Beach, Baby.

The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea. 

—Isak Dinesen.

The sun was hot and the water was oddly warm. It was a peculiar summer day in the middle of April. We ran across the expanse of sand and splashed in the salty water. For a few moments there was no college, there was no grief, no hurt, no crap weather or bad diets, no pain or heartbreak. For a few moments we ran with ruthless abandon. We lost our breaths. Our feet turned black and our calves became sand encrusted. We felt the present. It tasted salty and it was everything I needed. I can’t imagine ever not living next to the water, it feels impossible. 

(This reminds me so much of one I took of my mum last year. I used it as the cover of my zine here)

I love her so much it makes my heart swell, my arms ache and my body melt. She is the sweetest human being I’ve ever encountered…but there is a fire inside her that feels familiar. I recognise it in myself sometimes. We can be prickly, her and I.  Though seeing this in her only makes me love her more fiercely. She won’t always be this small or this close but I will always cherish this.

Eos 3 / 50mm f1.4 / HP5 Plus

50/52 & 51/52

—Rachel

This girl is special. I was ten when she was born and I completely fell in love with her chubby baby cheeks and infectious laughter. I remember standing in her old kitchen tickling her little face with my curly hair. I remember my mum picking me up from school with her in the car and getting to spend the whole afternoon playing. I remember carrying her around on my hip in 6th class and the boys teasing me about ‘my baby’. I can’t wait until I have babies of my own someday and she will come and hold them and kiss their faces and get to experience all I have with her. She is bright and bold and unafraid to speak her mind, all good qualities if you ask me.

—Fiona

I don’t know what Fiona saw in me when she asked me to be Rachel’s godmother at twelve, but I am grateful that she did. I am grateful of her open door policy, her expanding dinner table—always with room for one more, for her vitality, enthusiasm and commitment to seeing the beauty and magic. Fiona never sits still and has more energy than anyone I know. I will never, ever understand her desire to get up and swim in sea in the morning, every morning, all year round but I admire whatever is inside her that motivates that desire. Sometimes friendship stick around for so long that they become more like family. Fiona and her husband and sons and beautiful girl are family, simple as.

Back to reality

First day back in college and it is so very hard not to procrastinate. Our paper snowflakes are still stuck to the window and the Christmas decorations are still up and there’s barely anyone in. Thankfully there’s a workshop at 2 which will force me to get some shit done. 

I love to eat with you (at Mayfield)

There is a serious lack of anywhere to eat breakfast in Dundrum if you want to avoid the shopping centre (which you really really do at the weekend, especially at this time of year) and even at that there isn’t really anywhere decent within the monstrosity itself. I have written about Airfield before and while our first experience wasn’t amazing I will definitely give it a second chance…but maybe for lunch, their vegetarian breakfast options weren’t exactly expansive. 

A couple of weeks ago Rich and I decided to run out for breakfast, we only had an hour and Mayfield is the first stop on the chain of amazing brunch options between my house and the city centre. He had breakfast pie (which was, evidently, delicious) and I had a cream cheese and smoked salmon bagel. It was nice but my bagel could have been a little warmer. I wish I’d had time to have a look around their little pop up shop but we had to dash. I’ll have to try and get back before it’s gone. Mayfield kind of feels like sitting in your granny’s living room, the chairs don’t match and there are plates on the wall and rugs on the floor. The wallpaper is incredible and the staff are friendly. 

Since this date we’ve been out to dinner once…this time of year is so busy that even though we see plenty of each other we’re not really spending any time together (unless watching Homeland behind my fingers next to him on the sofa counts?!). I am looking forward to taking a couple of days off of college work over the two week break and going for a hike, seeing a film and eating lots of good things with this guy. 

30/52

While in Portland we met with David of the Free Portrait Project. It was nice to meet someone who knew the area and with whom we shared a common interest. At the end of our first, rather eventful day, it was kind of nice to be meeting anyone. We wandered through the residential streets of Alberta looking for the perfect place to shoot. You can see some of those photographs on my post about Portland.

In exchange for the portrait David shot of my I also shot one of him. Actually I shot two. David’s project entails ‘One honest portrait, captured on film’ and he literally means, just one portrait. He only pressed the shutter twice, once for me and once for Richard. I took one photograph and then when he thought I was finished I took another. Sometimes this works and the second photo reveals a more honest, relaxed capture…but this time I wish I had followed David’s rules because the first photograph was the photograph.

