Pile of rocks

Finally with some fabulous weather we decided to have a day off and have a day out. We have both been working very hard and weeks seem to be mingling into each other without us even noticing. We are so behind with all our own jobs and the endless things to be done around Cloghermore, that one more day away will not make any difference.
After checking all the animals have plenty of water we load the dogs into the car, pack the camera's and picnic and off we go. Diz has wanted to head over to 'the Burren' in Co Clare for a couple of years which have the most amazing limestone pavements, ruined castles and rugged coastline, but in particular a 'pile of rocks' that he has wanted to photograph for some time.

First stop, a small village by the sea, time for lunch and a stretch. Poor Jes has started to get car sick so Diz cleared up the back while I take them for a walk. Unfortunately the tide is out so we can't paddle in the sea but there is plenty for them to sniff and loads of people about for a fuss.

Then onto the pile of rocks and the limestone pavements. This particular pile of rocks is the 'Poulnabrone' Dolman, which means 'Hole of Sorrows'. It's a portal tomb dating from neolithic times and is a particular good example, especially because of the limestone background. While Diz set up his camera the dogs and I had an explore and were amazed at the number of small unusual wild flowers to be found in the crevices of the pavement.   
There were plenty of tourists fleeting in and out, which provided some entertainment, especially when the women in red got into Diz's shot totally oblivious he was even there and wouldn't move because she was on the phone. He was patient, while muttering under his breath.
He was using inferred film so it will be interesting to see how they come out. This is one taken from our small digital camara.

We had such a lovely day and just while we were thinking how nice it would be to do again and soon, we returned home to find we had been visited by Mr Fox! It had taken one of the mother hens, Manc our black hen and fabulous mum and one of her seven chicks. We initially couldn't find Tuft, our white mother hen who had just hatched 10 chicks, but found some of her chicks running around desperately calling for her. I eventually found her in the barn looking terrified and returned her to her chicks only to find she had lost four of her babies. We lost one of our new Barnevelda hens and thought a couple of the adults had gone as well as there were several piles of brown feathers, but they were all there. On closer inspection one of them was missing a lot of tail feathers!! Aaaahhhhh, well my language was a lot stronger than that! 

So we are now on Fox watch as it is bound to return for it's free meal, but we will hopefully be waiting.

Take care

Stell n Diz

xx