How could it happen? is a question I could ask about many things but all my attention this morning was on the sea.
As a sea baby, I sometimes fall into the nonsensical trap of thinking that I’ve seen every possible mood of the ocean in and around Tramore. I’ve seen a fair few variations and I make a point of going in search of them ~ high tides, low tides, sunrises, sunsets, storms, calm, choppy, dancing, splashy, wild, ferocious, powerful, terrifying, bliss, seaweedy, jellyfishy, transparent, blue, grey, Turneresque …..
Well, this morning in the space of about an hour and a half, I saw my sea make the most remarkable changes and I’m talking about places that I feel I know like the back of my hand.
Here’s how it all unfolded:
Newtown Cove is at the bottom of the wood where I usually take Puppy Stan for his first walk of the day. It’s also a place that my late father took about a million photographs of in his time and there is one special one of his that I have hanging in our hall that he and I referred to as ‘The Wave.’ Even if I say it myself, I think this wave that I encountered this morning would give Dad’s a good run for its money and I’ve been having a secret competition with his for years now!
I couldn’t resist dropping by the Doneraile Walk in Tramore which was the place where Mother and I used to walk most days. (She walked there everyday while pregnant with me and as my birthday is on Tuesday I felt very drawn to it this morning as I thought about her waiting for me to arrive.)
The ‘Don,’ as Mother and I called it, gave me an October smile as I was pushing against a rainy gale on my way back to the car:
That patch of blue out by the Metal Man gave me a yen to see Garrarus in what I thought would be mad wildness with maybe a little bit of sun breaking through. Garrarus is about seven or eight minutes drive from the Doneraile and what I saw when I got there is still baffling me.
So, tell me about your ‘How Could It Happen?’ moments. I’d love to hear about them.
My lessons from today are:
#1. Assume Nothing
#2. Be Humble
#3. Lean into Nature
#4. Never Give Up
#5. Expect the Unexpected
#6. Death of loved ones is not THE END
SOCIAL BRIDGE ~ Jean Tubridy connecting with you from Ireland 
Pleasant journeys to you on the next trip as well!
Thanks so much, Suz.
Beautiful…
Many thanks. It was extraordinary!
Very Beautiful. That wave looks like a lion.
It sure does look like a lion now that I examine it.
Have you ever had that experience when you’re driving somewhere you drive all the time, and you are thinking deeply, you look up, and suddenly you don’t know exactly where you are? Everything looks different. Until you glimpse something familiar. You realize how little attention you pay to the details of everyday places.
Not quite that experience; more so deep in taking in the everyday place that I don’t remember the practicalities of the journey and forget what I did with the car!
Great Post, including words of wisdom!
Many thanks for your kind words. Greatly appreciated.
OH! Jean you write a lovely post. My How did that happen usually involved people!
Hi Willow, I guess we all have quite a few peopley ‘how did it happens?
I am sure we all have!!
Yep!
These moods are majestic Jean!
That’s a lovely way of putting it, Andrea.
Beautiful, spectacular photos. There is much wisdom in your words. I especially like, ‘lean into nature.’ As you know I’ve no religious faith, but admiring nature always assures me we live on, somehow in the places we visited and the people we’ve loved.
Hi Tric, I’m with you on the non-religious bit but living on in memory via places we’ve shared a love of.
Good lessons!
Thanks CC. I guess I should have learned them long ago.
In comments – looking up in a familiar place, but everything seems different – YES. — Sandy, humbly leaning into nature this morning, assuming nothing but hoping for repose
HaHa!
Wow. Looks like 4 seasons – and 4 countries – in one day…
It seemed that way!
Gorgeous photos, Jean