I haven’t seen my portrait yet but keep an eye out on the project facebook page for our familiar faces :)

*We are now in week 35 and while it is clear that I have somewhat fallen off the portrait bandwagon, I hope to be able to share photos week by week again (if not every single week as I originally planned), and some retrospectively as well. 

24/52 (long long overdue)

A portrait a week, every week(ishhh), in 2013. 

—Eoin.

My little brother is not so little anymore. He never really was actually, people mistook us for twins often when we were small. We were both tall for our age but in his case Eoin continued to grow after the age of 10 and I did not. I went from being the tallest in the class to being of pretty average height but Eoin grew and grew like a weed. At one stage he could not tell where his limbs ended and the world began—it made him a terrible hockey player but a damn fast walker. He can now pick me up, turn me upside down and swing me around, which is less than desirable when you are trying to be a bossy big sister. 

I am very proud of my little brother. He is so much fun to be around and when it’s just us two we get on well, scheming plans and baking treats and generally getting up to nonsense. It’s those times that I am so thankful that we are so close in age. When he’s stolen my headphones, is hogging the remote control or has invited all of his friends in the entire world over on Paddy’s day to get drunk we are less amicable. But that’s just how siblings are I believe.
One of my favourite things about Eoin is his big fat heart, it usually only takes a couple of doses of perspective or reason if he’s acting the maggot and we are right back on track. Eoin knows how to apologise and forgives easily, he does not bare grudges or make rash judgements. He is friendly and smiley and happy and kind.
In the above photo we were chilling on the deck and I went to get some suncream. When he saw it was a spray bottle he said ‘spray it in my face’ so I did. It was hilarious, but the seriousness of putting on Daft Punk’s new album overshadowed the gross suncream/face situation and this was the face I captured. I hope he continues to grow into the lovely man he is becoming and manages to remain a little bit of a messer (which I think is kind of inevitable!). 

Cake! The Best Cake!

Sorry we ate most of the cake big brother. But when you don’t come over to get it what do you expect? There’s always next year! It was deeee-licious. 

Friday

On Friday Eoin & I helped a friend doing an Indian Cookery Demonstration for our charity. It was a huge success and so much fun. I came home so tired but so full and happy. Food and friends, there’s not much better is there?

If you like, you can head on over here to read a little bit more about the evening. 

Distillers Press

We have a letterpress studio in college. Most of the time I probably don’t realise just how lucky I am…but with this place I definitely do. It is unlike anywhere I have ever been. 

Love Love Love

 My beautiful cousin married her beautiful husband in a beautiful church on a beautiful day in Dublin on the second last Saturday of September.  The day was stunning. The ceremony was poignant and one of my aunts welled up as Katie walked down the aisle. I had butterflies, I couldn’t help but feel so nervous and SO excited for herself and Ado. As her mother, my aunt, Anne read a blessing for the couple I myself had tears in my eyes. Love is seriously the best.
We came out of the church to blinding sunshine and happy faces. There were drinks and there was food and there was definitely dancing. But most importantly there was so much joy. Katie was floating all day long. The speeches were gorgeous. I could not help but think of how one day it will be me up there speaking as my sister gets married, or my brother or myself. That’s cool. That’s love. Katie & Ado I wish you all the love in the world as you being this exciting new adventure. xo

Ending

Summer is well and truly drawing to a close. With just three days left (excluding today!) until I start college I am beginning to feel somewhat nostalgic for the passing season. Richard finished his job in the lab a couple of weeks ago and took holidays from Penney’s to coincide so we could get away for a few days. But…we didn’t. Everywhere we looked was just too expensive. While I have been working here and there all summer long the expense of a new laptop has eaten into my savings. I was given more money than I expected for my birthday and I am so grateful but it was too late to go anywhere as Richard’s back to work now and there are always extra expenses once term starts again. I am not ungrateful for the time we did have ‘holidaying’ at home but I couldn’t help be irritable and grumpy at times. It felt as if I would have no stories to tell, no adventures to regale…or at least none that would hold up against backpacking in Thailand, or fishing in Connecticut or interning in New York.
That is not the point of summer though, is it? Adventures are for enjoying, they are not for having and then making sure you tell all your friends about them so you seem better/cooler/hotter/funnier than them. It’s hard, sometimes, not to get caught up in who-did-what or who-went-where, but by doing so it is so easy to lead myself down the path of inadequacy.
I enjoyed my summer. I really enjoyed the baby-minding. I am proud of myself for being able to afford a new laptop without borrowing any money. I also enjoyed having coffee with my boyfriend, going shopping with my girl friends, finding new places to walk the dog, making plans for next year (big, big plans), partying, learning to drive properly, going to my first festival and so many other everyday adventures. It was summer. It was nothing special, but special all the same.

