Easter 2013

We spent the night down in Newcastle with our dear friend Helen, and it was good to get a walk on the beach in the sunshine this morning - a perfect Easter weekend!

Meanwhile, less than 10 miles away there has been disaster this last week: more than a week after the first heavy snows, the farmers are still working to gain access to some of the fields - and to retrieve the poor dead livestock.  

Chinooks were swooping low on Thursday delivering food to the survivors up on Benraw, just above us. Some farmers will see little income this year after the harrowing losses they have incurred.

Up here today the sun is also shining - glorious, and the snow is melting - slowly. It will not go any time soon without some manual assistance, so for the foreseeable future we'll be digging, digging...

We are open all this Easter Holiday weekend - the soup is hot and warming (Golden Vegetable at the moment) the cake is just  out of the oven, and the views are spectacular.

But beware! there is a a lot of snow up here, and roads are still affected, single track at times. Parking on site is also restricted until the navvies pull their finger out - You'll get a great welcome though!

good for the soul!

Newcastle nestled at the foot of snowy Slieve Donard

geese in the waves

sparkly bright

Charlie in his prime!

where the Mountains of Mourne ...

crystal

digging out

two fields away

some snow here

at the end of the day - some progress

restricted access - but clear

you can get to the door at least!

Hi Ho!

To work yesterday - Rumours of machinery coming to clear the road prompted us to start making our way out.

For some inexplicable reason on Thursday, in a blizzard, I parked in the usual place,100 feet from the road.

Now we had to dig our way out!

Still, it was worth is as the cavalry arrived by tea time..

the windy gap - snow fills the road

half way to the gate - up to 4ft deep in places!

getting there!

here comes the cavalry!

done!

end of the line, the road stops here for the time being

thaw then freeze - very pretty

some almost 2 feet long

the wind makes them grow at crazy angles

the heavy mob

it takes it though, even this thing did not go up to the Windy Gap

Not Going Out

After three days of snow, the landscape is transformed, more snow lying than many have ever seen, and drifts up to 3 metres deep.

Many roads are closed, and for the unfortunate few, power is still off 48 hours after it failed. NIE our electricity infrastructure provider, has been flying in repair crews by helicopter, as in places, land transport is impossible.

Last weekend was our busiest so far this year. Today, the Gallery is silent, entombed in snow.

the single tractor tracks give some indication of the depth of the show

snow from the roof blocks the way

looking into the garden from much higher than usual

'47 Revisited?

I am reliably informed that the 'Big Snow' of 1947 started here in March, 

Let's hope that we are not due for the same!

poor lupins - in the pots somewhere

no getting out this way yet!

snow everywhere

very pretty though

for some reason, the chickens are not keen to come out today!

drifting

welcome to Spring

this time last year we were sitting out in these

there is a greenhouse under there

looking north

passable - but not advisable

bleak!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Wishing you all a great day, the sun is shining here, brilliant weather for the Festival and Parade in Downpatrick.

in the Gallery - St Pat's theme!

come and join us!

Greenhouse Wrangling - part one

We're the lucky owners of another greenhouse, kindly donated by Mary and Gary.

This will mean more space to extend the growing season - highly valuable!

It has already given good service for more than 25 years, now it will get a new home.

First job was to carefully dismantle it.

in all it's glory

well built - and braced against the wind - good job!

the site - site works in their infancy

dismantled - but up at the Turnip House

Our new 3D jigsaw!