Irish Intoxication

Drink to me only with thine eyes …  (Ben Jonson)

What was a quick walk at sundown yesterday after a long day at the computer turned into a feast of soothing light out by Carrigavantry Lake, which is just a couple of miles from Tramore.

It brought thoughts of lines from  W.B. Yeats’  wonderful Lake Isle of Innisfree:

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight’s all a-glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet’s wings.

Carrigavantry is a place that holds all sorts of memories for son, Harry, and me and we often go there when we crave tranquillity. Yesterday, though, was different as it was an ordinary day for both of us ~ that is, if any day can ever be called ‘ordinary.’

We didn’t go there for any emotional reasons or with any inner longings but it was like as if Carrigavantry hadn’t been told that and was determined to envelope us in magical light.

Welcoming Eyes

The green of Spring seemed tinged with Autumnal gold as we caught our first view of the nestling blue lake:

The First Glimpse

The rusty old bath that serves as a water trough fitted in perfectly with the golden hues. There was a softness in the air that made the ordinary exude extraordinariness:

Golden Gate

The lake itself was high and the dying sun melted into the trees that frame it:

Carrigavantry Lake

As we left for home, a well-coated grey horse gazed a pensive farewell:

Goodbye Eyes