St Patricks Day... from across the ocean!

ST PATRICKS DAY - Canada



I have been in numerous locations for St Patricks day over the years, most corners and streets of Ireland, the Canaries, Colombia etc
This year's location... Canada
however this is different.. Canada is now home! but will it ever be.. will anywhere ever truely be home except Ireland.
There is something unique, special and undescribable about being Irish!

So this year.... we went to the parade in Toronto on the 13th!! for some reason they don't deem it important enough to make it a public holiday!! must try find a way of convincing the Canadian government of otherwise!
in fairness, the parade was impressive, it was great to see so many Irish out with pride!
Flags flying high, and irish accents coming from all corners of Dundas square!!










the big day itself... has been an emotional rollercoaster..
a surprise care package from home.. supplied all the necessary essentials of taytos, chocolate, teabags ... it doesn't help the homesicknesses but its pretty amazing as comfort food!!!





the getting up and going to work and life going on as normal... just felt weird!! i felt like a traitor to my heritage!
It has been a weird, strange day... and im still not sure what to make of it yet!

I am proud to be irish, especially on days like this!!
Today had the added bonus of being proud of being from a small village in county Galway, Ireland as i watched on my laptop as my school friends, neighbours won the All Ireland Club Hurling final!! Go on the bridge!
Today history was made in Clarenbridge (Droichead an Chláirín) , as they won their first club hurling All Ireland.

So we survived our first Canadian St Paddys Day ...

Lá Fhéile Pádraig faoi shona daoibh go léir :)

another year.....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!



i don't know how time seems to go so fast... but once again we pasted another birthday milestone recently!!

My twins are angels, literally!! and each year on their birthday i am brought back to those days, hours, minutes and seconds.. that i prayed, hoped with every breath that they would make it! the tears that were cried, the smiles that came.....

I am the luckiest mum in the world.

Happy 5th Birthday to my angels xx

Its tears of happiness i cry when i watch the last 5 years..Magic!

However next year NOTE to self ... maybe not agreed to 20 invited to the party :) :) :)

Newfies... a real sense of humour!!

As our Irish ansesters fled Ireland during years of the Famine... they stumbled upon a rock in the Atlantic ocean.. aka Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada

Despite the inevitable hardship, and a uninviting land.... a sense of humor was maintained!!

I physically laughed out loud soooo many times while driving the roads of Newfoundland.

From Dildo, to Spread Eagle, to Come by chance... the innuendos are endless...

Possibly just the child in me, that had to giggle has i traveled across the ROCK! But it definitely adds a smile as you go....

The Rock- St Johns, Newfoundland

One of the oldest cities in North America. A city unlike any other. Cradled in a harbour carved from 500 million year old rock. Surrounded by hills running down to the ocean. Quaint side streets of a thousand colours.
St Johns, Newfoundland, Canada
aka THE ROCK...

I don't even know if i can truly describe St Johns, its a city which simple needs to be experienced... maybe i'm biased being Irish... as St Johns could be a number of small Irish towns
Beautiful, scenic and a friendliness and warmness of people ... that is what makes it!
The Irish influence is evident on every street...

There is an atmosphere to St Johns, even on a cold October night, in the middle of week... you can get a sense of 'atmosphere'
I look forward to my next visit to experience George St to its fulliest... middle of summer i reckon it would be superb!
The architecture seen in St Johns... is nothing like i have ever seen before... and unique


The little protected cove that is St Johns, adds to the appeal, the cute little city nestled amongst the rugged Atlantic beaten rocks, laden with history.

A quick trip to one end of town... and a steep drive.. and you have Signal hill, which provides the most amazing views, indescribable!


you can even hide from the elements, in the Battery Hotel,(half way up Signal Hill) and absorb the view... its called the million dollar view and honestly i think they are selling it short!




The two days were simply not long enough... it felt like i had just come home... and to that i will have to return!
Definitely planning the next trip, to hopefully coincide with the icebergs floating season! I think that has to be seen to be believed!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BPw-65tAkY

Feels like home to me.. Cape Spear, Newfoundland

Having grown up on the west coast of Ireland...the sea was a big part of my life!
Its my one happy place.. the sound of waves breaking, crashing against the rocks..
Perferably in Lahinch or anywhere along the stretch of coast from Galway to Lahinch
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lahinch

The taste of salt water blowing against your face....

Oh how i have missed it, since i immigrated to land locked Ontario, Canada... i really didn't think through all aspects of it!!!

So two years later, and some serious withdrawal symptoms... i happen to end up in Newfoundland on a training course....

It was like going home... i got off the plane in St Johns, to a grey sky and misty rain, first stop had to be Cape Spear, the most eastern point of Canada.. aka next stop west coast of Ireland.
It was like been transported back home, it was amazing..
rolling crashing waves, pounding off the rocks... even the rain made me homesick

It is simply breathtaking, i have def found my new Canadian happy place :) :)
Already planning the next trip back to Atlantic Canada!

The day my son became Canadian..

The pictures say it all.... this is the day my son has waited for since we came to Canada...

He is soooooooo proud of himself :)

Sat Morning- 8am- freezing rink - smiling son-followed by hot chocolate and timbits..... it doesn't get much better :) :)

Yukon- the real residents...

The real residents of the North.......... at every bend, turn on the Alaska Highway is potential for the viewing for more of these beautiful animals... elk, deer, bison, moose, caribou ...
Driving at night, in the darkness of the Yukon, the only site to see is the hundreds of eyes watching you as you disturb the night by driving...

,