(Thanks to Shawn Santa Lucia for the picture)

To follow up just a bit with the previous  entry where I was caught out as an undercover  CIA Agent in Ireland…. (you got to laugh eh…)  Yes cleverly disguised as drama teacher and part time ukulele player….(is there nothing sacred!!)

I later went to a play rehearsal for a show I’m directing. Just to bring you up to speed if you aren’t living in Ireland and reading this…. Every parish in every town land throughout the country has a GAA club ( Gaelic Athletic Association)

The GAA plays Irish football and hurling which is like lacrosse  but without the net on the end of the stick. Everyone plays in the GAA in the summer and autumn but in the winter and spring they do something else ( its spring now in Ireland in case you didn’t know !)

They have these indoor games called Scor. ( The name is actually longer and its in Irish and I can’t spell it nor pronounce, so this will have to do.)

It’s a huge country-wide, predominately rural, variety show. People join forces and become a ballad group or a  set dance company or recite poems or sing songs or put on very short comic  plays ( with no swearing or drinking involved)

Soooo… the next parish over from me is Kiltuburt and this is the second year that we have worked together mounting a new play written just for them. And we have our performance on March 6th in Drumreilly Parish. ( wish us luck)

When I told the group the rumour about me being a CIA agent, one bright spark in group pipes up and says ” You’re not CIA-  you’re ICA”

Translation: ICA ( Irish Country Woman Association) Pre- feminist but truly rural feminist organization that looked after the interest of woman- beginning at the turn of the century. They encouraged women to do things like…keep up traditional crafts, cookery skills and other stuff like  insist that if a man wanted to marry a girl, he had better make sure there was water and electricity in the house!  Now that was a big deal. The Electrification of Ireland is still talked about…It happened in the late 50′s early 60′s. Same with water pipes,baths and toilets,washing machines dryers (I know only handful of people who even today use a dryer and for the most part its a family that would get one. And you know, its not so bad. The dryer uses a lot of electricity and they are the cause of most home fires…. though secretly I  miss fluffy towels)

I remember when we were children and we would return to Ireland to visit our grandparents and  one year my mother bought my Nan a fridge. And two years later ( early 70′s) we visited and discovered how much my granny loved the fridge- its keep things cool, kept the rats out and we discovered the fridge outside beside the old cold box.  She hadn’t realized that you could plug this in…we laughed , we cried,,, we lugged the fridge inside. Oh yeah….. ICA not CIA..

thanks for clinking in…

always

eileen

On Friday night while  sitting in the front bar of Berry’s tavern waiting for a drink and the Writers’ Reading Night to begin, a woman I know fairly well turned to  me and said, “Eileen, I heard a rumor about you the other day.”

“Oh no..” thought I, fearing the worst.

She continued.

” I was out with other night with G. at Cryann’s, just having a few pints and he went up to the bar to collect them. While he was there some man came over to him and said, “You’re from Drumshanbo aren’t you?

“Yeah.”  G replied.

“You know Eileen O’Toole, don’t you?”

“Sure, ”  He says,” plays the ukulele, I know her.”

“ Well did you know,” and the guy leans in, ” That’s she’s a CIA agent!!”

( I love this country)

The question is … does she know that she’s a CIA agent… or maybe the question is ,when did they start paying the agents so little?

CIA?? CIA???  ……I’d rather be Scotland Yard…… gottcha !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Over the past weekend I had the pleasure of attending a ceremony welcoming spring. On the 1st of February here in Ireland its Imbolc or St Brigit’s Day. It’s one of the four great festivals that are gateways into the seasons of the turning of the year. Its the time when the ewes have their first milk as the new lambs are born. And although ( as my new Italian /Celtic friend Kitita remarked) it’s sub zero degrees out there, the birds have a kind of sparkling lilt to their song. Someone at the Sunday session said they heard the cuckoo. Why even the wee daffodil have shoots up and look around for a bit of heat.

