Ireland Days 7, 8, & 9

Ireland Days 7, 8 & 9 First for those not familiar with travel package days, this was a 10 day trip. The day you leave is the first day, and more than likely you fly overnight so you arrive on day two of your trip. So technically speaking day 9 of this is actually day 10 but for consistence sake I’ll keep it at 9. :) So Day 7, we awoke early and headed out. First a little back story, before we left some friends recommended that we go to Bangor, Northern Ireland, to see the area where there had be a 24 hour prayer place that had gone on for like 300 years. I’m not sure of all the details but we decided we’d check it out. It so happened that the rental car company we had was the only one that allowed you to take your car to N.I. We also rented the WiFi hotspot from them too, a key to a later part of this tale. :) Also before we left we asked our prayer group to pray for us and send us out. A Christian is to shine the Light of Christ where ever they are and we wanted to have our friends praying for us, that we’d enjoy the trip but also be a bright light to the people we came across, if only in who we were. :) So the first reason we were headed this day to N.I. was to visit Bangor but when we had visited with our new friends in Dungarvan, we were telling them about our trip and that we planned to visit N.I. Fast forward to Galway, I received an email asking if we’d be interested in meeting their son for lunch at Parliament in Belfast. Since Belfast was on our way we excepted. Due to email problems we couldn’t get timing locked in but we proceeded anyway. That morning before we left we emailed both our new friend Tom and his son John, saying that we would stop just before crossing the border to check our email and send one last message, due to our wifi not working once we crossed the border. When we stopped we still hadn’t heard anything, so we emailed and let them know when we’d arrive in Belfast in about 2 hours and that we’d stop at a McD’s and we’d be there for 30 minutes if he was still interested in meeting. Of course we also told him what we looked like. :) We arrived right about 2 hours later and there he was waiting for us. That was cool. He then had us follow him over to where he worked. Yes he works at the Northern Ireland Parliament Building. He’s in charge of the Libarary/Historical Documents/Research. He gave us the Grand tour and also treated us to lunch at the Members only dining room. Now remember N.I. is part of the United Kingdom so there is British influence there, so lunch was Nice. When they brought us our main course they had those high dome lids on them! So much fun. We had a nice visit with him and learning a bit about Northern Ireland.

We then said our good-byes and proceeded onto Bangor. Where we got to see the coast and the Bangor Abbey. A walled area on the Bangor Abbey grounds is dated to like the 1400’s or maybe older. Bangor is one of the places that Saint Patrick sent out missionaries. It was neat to see the Bangor area but we agreed that the reason we were in N.I. was to meet our new friend John.

After Bangor we headed for our B&B which was just north of Dublin. Note Always have a paper map in the car with you. Thankfully we did but thankfully my ipad is smart enough to show our location without wifi and I already had the map saved to it. It took some work but we finally arrived at our destination. Next time I’m definitely doing some more traveling in N.I., to see the Giant’s Causeway and other places. Day 8 we again got up early and took the public bus into Dublin. When we had arrived we purchased the 24 hour Visitor Leap card at the airport. This gave us a 24 hour period to use multiple types of public transportation when we arrived back to Dublin. There is SOOOOO much to see in Dublin and it can feel overwhelming. I’m not a big city person, if I know the area and how to find things then I’m good but in a new place I’m quickly overwhelmed. I recommend multiple days if you want to really see Dublin. We walked a lot, checked out a bunch of the small stores and then we headed over to the Guinness Storehouse and took the tour. It was a neat self guided tour. It wasn’t till after I returned home that I read an article about Arthur Guinness that really made it really interesting. It was neat to see this piece of history for the Dublin area. I recommend doing one of the tours and/or pick up maps to understand where things are. I think I will return to see Dublin again but it wouldn’t be my first place to see. Of Dublin and Galway, Galway felt easier to visit and see. Day 9 and it was time to say Good-bye and head for home. It was such a Wonderful trip! Way to quick and still had a mile long list of things to see but it was good. It had been a trip over 20 years in the making/dreaming and I had finally done it. I was So glad I had my brother with me to make the memories with. When you come home you have someone to say, Remember that or this… It seems surreal that I was actually over there. It never felt that I was international, that I was in a different country. I felt like I was at home. I can understand why when our Irish ancestors came to America, why they settled where they did. It is beautiful over there and so much heritage and history. Someday I hope to return for a much longer visit.   And that folks was our trip to Ireland. I would love to hear what you thought. Has it made you interested in going or at least interested in searching out your roots? I’m glad I got to go, now hopefully I can get my dad on that plane and send him, he’s been waiting much longer than I. It’s your turn now.  

Ireland - Galway, Tulsk, Strokestown (Days 4, 5 & 6)

Ireland – Galway, Tulsk and Strokestown (Days 4, 5 & 6)

Alrighty not because there isn’t much to say but because I keep dragging this out and you really probably don’t need the play by play. So here is Days 4, 5 & 6.

