We Like Sheep

There's a verse that I think well represents our sentiment toward Ireland:

"We like sheep" Isaiah 53:6

Because Ken and I have become incredibly big fans of sheep. We like sheep, just like the Bible says. We went to the Dingle Peninsula, and in addition to seeing obviously gorgeous views, we also did as many sheep things as we could. We held a baby lamb(!!!), we fed adult sheep, we watched a sheep herding demonstration, and we happened upon what Ken keeps referring to as "fresh sheep" - two little lambs who we assume had literally just been born. Still all wet, umbilical cords attached, taking their first wobbly steps. I happened to see them from the side of the road, I gasped, Ken pulled over, and we watched them for awhile. We've even talked about if we could have sheep back home someday. I don't know why we like them so much, but they're been a surprising and humorous highlight.

And before you comment about it, yes, I know the verse is "We like sheep have gone astray" and it's not actually about liking sheep. Just let me have my Bible humor.

Also - you may have noticed that this blog is taking a different format than the previous one. I'm going back to just writing whatever I feel like. Maybe I'll end it with bullets of things we've done since the last post, but the previous post I wrote about every single thing we did (complete with pictures!) was too long - not fun to write and probably not fun to read. So. . . we're not doing that anymore. I like having a chronology of our vacation, but not at the expense of enjoying it. This babbling about sheep is totally enjoyable.

Right now, I'm writing from a sitting room in a B&B with an absurdly beautiful view. We're in Doolin, if you want to look it up. From the window I can see a sea of green spotted with cows and cottages, ending in the cliffs, and then the actual sea. Right behind us on the opposite side of this window is a little caste. About 5 minutes South of us are the Cliffs of Moher. I had felt like I needed a bit of a break (ha! Isn't that funny - a break during a vacation), and Ken indulged me by letting us stay here two nights. It's been nice to go at a bit of a slower pace. We've dawdled throughout our full trip, which has been nice, but there's a certain luxury in not needing to pack up in the morning. Two nights feels just right - especially somewhere as perfectly refreshing as where we are.

A few other things we've done that deserve mentioning(in the order that I think of them):

• SEE A 5X WORLD CHAMP IRISH DANCER "PERFORM"!!!!!!!!!! I say "perform" because it wasn't a formal show. He happened to be home, his dad owns a pub, we were at that pub, and he danced there. As someone who grew up watching River Dancing on VHS, IT WAS FREAKING AMAZING!!!!! I'd write more, but I'm trying to keep this post shorter for your sanity and mine. :-) 
• Bike ALL THE WAY AROUND Muckross Lake - and be reminded that I have a horrible estimate for how long a kilometers are.
• Explore Kilarney National Park
• Hike (. . .okay, leisurely walk) to a waterfall
• Drive around the stunning Dingle Peninsula
• Go to a chocolate factory, where I fell in love with a Plum & Chocolate Chutney and bought the cookbook that included it
• Ate at a cliff-side cafe on the Dingle Peninsula where Ken pet the doggies
• Visited the giant Cliffs of Moher (where Voldermort hid the locket horcrux)
• Went to a perfumery
• Explored the Muckross House & Gardens
• Tried to beg a chef into giving us a recipe for a deep fried mashed potato miracle. No luck. 

Kenny's Thoughts: What do I want to say. . . I didn't know that I needed a sheep fix and a lamb fix, but I really did. Feeding the sheep and petting the lambs was so fun. And watching the sheep dogs herding was really fun and interesting as well. And not surprisingly, everywhere has been unbelievably beautiful, just with how green everything is. I'm loving our B&B out in Doolin. It's really relaxing and has the most spectacular view. And not to mention the best breakfast we've had all trip. I'm also excited that I'm about to finish the book that I've been reading for many months. Ya, I think that's all my thoughts. 

The Cliffs of Moher were a little windy