5 Ways To Save Big For Travel Abroad

I've always wanted to travel and see more of this big, beautiful world, but for many years traveling outside the United States seemed like just a dream, something other folks did but I would never be able to afford.   After I retired, Wanderlust really set in. The one place I had always wanted to visit more than any place else was Italy. With more free time on my hands, I started researching … [Read more...]




Tour the Museum of Style Icons in Ireland, Part II

On Monday we began a tour through the Museum of Style Icons, a museum owned by Newbridge Silverware in Newbridge, Co. Kildare. It was a wonderful, unexpected highlight during my trip to Ireland last year. In that previous post, I shared this pretty cocktail dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in the movie, Breakfast at Tiffany's.   That dress was displayed near several other dresses worn previously … [Read more...]




A Visit to the Newbridge Museum of Style Icons

Welcome to the 498th Metamorphosis Monday! I've been away the past few days visiting family. As I was thinking about what I might share with you today, I remembered a fascinating stop we made during my trip across Ireland last year. I think it was on the same day we visited Blarney Castle. As we were heading back to our manor home for the night, we stopped for a little shopping excursion inside the … [Read more...]




Where I Find the Best Travel Deals & Some Amazing Deals Available Right Now

Recently I shared a post where I highlighted a few items I always take when I travel abroad. If you missed that post, you'll find it here: 5 Essentials for Traveling Internationally. I love the comments you leave on posts--always learn new things from you with each and every post. The interactions and discussions in the comments are wonderful, appreciate those so much. On that particular post linked … [Read more...]




My 5 Essentials for Traveling Internationally

It's that time of year when a lot of us are thinking more about vacation and travel. Recently, a friend and I scheduled a trip for fall. (Read more about that here: Pyramids, Mummies and Cruising the Nile.) When I travel, sometimes there's very little time to prepare if I've jumped on one of the "last-minute-travel-deals" that some travel companies offer, but in the case of the fall trip, there's plenty … [Read more...]




Inside Ballynahinch Castle: Take a Tour of this Romantic Irish Castle

I've been dying to take you inside Ballynahinch Castle ever since I returned from Ireland, but it has taken a while to get through all the photos I took. Pictures could never do this beautiful castle justice, but at least they will give you a little idea of how magical it feels to stay there. In this post I'm sharing a mix of photos, some taken by me and some from the Ballynahinch Castle website. Those … [Read more...]




Hiking the Grounds of Beautiful Ballynahinch Castle, Galway, Ireland

Ireland is a magical, beautiful place. I would love to go back again someday. The tour I took last summer was a "Castle" tour, so in addition to touring Ireland during the day, the nights were just as magical because they were spent sleeping in fairy tale castles and manor homes along the way. I loved all the homes and castles we stayed in, but my favorite of all was Ballynahinch Castle located in a … [Read more...]




A Special Delivery

This is turning into a busy week. My main desktop computer was rebuilt and got a brand new hard drive. I picked it up yesterday and it's wicked fast! So happy to have that done and to have my computer back! I'll be getting a quote this week on having part of my backyard fence rebuilt and the hall/basement staircase door is being replaced again on Friday. The deck cleaning, staining, and rail painting is … [Read more...]




A Tour of Lough Eske Castle, County Donegal, Ireland

Thanks so much for all your well-wishes over the last few days. I can't speak for all of Atlanta, but my immediate area seems to have fared quite well. Hurricane Irma was mostly a tropical storm when she arrived here, so though we got plenty of wind and rain and the lights flickered a few times, we never lost power. My biggest concern was that a tree would come down, but thankfully that did not … [Read more...]




Answering Your Questions & What I Brought Home From Ireland

It's 5:30 AM as I write this, I've been up since 3 AM. The previous two mornings, I awoke at 4 am. This pretty much happens every time I travel to Europe. I'm not sure when my body will get back on Georgia time, but for now I'm enjoying the peace and quiet you experience when you get up before the birds even open their eyes.   It's amazing all the stuff you can get done when you awaken at 4 … [Read more...]




Tour the Belleek Pottery Factory, Beautiful Pottery Still Hand-Crafted in Ireland

Welcome to the 466th Tablescape Thursday! While away in Ireland, I created a post sharing a few pics inside the Belleek Pottery Gift Shoppe located inside the Belleek Pottery Factory in County Fermanagh. If you missed that post, you'll find it here: Shopping in Belleek Pottery.   Today, I thought we would go back inside to tour the "factory." I put factory in quotes because it's not very … [Read more...]




How I Packed For Travel for Ireland in August

It feels so good to be back home! I got back in yesterday afternoon and after catching up on some email and doing a bit of unpacking, I was sound asleep by 8:30 PM. That was 1:30 AM, Ireland time and was as long as I could force myself to stay up. I awoke at 4:00 AM and spent the day unpacking, washing clothes and picking up/sorting mail/packages that were being held. I have some delicious books to share … [Read more...]




A Beautiful Bedroom in Ballynahinch Castle

Welcome to the 448th Metamorphosis Monday! It's very late as I type this, so again will keep the wording in this post brief. I'll be heading back home very soon and can't wait to share photos of the wonderful castles and manor homes we've stayed in during this trip across Ireland. In the meantime, for this week's Metamorphosis Monday I thought I'd share what has thus far, been my most favorite castle, … [Read more...]




Shopping in Belleek Pottery in Northern Ireland, A Dish-Lover’s Heaven!

Welcome to the 466th Tablescape Thursday! It's after midnight as I write this, so it's already Thursday here in Ireland. The days are wonderfully busy and full as we tour this beautiful country. It's everything that you said it would be in your comments on my previous posts about this scheduled trip. It's lush and green, and the people who live here are just as friendly as you described. I'm sure this … [Read more...]




Tour Historic Dunboyne Castle, A Beautiful Irish Castle

Welcome to the 447th Metamorphosis Monday! Good Morning! It's 7 AM here and I'm writing this on my second morning in Ireland. The first is a bit of a blur since I didn't sleep at all on the plane ride over. Rather than bore you with that, how about a tour of  the lovely castle where we stayed on our first night in Ireland. This is the older section of Dunboyne Castle. I'm not sure if they have actual … [Read more...]




A Peek Inside My “Personal Item”

Two weeks from now I'll be taking off for Ireland. (If you missed that post, you'll find it here: Luxury Travel to Ireland Without the Luxury Price.)   I purchased a Frye leather tote bag to use on this trip. When it arrived, I loved it so much, I purchased it in a second color called, Walnut. I love the contrast stitching on the "walnut" bag and the warm, rugged appearance of the "saddle" … [Read more...]




4 New Items I’ll Be Taking and Wearing When I Travel to Ireland

Can you believe it's already been a whole month since I first shared about the upcoming trip to Ireland for the Deluxe Irish Castles Tour. That trip is a just a month away now---hard to believe!   One of the fun things about travel is it gives you a good excuse to add a few new pieces to your wardrobe. Isn't that pretty much a requirement for any vacation! ;)   Ireland is known … [Read more...]




Luxury Travel to Ireland, Without the Luxury Price

Ever since I saw the movie, Waking Ned Divine, I've wanted to visit Ireland. Have you seen that movie? If you love comedies with endearing, quirky characters similar to those in Doc Martin, great scenery, beautiful Irish music and happy endings, you'll love it! It's one of my most favorite movies. After seeing Waking Ned Divine, Ireland immediately went on the bucket list. I spent much of this past … [Read more...]