These are lovely memories of our time spent in Connemara. I hope you enjoyed a bit of our journey too.
CONNEMARA MEMORIES
Author: gaiainaction
MYSTERY IN THE GARDEN – A WORK OF ART
Today while pruning the rosemary bush my eye caught something unusual, excitedly I grabbed my camera to try and see more of what I was seeing. It seemed to be something like a cocoon, with a perfectly round opening. And when I looked inside I saw an earwig! That is I saw what I think was the body of an earwig, it did not move, and another bit of a darker body but I could not see that properly and did not want to disturb the creature (s). I took several photos hoping some of them would show and give us more info.
I do not know what this is that I found, I was under the impression that earwigs have nests in the soil. I’ve never come across a spider hole like this either, so it’s probably not a spider having sucked the life out of an earwig and taken it into his lair. The cocoon type of thing is only about 3cm wide.
I am really hoping to get some feedback on this, on what this is. All my life I have had to overcome a bit of a phobia about earwigs, they would always come to me, cling to me, I saw them everywhere and my washing was always full of them and I would hate finding them while ironing. But now-a-days I am very interested in finding out more about them, their lifestyle and as I hardly every see them lately, it fascinates me to find one in this position. Please if you have any ideas about what is going on in my rosemary bush do tell me in the comments 🙂 I cannot wait to hear what you all think.
I could see that this pupa was empty 
So I took it out of the cocoon and tried to take some closer photos.
A JOURNEY INTO CONNEMARA
Connemara was not as isolated and remote as I expected it to be. At least the part of it that we toured was not so. Even on narrow roads that literally just lead to the coast over several causeways, houses and schools were frequently dashed over the otherwise barren landscape.
Connemara was magical, the more so because the mountains were half hidden in the mist and in low clouds, throwing an un-earthly light over the bogs, highlighting the rusty colours, the sepias, the deep chocolate browns, the ochre. Sometimes the sun would briefly take away the veil that covered the land, at other times the sky would darken and a very heavy rain would pour down on us. But the rain did not bother us, we were after all on honeymoon and it was hard to take the smile off our faces.
The old cottages dotted here and there took my interest but the roads made it so that I could not stop easily to observe them better. I did take in their oblong shapes however, many seemed to be empty and ruined, others were still very much lived in.
My favourite area was the road (R344) we took from Kylemore Lough, on to Recess. On our right were the Twelve Bens, a very beautiful mountain range which unfortunately was mostly hidden in the clouds, and to our left we saw some of the Maumturk mountains. Rusty bog land, softly covered in pale lilac heathers, and in strong yellow gorse, drew the eye further along to some lakes and more bogs. This was for me one of the highlights of our journey, the beauty and serenity that I felt there was incredible and filled my heart with joy.  The scents of autumn-like growth and fresh mountain air were invigorating. My excellent navigator and new husband Ian had suggested this road, and I am so happy that we explored this area of Connemara.
A little fishing village called Roundstone lies on the R341 coast road, it is such a picturesque village, one that you would want to stay for a week and just soak up the atmosphere, and the views. We had a lovely lunch there in a little place overlooking the harbour.
Connemara has a lot of small peninsulas, connected by land via causeways.
I will stop here as WordPress is causing incredible problems and I will continue later hopefully.
A MELLOW EARLY AUTUMN WALK
I strolled around the block this evening. Around the block in this urban area does not mean that I walk totally among houses, no, for a start I walk through the Boreen which is a narrow path where a lot of wild plants and shrubs grow. This 15 minute walk also takes me along a fairly new road which is mostly surrounded by fields. Here I also see a lot of wild flowers, plants and wildlife in general. So it can be quite an interesting walk and all I need is the discipline to do it more often. Today I set off in a mild Irish mist that was softly falling and was hydrating my face, it was gentle and refreshing.
