Nothing special these last few days, but the weather has just been spectacular. At this time of year, it would be typical that we would have daytime highs in the low 60s. However, the last couple of days have gone into the 70s. And the skies have been clear and bright. I actually got a bit of a sunburn from sitting outside at the Beehive for lunch and a crumble (my favorite). We also walked across the street to stroll back and forth at Keel Beach on Achill Island. The sheep were asking for you, Paul Camber...
On Sunday night, Candee took me to La Bella Vita, a local upscale Italian restaurant, to celebrate Fathers Day. I had a very nice breaded pork cutlet, pan-fried in lemon and shallots. Tender and juicy and flavorful. But she made the wise choice, selecting the night's special - scallops caramelized in a saute pan with apricots and topped with ground pistachios. Oh yum. We had eaten quite late on purpose, planning to head out to Ballycroy National Park, west and north of Westport, to do some stargazing. The other day, you learned that the sun rises quite early here - 5:06 a.m. The day is quite long; the sun sets at 10:12 p.m. And the sky is not completely dark until almost 12:30. So we headed out from dinner for the 40 minute drive, timing it so that we might see both a glorious sunset and then wait for full darkness to savor a star-filled sky on this crystal clear day.
Ballycroy is the place to see a jawdropping night sky. The area is very sparsely populated due to the presence of extensive, and unlivable, swampy bogland. Therefore, there is very little light pollution due to homes and commercial enterprise. It has been recognized as Ireland's first "International Dark Sky Park." As the park's website states, "The park showcases some of the darkest, most pristine skies in the world. Nestled between the remote Nephin Mountain Range and the unspoiled Atlantic coastline, the Dark Sky Park extends across an area of over 37,000 acres. On a clear night here in Mayo, you can see over 4,500 twinkling stars, along with other planets in our solar system, The Milky Way and even meteor showers with the naked eye." Well, we had the naked eyes and we had a very clear night. We had spoken of this idea with the Duffys, and Marion had remembered a winter drive through the area on the way back from playing golf on the Belmullet Peninsula. She could recall remarking on the unbelievable number of large and visible stars on their ride.
So, we settled in on a road pulloff area, cut the engine, and enjoyed a glorious sunset - not one filled with brilliant orange and red, but a more subtle lesson about beauty expressed in the range of tones of blue - from azure to cerulean to cobalt to indigo. The sky darkened and some prominent bright stars and planets made their presence known. It was going to be a spectacular night. We did, however, soon become puzzled as some stars seemed to disappear. Not the ones right straight up in the sky, but the ones on the periphery. We got out of the car and suddenly realized that, all around us, a nighttime fog and mist was coming at us from over the mountains and hills. Within moments, there wasn't a star or planet to be seen. We were disappointed, but really more bemused. It was a night of great stillness. We thought the clear day would stand us in good stead, but what we really needed was a breeze to dissipate the fog and mist. We have six weeks to go; we are certain to be more fortunate next time. It had been a lovely evening.
This is what we should have seen. A photo borrowed from Ballycroy's website.
 |
| Thank you Brian Wilson |
And some shots from the last few days
 |
| Glorious weather in our backyard |
 |
| Flowers from around the cottage grounds |
 |
| More backyard |
 |
| Keel Beach on Achill Island |
 |
| Barefoot beach babe |
 |
| Brave surf students |
 |
At the Beehive - the astringently tart mixed berry crumble
with warm custard sauce and a lovely cappuccino |