A large thanks to Shaman Simone for inviting me to the Festival of Isis. It was a long trip to Wexford but well worth the drive!

The place was a tiny villlage called Clonegal, just north of Bunclody and south of Baltinglass . The owner of the castle is a 92 years old woman named Olivia. She has long brown hair, a hint of grey on the top of her head and as she says, her own teeth.

Bygod , she whipped around that castle like nobody’s business.

she’s brilliant.

Here’s a few pictures including a couple I took in the temple. And a few more shots of the art in the garden… well why wouldn’t ye…

And the reason I traveled all the way to this festival was because the image of the Egyptian Goddess Maat was around me all week long and I didn’t understand why… not being much into the Egyptians deities… it was an odd thing to constantly be seeing this winged woman. It was my birthday on Sunday so earlier in the week I asked Shaman Simone to work with as I am entering the last year of my 40′s ( Yahoooo- 100 is NOT old enough!)) Anyway she told me she was going to the Fellowship of Isis and why not come along… Thank you Simome

.. good clean fun!

Right so…… Must fly to work myself- I’m back teaching drama to 22 of the most beautiful people in Glenamaddy Co. Galway at a Special Needs Centre.

Thanks for clinkin’ in.

Take care of yourself

xx

always eileen

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I hear  that J.D.Salinger has died.

My o’ my. If anyone deserves blankets of roses and soft heather to lie on it’s that writer.

Thank you Sir…..thank you thank you Sir….. your stories saved my life on more than one occision and through your eyes I saw my own heart beating wilding in the concrete jungle… blazing in the desert of the shopping malls …..freezing  in the hot ice of the tanning beds that I passed by………….’ myO myO my..

There’s a family I adored amidst it’s fragility and injury.

It’s The Glass Family.

Of course…

Three Cheers for all of them.

(and to quote my blessed Irish mother.)

” Light of Heaven to you Mr S.”

always,

eileen

thank you for clicking on

Masterpieces……….Winging it’s way on my wall

Its nearly the end of the January- the end of the the first month of the new year.

I hope that you’re finding the year to be promising in whatever way and shape your life has taken.

I’m doing fine thanks for asking. I’ve found a path into the workings of this big story that I’ve been messing with all last year. Suddenly I can see the whole thing laid out before me and its brilliant.  The writing is going well!

Its a courageous time for all of us, isn’t it.  It feels that way anyway. It feels like we’re all reaching from the depth of our hearts to  move through each day cleanly , honestly, with tremendous love and humility and integrity.

Everyone I see shares this same look about them. There’s a pattern in the way we’re communicating, we’re being so much more kinder and gentler with each other and with ourselves.  Its as if we’re constantly aware that we’re stepping into new territory and so we need each other more than ever. Here in Ireland the weather is doing great things for our community spirit. The cold is unusual and everyone shares the surprises and the cautionary tales. We’re looking out for each , more than we have been. Its comforting.

There’s a part of me thats grappling with what purpose this blog serves. I can honestly say that I know of only one person that reads this ( thanks Toni ! ) Its enough .

There is a saying here that I’ve only heard in Ireland  - “Its a waste of space’.

I had a lover, for a very short time, who used that phrase to describe himself – “I’m a waste of space”.

It was such a harsh sentence to hear, I had to quit him.

But the line popped up in my head while thinking about what purpose this blog serves.

Is it a proverbial -”waste of space”. Or does that come into play as  space is infinite by its nature. There is no waste.

What really matters is what do I get out of writing this blog?

You know what its like for me?- Its like talking to an invisible spectator. . Like the theatrical term “an aside”.  Someone over my shoulder.

I’ve been considering the possibility that there might be more to this effort and seeking the help of a professional blogger. Sounds funny somehow. But seriously , you can do that, if you had a product and gosh it makes perfect sense. But there in lies the rub- whats my product? whats my by-line?  Is it simply to allow  self expression without hangups? Can you justify writing for the cyber world for the sake of writing? Ach… I dunno what I’m on about.

Its 7:39 am. Time to wake up.

