6.30 am. Sometimes it's worth getting up early . . . This photo says it all. Sunshine and showers . .  Well I think we had all had some decent weather over the bank holiday weekend. Here on Loop Head we had the annual Oyster and Trad Music Festival. There are some fabulous photos and videos on the Carrigaholt Facebook page - do have a look. www.facebook.com/CarrigaholtCoClare  Fabulous music outside The Long Dock. There was also music at the lighthouse this weekend. It has been great fun. The warmer weather is encouraging all our wild flowers to show their lovely heads. The Sea Thrift is looking glorious and the Gorse is starting to get to it's full technicolour yellow. In another coupe of months the hedge rows will be a riot of colour with Montbretia, Purple Loosestrife and the beautiful white, fluffy Meadow Sweet. The first arrivals in my field. I am learning which flowers are growing in my field. Clockwise they are - Lady...

The cliffs at Kilkee. There now follows a promotional post on the glories of The Wild Atlantic Way, on the West Coast of County Clare, Ireland . .  Well that is what it is going to seem like. I have just returned from the most glorious week in Ireland, I am now looking for a property to buy over there, well I hope I have found one - but we shall see . . . The weather was amazing long, hot sunny days - every day, it is still warm there now - I am here in chilly old Brighton. However - there are worse places to be. This is just a quick post, I am teaching this weekend so there will be a Hot Textiles post early next week. I am slowly working through all of my bookings. I am not taking any more for next year til I know what is happening and where I will be living. I will be doing the shows next year - but will probably be it. I have 5 workshops left this year - 2 are 5 day summer schools. My diary is on the right hand side of the blog - with links to the venues.  Experi...

   And so the journey begins . .  I am traveling in Ireland for a few days. I am here to start getting an idea of which area of County Clare I would like to move to. I have had a wonderful time exploring, wandering off wherever I fancy. I knew I wanted to be somewhere near the coast - no more than half an hour away, and no more than an hour away from Shannon airport. I THINK I have an idea of where I would like to live now. It will of course, depend on where the house I would like to buy is situated. I may have to compromise. Ideally I would like to live in the triangle between Lahinch, Ennistymon and Milltown Malby.  Lahinch beach, very popular with surfers. You can walk for miles, it is very beautiful. There is one very narrow road in and and out. The beach at Lahinch is stunning but will be busy in the summer so not too near there. Ennistymon is a lovely, very colourful town. I will need to be close to some kind of amenities.   Ennistym...