The Fourth Month
Sorry this post is a touch delayed; the last few weeks have been much busier than usual at work. The photos are from the correct day, it has just taken me a while to get this posted! Enjoy!
Mama Panda and Little Panda going out for a walk, both sporting sunglasses! He wasn't so sure.
This past month with the Little Panda has been full of excitement and new experiences. We have had a few different sets of visitors to our home (which is always fun, if a bit cozy), we have gone on several day trips and picnics, and the Little Panda is growing each and every day - learning new things and developing new skills.
One of the big things we have done this month is visit several different parks and gardens. Northern Ireland is beautiful all year round, but the gardens are at their most wonderful during the summer months. Almost every major town has at least one walled or formal garden, and even little villages like Groomsport pull out all the stops to make the place beautiful. In the past month hanging baskets have appeared on the lamp-posts, planters have sprung up next to the benches, and a "community herb garden" has moved in across the street in a raised planter. We have not only been enjoying the beauty in our own village, but we have gone to several different gardens around the area to enjoy the season. The Little Panda enjoys this trips quite a bit; so much so that he almost always falls asleep within a few minutes of us starting our walk!
In addition to our visits to gardens, we also took a day trip to Loch Erne, an area in the far southwest of Northern Ireland, just a few miles from the border with the Republic. It is a less populated, and slightly more rugged, area than where we live and very much off the tourist path. So, we packed a picnic lunch and headed off to explore this inland shoreline.
Our "big" stop of the day was at Florence Court, a hunting-lodge turned manor-home situated on several hundred acres, complete with miles of walking trails, walled gardens, and a beautiful estate tour. It was a really enjoyable visit; unfortunately, there is a prohibition on photography inside as many of the items are privately owned. You can get a glimpse of what it is like on the National Trust site, linked above.
Tully Castle - photo processed using Prisma on my iPhone.
Before that stop, however, we had our picnic on the grounds of Tully Castle. I expected to see the ruins of a castle, enjoy a little lunch, and be on our way. While we did those things, I also learned a story that has stuck in my mind ever since. Tully Castle was built in the 1600s by a Scottish Lord loyal to the crown, with the purpose of protecting his family and the small settlement of 27 farming families in the valley. Less than 30 years after its completion, while the garrison was defending another village, a band of rebels laid siege to Tully Castle. The farmers took shelter in the castle, but without defending soldiers, they didn't last long. The wife of the Lord was left to surrender to the rebels, who let her and her family go, but murdered all the farming families - almost 100 people, mostly women and children - and burned the castle and village. The castle was never rebuilt, and the location of the village is lost. For some reason, this story is quite impactful for me - maybe because it is a reminder that hatred and violence are not unique to our time, no matter how bleak things may often seem. But enough on that!
On to the real reason you are probably reading this post: new photos of the Little Panda! This month has seen him continuing to get bigger and develop new skills. He is getting close to being able to sit up all on his own, he is showing an increased interest in objects and is starting to really enjoy play-time, and his "conversations" with us are growing longer and more involved every day. One of the best things, in my book, is his smile. It is simply wonderful! Below are some of the photos from his 4-month celebration; enjoy!
Thanks for visiting! The Little Panda can't wait to meet you all soon.