Explore Ireland: Dublin and Ancient Sites

Welcome to the blog today — I'm glad you could join me on a bit of exploration! Over the years we've taken a number of vacations that we enjoyed immensely. I have always intended to share them with you and I've decided that now is as good a time as any to start! (I have however shared vacation photos in several posts where they were the inspiration for styling tablescapes.) 

 

One of the trips we enjoyed the most was to Ireland. I had wanted to go there for a long time, since both Greg and I can trace our ancestry there. So off we flew, landing in Dublin. From there we headed north to the Boyne Valley in County Meath to explore Newgrange and the Hill of Slane.  

 

the River Boyne

  

 

Destination: England — A Travel Adventure

I thought it was about time I devoted a full post to one of our travel adventures!  Although I've included photos from our travels in various tablescape posts that were inspired by the trips, I've been remiss in not actually sharing the trips themselves.

 

First up is England — we're hoping to visit the other parts of the UK soon. We began and ended our trip in London.

   

 

London  

 

A poignant installation of deep red ceramic poppies washed across the lawn in front of the Tower of London.  The breathtaking display featured 888,246 ceramic poppies in the art installation 'Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red' that served as a reminder of the lives lost during World War I and the lasting impact of conflict. 

 

    

Dreaming of Travel — Where Palms Beckon

Staring at suitcases in the back of my closet, I began to dream of traveling to lands where the palm trees beckon.

Lands with beautiful vistas, delightful breezes, cooler temps and low humidity!

I gathered

Celebrations and Travel, Gardens and Updates

January is a month full of transitions and the making of plans for the coming year. It is also a bit about looking back. Come with me as I look back on several things that haven't been shared in posts of their own — namely celebrations, travel, gardens and updates!

New Mexico

 

Much of the summer was spent traveling back and forth to New Mexico where our daughter had started a wonderful job and decided to buy a house! We helped her move from her apartment, shop for things she needed/wanted for the house, and tackle minor renovations such as replacing faucets and lighting fixtures and installing cabinet pulls and wooden blinds. Whew!

Two kittens were quickly added to Miss J's house! Both rescues, they were born a week apart. Kaladin on the left is white and black with short hair. His younger, but larger, sister Jasmine has fluffy cream-colored fur with gray points.

 

A Tropical Beach Tray: Dreaming of Travel

Where do you dream of traveling to? Top of the list for my husband is a beach — the more tropical the better! So I styled a tray to tide him over until we get the chance to vacation at the beach!

  

Summer Tables: Dreaming of Paris

Like most of you, we canceled our vacation plans this summer. While we are spending the summer at home, it's not really a "staycation", since most of our time is literally spent at home: indoors, in the backyard or walking the dogs in the neighborhood.

But one can dream of vacations, of traveling to new destinations, of experiencing life in a different way! Because I had such fun designing a table dreaming of going on safari, I thought I'd set a table to capture the (imagined) feel of dinner in an exquisite hotel in Paris.

This table would have the casual elegance that I think of when I think of Paris.

Summer Tables: Dreaming of Travel

Summer has settled in, with daily temperatures in the 90's and almost equally high humidity. Afternoon showers bring only temporary relief. So we have retreated inside for most of the day, venturing outside reluctantly, preferably as the sun goes down.

It appears that we will be sheltering at home for the foreseeable future. I have grown tired of reading, watching DVDs and Netflix, and solving puzzles. What to do? Dream of the travel that we will surely do someday soon! 

Since I love to create tablescapes, I designed one that combines a travel dream of mine with a hearty dose of one of Greg's.

The Greens of March: Decor in the Entry and Kitchen

Rather than setting a table this week, I decided to refresh the decor on the chest in the entry and in the stemware cabinet in the kitchen. I usually change the tableau in the foyer as the seasons change. Spring is beginning to stir, heralded by flowering bulbs.

Daffodils and Irish Spring Colors

As I was looking through my photos, I opened the folder of those I had taken in Ireland in the spring of 2018. That was one of our most enjoyable vacations!

I was once again mesmerized by the beauty of the countryside.

Celtic Patterns for the Table

I was very excited planning this table! It is the first St. Patrick's Day table I've set since we traveled through Ireland last May. So I've included a few shots from our trip to set the stage.

Ireland is incredibly green, in shades from yellow-green through dark spruce. Miss J is admiring the view from Newgrange — even in the rain, the greens are vibrant!

I bought this beautiful scarf at Trinity College in Dublin. The emerald cloth is woven with repeating Celtic patterns in a yellow green. Since it is very wide, I thought it would work perfectly as a table runner.

Recreating the Table at Kilkenny Castle

In May, Greg, Miss J and I spent almost two weeks in Ireland. For the table this week, I'm following Greg's suggestion to recreate the table set at Kilkenny Castle. The stone castle (Caisleán Chill Chainnigh) was built by the Normans in 1195 on the site of a wooden fort which guarded access to the River Nore. The original stone castle, with four large circular corner towers and a massive ditch, was altered and added to several times in the past 800 years. In 1967, it was presented to the people of Kilkenny in return for a token payment of £50.

The table seems to be set in the style of the early Victorian period. My challenge was to set my dining room table in the same style – without buying anything new (or old as the case may be, lol!).  I'll be alternating photos of the castle's table with mine.

The castle's dining room is quite large; the expansive table was set with a crisp tablecloth. For some reason, napkins weren't included, although they were certainly in use in that time period. 

Falls Park on the Reedy

Public gardens come in a variety of sizes and types, from a pocket garden at a busy intersection to grand ones such as New York's Central Park. Greenville, South Carolina, has the lovely Falls Park on the Reedy in the heart of the city.

A table for la Fête nationale

I've been fascinated with French history and culture since I was a teenager. Six years of French language and literature classes turned me into a bit of a Francophile. I horribly mangle French when I speak it, but I used to be able to understand half of what I heard. I was better at reading French, and loved Molière and Rimbaud.