Making Peace with the Wind

The first day of April commenced with another amazing hike. My new British friend, Will, invited me to hike to the lighthouse on the end of the Sheep's Head Peninsula. We drove on the narrow, rugged road from Ahakista all the way to the end, parked, and began our afternoon adventure. As usual, we hiked past sheep and through the mud, and ventured off the path. He took me to a spot where we lied down on the rocks and overlooked the massive cliffs plunging into the rough sea below. It was breathtaking. Then we continued on our journey to the lighthouse for 360 degree views of the ocean, mountains, and nearby peninsulas. It feels so good to be back surrounded by the ocean again. This part of Ireland reminds me of Hawaii with its intense and wild beauty. Finally we ended the afternoon hike with scones from the little cafe on the top of the hill. My first interaction with the wind again started here, with my scone crumbs blowing off onto Will, constantly, until he pretty much was covered by them. We had to laugh. Oh the wind...some of you may know how living in Hawaii I had grown to resent the wind. Well, she's back again.

Friday and Saturday I worked the cafe again for the holiday weekend. We had a decent amount of customers (repeats too!) and of course supplied some delicious vegetarian cuisine. The weekend dessert consisted of our normal yummies as well as orange cardamom sugar cookies and banana walnut raisin cake that I baked. On special for the entree was a chickpea, apricot, and saffron tagine served with wholegrain couscous. And the soup du jour... creamy nettle and potato with the nettles coming straight from the garden. How I love being surrounded by delicious, vegetarian food. Good Friday we had another dinner party, this time Italian themed complete with homemade Tiramisu. Heaven! I ate enough to put back all the calories I lost from the past 2 days of hiking, and it was well worth it! Saturday night I went out with another new friend to a nearby town to check out the local music festival. It consisted of crawling back and forth between two pubs, but we missed all the good music. Oh well...still enjoyed my Guinness, ran into some people I knew, talked story with new people, and did a lot of laughing.

Sunday Will and I drove to the peninsula south of the one I am on, called the Mizen Head. We first stopped at a secluded beach that was simply gorgeous. It looked like we were in the Caribbean, but with jackets and wool hats on. The water was really shallow and sandy so the color was of turquoise and teal. Even though I was cold, the water was seducing me with its beauty, enticing me to jump in...ok had to snap out of it, because I probably would get hypothermia. Next stop was another beautiful beach named Barley Cove. This beach reminded me of Martha's Vineyard with its dunes, shoots of straw like grasses coming out, and a wide, open, long shoreline. Pondered over the signs that read "no tunneling in the dunes," took a few photos, bounced like a 6 yr old on the floating raft that's a walking path to get across the water when the tide is high, and then took off for the next destination...Three Castle Head. Upon arriving, we walked down towards the rough, dynamic sea so Will could take some shots of the waves crashing on the rocks. I just stared off into the distance in a sort of standing meditation thinking about how grateful I was to be in that spot at that moment. Next, we walked upon private property, passing by a couple of horses, the farmhouse, and of course more sheep. I had to get a photo standing in the field of sheep. We made baa sounds to greet them, and continued on the hike up, down, and up again to see in the distance the remains of an old castle...Three Castle Head. This old castle still had three towers in tact as well as most of the walls connecting the tower and it sat in a valley next to a quiet lake. To get to the castle we had to pass through a section where the wind was blowing madly and super strong, but we made it through and then explored the castle remains. Then we continued hiking up again to the peak of the peninsula for, yet again, 360 degree views. From here we could see the Sheep's Head peninsula where we hiked a few days ago and it was also here that the wind was showing her strength again. Will sat down by a rock pile to get a break from her massive strength, while I stood there with my arms out to the side, head tilted back, and feet firmly planted on the ground. She's testing me, I thought, and I just let her strength envelope me. It felt great.

The next day I woke up and could see a giant, black ominous cloud looming overhead, as well as the trees blowing madly around and I thought...what terrible weather...I think I am going to go for a walk. Now, the old me would have looked at these nasty weather signs and said "there is no way I am going out in that!", but the new me said "why not!". So I bundled up and headed out. I made it down the hill ok, but as soon as I reached the sea the wind was ready to do her thing again. I crossed the road, stood on the rocks, and said "ok, give me your best shot!" She powered up and just about blew me over, like she was saying "ok, but can you take it." As I stumbled to hold my ground, I smiled and replied to her "yes, with total grace and humility." She blasted me again, but this time I breathed her life in, laughed and kept walking with renewed strength and vitality. Instead of resenting what is, I embraced it with my whole being. Maybe that was what she was trying to teach me all along. Too bad it took me this long to figure it out.