. Usually, I have to be dragged away kicking and screaming. But, this time, I didn't want to dig through suitcases for the shirt I had forgotten or sleep on the old, foreign sheets anymore. I wanted to be home and walk the familiar streets and hardwood floors of my real life. And it was the most amazing feeling, to want to return to all I have, but hold on to the calm I felt. I felt it was possible to do that then and I feel it is possible to that now and however that changes in the rush and crowd and squeeze of this real life, I'll try to remember how I believed in the possibility that it could be done.
Beyond that, I bought a fancy new camera and I loved experimenting. I'm looking forward to learning how to really use it in the coming months and years. These are a few of my favorite photographs of Ireland.
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| The beach in Connemara |
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| Sky sparkle in Clifden |
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| The Cliffs of Moher |
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| Connemara National Park at the top of Diamond Hill |
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| Sunset in Spanish Point |
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| A sheep who posed just for me. |
Beautiful!! I'd love to visit there someday.
ReplyDeletegorgeous pics. i think it's great that you love home enough to want to be THERE!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pics! Welcome back :)
ReplyDeleteSo very beautiful, with the slow collapse of our summer, would love to be there.
ReplyDeleteI saw your pictures on Facebook and they are truly gorgeous! I hope we see nice weather on our trip to the U.K. later this week.
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful! Ireland is on my list of places to visit. And I love how you describe the experience. I believe it's possible to have both, too. To love what you have and keep that calm . . . hard, but possible. I was so ready to go home. So grateful to come back to the normal and familiar and safe. But grateful for the experiences elsewhere that not only make my life richer and give me experience, but help me appreciate what I have. Welcome home Melissa! :D
ReplyDeleteWhat an obedient sheep - very impressed. Gorgeous shots! I hope you can hang on to the calm...frenzy has a way of creeping in. I'm also glad you wanted to come home. It's been gorgeous in NH and hope you have beautiful sunny skies in NY too, esp. after so much rain and heat!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous pictures and such a wonderful feeling you describe--I'm looking for a slice of calm right now, too.
ReplyDeleteOhhh so jealous! It looks like a fabulous, beautiful trip! :)
ReplyDeleteStunning scenery and highest compliments to the photographer! ;-) And omg—that sheep! So cute!
ReplyDeleteDare I say that you & I are a lot alike in that the open sky and endless rolling hills are cathartic to visit... but coming home to the city (albeit with a "silver and tar" ground) is the perfect ending to a beautiful vacation!?
These are such stunning photographs. What a beautiful place to visit.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm always so happy to return home, no matter how beautiful the destination.