Hey there everyone! Wow, you’d barely know you were in Ireland today – it’s so warm and sunny outside! So I thought it might be the perfect day to catch up with the rest of Explorer Beastie’s springtime wanderings, after our slight digression last week.
Oh, and if you missed part one, you’ll find that here. We’ll kick back and relax while you get caught up.
Springtime in the Irish countryside is a very colourful time. The fields are full of blue…
… And white…
… And yellow!
Those gorgeous golden gorse flowers are always a treat. Take a good big sniff there, Explorer Beastie – being careful of those spines, of course!
“Mmmmm! It smells like… Coconut!”
He’s right, it really does. It makes a stroll in the countryside feel like a holiday in the tropics!
And the plants aren’t the only ones putting on a show in glorious technicolour.
“Look! It’s the first ladybird of the season!”
There were also plenty of butterflies to admire, but the ladybird was the only colourful critter who stayed put long enough to be photographed… Next time I’ll know to bring along my proper camera! But never mind, there’s still plenty of exploring to do.
Through the long grass and rushes, and up a staircase made of tree roots…
… To discover traces left behind by other visitors.
What’s this?
“Someone’s stopped here for dinner recently! It looks like they ordered escargots…”
Oh yes! Flat rocks and broken snail shells are a sign that a bird (usually a song thrush) has been enjoying a springtime snack. The birds use the stone as an anvil to break open the shell and extract the snail from within.
Are we having snails for lunch too, then?
“No thanks! I’ll hold out for a sandwich when we get home.”
Fair enough. Oh look, dandelion clocks! Take a deep breath, and…
… BLOW!
So, what time is it?
“Huh?”
The number of seeds still clinging to the stem after you blow supposedly tells you what time it is. That’s why these seed heads are called clocks! One seed left means it’s one o’clock, two seeds, two o’clock… You get the idea.
“Oh, okay… One, two, three – LUNCHTIME!”
Ah, a Beastie after my own heart! Let’s turn our paws for home, then.
PS…
For anybody outside Ireland who couldn’t watch me on the telly last week, the nice people at Ireland AM sent me a video clip of my segment! I’ve popped it on the Beasties’ Facebook page, here, if you’d like to see it!
And we’ll be back next week with another new Beastie for you to meet… See you then!
What a lovely day for a walk with a Beastie 💜
Yes, we were super lucky with the weather that day! Thanks for coming along with us 😊
Escargots! 🤣🤣🤣 I have to say, EB’s new sweater makes him look very spiffy on his adventures.
But of course! We might have been out in the countryside, but EB is keeping it classy 🐌🐌🐌
He’s glad you liked his sweater, too… He always admired David and Tammie Beasties’ outfits 😉 Cheers for stopping in, Tammie!
They’ll be glad to know they’re fashion icons 😆
You’re a natural on TV. Great job.
Oh wow, thank you! I really enjoyed it… But then I could happily talk about knitting for hours 😂 Thanks for watching 😁
Magical. Thanks for this Springtime tour, Helen. The colours are splendid — I like those blues, whites, and yellows in the gardens. Is it a coincidence that EB matches his surroundings so well? 🙂
Hahaha! I’m going to go ahead and pretend that the colour coordination you noticed was entirely intentional 😂 Blue, white and yellow does seem to be a theme in late spring, right enough – then purple takes over as the temperatures (hopefully 🤞) start to rise! Thanks for joining us, Shirley 😊
Cute trip out with Beastie. Are those tiny blue flowers Speedwell? Just asking as I have something similar in my garden here in England – and oddly enough asked a planty friend this morning if she knew what they were. I love a garden but don’t have much clue what things are – very good at weeds!
They could well be… I had a look in the nature guide when we got back home and speedwell was one of the most likely-looking candidates. I have to confess that I thought they were forget-me-nots at first, just because they were blue 😂 I’m also glad to hear that I’m not the only gardener whose main talent is growing weeds! Cheers for joining us on our countryside wander 😊
Ha ha – ditto to have meet another weed grower!
OOh and love your bit on tv – fantastic – do you think the chap will take up knitting on a regular basis? I am not so sure but it was delightful when he knit his first stitch and said ‘I got it, and the next stitch you just go in through the bunny hole again’ .
Heehee! I really hope so… And it just goes to show that the bunny hole rhyme is the best teaching tool there is! I know I’ve never forgotten it and it’s a loooong time since I first heard it 😂
Oh oh oh – the image with the staircase made of tree roots – brilliant! I am going to visit Ireland just to find that spot and get my tierneycreates Beastie her own photo!
Heehee! I’m now imagining this quiet cow path between two fields becoming a busy tourist hotspot thronged with Beasties toting cameras and selfie sticks 😂 If you need a guide to help you find it (and believe me, you will 😅) Explorer Beastie and I are at your service!