We have been experiencing lovely mild and sunny weather lately, making us think that it is an Indian summer. However, autumn signs can be seen and the lovely bright colours of the berries and the leaves are a pleasure to behold. A mellow early autumn walk was just what I needed after a hard day’s work in the garden.
Lots of lovely ivy 
Blackberries a plenty
I was glad to discover that there is plenty of Ivy this year, I always use this to make flower pieces at Christmas time. Apart from that there are moths and butterflies that lay their eggs in Ivy. An important plant. The blackberries are plentiful too and ripening fast now, they are plump and delicious.
March violets 
Fern
Talking about the Boreen, this is the Irish word bĂłthrĂn, which is a diminutive of bĂłthar, meaning ‘road’. It is used to denote a narrow country path often surrounded by hedges, or sometimes by stone walls. Here in Ireland you might often see these paths very overgrown, because nature does take over and if the paths are not used regularly they just close more or less with overgrowth of brambles and other wild plants. However, what is very important about these Boreens is that they are ancient, and in this way they often still contain many native plants. This is important for biodiversity. In this particular Boreen I have found the creeping Hypericum plant, and this evening I checked and found that it is thriving. There are also a few different Ferns, and common Violets. Lots of Ivy, Hawthorn and also some Gorse. All of these are native plants or shrubs. I know that some well-meaning people use the strimmer on this particular Boreen several times every summer and it saddens me, I wish that at least they would let flowers come into seed before strimming.
Virginia Creeper 
Sycamore seeds
Nasturtium 
Zinnia flower 
Some of our soft fruit bushes
Meanwhile in the garden lots of work is waiting for me, I did three days of it in the past week, it has only scratched the surface of it. I love autumn though, lots of tidying up, taking notes, and making plans for the next season. All good fun and a great work-out too, especially with nettles that I allowed to grow to 3 meters high!
Sending many thanks this way to all the blessed wishes from everyone on our wedding day.
LATE SUMMER IS MAGICAL
Today the temperature went up to 28C which is very warm for West Cork. Beautiful sunshine and blue sky added to our pleasures, and a little breeze made it so that I could work in the garden. Our very overgrown and wild garden, our Ark, has attracted an enormous number of insects and butterflies during the summer months, and still there is a great number of hoverflies, a fair number of bumblebees, and many smaller flies, as well as butterflies visiting and making life very pleasant especially knowing that we are helping with the upkeep of biodiversity in Ireland. Very necessary.
Type of fly on the marigold 
A young shielbug
Garden spider, so beautiful! 
And another type of garden spider
New young Mullein growth for next year 
Seeds of the Stachys or Woundwort plant, grows wild in the garden
I guess that it will take me a great deal of time during the winter to identify all my insects, I have so many photos of them and such a variety. Fun for rainy days.
Wishing each and everyone a very nice September, my month, this month I will have my 70th birthday! Again unbelievable 🙂
EXCITING TIMES
My brother Patrick and his wife Sarah who provided us with beautiful renaissance music during the ceremony. 
My daughter and I
Slowly life returns to normal routine. I do have lots of material, other than our wedding to write about and lots of photos too, and soon I will be back into my blogging mood. Until then I wish everyone of my dear friends and fellow bloggers a great start to a good autumn (or spring as the season might be).
WHEN SEEDS ARE STARTING TO FORM
Above are the seeds of one of the Willow-herb plants (Epiloblum). I grow these in the garden, that is to say, they come growing by themselves, and this summer I just let them be.
Seeds of one of the many grasses 
Even some wheat came growing in the garden, probably work of the birds
Plantago major seeds 
Chelidonium majus seeds
The photo to the right above are the seeds of the Greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus), a medicinal plant that I grow in the garden, it is not for use as it is a highly toxic plant and not suitable for self-medication. The flower is pretty though and I get satisfaction from growing any herbal plant. The photo on the left are the seeds of the broad-leaved plantain (plantago major) I have one large one growing in the garden and it is beautiful. I use it mainly for treating insect bites, as a compress.