Our first day in Galway, since we were both tried of sitting in a car, we walked about 30 minutes to the downtown shopping area. This is a quaint old section of town that during the day is pedestrian only streets. The streets are cobblestone but for the most part not unlike an old part of town in the States, except the difference in age and the Irish look and feel.
That evening my brother and I met up down by the bay to find dinner. The location we met has a Great story to it. You see, he was desperate to ride bike around and I was worn out, so we went our separate ways for a couple hours. About the time for dinner he sent me a meeting location down next to the Galway Bay. I arrived, made sure I was in the right location and then began to look around. A stone’s throw away I saw a little area that looked like an observation point of sorts, with what looked like a rather large plaque. Of course I went over to see what this was and I was so glad that I did. For wouldn’t you know it, it was a plaque with the words to the song “Galway Bay” written on it, in 4 different languages. “Galway Bay” song happens to be one of my all time favorite songs about Ireland and I was so excited that I’d get to actually see Galway Bay while I was there. This plaque made it that much more special. I might’ve teamed up a bit. The cool thing, my brother had no idea that it was there, he just picked a random spot. But you know, The Father knew and He knew that it would Bless the socks off me. I LOVED it and it was just before sunset. If you’ve never heard it before take a moment and listen here.  Now remember this song here is a part of my Irish heritage, that I’ve grown up listening to and Dreaming of one day seeing. When you listen, think of that place you’ve always dreamed of seeing, that you are finally getting to see and then you may have an idea of how I felt. Seeing that plaque was one of the things that made that trip feel real.

Our second day in Galway we went out to The Burren and visited the smallest and remotest chocolate factory in the world. Hazel Mountain Chocolates, located on a 300 year old family farm. It was a quaint little place. In the back you got the grand tour of their very small chocolate factory. Each time they make a batch of chocolate, the beans are always from a single source. They don’t mix beans from one farm location to another. Another thing is that even season to season a source can change in flavor and scent but that is the uniqueness of the beans coming through. They don’t add anything to keep the flavors consistent. Of course my brother and I had to purchase some to bring home. Yes you definitely could taste the quality in the chocolate. Out front of their factory, they also had a small café with a bunch of Cocoa themed/flavored items. I no longer can remember what each had but I do remember it being yummy. I would definitely return to their place, it was a quiet, peaceful location, out in the middle of nowhere but still not that far out that it’s too long of a drive.
After the Chocolate factory we made our way into the town of Kinvara, where we would be attending a Medieval Banquet at the Dunguaire Castle. We arrived in town early so we had time to roam around and also just relax. For the most part we relaxed in the park of sorts by the boat docking area. The craziest thing about this area was the tide. We were still on the Galway Bay and I say the tide was probably right around a 20 foot difference. There was nothing but mud in the harbor area and the sailboats were sitting up on their keels.
That evening we attended the Medieval Banquet and show. It was a small location but the show was interesting. They recited poetry, sang songs, played the harp and told stories. The neatest part about the evening, there was a family there, parents and their adult children, the dad was a descendent of the O’Hynes family that built the castle back in the 1500’s. They were now from Oregon, I believe now, talk about crazy cool. He said he wasn’t sure if he wanted to come at first because his ancestor who had left Ireland was a wanted man but he was then happy that he had come and was having a wonderful time.
The next day we headed out to see our Roots! First we headed for Tulsk, Co. Roscommon, this being where our 3x Great Grandparents were buried, along with their youngest son and daughter-in-law, our 4x Great Uncle and Aunt. I knew they were buried in the Tulsk cemetery but didn’t know the location of it. Finally we arrived in town and had to turn left or right, as I turned Left my brother looked right and spotted a cemetery. Sure enough it was the right one. Our 3x Grandpa and his son had been Ropemakers and Grocers in Strokestown, Co. Roscommon. The were both Francis Kenny. The elder died in 1891 at the age of 88 and the younger died in 1926 at the age of 73. They had lived in one of the hardest hit areas during the Great Potato Famine. The elder had from what we know 16 children, all of which were born right before, during and right after the famine, many of them ended up emigrating to the States.
After visiting the cemetery, we headed onto Strokestown, Co. Roscommon. Where we took a tour of the Strokestown House. This was the manor house and it is still furnished with a lot of the original items. This house has also become a great source for famine period documentation. Most everything was destroyed or forgotten from that time period but this place has a wealth of information and now holds the National Famine Museum on it’s grounds. The interesting thing is that it just happens to be the exact town that one of my branches of Irish ancestors actually come from. We actually were able to  walk on the street they had lived and worked on. I look forward to one day going back and seeing more of the town and maybe locating the building or at least the location they lived and worked.

The next day we headed out early for Northern Ireland.

Ireland Day 3

Wow sorry folks, this is taking me longer than I thought. Here's the next day.

Ireland Day 3

Day 3 we set out early to drive around the Dingle Peninsula. We ate breakfast first thing in the morning at our wonderful Farmhouse B&B in Ventry, Dingle Peninsula, Co. Kerry. Our hostess was kind and friendly and provided us with a delicious full Irish Breakfast. We then packed our bags and headed out. *Note, Fill up with gas on our way out of the town of Dingle. We didn’t run out but we sure came close.

