Ireland was officially neutral during the Second World War and the Irish government referred to the war as "the emergency". But part of the island of Ireland was at war and physically we are very close to the UK, so there was always a risk that German pilots could get confused about which country they were over. And so the Irish government set up the coastal watch to … [Read more...] about A Quirky Bit of Irish History
Excellent Impressions While Singing
I'll admit that I do watch America's Got Talent and the other shows from time to time. Some of the acts are really good and there are worse ways to while away an evening. A recent audition that caught my attention was this one from New Yorker Merissa Beddows. You can see Simon cringing when she tells them that she's an opera singer, but then goes on to impress the judges, … [Read more...] about Excellent Impressions While Singing
A Glut of Cucumbers
So far this year my greenhouse is going fairly well. I've got two raised beds down one side of it which hold tomato plants, some strawberries and my cucumber plant. The tomato plants are relatively well supported this year and though I did let them get out of control I've hopefully been able to tame them in time. I'll know for sure if and when they start producing any … [Read more...] about A Glut of Cucumbers
Growing my own Salad Ingredients
Last year I planted a few lettuce quite late in the season and managed to get a bit off them, but they never really looked that healthy or happy. This year, however I setup one of the raised beds with a couple of different types of lettuce. I try to eat a salad of some kind for lunch most days during the working week, so being able to grow my own salad ingredients is a huge … [Read more...] about Growing my own Salad Ingredients
Matthew McConaughey on Uvalde Massacre
Matthew McConaughey is from Uvalde, Texas. He and his wife spent time there after the horrific massacre at the school which left 19 children and 2 of their teachers dead. What's also interesting, and a little different, is that McConaughey is not anti-gun or against the US 2nd Amendment. In fact he's a very vocal defender of it, as is pretty clear from his very powerful piece … [Read more...] about Matthew McConaughey on Uvalde Massacre