To the Clouds

“To see far is one thing, going there is another.”
Constantin Brancusi 1876-1957

It does seem like you can walk to the clouds from here. It may be farther than it looks.

The Quilted Hills

“We find the Works of Nature still more pleasant, the more they resemble those of art.”
Joseph Addison 1672-1719

My wife is a quilter. This weekend, she showed a couple of her quilts at an amazing quilt show called Voices in Cloth 2012, "Extraordinary Quilts by the Bay" put on by East Bay Heritage Quilters. Now my whole world looked like a quilt. These are the hills just outside Livermore, California.

The Greatest Love

“But the greatest love -- the love above all loves,
Even greater than that of a mother...
Is the tender, passionate, undying love,
Of one beer drunken slob for another.”
Irish ballad

One of the best places to practice the greatest love is Doolin, a small village in County Clare, Ireland. The three pubs in Doolin- McDermott's, McGann's and O'Connor's- are renowned worldwide for their traditional Irish music.

May you have a warm and not too fuzzy St. Patrick’s Day.

Outside the Box

“You must empty a box before you fill it again”
Irish proverb

It can get cold along the coast of Ireland, especially in winter. If you are a food stand owner catering to a summer clientele you won’t be faulted for wanting to head south.

Holding Wonder

"Life has loveliness to sell,
All beautiful and splendid things,
Blue waves whitened on a cliff,
Soaring fire that sways and sings,
And children's faces looking up,
Holding wonder like a cup."
Sara Teasdale 1884–1933 (from Barter)

It was a beautiful day when we visited the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare Ireland. That speck on top of the cliff is O'Brien's Tower. However, it can get a bit windy in these parts. Conan O’Brien had a typical Irish experience when he stopped by.

Heart's Core

“I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore. . . .
I hear it in the deep heart's core.”
William Butler Yeats 1865-1939

St. Paddy’s Day is approaching! A good time for a digital stroll by the shores of Lower Lake in Killarney National Park, Ireland

Moon over Molokai

“I got the sun in the mornin' and the moon at night.”
Irving Berlin 1888-1989

I’m a lucky guy. This is the house we were guests in when we were in Hawaii last year. And the kayaks we paddled around in (porpoises popped up!). The adorable dog was also part of the package.