December 8

A week from today, I will pack up my belongings, studio work and drive to Shannon Airport for a Saturday noon flight. Goodness. Well, much to do before I leave this wonderful place.

First thing is to get friend Beth back to the airport for her flight and pick up Ainslie and Austin, arriving early in the morning. We decided to make a day of the 3 hour trip by stopping at Foxford Mills and the Country Life Museum in County Mayo.  What a treat!  Here is an example of their basket collection. The exhibits featured traditional ways of life in Ireland through trades, crafts, farming, hunting, fishing, domestic life and festivals.

Also today I confirmed a trade with a fellow artist.  How great is that!?! James O'Boyle, one of the student artists in the show downstairs was "taken" by one of my oil studies of Lacken Strand. Well, I was certainly flattered so I suggested we trade. So look at this lovely piece by James that I will take home with me. Dolphins are right in line after dogs and now he has a reminder of where is Grandmother lives.

December 9

WHEW! Ainslie and Austin were standing in the hotel lobby when I got her WhatsApp at 6am. We went to Avis, put Austin on the driver list and headed back up the motorway. Ainslie stayed up a while to keep me company since it was still dark for another 1.5 hours.

Got them settled at the cottage for a long winter's nap and then I walked to the building, thinking about more clouds to discover. Well, by the time I got there. the sky was blue...no subject matter.

So pulled out my beginnings of ROCK paintings and pulled up Stan Getz on Spotify. Had fun playing with shapes and shades. Who knows if they will develop into anything of interest -but that is not the point of the experience anyway, right?

While playing with paint in the studio, I could hear a big lift truck outside making its way up and down Main Street putting up the Christmas lights. That evening, we headed to Mary's for a special Christmas dinner and walked back up the street to enjoy the lights - and Healy's Pub to share one Guinness after a lovely three course meal!

December 10

Cold and sunny as the three of us head over to Benwee Head. This is my fourth trip but first time with fellow hikers. And what a different views when you follow the sheep trail. Got to see more rocks! Sketched as we traveled along the cliff.

(Higher elevation. Cliffs in first picture are now in the distance.)

We then headed over to Erris Head on Belmullet. Another place I had visited but now glad to have companions so I could venture further. ( didn't want to fall off earlier and leave Tulip alone in the parking area.) Another amazing hike. View of setting sun as we headed back.

We stopped at Talbot Inn Pub for Guinness and fish and chips before heading home. ( my third time here. Didn't need company to enjoy this earlier!)

December 11

As you approach small towns, there is usually a posted sign stating  "Traffic Calming." It is now the Monday before I leave and I am starting to feel like the sign.... swirling for days  and now settling in to pack up.  The walls in the studio are almost covered. Time to me to deal with "bits and bobs" as the Irish say.

As Ainslie and Austin headed to Connemara to hike at the National Park, I went to the studio to survey the final week. After working on more clouds, I found four large sheets of paper that I had shipped here from Cork Art Supplies. OOPS. Guess I need to think a little bigger these last few days! I certainly prefer to be outside painting but sorta nice to huddle in the studio this final week.

Here are a few more clouds from the studio porch, with the space heater on full blast.

While I was painting clouds, Ainslie and Austin were also looking at the sky. Snow covered the roads as they traveled to Connemara. She sent me the picture below. We didn't see a snowflake in Ballycastle.