Markree Castle

Our vacation is almost done.  I'm torn between feeling sad that Ruairi and I will be going different directions soon, and homesickness, especially for my friends, the animals and my garden.

We're in the castle sitting room right now.  The castle is beautiful and smoky and lush and drafty, as castles are wont to be.  We were very early, so our rooms weren't ready when we came in.  They gave us coffee and water on a tray and offered tea and scones.  Portraits with gilded frames hang on the wall.  One has a lady in a mink cape with a large ring on her right hand, which is held to her breast.  Green marble columns (from Connemara?) support a wedding cake ceiling.  The walkways near the main stairwell slant toward the rail side, bent from ages of supporting people moving about the castle.  The walkway closer to our rooms is level, but I can feel loose boards through the rugs.  Some rooms have famous names on the doors.  A French employee serves as a butler, though he handles much more than wine.  He also lights and maintains the many fireplaces, and brought us drinks in the late evening.

Wind gusts harass the trees.  We took a walk in the gardens, down to the chilly, clear river, through wooded areas on well-kept paths.  An archery target set up makes me want to set up my own archery range as soon as we get home.  Here, it's soggy and a walk in the woods in my last pair of shoes (the others are muddy--one got sucked off my foot in deep mud at one point) would be unwise.  I don't think they'll let me run around the airports in my stocking feet.  Otherwise I might have been more tempted to ask that they call the archery instructors to take me around on a shooting walk.  The receptionist said they have bear and deer shaped targets in the woods.

We had a fine dinner and I just finished a hot port (aka mulled wine.)  Feeling very relaxed and sleepy.  I got some writing done on a novel.  Not much else to say except that it's been a beautiful day, both the sunny part and the storm.  One more overnight to go after tonight, and then I'll be flying home.