Arts, art, and artistic endeavours. Irish artist Pigsy and The Old Knitting Factory, Connemara, Co. Galway

 In these crazy times (covid...and something else which I just don't have the energy to talk about right now, I think you get what I am talking about?) I am trying to focus on positivity.

Books. Escapism from the real word, I am trying to get back into more reading these days. 

Art.  

Pigsy

Irish artist Pigsy, now based in Spain (Malaga), continues to go from strength to strength.  The pieces he is creating are fantastically powerful and aesthetically stunning. And he is being noticed! He was recently featured in an English paper in Spain - click here to read the article.  And was invited on to Talk Radio Europe to talk about his artwork and the creative and uncharted year that lies ahead of him in Malaga.

The Old Knitting Factory

Do you remember that beautiful lakehouse cottage I used to visit in Carraroe, Co. Galway? Well! Wait until you hear what is going on there now.  

Best selling New York Times author Betsy Cornwall has the most amazing plans underway to turn it in to a childcare-inclusive arts retreat for single moms.  How fitting is that, considering the history of the cottage, built in 1906 by the Congested Districts Board as a knitting school, serving to provide employment for the women of the area.

Read all about the plans for the Old Knitting Factory here.

Click to follow the journey via Instagram...or even better...why not be part of the vision...?! Donate via crowdfunding here!

Separate, but related, Ms Cornnwall's 5th book was just published in June 2020 and it is awesome!  

While it is actually a Young Adult book, I thoroughly enjoyed this modern retelling of Rose Red and Snow White. With some novel twists, and thought provoking themes, I whole heartedly recommend this read for the Young Adult in your home/family/life.

Thank you cards - box set

 Following on from yesterday's blog, good news, I found my Thank You cards.  Plain, simple and classic.  With just a small bit of glitz (gold).  Found in the local post office of all places! 

Stay gold.

Running around...

 Today has been a day where I've felt like I am chasing my tail.  I won't bore you with my morning chores which there were many, and one or two still not resolved.

Anyway, on to lunch where I went to Denny's and instead of my usual order which I know I LIKE, I ordered boneless buffalo wings which I am sad to say were Not Good.

Afterwards, I went to CVS to choose and buy a thank you card and am sad to report that I had No Success.  I have been online for the last hour, down a rabbit hole, looking on Etsy and Amazon for a set of thank you cards with Further No Success.

Can anyone help?! Any other website I should look at?? Anywhere on the island where I can buy a (nice) set?

Vacation Day

I was off work today, and Patrick took a vacation day, so it was a perfect day to do something fun - or lots of fun things as it ended up.

Because our boat is in getting serviced, and because we are both obsessed with fishing, we decided we would go out on a party boat here in town.  We cycled the short spin from our house over to Garrison Bight, stopping off for Cuban sandwiches on the way.  You've just got to have a Cuban sandwich when going fishing for the day! That, and beer :)

Unfortunately, there was not enough of us for the boat to go out so they had to cancel.  We were disappointed, but not too disappointed, we always  knew there was a small risk of this happening. So we cycled home, regrouped, and made an alternative plan for the day.  Road Trip! Small Road Trip!

About 15 miles outside of Key West we stopped at the famous Baby's Coffee where I got myself set up for the day with a giant coffee, mmm. Big excitement when we spotted two F-15 jet planes doing training exercises above us.

From there we headed on to Cudjoe Key to the best shop in the whole world. This fishing warehouse has everything you could ever need and more.  Patrick bought a new fishing rod, got his reel restrung, and bought me a pliers which I use for getting hooks out of fish (my major skill, I may have been a dentist in medieval times in a past life)...who says romance is dead?!

Pictorial round up of the day

Then for lunch we stopped off at Hogfish Bar and Grill.  We have been dying to try this place for ages and it did not disappoint.  It is a fishing bar and is wonderfully atmospheric! We shared an order of fish and chips for $15 and it was just lovely.  Patrick had a beer, so I had a diet coke and was the designated driver for the drive home.  

Back home we relaxed and chilled out.  Patrick hung in the pool, I did a little DIY on our outdoor bathroom while we chatted.  Our friend Garrett called over and that was nice to see him and chat too! After he left, we were both feeling a little nibblish so I made some devilled eggs with Spanish sausage on top.  We both agreed they hit the spot and tasted pretty awesome. All in all a super day!

Productive Day

 With the boat in for it's 100 hour service I had a full day to fill.  I have been staring at my wardrobe for days (ok, weeks) now and thinking it needs a good clean.  So, with no excuses remaining, I got stuck in.

It was one of those tasks you regret starting...

But I got it done and posted on facebook, woohoo.

Then later this evening I attended a lovely socially distanced gathering of friends.

I stopped into Books and Books (Judy Blume's store) along the way.  I was hoping to buy the hostess a book about/by Ruth Bader Ginsberg but they were all sold out!!

I bought her this instead!

And she gave me the book from her last book club meeting. Yay!

Afterwards, on to Half Shell Raw Bar where I met Patrick for Happy Hour.  Always fun!

Martin's, Key West

 We had an impromptu dinner earlier this week and it was spectacular.  Feet in the sand, watching the sunset go down, drinking wine and sharing the most fabulous food (we ordered grouper cakes and yellow snapper) in Salute on the Beach. I didn't think it could be beaten to be honest.

But then, today, we went to a long planned meal in Martin's and it was as wonderful and delicious as it always is.  It is absolutely our most favourite place on the island.

I had a beautiful merlot - sophisticated and complex in flavour - the perfect accompaniment to our shared batch of tapas.

Tuna tataki

Escargot

Pork tenderloin

Crabcakes

Stick a fork in me Jerry, I'm done