A flurry of butterflies awaits us, as we prepare to make the most of a rare blue sky.  The weather has been stubbornly grey recently, so here is a chance to show my little girl that life can have a shine all of its own.

Out comes the buggy, the sun cream and the sun hats.  We stop to look at cattle, strung out on the land, in various shades: marmalade, black and white spotted, pure ebony.  The heat has made the animals lazy and they lie in clusters, with only a stray ‘moo’ to break the bright silence.

The road ahead is hot and steep, but we continue defiantly, until we can see Curraghmore House, peeping from a frame of faraway greenery.  The house is an historic building, an estate and the seat of the Marquess of Waterford.  The sight of it has great impact against the sweeping countryside.

Mountains also form an impressive part of the landscape around here.  In summer, they are soft, with gold and lavender.  I let my eyes linger on them, hold my daughter up to see the view.

I’m aware of a need to preserve these images, as this will be our last summer at our current location.  This autumn, we will move to a new house with new surroundings.  We won’t be moving a great distance, but still, we will feel the change.

As we turn for home, white feathers float above our heads.  I wonder where they came from, as there are no birds in sight.  We follow their drift with our eyes until they settle on the road.  We move on.

Photo credit: jillyspoon / Foter / CC BY-ND