Christmas can be nice, though for many people it’s a tough time… a time when we notice with acute awareness an empty place at the table, when the days seem darkest, and for some the purse strings are stretched to
Year: 2012
Hawaii Tropical Botanic Gardens and the East Coast Tour
On a cold December day, in Northern California, it is nice to look back on the photos from Hawaii. And believe me, even though it’s California, today is cold – well, cold for me a complete climate wimp! My Mum,
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Vuncanology – time to nerd out!
I thought that a Vulcanologist studied Mister Spock and other Vulcans until I went to Hawaii and learned that Vulcanology (also spelled Volcanology) is the study of Volcanoes! So lets geek out, not on Star Trek, but on one of
The Pineapple Express
It’s one of those rare days in San Jose – grey clouds hang so low in the sky that you feel like you can touch them if you just stretch that little bit further, the rain is not waiting to
Thankful for growing up all over again
As I look back on the last four years, my immigration to and settling into California reminds me of growing up. SFO – the “maternity” ward! First, of course, you are born. You arrive to a whole new world where
Halloween – blame the Irish!
Here in California, I get asked often at this time of year if we have Halloween in Ireland. I love telling people we sure do, in fact we started the whole thing. The Druids, native to Ireland (and Britain) began
Watershed Awareness
I’m attending a course at the moment that is run by the Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program, or the acronym of SCVURPPP, which when pronounced sounds like someone trying to stifle a sneeze. Personally, the purpose of
Busted and subsequent catch-up
I’ve been very excited about my Mum’s foray into the cyber world. She’s come a long way since that day when I asked her to use the mouse to point at an icon on the screen. She literally picked up
Season change over
I find it hard to evict those tenants in my yard who are still working hard and producing yummy food.Kale works year round here. The tomatoes are still throwing out tonnes of fruit though the bushes are looking a little
Reasons why we did come here…
Having spent the last two weeks playing with my nephews who were visiting me from the old country, I always question why we came here at all. Why did we leave behind our friends, whom I still miss keenly? Why