First thing we headed back out to the point and hiked over a hill to see the farthest point of the Dingle Peninsula. We also got to talk with a gentleman from Northern Ireland, who was a security guard for the Star Wars Film shoot that had just wrapped up the day before. They were out there still tearing down the scaffolding and such. Not particularly a big Star Wars fan but hey getting to see a film location is pretty stinkin’ cool. The area was beautiful, the water was a gorgeous deep blue color and clear. We then continued on around the point to see what we could see.
 One thing of note, the roads are Crazy, there are some places out there that if you meet another car coming from the other direction…..one of you is backing up to the last wide point and hope y’all can pass. Thankfully we didn't meet any other cars.
Next we made a stop at a local pottery studio. I didn’t purchase anything although I was definitely tempted. They had some really neat pieces and some really big pots. If I have the opportunity someday I’d like to return and possibly purchase a piece or two for my house.
The drive around the peninsula was really pretty and unusual. It was neat to see their countryside and seeing some old farmhouses and such. One thing that I had wanted to do but in the end didn’t, was Connor Pass. I saw some pictures taken from the top of the pass and saw that it was a beautiful view. Then a few days before leaving I looked at some more pictures of the drive to and from Connor Pass and became a little nervous. In the end I decided it could wait for next time. I’m sure it is pretty but I wasn’t quite sure what we’d be getting into, even though it was highly recommended by our B&B host. Oh well, I’m counting on there be a next time.
We then refueled in Dingle and headed out to Talbert. Where we caught the ferry across the Shannon River on our way to the Cliffs of Moher. The ferry ride was a very nice change from all the driving I was doing. A nice relaxing ride and they had concessions and restrooms onboard. Once we disembarked we made our way straight up to the Cliffs. Folks, pictures do not do the Cliffs justice. They are quite remarkable, beautiful and HUGE. If you walk past the visitor’s center area you are walking right on the edge, with 3 path options. The first one for the safer people, on the other side of an old stone fence about 3 feet tall with dirt now packed on top. Which that dirt packed on top is another path and then the third path option is next to that, on the edge. I preferred the middle path and my brother was quite fond of the outer path.(no surprise there, lol)
From the cliffs we headed on up to Galway to our next B&B. We went through the town of Lisdoonvarna, the town know for their Matchmaking Festival in September. Yep, Matchmaking, as in couples.(sadly we were a few months too early for that one, bummer. Lol) We also saw The Burren, a very rocky area. Mainly we saw the mountains/hills from Corkscrew Hill. I thought the Ozarks had Rocks, Nope The Burren does. Oh and I thought the Ozarks had curvy roads….Not after driving Corkscrew Hill. One person we met said that he learned to drive a military truck down that….yeah Manual shift down a steep hill with multiple TIGHT Switchbacks. As we were driving my brother was quick to spot a sign for a chocolate factory that we were able to visit a couple days later.
Thankfully the next 3 Nights we stayed in Galway. I was glad to take a break from driving.

Day 2 Of Ireland

Day 2 Ireland

Wow so I haven't gotten back to this like I have wanted to. Well here I am again, finally to finish my tale of my trip to Ireland. :)
So my last post was on our arrival into Ireland and the beginnings of our adventure.

Day 2 in Ireland, Wow that was probably our busiest day by far. This day our final destination was Ventry, Dingle Peninsula, Co. Kerry. This was also day when we really found out how long it can stay light in Ireland.

So after spending the night in Kilkenny, we were up and on the road early. I think I got MAYBE 5 hours of sleep.

We headed right for Waterford, Co. Waterford, to the Irish Handmade Glass Company. I recommend stopping in here, definitely have you GPS direct you. We parked in the Public parking lot along the water and walked to the building. It was a small little showroom with their working area in the next rooms where you can stand and watch them work. Very sadly we were on too tight of a schedule to stay and watch. The men that started the Irish Handmade Glass Company were originally trained and Masters at the Waterford Crystal Factory before they downsized and moved the factory outside of town. But when they started this they were so excited to be able to now add color to their work. The glass is still handmade, mouth blown and etched by hand. I picked up a small bud vase, one from their Wild Atlantic Way line.

I wish we had had more time to look around Waterford but we had to keep moving. I highly recommend having individual booklets/pamphlets for each town, so that you can quickly locate and see what you don't want to miss.

Next we were headed to Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, where we were meeting up with new friends. Dungarvan is a town/village right on the coast and the couple we visited lived right off the water in a house that was older than our country I want to say.

