Maybe because of my connections with Sweden and my love of Patti Smith, I was thrilled to hear she would be singing in Stockholm at the Nobel Prize Ceremony. I decided to watch it live on my tiny phone after seeing a tweet that it was to be live streamed. I was also hoping to catch Bob Dylan's speech and the . . .
All water is holy water
“All water is holy water.” ― Rajiv Joseph There are five layers. What is in front of my eyes; this pool. What is floating on the surface; these leaves. What is reflected in the pool; some trees. What is lurking underneath; the deep. What is over my head; diffused light. There is colour, shade and . . .
Through the fog
".....let that great sweeping wind blow the fog out of her soul..." L.M. Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables) It's biting cold. Our first proper frosty morning, with a nice dollop of fog to boot. Layering up, I tip toe out into the meadow. I get very little time in my week to enjoy these . . .
The grace of the world
Amidst the bizarreness of the current world, I went off as happy as you like to replace my ten year driving licence which had finally expired. It's a funny experience, the Driving Licence Centre, like a cross between going to the doctor and being in custody . You sit in a small booth with a curtain between yourself and the rest of the . . .
Lucky to have a job
Have you heard people saying “Sure I’m lucky to have a job”? It’s something that I have even said myself over the years but especially since 2009 when everything went belly-up. It’s certainly two very different worlds. The world of the working and world of unemployment. This has an even deeper meaning for me because while I have managed to hold . . .
Older, bolder and happier
For so many reasons this week I’m feeling grateful for the small things. The new generation of robins in the garden, the golden glow of an Irish autumn day, the roof over my head. Apparently practicing gratitude is fantastic for our mood and older people are especially good at it. In every study on happiness it is older people who come out on . . .
Where the light gets in
In our house, it was common enough to find girls lying down in dark rooms listening to poetry sung by an older, Canadian man. My own battered copy of Songs of Leonard Cohen, with the sad face on the front, would throb away, the soundtrack to my homework, so annoying to my father. Leonard Moan he called him We girls hid our records and . . .
Mystery
Today some portraits, illuminating the mystery of endings. Leaves, lives, moments. Mysteries, Yes Truly, we live with mysteries too marvellous to be understood. How grass can be nourishing in the mouths of the lambs. How rivers and stone are forever in allegiance with gravity while we ourselves dream of . . .
Late bloomer
There's an exquisite late blooming iris outside my window. It catches the precious dewey light and as everything around it is dying back, grabs the spotlight at any time of day. It's a quiet reminder that not only is it never too late, but later might even be better. It is food for the soul of any late . . .
For our girls
I want to have the 8th Amendment to our Constitution repealed. I’m not going to try to persuade you or argue about whether termination of pregnancy is right or wrong. I’m not going to judge or hate you if you disagree. I’m well past benefitting from this personally, my next role in life as a woman will be to be a grandmother! I just want all of us . . .
