Michael takes great pride in growing his potatoes and insists Roosters are the variety of choice. Best flavour, best colour, best skin, best all-rounder in the kitchen; so he says anyway!
Thinking back to our little potato harvest in mid-September; the sun was shining, the weather was warm, threatening rain, but still blissful.
Thinking back to our little potato harvest in mid-September; the sun was shining, the weather was warm, threatening rain, but still blissful. \ Hannah Bolger
We borrowed the neighbour’s tractor and potato harvester, perfect for the job, squeezing nicely between the potato drills. The neighbours came round to help, as per normal.
It almost felt like pre-COVID times, a little breath of fresh air with COVID almost slipping to the back of our minds.
Temple St
Almost, but not quite. Katy and I had a date in Temple St Hospital, just a routine thing, but my head was fried with thoughts of heading into the big smoke with all the drama of finding secure parking and the stress of going into a hospital, surely a dangerous move in the current climate.
So I deferred the appointment, twice. Finally I bit the bullet, and then Level 4 COVID restrictions were announced for Dublin.
I ploughed on anyway, thinking positively. Surely parking would be found easily and aren’t hospitals experts at managing hand hygiene and cough etiquette?!
Navigation
If Wicklow has my heart, Dublin has my soul. I love the old city, the old streets and Georgian buildings. Typically, my phone refused to co-operate and the maps app lay down and died somewhere along the N11.
So I did the proper country girl thing and followed my nose, sniffing and guessing my way round the Liffey bridges and negotiating challenging one-way systems.
Arriving only slightly late and with only slightly elevated stress levels and certainly a lighter wallet (janey mac, the cost of parking!) I donned my mask, sanitised our hands and scurried up to Temple St.
As to be expected, the COVID checks were in place on entry. Then we waited only long enough for our bums to hit the seat before being called in. Instructed to do our thing and hit the road home, efficiency at its best!
I was mightily relieved to leave the quiet streets of dear old dirty Dublin behind and return to breathe in the fresh air of Wicklow.
Hedge cutting
This year is the first in a long while that Michael hasn’t cut the hedges himself, instead the job was contracted out.
Us girls were given due warning that the blackberries would be gone. Blackberry jam is a favourite round here and our busy schedule made space for a hedge onslaught, as we filled our beach buckets and lunch boxes to the brim.
Laughing and shrieking, hands scratched and stung, all worthwhile, as we got the biggest and juiciest berries.
Bringing our plunder straight in to the cooker, we made jars and jars of jam. Whipping up cream, we lathered it all on thick to freshly made scones and delighted in our treasure!
Now everyone is at COVID Level 5, aren’t we lucky to have home where the heart is!
Read more
Bolger blogs: ever tried, ever failed……?
Bolger Blogs: horse tales at Waterfall Farm
Michael takes great pride in growing his potatoes and insists Roosters are the variety of choice. Best flavour, best colour, best skin, best all-rounder in the kitchen; so he says anyway!
Thinking back to our little potato harvest in mid-September; the sun was shining, the weather was warm, threatening rain, but still blissful.
Thinking back to our little potato harvest in mid-September; the sun was shining, the weather was warm, threatening rain, but still blissful. \ Hannah Bolger
We borrowed the neighbour’s tractor and potato harvester, perfect for the job, squeezing nicely between the potato drills. The neighbours came round to help, as per normal.
It almost felt like pre-COVID times, a little breath of fresh air with COVID almost slipping to the back of our minds.
Temple St
Almost, but not quite. Katy and I had a date in Temple St Hospital, just a routine thing, but my head was fried with thoughts of heading into the big smoke with all the drama of finding secure parking and the stress of going into a hospital, surely a dangerous move in the current climate.
So I deferred the appointment, twice. Finally I bit the bullet, and then Level 4 COVID restrictions were announced for Dublin.
I ploughed on anyway, thinking positively. Surely parking would be found easily and aren’t hospitals experts at managing hand hygiene and cough etiquette?!
Navigation
If Wicklow has my heart, Dublin has my soul. I love the old city, the old streets and Georgian buildings. Typically, my phone refused to co-operate and the maps app lay down and died somewhere along the N11.
So I did the proper country girl thing and followed my nose, sniffing and guessing my way round the Liffey bridges and negotiating challenging one-way systems.
Arriving only slightly late and with only slightly elevated stress levels and certainly a lighter wallet (janey mac, the cost of parking!) I donned my mask, sanitised our hands and scurried up to Temple St.
As to be expected, the COVID checks were in place on entry. Then we waited only long enough for our bums to hit the seat before being called in. Instructed to do our thing and hit the road home, efficiency at its best!
I was mightily relieved to leave the quiet streets of dear old dirty Dublin behind and return to breathe in the fresh air of Wicklow.
Hedge cutting
This year is the first in a long while that Michael hasn’t cut the hedges himself, instead the job was contracted out.
Us girls were given due warning that the blackberries would be gone. Blackberry jam is a favourite round here and our busy schedule made space for a hedge onslaught, as we filled our beach buckets and lunch boxes to the brim.
Laughing and shrieking, hands scratched and stung, all worthwhile, as we got the biggest and juiciest berries.
Bringing our plunder straight in to the cooker, we made jars and jars of jam. Whipping up cream, we lathered it all on thick to freshly made scones and delighted in our treasure!
Now everyone is at COVID Level 5, aren’t we lucky to have home where the heart is!
Read more
Bolger blogs: ever tried, ever failed……?
Bolger Blogs: horse tales at Waterfall Farm
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