Our new friends, Tom and Margaret, whom I met via Ancestry.com. While researching our Irish families I was linked to his family tree. Come to find out his wife and my dad have a mutual cousin. Dad is a cousin through the paternal line and she is a cousin through the maternal side. So they aren't related but they share the same cousin. I noticed that his profile said that he lived in Belfast but while we were emailing he said that he'd send me a packet of family history info but once they were finished moving. Once I received the packet I noticed the return address said Dungarvan, Co. Waterford! So when I wrote to thank him for the packet I asked about any things to not miss on our drive through Co. Waterford. I had thought to ask about meeting for coffee but thought that might be to forward. When he replied he listed a few items and then he said that they would love for us to visit them if we had time. So that is how that all began. We had a wonderful time visiting with them and hearing a little about their family. We would never have guessed it but they were in their mid 80's. They were a real friendly and hospitable couple.

After our visit in Dugarvan we headed right to Cork City, Co. Cork and met up with our cousin. She is actually from the States too and is/was working over there for a year. It had been about 22/23 years since we had seen her. She and my brother are close in age and we saw her last when they were like 6 months old. It was so much fun getting to visit with her. It would have been so much fun to get more time but we still had a 3-4 hour drive ahead of us. Thankfully she it shouldn't be too hard to visit with her again some day. :) She showed around the English Market, the oldest continuously running markets, I want to say the world...started in like the 1600 or 1700's. There is so much to see in Cork. It and Cobh are definitely on my list of places to explore someday. Cobh being one of the main departure ports for Famine emigrants, you will usually see it listed as Queenstown from that time.

Once we said good bye we made our way out of the city and into the country headed for the Dingle Peninsula. This night was our first night to get to stay at a B&B. The one we chose was in Ventry at the Garvey's. You'll find it on Ireland's B&B website. Mrs. Garvey was really kind and friendly. She even noticed that she could adjusted the room we had when she saw that we were brother and sister which was great.

Once we were settled she Highly recommended that we continue on out to the end of the peninsula that evening and see the sunset and also because there was a film crew out there that had just finished 6 weeks of filming on the next Star Wars film. Not that we are Star Wars fans but hey that sounded cool. We ate dinner at a local seafood restaurant, which was really good and then headed down the coast.

The drive was great, the views were beautiful and the landscape was wild. First off the road was CRAZY! Once you are south of the Ventry area you are mainly driving on what LOOKS like a single lane road. Nope it's a two lane both direction road. If you meet a car coming in the opposite direction, one of you backs up till the road is wide enough to pass. Thankfully we didn't have to experience that. :) Once we were out to the end of the peninsula, my brother got me to pull down into this beautiful little cove area. The water was so clear and blue. It was also just about 10 o'clock at "night" and the sun was Just setting! That was crazy but we loved it, it came in quite handy for traveling around.

The next morning we ate our first real Irish Breakfast, eggs, bacon, sausage, scones and Toast (they like their toast over there). This is also where I started to enjoy their tea every morning, it was so light and refreshing. We then had to head out, Sadly we only booked one night there in the Dingle area. It would have been nice to have the full day to explore the town of Dingle. Oh well it's on the list for next time.

 That folks ends Day 2 and starts Day 3. Yeah Day 2 was Full. Wish we would have spread that out a few days but in the end it all worked out. Just means I'll have to do it again someday and actually see more of those areas.

Ireland Vacation pt1

It has been 1 month since I stepped on the airplane and flew to that Fair Land across the seas. I can't believe that much time has already passed. It was a great trip and my list has grown by leaps and bounds of what I want to see next time. Yeah it didn't get shorter.

So this is the first in a series of posts about my trip to Ireland.

Flights first, ugh, overnight flights are NOT fun. I got one hour of sleep, yes 1 hour. We arrived in Dublin at 8:45am their time. (Home was at 2:45am) We navigated the Dublin airport, exchanged money, picked up our Visitor Leap cards (Public transportation card for our final day), found our rental car and promptly went to McD's. Yep, McD's, I was the driver, so add overwhelmed to already tired, yeah easy was best.

Once we got our bearings and the gps working we headed out! Driving on the other side didn't take much to get use to, other than the roundabout and their extra small roads. Yeah, now that was crazy, some places you're "flying" down a road that can't barely fit another car beside you (well it felt like it). Thankfully I got use to it pretty quickly.

That first day we drove through some of the Wicklow Mountains and also saw Glendalough. The mountains were really pretty. They have this wild bush over there that was dark in color with bright yellow flowers, actually quite pretty. Glendalough was also neat. A small village with one of the oldest round towers. To walk through the ruins of a chapel and a cemetery that was hundreds of years old is just crazy. It makes the history that much more real.
After we left there we drove across country roads to the Cushendale Woolen Mills.
The mill has been in existence since 1204. We were able to visit their small shop, situated in the old town of Graig-na-managh, Co. Kilkenny.

At this point we headed for the hotel, the only one on our trip. We spent the night in Kilkenny. We were exhausted, so dinner was a quick trip across the parking lot to KFC. Yeah, don't worry we did better after this.

I think the next time, I'll fly during the daytime over, take shuttle to a hotel and then the next morning pick up my car and head out. That or take something to help me sleep on the flight. Also do what you set out to do and don't pack the schedule. Just wait till I tell you about the next day. It was busy but So worth it.

