I’ve been out of the studio for the past two weeks for a much needed vacation. While away, I managed to cram in only a few hours of beading. 
The rest of the time was spent reading, relaxing, visiting tiny villages, and taking long walks in the Irish countryside. We had prepared for rain every day, but as the weather patterns globe-wide are peculiar these days, we had day after day of sunshine and warm temperatures! The locals remarked that the weather was highly unusual. We flew into Dublin and spent two days there before driving toward the west 
coast of Ireland where we rented a cottage near Headford for several days. Then we drove a few kilometers further north to a rental home near Cong. One of the highlights of our vacation was a visit to Ashford Castle. The photo shows only a portion of the majestic castle. The castle 
grounds and gardens are incredibly beautiful and extensive. It really is quite something to see! But, now I’m back and catching up on snail mail, email, orders that came in while I was traveling. Add to that unpacking, doing laundry, etc., and giving the cats tons of extra love and attention, I have my work cut out for me!