PS Photo of Richard from Bibi’s cafe. So delicious. The perfect place to cosy in from the lashing rain outside. 

Brunch

 Some photos from my 21st Birthday brunch the Sunday before last. The sun shone, the rain stayed at bay and we tumbled out onto the deck to eat strawberry cake and sip prosecco (and tea!). It was beautiful, and like I said in yesterday’s post I felt utterly surrounded by love. I am so grateful for my family and for those friends who feel like family. Thank you all so much for coming, you guys are great!

 

 

xoxox

Rewind

…back to June, when I told you how Eoin & I made Elderflower ‘champagne’ and cordial for the Habitat party. Well remember how I took loads of photos and then put them into the fridge and kept putting off developing them or scanning them? And remember how I then shot three more rolls and did the exact same thing? No, just me? Ok well I did, and in my fridge is where they sat until I finally bought a dark bag and then I finally got some more fix and developer and got down to it.

We used Hugh’s recipe for both. The cordial has a shocking amount of sugar in it but is pretty delicious. So delicious that we drank all the bottles before the party and had to go buy more. I’m looking at Eoin here…

The sparkling wine or whatever it is was kind of weird, kind of more like beer and not very alcoholic. And we accidentally left four bottles of it in our garage for much longer than we should and it went off and smelled gross. Not cool. On the night though we mixed it with a little cordial to sweeten it up and it was delicious. Or so everyone told us anyway!

Let me tell you though folks, they were worth the wait those four rolls. This is only the beginning, there’s much more to come. 

brewing

Look at that face. How could you say no to that face?

On another note my brother and I decided to brew some  impromptu elderflower champagne AND elderflower cordial…because well, he found a ton of elderflower on a walk with that one up there earlier. So exciting! We ran to the shops and got TONS of sugar (it’s kind of gross when you see how much there is in the cordial but it does make three litres and you dilute it so it’s not so bad), a load of lemons and some citric acid from the pharmacy. We then went and bought a new bin to brew the champagne in (we didn’t have a big enough container), it’s kind of a weird and random thing to do but we can’t wait to taste it!

We are planning on having a big fundraising party to raise money for this cause that we are both leading teams in and the elderflower champagne will hopefully add something extra special to the event! So long as it’s as yum as we expect! 

Have any of you ever brewed beer at home? Richard is a biotechnologist…so this is right up his street, can’t wait to him to get home from work to show off our work! How about elderflower cordial? I’ve tasted the home made stuff before and it is deee-licious. You should give it a shot! x

the end

My three week stint as a domestic goddess (haha!) is coming to a close and I could not be happier. I am, quite literally, exhausted. Trying to juggle looking after a tiny baby in the morning, cook clean and do the washing in someone else’s house in the afternoon and then come home and make dinner for my boys in the evening (not to mention keeping the washing under control) seriously takes it’s toll after a while. Thank god for that dude up there, he is, hands down, the best cleaner in the world. If it wasn’t for him my mother would be returning to a bomb shell tomorrow morning instead of a somewhat clean and tidy (but utterly lived in) home. He hasn’t complained once about it either. So, thank you Richard, for cleaning up after us every night (And thank you Eoin for not picking up after yourself one little bit!).

All of that said it was really lovely to be independent for a while. It was cool to leave my bowl there knowing that no one was going to give out to me if I didn’t wash it until the next day, or spend hours making dinner just how I wanted it. It was also nice having a little job for a bit…although it made working on any freelance jobs virtually impossible which sucked. It was cool to run to the shops to get that thing I forgot for the dinner or just eat chickpeas out of the tin for lunch if I didn’t feel like running.

