Ireland – Wandering Dawgs

Lens Artists Photo Challenge #365 – Longing

September 18, 2025Posted in PhotographyTagged Florida Keys, Ireland, Italy, Lens-Artists, Longing, Photo Challenge38 Comments

For this challenge Egidio introduces us to the Portuguese word saudade. Wikipedia defines saudade as “an emotional state of melancholic or profoundly nostalgic longing for a beloved yet absent someone or something. It is a recollection of feelings, experiences, places, or events, often elusive, that cause a sense of separation from the exciting, pleasant, or joyous sensations they once caused.“

The closest English word to describe saudade is longing. I had a hard time deciding how to approach this challenge. I finally came up with a few places that have special meaning for me.

Ireland will always be with me. Words can’t describe the beauty of the green landscapes, the friendly and kind people, and the feeling I had while there. I still think of Ireland often and long to return.

It’s been almost 20 years since we’ve been to Florida Keys. I long to return to those carefree days of boating, fishing, watching the sunset, and scuba diving although these days I wouldn’t be diving.

My father was in the United States Air Force. When I was 16 he was assigned to a small base in Italy. Whenever Dad had a few days off we would take trips to see the country. Dad always took his Minolta camera with him and took thousands of slides of our adventures. My younger brother spent many hours converting those slide to digital format (thank you Joe). The following gallery shows three of the many places we went – Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Coliseum in Rome, and Trulli houses in Alberobello. When I look at these photos all my happy memories of traveling with my family come rushing back. I long to return to Italy one day.

Thank you to all the beautiful quiet moments you shared for Ritva’s challenge last week. Be sure to check back on Saturday, September 20 Eastern Time when Tina will be hosting our next challenge.

Egidio, thank you for teaching me a new word. I hope you will join him for this week’s challenge Longing. Be sure to tag your post with Lens-Artists and include a link back to his post Lens-Artists #365 – Longing

For information on how to join the Len-Artists challenge please click here.

Every Day is a Gift

Sunday Stills: Checking things off my Bucket List

November 4, 2024Posted in Alaska, Hawaii, Photography, Travel, WildlifeTagged Bucket List Images, Ireland, Scotland, Sunday Stills19 Comments

Terri’s challenge is to share images of places or things that are on our bucket list.

I created a bucket list many years ago. I’ve been checking things off and adding more items ever since.

Checking travel destinations off my bucket list.

Ireland and Scotland

Hawaii

Alaska

New York City

Statue of Liberty with Manhattan Skyline

Checking wildlife sightings off my bucket list.

Bull Elk Bugling in Cataloochee Valley, NC

My bucket list is constantly changing. I keep checking things off and adding new ones. Terri’s challenge has inspired me to start checking off a few more items!

“Life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death!” – Auntie Mame

Shared with Terri’s Sunday Stills challenge Bucket List Items

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #204 – Doors

June 21, 2022Posted in PhotographyTagged Doors, Ireland, Lens Artists, Photo Challenge, Scotland18 Comments

I loved the doors of Ireland and Scotland. These are some of my favorites.

Pass through these doors to learn all about Guinness, Dublin, Ireland

Many thanks to Sylvia Bacon for the challenge Lens’Artists #204 – Doors

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #149: Cool Colors – Blue and Green

May 28, 2021Posted in PhotographyTagged Blue Ridge Mountains, Cool colors blue and green, Hawaii, Ireland, Lens-Artists, Photo Challenge, salt marsh, St. Lucia19 Comments

This week, Tina has challenged us to show ways that the cooler colors of blue, green, blue green or purple appear in our world.

To me, some of the most beautiful landscapes I’ve ever seen contain the color combination of blue and green.

Turtle Cove on the north shore of Oahu, Hawaii

Emerald green on the hills above the Atlantic Ocean in Ireland

Creek running through the Georgia Salt Marsh

Many thanks to Tina for the challenge. Please be sure to visit her original post at Lens-Artists Challenge #149: Cool Colors – Blue and Green

Forty Shades of Green

May 2, 2020Posted in TravelTagged Dingle Peninsula, Forty Shades of Green, green, Ireland, Johnny Cash, Ring of Kerry21 Comments

I close my eyes and picture the emerald of the sea
From the fishing boats at Dingle to the shores of Dunardee
I miss the river Shannon and the folks at Skibbereen
The moorlands and the midlands with their forty shades of green

~”Forty Shades of Green” by Johnny Cash

A year ago today was our first full day of a three week trip from the U. S. to Ireland and Scotland. One day as we toured the Ring of Kerry in Ireland, Dennis, our tour guide, played this Johnny Cash song for us.

I remembered the song this morning as I was thinking about our trip. Johnny Cash wrote it in 1959 while he was in Ireland.

We saw at least forty shades of green (and probably more) as we traveled around the beautiful Emerald Isle.