Letting Go

Letting Go

I had quite the revelation the other day. I have to learn to let go of my siblings, in a little way like my mother does. Definitely not to her extent but definitely something I have to and am learning to do.
You see I'm oldest in my family and growing up I helped take care of my siblings, a great thing for children to do, it teaches responsibility. Some times I was probably a little too much of mommy # 2 but they survived ;-)

It wasn't till one of my sis' recently left for 2 months in Africa, that I realized it. You see she is 5 years younger, with a beautiful smile, a heart that Loves The Lord, and she doesn't usually meet a stranger and she was headed halfway around the Globe alone.....well without me to protect her. Once she was able to email home, she told us of her trip there. (Which you can read at Smiley To Africa) She said that at each step was when she was ready for that step, The Lord kept her from being overwhelmed. Then she arrived, had missing luggage, was 40 minutes late, and of course she was meeting strangers. (I'll let her finish her part over at her blog) :-) Suffice it to say as I read it I was tearing up. I realized how much I Couldn't take her hand and lead her through the fray and take the "shots" for her anymore. I couldn't control the situations for her. She could get hurt, lost, any number of things and I wasn't there! Even writing this has me tearing up. I was also so proud of her.

But you know what The Holy Spirit was right there with her all the time. He never will leave her. Just like she has learned to trust Him, her ultimate protector, I too have to trust Him and know that she is in the Best of hands. Or better yet "Under the Shadow of His Wings".

Just like with her I can look back and see where I've done this before, really without thinking. Us girls on a road trip, I drove the crazy cities. Car trouble, I got the necessary arrangements taken care of. Booked hotels, trips, flights, if I knew what needed done I did it, if I didn't well I called dad, maybe cried a bit and then took care of it. Even as kids/teens, when we went to the beach, I was always afraid of losing one of them to the waves.

As the years have gone by I see the moments when I started to trust my brothers and brother-in-law to handle the welfare of my siblings if the unthinkable happened, If we lost dad and mom early.

My brothers are 8 & 9 years younger than me. Most would think, kid brothers. Not me, they are Godly young men and I do my best to always honor and respect them, with the occasional reminder that I'm big sis. ;-) But for the most part they have made the transition so easy. I think we learned together. As I saw something they should/could do for a lady, I'd graciously stepped to the side and to give them the opportunity to be a gentleman, man of the "house" so to speak.

As for my brother-in-law, I wasn't sure about him at first but then one day we were having a conversation that made me realize that I had another side kick. :-)

Out of all of this I'd say the only thing I wish I would have learned early on was that I could trust The Lord. That He will always be there and Nothing that ever happens has ever Surprised Him. Nothing has ever occurred to God, He knows the beginning to the end of time and into eternity.

There will still be times that "mommy # 2" makes her appearance, even with friends, just please know that if she does show up it's because She cares and doesn't want you to be hurt. She is learning to trust, she's learning to just Let it Go and trust The Lord.

About 2-3 years old

Do we Long for Home?

Ireland....What do you think when you hear that? Someone says, Ireland, what kind of thoughts go through your mind? Why those thoughts?

Since I was little, I've dreamed of going to Ireland. Every time I heard/hear Irish music, I'm right back to the dream, wonder, and love for that country. Why is that?

Lately I've had the opportunity to watch similar reactions in other people too. I'll tell them that I'm getting ready for my trip to Ireland in "X" amount of time, and they'll get this distant, glassed over, dream like, staring off into space look. For just a moment they are back to their dreams of seeing that Fair Land Across the Sea. Why is this? What makes us desire to see another country so much that we have never been to?

It reminds me of this quote from C.S. Lewis - "If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world." Goodreads

Not that it isn't impossible to try and fulfill the longing to see Ireland but in the end does a visit/move there really satisfy our longing/dreams of seeing it? We, at least me, grew up hearing heartwarming, heart wrenching, heartsick, heart longing Songs and Stories from there. That we become attached to a dream of it in our imagination, thinking on how wonderful it must be to see. But in the end, when we finally make our journey there, is it what we dreamed it would be or does it not quite measure up?

What if our dreaming and longing is misplaced? What if, like C. S. Lewis said, it is a desire that really can't be satisfied in this world? What if it really is just a longing for that perfect place of beauty, love and family? What if the dream of Ireland is really just a shadow of another place? What if in actuality the place we are really dreaming of won't be reached till we "fall asleep" here on Earth? What if that perfect place is actually Heaven, the real one, not a shadow or ideal but the Real Heaven?

Why don't we think of Heaven like we think of Ireland? Why don't we dream and long for Heaven? Is it because it would be like we are desperate to die? Not so!  For those who are Followers of Jesus Christ - “that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
The Romans‬ ‭10:9‬ ‭JUB‬‬
http://bible.us/1077/rom.10.9.jub

If that is who you are then you can dream away of Heaven. Now when a person is about to "fall asleep" they could. say I'll be in Heaven soon/one day! Then they see that distant, glassed over, dream like, staring off into space look in their Loved ones eyes. Maybe more people would be excited to be able to one day see it, that they couldn't hold it in, they have to tell people about it. Cause you know as Christ Followers, that is our True Home. This place on earth is only a Shadow of a Perfect place.