It was really really nice to live with Richard, to go to sleep to the sound of him breathing and eat breakfast together in the morning before heading to our respective jobs. We got on really well, but, if anything, spent less time together than normal because we were both so busy. A lot of the days I minded Emily in the morning, did my mum’s job in the evening and then babysat that night…it was great, and I’ve saved a plenty, but I certainly couldn’t do three jobs like that all summer long!

It gave me great hope for a day when we do live together, hopefully. (I can’t wait!)



PS I should really go easier on my mum, she does so much!

logic

My first day of summer consisted of pyjamas and lots of television. I was hungover and exhausted.

The second day was better (but cold). I sat less and moved a little more. Had a driving lesson, met a friend for coffee, did the shopping with my mum…nothing special but sometimes mundane is nice. Especially when there’s no project or assignment hanging over your head.

The third was even better, it involved: a drive, a hike, more driving, more driving, cooking and then the most delicious roast dinner. Driving is still a novelty (when it’s not frustrating/stressful/difficult/scary anyway).

Today, however, was ace. The sun shone. Bright and high and, brace yourselves, warm. I spend two and a half hours weeding the garden…which sounds awful, but was totally lovely (despite the nettle stings and scratches). This week I am going to plant vegetables…lots and lots of vegetables and I can’t wait! Then I went to work which wasn’t so fun but I got to spend a lot of it outside so I won’t complain. Nice weather does something magical doesn’t it? It was as if there was a good mood in the air. Rumour has it it’s going to last all week!

By this logic, tomorrow will be even better won’t it?



photo of the Dublin/Wicklow coastline by Richard

finished

Tomorrow is my last day of college for this year. I cannot possibly convey to you how fast this year has gone. It feels like we have just sat down at our shiny white desks, both nervous and excited.

New friends were made and old friends grew closer. We had project after project and a lot of the time I wanted to give up. We did typography,  illustration, grids and letterpress. And I fell in love with photography all over again. I cried and laughed and felt simultaneously like I couldn’t continue and I couldn’t do anything else. I will miss coming in to chat to the girls, bitch about the tutors, and eat lunch in the cold canteen. I will miss walking through the liberties, seeing the children running late to school and the lady who feeds the pigeons out her front door, watching little girls chit chat and share sweets on the stoop in the afternoon while the boys kick ball across the terraces. I will miss the people watching.

The summer is vast and expansive, it is opening up before my eyes. It half terrifies me, half excites me this vastness. I wonder what I will do and then I remember all of the plans I have. Plans are good yes. But I am trying to remind myself that no plans are ok too. Having no plans means I can do nothing. Doing nothing is good too. There will be hopefully different people to watch, different places to photograph and a grand adventure I will remember for the rest of my life. Every day is an adventure, or at least it can be. This Summer I will finish learning to drive, travel (hopefully) to a new continent, mind the cutest of babies and drink lots of cold drinks on warm days (double hopefully). There will be barbeques, road-trips, drinks parties, dog walking, barefoot in the grass, candles and lots of love. I can’t wait to camp again, to lie under the stars and realise all over again how small I really am.

Most of all I am looking forward to walking and talking with those two up there. There’s not much sweeter than that.

today! today!

Happy Birthday to my most favourite boy in the whole wide world. You are the BEST!
I hope 21 is a great year. I love you, xoxo

It’s raining. A lot. Eoin, Lily and I are cooped up inside playing a ridiculously addictive game and listening to music. Lily is dream barking in her sleep, much to our amusement.
I have mixed feelings for the rain. Sometimes it’s lovely to be cosied up inside when the weather is bad but other times it’s more of a chore, the house feels too small and too full…usually in this case a desperation for fresh air pushes me out with the dog and my raincoat. I don’t know where I stand yet today. How do you feel about rainy days?

photos of R & L from sunnier times. x

Killiney Hill

Last weekend, well actually last last weekend, the weather was lovely. Richard & I walked over 10 kilometers just because it was far too nice to be inside. Lily did not complain—as you can imagine! 

We (ahem, I) couldn’t help ourselves and had a bit of a mufasa moment with Ellie up Killiney Hill…mainly because she wouldn’t stay still for the camera.

Photo by R.