A few weeks ago we headed up to County Fermanagh to do a bit of housesitting, except this was no ordinary house. The family that live here built the house themselves and it is completely “Off Grid” so there is no electricity, no gas and no running water. They also have animals: chickens, geese, ducks, goats, dogs, cats and a couple of ponies. So this was a little bit different from how we would normally live but Matt and I jumped at the chance to unplug and get away from it all. I admit I was a little nervous to be responsible for this house and all those animals but it was actually a very laid back easy few days.

Eve loved feeding the chickens and the ducks, she’s always been fascinated with animals so she had no fear at all and jumped right in. Boomie the big Bull Mastiff became her best friend.

The house is so beautiful and cosy, we drew water from the well outside and heated it on a big stove to wash. The loo is a compost toilet outside and it was probably the source of most concern for me when we agreed to go. It was in fact very clean and not in the least bit smelly. Steve Flynn from the Happy Pear was with us too and he laid on the most delicious meals every night, we spent most of the afternoon preparing and cooking our big meal with all natural, fresh ingredients. It was a proper event. Then when the sun went down we’d light candles and read or chat until bedtime.

When the time came to go it was a wrench to leave. For all that I enjoy technology and the internet and everything that comes with the modern world, I’m more than happy to leave it if I can. In fact, tomorrow we’re going camping in Northern Ireland for ten days. I have no idea if I’ll have any access to the internet to update this blog. I can’t wait to just unplug and go sit in a field!

Canon 5DII, 200mm, f7.1, 1/800, ISO 800

Some more photos from the parade yesterday, such a brilliant day and would you believe I actually had a touch of sunstroke this morning that’s how sunny it was! Either that or the Irish winter was so dark and dismal I’m not used to sunlight anymore. Thanks again to Marcus, Pix.ie, the St. Patrick’s Festival and the Guinness Storehouse for a fab time.

Canon 5D, 40mm, f4, 1/3200, ISO 320

Canon 5DII, 200mm, f7.1, 1/340, ISO 800

Canon 5D, 20mm, f4, 1/1250, ISO 200

Canon 5D, 40mm, f4, 1/2000, ISO 200

Canon 5D, 40mm, f4, 1/1600, ISO 200

Canon 5D, 40mm, f4, 1/1600, ISO 200

Canon 5DII, 200mm, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 800

Had a fantastic day at the St Patrick’s Day parade, I have so many photos to go through but I’m far too exhausted to even look through them. This is just a little preview.

I had to really trawl through my archives to find these photographs but they are the only photographs I have with a Paddy’s Day theme and they aren’t even of the parade! That will all change this year as Pix.ie have organised a fabulous day out for photobloggers and the St Patrick’s Festival are granting us passes to watch the parade from the good seats on O’Connell Street! I can’t wait and I’m clearing all my cards and charging all my batteries so I can take many many photos.

But that’s not all! I’m probably the last blogger to post about this (I’ve been so bad lately) but there’s a brilliant competition too. This is from the Pix.ie blog:

As some of you already know, Pixie has been working with the organisers of the Irish St Patrick’s Festival on a huge photo sharing project to help document this year’s festival in photos from the perspective of those attending. The aim is to invite everyone bringing their camera to this year’s events to contribute their photos to the official St Patrick’s Festival group so that the experience can be shared with people from all over the world.

To make things a little more interesting, we’ve created a competition (more details to follow) and will be selecting three lucky winners whose photos capture the spirit of the festival. Canon have very kindly offered to sponsor some of the best prizes we’ve seen in a photo competition and with a total value of just under €1,800, these are very generous prizes!!!

* 1st Prize – Canon EOS 1000D digital SLR camera, Selphy ES3 photo printer, 150 Euro photography training course, adding memory card and photo printing paper. Total value €1,050
* 2nd Prize – Powershot E1 digital camera and Selphy ES3 photo printer. Total Value €480
* 3rd Prize – Selphy ES3 photo printer. Total Value €240

So if you’re going to the festival bring your camera and when you get home upload your photos to Pix.ie here and you might just bag yourself a new camera!

Thanks to Marcus for yet another brilliant photo coup and thanks to St Patrick’s Festival for letting us join in the fun.

Canon 5DII, 28mm, f/20, 1/250, ISO 400

This has to be in my top ten favourite views. It’s from the Vico Road in Killiney looking out towards Bray Head and the Sugar Loaf.

Canon 5DII, 50mm, f/5, 1/1600, ISO 400

I was in Navan today photographing a cute new baby and on the way home I decided to make a little detour in to see the Hill of Tara, a place I’m ashamed to say I’ve never been to. Unfortunately it was shut (how or why you’d shut a hill is something I’m not too sure about) but I saw these two hanging around nearby and decided to take out my camera anyway. They obliged and gave me this cute shot.

Yesterday Mary Harney announced the decision to halt the provision of the HPV vaccination to girls aged 12 years, a reversal of a decision made last August. This vaccine has the potential to prevent cervical cancer. I believe this is a mistake and this morning a listener on the Ray D’Arcy show suggested a way to let Mary Harney know what we thought: what if we all sent emails to the Minister with photos of their daughters expressing our dismay over this decision to deny these girls a vaccine which may prevent them getting cervical cancer in later years?

The Ray D’Arcy show has a link where you can send an email directly and it will only take a second. You can do it here: Today FM. Or if you’d like to send a photo of your daughter, the address is minister’s_office@health.irlgov.ie

Other blogs talking about this today:

Redmum
Alexia
Damian
The Cedar Lounge

Canon 5D, 28mm, f5.6, 1/160, ISO 1600

The view of the Irish Sea from St Helen’s Golf Club in Rosslare. Golf clubs always have the best views.

Have a great weekend folks, I’ll be in Temple Bar Music Centre on Sunday taking photos of my brother’s band. I’ll be hopping around all you band photobloggers who do this so well: Donal, Phil, Neil …any tips?

Canon 5D, 28mm, f5.6, 1/250, ISO 1600

The night before the wedding there was a barbeque at St. Helen’s golf course with fantastic views and the most gorgeous red sunset. Well, I’ll never believe the whole “Red sky at night, Shepherd’s delight” saying because the weather the next day was far from delightful!

Canon 5D, 28mm, f7.1, 1/800, ISO 400

A slightly different angle on the Blue Church as everyone piled out for a smoke after the service was finished. I love the little groups of people, especially the old man at the back and the little girl at the front.

Thanks for the lovely welcome back comments yesterday everyone! I should go away and come back more often