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| Here comes the sun - 1 January 2021 |
The dawn of the first day of 2021 was tinted with a rosy glow and full of promise. The weather was benign with a chill -- but no ferocity. We'd had a week of awful rain and wind, so this respite was welcome.
Our Christmas had been a rather quiet affair, with only Alex's mother here with us. Christmas Eve we'd had a leg of lamb from the farmer who rents our islands. It was delicious. Lots of presents from family and neighbours but no visits. Christmas Day I cooked my half-price turkey which I had soaked in brine for several hours. It was the best turkey ever. I am now a complete convert to brining.
We'd seen our nephew Cormac before Christmas and again with his girlfriend Louise on Stephen's Day outside at Ross House where they'd been helping his grandmother with some gardening chores. Such a nice young man and woman. No one can now go inside her house as she is very vulnerable.
Alex and I had gone walking on the Greenway in Mulranny in a bitter cold gale that day. We thought it would be protected but it wasn't.
Little did we know that on the morning of January 2 we'd be hearing that several friends had tested positive for Covid-19. I knew of four cases among acquaintances in England but these are the first known to me personally in Ireland. The pandemic has exploded with all the gatherings for the holidays. God help us in the days to come. It was certainly the strangest year of our lives.
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| Over the horizon shortly after 9 am Jan 1 |
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| Mid-day on the 30th Jan |
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| Snow-capped Holy Mountain on New Year's Eve, Jan 31 | | | | |
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| All the rest are from Jan 2 at the top of our land |