What If we really did truly Long for Heaven instead. How would that change us?

Good question. :)

Spring Creek Antiques and Tea Room - Ozark Missouri

Spring Creek Antiques and Tea Room
Ozark Missouri

If you have a hankering for a quaint little eatery, you should stop in at Spring Creek Antiques and Tea Room in Ozark Missouri. Parking is in back, as is the Entrance.

It's a quaint little place, the Tea Room that is, I didn't have time yet to check out the Antiques (trying to protect the pocketbook, food was speaking louder that day). Currently they are open from 10:30am - 2pm. They are on Facebook, so you might double check their hours before you go. :)

I arrived about 10am and they let me sit wherever since it was just me. They weren't taking orders yet but they got me a drink in the meantime. I ordered their Tea Flavor of the day. Sadly I don't remember what kind it was, it was a slightly unusual one But it was good and refreshing.

Once they were taking orders, the first thing she asked me was if I was having desert and if so what would I like to try? :) I'm pretty sure their deserts go Fast, cause they sure Looked Really good.(see picture below) I had to try their Blackberry Crunch Cake. (See picture below) I think I would have liked maybe a Blackberry jam of sorts between the layers instead of the Frosting, just for a variety. Otherwise it was REALLY Good! Moist, Creamy and Yummy! (Technical term I know) :)

Of course I didn't eat desert first, yes I learned well from my momma, desert last. ;) So for Lunch I ordered their Turkey Bacon Wrap (Special for the day). It was good, nice fresh and just the right amount of items in it, there was sprouts in it. I got the chips with it and for garnish, they put a small wedge of watermelon and a thin slice of orange. Both of which were nice and refreshing to the wrap. There was also a Dill Pickle too. :) All in all a nice fresh tasting Turkey Bacon Wrap. (Of course then I had the desert, of which you already read about) :)

Okay now that I made you hungry, you should go check it out. :) Oh, and if you get there before I get back, let me know how the Antique shopping is. :)

Life Dreams - Second of Many

"If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world." - C.S. Lewis - quote found @ Good Reads

Ever since I was little I've loved flying. As a child, still at times even now, I dreamed of being able to fly. (i.e.: Peter Pan style) As the above quote from C.S. Lewis says, it shows that we're not made for this world. I believe in some way when I get to Heaven that there will be a way to be able to fly. :) For now I have to let amazing technology of this world Temporarily satisfy my longing. Thanks to the perseverance of people like the Wright Brothers, we now have this amazing thing called an airplane!

Ever since I was little I've loved to watch the airplanes fly by, dreamed of one day riding in one and also dreaming of working at our local airport.

Well when I was about 13 years old I had the opportunity to fly in my first airplane. I was headed to Haiti on a missions trip with my dad. At the time we lived in Pennsylvania, so we were to fly out of Newark, NJ to Miami, to Port au Prince, Haiti. I was so excited, we were just about ready to lift off (literally) when the pilot puts the brakes on. What! :) Yes I was bummed but when he said why I was okay. :) (an indicator light had come on). Oh Well I was going to get to do that again! :) Well at that point we had to be transferred to Laguardia in New York for a non stop flight in to Port au Prince. I can't remember anything else till we arrived. :) Long story short, the part that may have scared some people from flying just made me all the more excited to do it again! :)

After that trip it wasn't till years later that I again had the opportunity to fly. But that is getting ahead of myself. :)

Like I said earlier I had also dreamed of one day working at our local airport. At the time we lived near Harrisburg International Airport (international, either because it had a long enough runway or because it had one flight from Canada....never quite understood that one). Fast forward to 2006, I'm just finishing up Travel school and have the opportunity to work at the Harrisburg Airport for American Eagle! It was definitely exciting but also very stressful. The amazing part is that God allowed this dream to be fulfilled just 6 months before I moved half way across the country.

I am so thankful that He gave me that opportunity, I enjoyed it but man I don't think I'd ever want to go back. One thing though, it has helped me to be a better traveler. I know what to watch for, mainly if my flight may be delayed but it also helps me to have an understanding for what the ticket agent is going through when they're dealing with delays. Y'all it is Not an easy thing to rebook an entire flight, be kind to those airport agents! You'll get where you're going, it just might be a slight delay. :)

When I was at Harrisburg, not long before I was leaving, we had a whole weekend of Stress. You see we only flew to Chicago's O'hare airport at that time. When Chicago goes down, especially in the morning, OY, it effects the rest of the day. Like a fellow airline employee from London told me once, "Airlines are the only place you're worried about the weather in Chicago from London". :) She was/is probably right. :) Back to that weekend. The weather rolled into Chicago that morning, so we started rebooking passengers to later flights and on different carriers. By late afternoon we had a line of people starring us down, waiting to be rebooked on the next available flight, which by this time, wasn't till the next day. They weren't happy and I had had my limit, I ended up in tears. Thankfully I had a great boss, he pulled me back into the office and helped me calm down. We finished the night and that line was gone.

