Lens-Artists #79: Window with a View

For this weeks challenge, Amy has asked us to show windows with a view.

As we traveled around Ireland last spring some of our hotel rooms had great views out the windows.

I loved the view of Eyre Square from the windows of our room in Galway, Ireland. It took some creative maneuvering of the camera to avoid the black window frame (alas, you can still see part of it in the upper right corner).

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Eyre Square, Galway

Our first bed and breakfast experience was the Alderhaven Country Home in Killarney, Ireland. The home was in a beautiful setting and our hosts Pat and Norrie O’Neill were wonderful. When we decided to let someone else do the driving and take a tour of the Ring of Kerry, Norrie arranged a tour with a a tour company and guide she knew.

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View from our room at the Alderhaven Country Home in Killarney. That’s our blue rental car.
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Nothing better than a full Irish breakfast with a view. At the Alderhaven Country Home in Killarney we watched bunnies in the yard every morning.

At the Westwood Country House in Tower, near Blarney, our room overlooked the back yard. Our hosts Fergus and Eucharia welcomed us into their beautiful home and prepared fresh eggs from their back yard hens and smoked salmon for breakfast. Fergus even gave us scones to take along for a snack on our all day bus tour. Seeing the evening sky through our window was a real treat at the end of a long day.

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View behind the house from our room at Westwood Country House in Tower, Ireland

Our room several floors up in the Hotel Europa in Belfast, Northern Ireland had great views of the city. The photo at the top of this page was taken looking down at the street.

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View from our room on about the 7th floor of the Hotel Europa in Belfast, Northern Ireland

Many thanks to Amy for this weeks Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Window with a View

 

Lens-Artists #78: Special Spot Shots

For this weeks challenge, Ann-Christine has asked us to showcase a special spot. My special spot is a sandy beach.

I tried to pick a specific beach but couldn’t narrow it down to just one. Instead, I chose a few shots from some beaches here in my own home state of Georgia.

There are 15 barrier islands off the Georgia coast. Only four can be reached by road – Tybee Island, St. Simons Island, Sea Island, and Jekyll Island. The rest can only be reached by boat. Some of them are undeveloped, some are managed by the state of Georgia, and one is a National Seashore.

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Tybee Island North Beach at low tide
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Tybee Island Pier on a sunny January day on Tybee Island, Georgia
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Looking down on St. Simons beach from the top of the St. Simons Lighthouse
Going for a boat ride to walk on a deserted barrier island beach
This deserted barrier island beach can only be reached by boat

Sapelo Island is one of the barrier islands that is owned and managed by the state of Georgia. The island is accessible by ferry from Darien. You can see more photos from our visit there at Weekend Getaway on the Georgia Coast.

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Nanny Goat Beach on Sapelo Island

I can’t mention the Georgia barrier islands without including Cumberland Island, the largest and southernmost barrier island in Georgia.We spent a day there about 40 years ago but unfortunately, I don’t have photos from that visit. Cumberland Island is a National Seashore and can be reached by ferry from St. Marys. We’re hoping to make a return trip to the island this spring.

There is more information about the Georgia Department of Natural Resources website at Georgia’s barrier islands. 

Many thanks to Ann-Christine for this weeks Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Special Spot Shots

 

Lens-Artists #77: Favorite Photos of 2019

For our final challenge of the year, Patti has asked us to show our favorite photos of 2019. Thank you Patti! Going through all my photos reminded me of how much fun we had this year checking off bucket list items, returning to some favorite places, and just enjoying the world around us.

January

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Camellia at Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, GA
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Great Egret and White Ibis in the Georgia Salt Marsh

February

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Beach at Anastasia State Park, Florida
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Egret with breeding plumage at St. Augustine Alligator Farm Rookery
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Ginnie Springs, FL

March

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Miniature azaleas, Georgia

April

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Eastern Redbud at rest area in Western North Carolina

May

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Pair of Irish Sheep
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On the road to Inverness, Scotland
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Dunnottar Castle on a Foggy Day, Stonehaven, Scotland

June

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High tide in the Georgia Salt Marsh

July

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Waterfront in Darien, Georgia
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Nanny Goat Beach on Sapelo Island, Georgia

August

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Summer Sunflower

September

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The new lights at Dooley Field at Sandford Stadium were fun to see at the Georgia Bulldogs home games

October

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Coastal Georgia Sunrise

November

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Driftwood on North Beach, Tybee Island, GA

December

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Christmas lights on display

Wishing you much laughter, happiness and adventure in 2020!

Many thanks to Patti for this weeks Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Favorite Photos of 2019

 

Lens-Artists #75: Nostalgic

This week, Tina has challenged us focus on something that reminds us fondly of days gone by.

For me, the most nostalgic time of year is the Christmas season. Almost every Christmas decoration and ornament, inside the house and out, has a happy memory associated with it.

When our first grandchild was born 16 years ago right after Thanksgiving, our lives changed forever for the better. I’ll never forget getting our house ready for his first Christmas at our house when he was about three years old. He loved looking out the living room window at the lighted Christmas train we had put up on the arbor in our back yard. Just seeing the photos bring a huge smile on my face as I think of him at that age.

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Christmas train

Our Christmas tree is filled with handmade ornaments, ornaments picked up on our travels, and special ornaments from special occasions. I managed to capture three of my favorites in the next photo. The one in the middle belonged to my mother-in-law. I wish I knew how old it was. The paper star Santa in the upper left of the picture was made my one of my children over 40 years ago. The one on the bottom right is a wreath with faces of me, my husband, our son and daughter.

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Three of my favorite ornaments

My husband Henry and I celebrated our first Christmas together 49 years ago. We had little money and couldn’t afford to buy many ornaments so I made some. I remember needle pointing three bell shaped ornaments for the tree. I still hang them on the tree today.

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I made this ornament 49 years ago for our first Christmas tree

I also hand painted a box of wooden ornaments that first year. Santa Claus is my favorite.This year he is on the tree next to the two Star Santas made by our children.

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Two Santa stars made by our children over 40 years ago and a 49 year old hand painted wooden Santa ornament

Yesterday we put up our tree. I had fun all day remembering the story of each ornament.

Many thanks to Tina for this weeks Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Nostalgic