Ulster Geography Week

I'm SOOOOO happy to be reading again. I've only read little bits at a time but there's been bits of reading each day and it's exhilarating. I LOVE learning which I find to be very odd. When I was in school learning was in no way shape or form intriguing to me. I think at the time I was much more interested in learning about life: how to react to people and situations, how to stand up for myself, exert myself, be myself. I'm me now and I want to know everything there is to know about the world. When I was in school I couldn't have cared less about all those little facts.

I've come up with a mnemonic device to memorize the counties in Ulster: FLAT DAD C.M. My father's initials are C.M. so it works quite well. Actually, I've them down now (I'm quite awful at memorizing, which makes my desire to become an expert in all things Irish even more silly). I do still need to look up pronunciation though. I'm probably saying every single one of them incorrectly. I've started adding to my memorization list little things about each of the Flat Dad CM counties. So far I've chalked up a list and memorized bits about the three NOT in Northern Ireland. I desperately want to go to Donegal now AND I remember why I stopped reading about Ireland in the first place.

I've noticed that with most people (here in America) who've Irish heritage there's this pull towards Ireland. I'm an all American mutt and there's a lot of blood in here but I've always loved the idea of Ireland. I've always felt a connection, felt a little bit Irish, and longed to visit. I know a lot of people with a bit of Ireland in their blood feel the same way. Since my trip to Ireland several years back I want to return more than I had even wanted to go in the first place. Now that I've started reading about the emerald Isle and studying again my heart throbs to be there.

Well, off to work.

Ireland Geography Month and Pies

I went to the library (and paid enough of my fines to be able to get books). YAY!

I've decided to declare September Ireland Geography month. I'm going to study the landscape, try and memorize names of places, counties, rivers, lakes and such. I've found the most difficult obstacle I face in learning about anything Irish is not knowing how to correctly pronounce anything. If I'm going to learn about this and that I want to know that I'm saying/ memorizing it correctly. Dilema.

Trim Castle, County Meath, Ireland

Additionally I decided a few days ago that I need to make/ eat more pies. I'm pretty sure I've baked ONE actual pie in my life. I remember having to borrow a pie pan from my husbands aunt because I don't own one. I made the crust from scratch. It may have been an apple pie however it might have been pecan. Maybe I've baked two pies. I need to remedy this sad pie story. I checked out an "icebox pies" book from the library today. I have made quite a few no bake, pudding, ice cream pies in my time but as I've just decided that pies need to take more precedence in my life I'm going to see the summer out with a new icebox pie recipe.