That was when I learned that This too shall pass. It doesn't just keep going, it will have an end and I won't be stressed out, with a line of unhappy customers starring me down. :)

And it did, I've since moved on to be the passenger now. I have had what I consider a blessing, to be able to travel on occasion for work. Each time I get to Take Off, Soar and Land is exhilarating. This year I will finally get to cross the Atlantic, now that shall be an experience.

"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return."
— Leonardo Da Vinci - quote found @ - Business Aircraft Center

Anyway, that was my simple dream of getting to fly and to work at a place I thought would be neat. I love how God desires to give us even the simplest of desires. Sometimes right away and sometimes years down the road.

Life Dreams - The First of Many

Have you ever dreamed of something for so long that you had begun to believe that it may never happen? Well that was me, until January 2016 when that all began to change.

Ever since I can remember, my dad would tell us about his mother. My favorite being, one time she was on the phone near the washing machine and dryer. Well, above there was a shelf that had a Large size jar of green olives, that was just calling my dad's name. He was little, about 5 or 6, he climbed right up got the jar, sat down and chowed down, right in front of his mom. She didn't even bat an eye, even when he finished the whole jar.
She passed away when he was about 12 years old. Hence I never knew her but through his stories and sharing of her favorite music, I grew to love her and to love the country of her ancestry. The country that all of her grandparents had to leave behind. She had longed to see it but sadly never fulfilled that dream. My dad too has held a special place in his heart for that country, it's people and it's music. Of which he has shared with me.

So through the years I have dreamed of seeing that Fair Land Across the Sea. Though as the years have passed the dream seemed farther and farther away, until now! Now I will see this beloved land, the home of my ancestors, the home of Part of my heart.

Will you join me, as I plan my trip, pack my bags and head out on this journey to my ancestral homeland?

As I go on my Journey "Home" to Ireland.

Now don't read that wrong, I do not worship my ancestors. If anything I learn about them and see how Faithful my God has been to my family and I. Where He has brought us. My ancestors left Ireland at the time of the Potato Famine, a time when approximately 1 Million people died. It could have very easily been one of my great great grandparents but it wasn't, they lived. They moved to a strange new land, built new lives and raised their families, some never seeing family again. Impacting many generations.

The other thing, anywhere we go on this earth, as great as it may be, as much as it feels like Home, we will never Truly be Home until we reach that Great City across the Great Chasm. And there is Only One way to cross over that Great Chasm. He said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to The Father but by me. His name is Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

In the end, The Father (God) knows our dreams. He wants to hear us tell Him about them and longs to bring them to pass, especially when it's for our good/benefit. If you're a parent, think about it, don't you love it when your child (whatever age) shares their dreams with you? Like at Christmastime, there's that one gift they've been dreaming about for years and finally you see they are ready for that gift. Finally Christmas morning comes and they are so excited/surprised to find their dream gift under the tree. And your...well me I'd probably be crying. :)

Think about that, If you desire to give your child his or her dream gift, How Much more do you think our Heavenly Father wants to give you your dream gift?

I may be paying for and planning for my Dream trip to Ireland but God is the one that is opening the doors for me to be able to go. Providing the means to save the money to go, putting me in the right place at the right time to see the sale that made the trip affordable, providing me with a willing travel buddy(i.e.:my awesome Brother), just enough accumulated vacation time and a boss who is willing to let me go that long. Yes I'd say He is giving me one of my many Dreams! And I am So Very Thankful.

So stay tuned for updates. :) It may be before, during or after but you can count on that I'll update y'all on my Journey to Ireland!

Jasper and the Ozark Cafe

Jasper, Arkansas, a small town down in the midst of the Ozark Hills. Beautiful countryside. If you've been out and about in God's Beautiful Creation and are looking for a great place to eat, then I recommend the Ozark Cafe. It's been around for over 100 years. (100 in September of 2009). They serve a whole menu of good ole' country cooking. Most of my group tried out their burgers. Which everyone really enjoyed. I had the Volcano Burger, so named for the Volcano Flow like pile of melted cheesy goodness. :) If you like cheese then this is the burger for you, cause they pile it on and then melt and fry it down. It could stand to use a little more flavor but the cheese is the center of attention. :) Saturday nights they also have live music. All in all it was a great place. By no means little like you'd expect a cafe to be. I look forward to stopping back in one of these days.

Lost Valley State Park - Arkansas

Lost Valley State Park
(For some reason I can't get the pictures into their corresponding sections, so they are all below)
One of the prettiest and easiest trails I've been on. Now when I say easiest I should clarify that part of the trail is a easy cleared trail with stone and chip laid down in a nice walking path. According to their site (link at the end), the first 1/2 mile is handicap accessible. It is a 2 1/2 mile round trip. After the first 1/2 mile it more uneven, with places to climb around. Most of that part of the trail has been made "easier" by the fact that rocks were hand placed to form steps where needed. As "easy" as it can be, Always use caution when climbing around on the rocks and such. And I recommend having a companion with you.

