The seasons changed this week. Not officially or anything, but they have. We've even had SNOW!!! One day we went for a scenic drive with sunshine and blue skies and the very next we had big fluffy white snow flakes drifting over the red-breasted robins as they nibbled the bird-feeder peanuts. Daytime 'highs' are now 5 and overnights are -1. Christmas is definitely just around the corner.

Outings of note? Popped into a flea market in Blessington and found a pair of earrings for 50 cents... going forward they are the official souvenir of this part of Ireland. We enjoyed the Blessington Lakes drive so much we did it again - just in reverse - which of course meant completely different views the whole way around, and with a quick detour we discovered the Threecastles Castle (there was more to it, but down to just one part now). We absolutely love that here in Ireland you can just be meandering along and spot a castle, park the car and wander over for a look.
All the little jaunts are definitely fun, but Wednesday was our touring highlight this week. Our Heritage Ireland map/brochure has become our new best friend as it overs 2 for 1 deals on a lot of privately run castles/stately homes and even experiences. For instance the the Kilbeggan Distillery Experience - €9 between us for a self-guided tour instead of each and that includes a free tasting and souvenir glasses. Once we had a target, we planned a route that avoided motorways and our 80 kms was slated to take 90 minutes... but that doesn't count for all the groovy stops along the way. For instance the Old Kilcullen Round Tower and High Cross, Tyrrellspass Castle dating back to the 1400s (though we avoided the restaurant) and the Grand Canal of Ireland in Daingean - it felt if not Venetian then certainly very Dutch. We did make it to Kilbeggan eventually and the self-guided tour was brilliant and we were the only ones doing it. Bless the off-season - so much more peace and quiet. After Kilbeggan (and a very tasty tasting), it was back in the car like the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland... no time for lunch, must keep going. Down the road to Belvedere House & Parklands. Another grand pile by the architect Cassels/Castle who eventually built Russborough House just down the road from us. Belvedere, built in the 1740s, is a small Georgian mansion known for the Cruel Earl and the poor wife who was locked up for 30 odd years after she 'allegedly' committed adultery with the Earl's brother. Denied by all, yet he locked his wife away, sued his brother for 20,000 pounds in damages (which sent the brother to the debtors' prison) and meanwhile philandered and gallivanted his life away. They were interesting times. We enjoyed the house and grounds - in particular the walled garden, glasshouses and of course the fairy garden. We finally had our hot lunch in the car (after 3 pm!) before we started towards home. There was still time for our thermos coffee and cake at the grand canal in Daingean as we watched the sunset. We continued on into the darkness and made it to Newbridge shortly after 5 pm - it was a bit of a wing and a prayer stop as we didn't know how long Newbridge Silverware would be open - but we made it (6 pm close and the exterior of this enormous store was drenched in white fairy lights - gorgeous). We wouldn't normally go somewhere just for a shop, though it was nice to look about and the Christmas decorations and displays were super. Our main purpose in coming to Newbridge was to visit the MOSI - or Museum of Style Icons. We did wonder how good a free private museum with a few designer frocks could be. As it turns out - Awesome! Clothes from all the Hollywood stars (Audrey Hepburn featured), royalty (Princess Di and Princess Grace of Monaco), rock and roll and popular legends (Jackson 5, Elvis, Dylan) - all there. They even had the original 'I dream of Jeannie' genie bottle and the disco ball/glitter globe from the movie Saturday Night Fever. The owner of Newbridge Silver got into it because of the quality and attention to detail in the couture gowns - and wanted to associate their own brand and quality concepts with designer work and stars. Spent almost an hour looking about. Then finally home in the pitchest of black nights. The supermoon has been a complete non-starter here in our part of Ireland. The clouds have meant we haven't seen the moon at all - let alone it's massive appearance. Ahhh well - 2034 we'll look back and remember where we were the last time the moon was this close to Earth.
Thursday of course brought the excitement of snow and today just hibernated. So far have tried to psyche ourselves out of our PJs and off the sofa (and into clothes, out of house and into the car....) but it is literally freezing outside. Another coffee won't hurt and it's not as though the countryside and sightseeing is going anywhere.