As I prepare to write my Annual Chirstmas Blog I pause to reflect on how the internet has introduced me to so many wonderful people from all over the world wishing to visit this small island I call home!
“Our roots run deep and our arms stretch wide”
From the window of my snug/office I observe the blue winter sky; the backdrop of the bare skeleton trees and amaze at the seasons how they come and go no matter what! I watch the swallows gather and sing me their farewell song before they depart for another year to warmer places! The world keeps on turning.
I too must keep on turning and get into that kitchen and make that Christmas Pudding. A good mix of fruits, eggs etc and of course a good splash of Bushmills Whiskey all bound together with a Christmas Wish.
Ah just a moment – before I put on my apron I am allowed to take time and look over my wonderful season of 2025 in tourism.
From the initial introductory emails of the year 2024 until we finally meetup we build a relationship which seems like we have been old friends all our life! We pen in places to go and we sound out places we don’t want to go. From the initial family “brainstorming”
exercise we stir up a pot of likes and dislikes and eventually finish with an Itinerary for all.
Meeting up. after our long winter chats by email is the icing on the cake for me and from which all plans fall into place one way or the other! Saying farewell after a time travelling and sharing our interests together proves difficult for me. We follow up with thanks and pictures of the trip together and through time we all go on our way back into the hustle and bustle of our busy life. However, at the most unexpected moments I find myself smiling when thoughts of a particular day with amazing people and how we shared an amazing view together jump into my head! Simply love those moments. I may move on but I do look back with gratitude to have met with such beautiful people. That warm feeling of friendship continues. There is an old Irish saying –
Some people pass through our
lives like never-ending streams.
Others stop and touch our hearts
with a warmth that never leaves.
My passion for good local food grows deeper every year and certainly on my travels around Ireland I am never disappointed. I suppose the experience of growing up on a small rural farm where home cooked food was the only way to feed seven children always stays with me. I reflect a lot on how my mum turned the apples, potatoes, butter, milk, eggs, garden veg, home bacon into amazing food for us all! Mind you I wasn’t too happy when I had to wear the “hand -me-downs” but to give her credit she did work late into the evening sewing new dresses for me.
I’m an oldfashioned girl firmly rooted in tradition and values; something which just gets stronger every year.
Better go now and put my apron on and some good old lively music and dance my way around the kitchen to the larder!
From the bottom of my heart a big thankyou to all that I have meet on my travels and indeed to those who have returned a few times to refresh those prescious family links.
Wishing all a Happy Christmas 2025 and health to keep on travelling in 2026.
Regards
Barbara (Biddy) and Family
Beechlodge Farm
Share this on facebook