There are a few caves and waterfalls. One of the "caves/waterfalls" is a Natural Bridge, also named that, that if you know what you're doing you can climb through it. (First and Second pictures below)

Another Cave is actual called a Bluff Shelter, it's name is Cobb Cave, named for the Native American corn cobs found there by a University of Arkansas archeology team. It's a really cool and has Huge opening. (Third Picture below) (See the people on the trail? Yeah they are about to the opening)

This is another one, that if you know what you're doing, go climb in. Once inside, if you and your companion stand on opposite sides you'll get a great idea of just how large it really is. After Cobb Cave continue on and you'll see Eden Falls. Nice relaxing place to picnic, from the looks of things. (Fourth picture below)

At the end of the trail you'll find the entrance to another cave, this one doesn't have a name on the site. It is my favorite part because you can go caving in this one relatively easy. It also has a waterfall in the back. First thing be very careful back here, the entrance can be tricky. On my last trip I miss stepped and banged up my knee. Otherwise have fun. Take a Flashlight or two with you, Headlamps work Great! There are two paths that you can take to the back of the cave. If you go to the Left you'll be crawling and getting wet for sure. To the Right you'll get to stand MOSTLY (watch your head) and walk through a narrow passage. There is a couple tricky spots in the passage that you'll have to climb around a bit. At the back you'll find yourself in a Tall chamber with normally a waterfall coming right down in the middle. Once your situated, turn your flashlight off and see just how dark it can be. It also has some nice acoustics. Most of the groups I've been with have tried it out with "Amazing Grace". Now to leave, you are leaving by the two paths mentioned earlier, just remember there may be other folks on there way back too.

The foliage in the area is also varied. During the growing season you'll usually find all kinds of plants and flowers. One my last trip I found these flowers. I'm guessing they are mini wild Irises. (Last picture below)

Well friends that is the Lost Valley State Park of Arkansas. If you're wanting to go see it, you'll take 7 South out of Harrison, Arkansas and then continue on 43. There is not much signage for it and it's back a stone/dirt road. Also you won't have any cell reception back in the park. At the Parking lot you'll find a pavilion and restrooms, yes ladies they are the flushing kind!! :) There's a second set that I didn't use but I'm thinking they may be those notorious outhouses. :) If there is an emergency they do have a courtesy phone on the outside of the restrooms.
So if you have 2 plus hours that you want to spend outdoors in God's Amazing creation, then I Highly recommend this state park.
Here is the link to the the Park -
http://www.buffaloriver.com/lost-valley-trail/
I'd stop by there first to read the info they have too.

Happy hiking!

To see about a quaint place to eat afterwards continue onto my post about the town of Jasper and the 100+ year old Ozark Cafe (a Great Burger place)

Natural Bridge

Natural Bridge

Cobb Cave

Eden Falls

Wild Irises (I think) :) 

Tomorrow's Lunch

I was out late one evening after work, when I decided to grab take-out for the next day's lunch. I spotted a good burrito place and decided to place my order via the drive through. When I pulled up there was an out of order sign, please pull to window. I wasn't positive what I wanted and with all the options, I really didn't want to do the window. As I was pulling away I was debating about just leaving or going inside, I almost left. Finally I just decided to go in. Come to find out the guy that took my order is a friend of mine. We got talking about how he was looking for a new job and a little bit about why. As we talked I remembered that the place I'm working was hiring for a position that would be great for him. I told him he needed to go apply and that I'd let the manager know about him, that I highly recommended him. About one month later he'll be starting in the new position. I know he'll be a great fit for it.
You never know what God has for you to do. You're just grabbing lunch and in actuality you are being sent to encourage a friend and assist them get a new job. Especially the time of day it was, wasn't normal for me to be in town, let alone be at that restaurant.
Watch for God Moments, you never know what it will be but it'll bless you and more than likely another too.
Be willing to be used by God.

Shopping for Chocolate

I had just gotten off work and was headed home, when I decided to stop for a few things at the store. The first item was chocolate. I thought of going down the road to the discount store but then remembered that the "Popular Drugstore" was suppose to have a particular kind.
So I went in there for the chocolate but came out with none. But it wasn't without a purpose.
What I didn't know was that a friend worked there, who had recently lost their son in an accident. This was one of those hard emotional days.
Thankfully though I was looking for chocolate because there they were stocking the chocolate shelves.
I can't begin to comprehend or understand all they are going through but I was able to listen. To give them a big hug and hopefully leave them knowing that I cared.
You never know what will happen.
I was just shopping for chocolate But God needed me to hug a friend.
Watch for God Moments, you never know what it will be but it'll bless you and more than likely another too.
Be willing to be used by God.