There is Green Hill Far Away

Ireland is called the Emerald Isle, and for very good reason.  It is SOOOOO GREEN!  Everyone told us that it was very green, but until you actually see all the green, you don't really quite understand what that means.  The green here is an entirely different shade of green.  Ray keeps telling me that it is the same green as at home, but it's not.  Somehow it is a lighter, greener, more vibrant shade of green than I have ever seen. Even when it is overcast and rainy, it is still a vibrant green.  When it is sunny, it looks florescent!  And the green is EVERYWHERE!  Through the pastures and meadows all the way up the hillsides and over the top.  Every pasture is fenced off by using hedgerows.  All this makes for a beautiful green patchwork.  It is inspiring thoughts of an Irish patchwork quilt when I return home. In the following pictures, however, because it is rainy, you can't really get an idea of the emerald green I'm talking about.

Along the drive to Dingle

On Monday, we picked up the Elders and took a drive down to Dingle. Dingle is a town on the farthest southwest tip of Ireland. The natives like to say that it is the last stop before you get to NYC!  Unfortunately, we chose a day that was one of the first really rainy days in the last 4 months, so it rained hard on us all the way down, while we drove around, and all the way back. It was so rainy that the only stop we made was to take a picture of Fungi, the Dingle Dolphin.  The story of Fungi is that a dolphin somehow made his way into Dingle Bay and stayed, and became a sort of mascot for Dingle, so they immortalized him in a statue.

Fungi, the Dingle Dolphin

Yesterday we had District meeting with our District and so we drove the Elders and ourselves up to Cork. We drove through the pretty town of Killarney on the way.  We'll definitely have to go back and look around there.  Maybe at Christmas!

As we drove down from Edinburgh through Scotland, we noticed this delightful sign as we drove out of each town and village.  I liked it so much, that I think I will end every post with its instruction..

Haste Ye Back, Family and friends, to our blog.