A week ago we were covered in snow.

The sun shone bright and dramatic

Hope all is well in your home and yer heart.

Thanks of clinking in.

Take it handy,

always

eileen

Well we made it ! After a year -a long year of

velvet loses and rugged gains

we are now in the next year of Transition……

.

This is how I look at it……blessed be the giving and blessed be those who accept the gift.

“ a gift isn’t a gift until you give it away. Put a bow on it.”

white hot truth

…BECAUSE SELF REALIZATION ROCKS.

with Danielle LaPorte

http://whitehottruth.com/about/

How about  that ….. a new blogging hero, are we surprised? I think not.

Ahhhh its all a flat ice rink to me right now… I love it but I can’t wait till the slush. And here in the north west of Ireland we are having a Canandian winter. Its nuts and lovely . No one knows how to drive in this weather so the entire country is shut down ( greaaaat) and the night sky is dazzling with ice stars. Most beautiful.  But I can’t attend my Outdoor Hillwalking and Kayaking course ( yehhh) and so I have plenty o’time to get all the writing done I desire.

……I’m working at it … I’m working at it….

hope yr working too!

Happy time to us all .  Toni J. and Rebbecca N. thanks you for your kind thoughts regarding bloggin heros and friends  You shine !!

And welcome to new clicker-oners’  one and all….cheers.

Hey three wishes still holds true ( read below to find out more)

all the best

thanks for clicking in

always eileen

( lets see if I can upload picture… no promises   xx)

Dublin eh… crazy place….what a world

It’s yours, It’s mine . It’s theirs . It’s ours …

We’re guests…………After you……….No, no…. you’re too kind….Thank you

Derek Sivers

This first chap  talks to you about how to make your music more accessible to the world forfilling your heart desires. He should know- he started CD Baby . If you don’t know about him, he’s well worth reading about.Great stories, terrific failures and lovely morals. My particular favorite this year was the blog titled “HELL YES” It was all about tackling an idea with absolute enthusiasm. I had to agree with him. If something doesn’t make me want to say “Hell Yes. I’ll do that” -then frankly my dear, I don’t.

http://sivers.org/

Priya Kale

In her blog The Cosmic Diaries this woman writes like a sage. She has a most elegant way of explaining astrology and you feel that she’s speaking to her self as well as to every other sign. She embodies hope. And for that I adore her blogs, because we all need a little hope. We all need a little Priya in our lives.

http://www.priyakale.com

Slade Roberson

Slade writes a blog called Shift Your Spirit. Its very hands on, practical and sympathetic advice. It promotes changing your thoughts for the greater good of your world and the universe. Its funny and its endearing and again, like all of my personal choices Slade is encouraging. He releases a weekly blog on Sunday’s and I often don’t feel right until I see it new in my inbox.

http://sladeroberson.com

Rebecca Nella

Rebecca’s blog Sally gardens Smallholding-Living as Sustainability as Sanity Allows in Rural Ireland just works so well for me. Its smart, its full interesting notes and ideas and things to consider and down to earth reasons for growing your own- like the fact that times are tough and she and partner Dan would rather be playing tunes than wearing a suit. And because she lives about 20 minutes from me makes this blog  all the more immediate. Check out her recipe for honey mead.Yum Yum

http://www.sallygardens.typepad.com/

Toni Josephson

Now Toni Josephson is more than another pretty face living in New York. She is wonderful photographer and video film maker and she and her husband Lawrence have a most brilliant site on martial arts  Tan Dao. com. Over the years Toni and I have become cyber pals. I like to think that we learn from each and we share a laugh and tell secrets, things that true friends can do.Toni writes from a core of being that penetrate Eastern thoughts and Western reality. All her work is like a poem.

http://www.tandao.com

A very warm,fragrant and heartfelt cyber embrace I to you. Thank you for daring and bravery and honesty in presenting yourself. You are so beautifully human. I’m proud to click on.

xx always

eileen

THREE WISHES …..go on !