Ceanothus, Californian lilac seeds 
Seeds of the Buttercup Ranunculaceae – 
Seeds of the Chives plant Allium schoenoprasum
Palomena prasina – green shield-bug – nymph 
Nettles seeds Urtica dioica
While looking over the garden for seed-heads I found this green shield-bug nymph, and not only one of them, the garden is full of these beautiful little creatures, and that is no wonder either as earlier this summer there was a multitude of the adult type mating all over the garden. This common shield bug is native to Ireland and feeds on tree and plant juices. They are harmless.
The nettles grew very tall this summer, they are now in seed. I used quite a few in cooking, but mainly I grew them for the caterpillars of Red Admiral butterflies.
Seed-heads of the Forget-me-nots, Myosotis 
Ripening seeds of the Parsley plant Petroselinum crispum 
Seeds of Marigold plant Calendula officinalis
Apart from everything else, the beauty of nature is what we need to survive mentally and spiritually.
MY EARLY MORNING WALK
https://gaiainaction.blog/2015/07/09/an-interesting-dig-in-skibbereen
This morning’s walk did not take me quite as far as the site of the rock cabins. However, the lane leading up to them is a wonderful bit of woodland, birds were singing beautifully, it was an awesome moment to listen to them there.
Vicia cracca – tufted vetch 
Succisa pratensis – Devil’s bit scabious 
Fly on yarrow flowers 
Hoverfly on blackberry flowers 
Senecio jacobaea – common ragwort
These are only some of the wild flowers that I find growing along the roadside, and in the Boreen along this walk. We are experiencing rather warm and dry weather in the past week or two and it shows in the abundance of flowers. And though insects in general are on the decline, I’ve seen several butterflies recently, among them a few painted ladies and one meadow brown.
Malva sylvestris – common mallow 
Calystegia sepium – hedge bindweed 
Lythrum salicaria – purple-loosestrife
Cochleria officinalis – common scurvy grass 
Unidentified speedwell
Ladybird on thistle 
Anthyllis vulneraria – kidney vetch
Another view looking down at the town of Skibbereen
Path to the rock, very quiet apart from birdsong, and very beautiful, tranquil and peaceful.
Ferns grow here under the trees 
Amazing rocks, shale or slate
Erica cinerea – bell heather 
And more rocks
Scrophularia nodose – common figwort 
Trifolium pratense – red clover 
C.nigra – Black knapweed
The abundance of wild plants and flowers is amazing and wonderful, while making the walks interesting and ever changing. Always something new to find and explore or look up after coming home. I am not sure about the bird that I hear singing but if you would tell me that it was a nightingale, then I would believe you, it was quite magical. The other bird was a chiffchaff.
Have you had an interesting walk recently? I know that many of my followers and the friends that I follow are into walking and enjoying it very much. May I wish you happy times.
SUMMER GARDEN ~ COMING INTO ITS OWN
I love growing feverfew, it is not only a great herb, it also looks beautiful in the garden among the lavender and the marigolds.
Blue hydrangea, my favourite in colours 
A bit of tansy growing among the other plants, in late summer it will give splendid yellow flowers.
Among all the wild and garden flowers this summer I am still also growing some vegetables, and many herbs too of course. The large garlic was a succes this time, and the garden peas are doing real well.
Not the red poppy of which the garden has been so full, but a lovely specimen all the same. 
And more lavender, beautifully scented.
This is just a little update at the end of this month of June, midsummer has just passed and I love the very early bright mornings, awaking at 4 o’clock very often while the first light appears in the Eastern sky, and the birds are singing, wonderful! And while the countries of continental Europe are scorching hot, we had a mellow feel to the day this afternoon with summer scents wafting up from the damp but warm earth, such a delight.
Henry James knew about these happy feelings when he said ““Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.”
Are you enjoying a wonderful summer in nature?
