Weather and Dogs.

We are never happy. We, meaning Irish people, moan and groan about the weather constantly. It is always a hot topic. None more so than today, after suffering through, snow, ice and the country coming to a stop in March we are now meeting the blissful sight of sunshine, every morning.

But with temperatures tipping 32 degrees we are simply melting in the heat. Icecream sales have rocketed. Not so good is the fate of farmers who struggle with water shortages for their animals. A peat bog some distance from us has been burning for the past two days, an unheard of event.

Some of us who invested in rainwater harvesting tanks and systems are trying hard not to be smug about the large tanks of rainwater we have at our disposal.

But the question is, why isn’t everyone thinking of collecting what falls from the sky in abundance during most of the year.

Bob is the only one who snores on blissfully ignorant of all the dilemmas and debates going on around him. He continues to trundle about the house and garden, nabbing the few strawberries and raspberries that dare to ripen within his reach.  He is truly the main wonder of our world as he defies all vets prognosis and greets us each day with a smile on his face, a twinkle in his eyes and a wagging tail.

I know she dropped one

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An Irish Miracle

Yay. It is sunny.

No need for me to wear a clown suit in this weather.

We can’t believe it. Irish people are now melting. We are starting to moan about the weather being too hot!

Ironic isn’t it?

The best news for everyone in this house is that one of our local filling stations has been declared, best supplier of tastiest icecream’s in Meath.

Only trouble is they don’t last long enough to be photographed, maybe next time I will stop eating one long enough to take a picture. In the meantime, there is always Bob, who is still checking out the strawberries, (still green) though in this photo it was a bee!

The Beast and Storm Emma

For the last five days here in Ireland, each time I turn on a radio or tv the topic is the same – the weather. It is proof that we are obsessed with the weather when;

Every supermarket is in danger of running out of bread and milk etc as the shelves are emptying as fast as they are filling.

Families are putting planned day trips on hold because the weather is going to be “horrid” bad.

And every double coated husky is being subjected to having to wear a coat or jumper!

Bob objects to wearing anything other than his own fluff! The closest thing he wears to a coat is a high viz mini coat to let traffic know he is out and about.

Ellie – well we would have to catch her first and that would take more time, effort and energy than it is worth.

In the meantime, both of them acted like it was their birthday when the snow finally fell.

.Nice snow, best present a Bob could get… he proved it as he began to eat the snow around him.

 

Hot Days, Cool Dogs & Flowers

It was hidden from sight for seven months but at last we have some “terrible hot weather” as we call it because Summer is here, again, however briefly. Truth is most Irish people wilt at anything above 21 degrees.

But Bob has his own solution, which consists of sitting (no surprise there), in the shade.

Though I suspect he is simply waiting on those raspberries to ripen.

 

While Ellie as always is searching

intently.

Not noticing the beauty popping up around her.

Funny things happen in the rain in Ireland

For one thing, we are so used to rain that we just continue on as normal. If we get wet, well then eventually, we will get dry and then wet again. So on it goes in a circle.

Even dogs carry on as normal, in their own particular way as you can tell from the following pictures.

Ellie continues on as normal looking for anything to play with, then cools off in the river.

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Judy, just heads to the river to swim, chase balls, sticks and generally have fun.

 

 

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And Bob, well, he just finds a nice quiet spot, where he can watch the fun and they can come back and talk to him.

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How do we know the weather is changing?

The answer in this house is simple. Take a look at these pictures,

Bob hunkers down for a boring day of watching me clean the house,

 

Ellie, gathers every sock she can find, and then hides them creating her own version of: “Go Find”

Even the  sunflowers start to turn away, as though attempting to hide from the impending rain. (Also note, gate painting had to stop, though the painter was not sorry about this change of plans).