Daisy Cottage Donegal

CAR HIRE ~ A WARNING

2009-12-21T20:34:00.062Z

I was horrified when I read this email from a reader of The Irish Times 'GO' travel supplement (Saturday 12th December 2009) and thought it would be good to warn travellers to Ireland to beware and to thoroughly check the car hire company's terms and conditions PRIOR to booking. And if you can't see anything about such a thing on their site, email or telephone and ask if this applies with their car hire company (I have added a suggested email at the end of this post which you may use).

Unfortuately I don't know which car hire company is charging this outrageous money because the reader doesn't mention them by name but even in the best of times it would be wrong but now, when Ireland is on it's knees and desperate for the tourist trade these people should be named and shamed!

The email:

"I hired a car a Dublin Airport a couple of weeks ago. Online. All very efficent and, I thought, very reasonable. The car was fine, the trip to collect if from the off-site depot was okay - although why the car-hire companies can't join up and save money by sending one bus every five minutes instead of one bus for each company every five minutes I can't imagine - but there is a new trick I'd like to warn unsuspecting travellers about.

Usually, one picks up a car with a full tank at the beginning of the hire, then hands it back full at the end. This leads to a bit of driving around at the airport, trying to find a petrol pump, but so be it. The new ploy is to make the hirer pay for a full tank (at an outrageous rate) at the beginning of the hire and hand the car back empty. Of course, I hadn't read this in the small print (it was there, unsurprisingly). The tankful cost €58.20. I needed only a quarter of a tank. Result: nearly €45 for the rental company - about the same as the cost of the hire. It was a salutary lesson in reading the small print carefully.".

My suggested email to car hire companies PRIOR to paying ANYTHING. I have asked a couple of extra questions here so as not to alert them to the real reason for the email.

Just copy and paste this email.
____________________

I need a car for (date from and to). I am familiar with the standard conditions of car hire but understand that certain companies have their own particular terms. I would just like confirmation of the following:

1. Is the daily/weekly charge calculated from the time of collection until the time of return and if the car is not returned within 24 hours/7 days do I pay an extra day's charge?

2. Will the car be full of fuel when I collect it?

3. Am I charged for fuel in advance or do I simply return it full of fuel?

4. If charged in advance, how is the cost calculated? Will the cost be the cost at the pumps?

5. Will I get credit for any fuel in the car when returned?

I await your reply.

____________________

The answer to questions 1 and 2 is probably obvious but if the answer to 3 is yes, you pay in advance, and the answer to 4 is more than the current pump rate, and the answer to 5 is no, then you obviously don't want to go with that company.

I'd be grateful that if any of you try this you email me the details at daisycottagedonegal@gmail.com .

The Irish Times link: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/travel/2009/1212/1224260542009.html

YET MORE FRUIT

2009-10-16T20:22:00.000+01:00

In Daisy Cottage I have now realised we also have damson trees. I had never really seen the fruit dark and had only seen them green, and not being a gardener, hadn't realised these hard green nuggets would turn into juicy damsons. That said, perhaps they never ripened before in our time in Daisy Cottage? My husband just googled the fruit and it seems that 2009 has been a major crop year for damsons.

If the garden in Daisy Cottage keeps cropping me delicious apples and now damsons, I can see I am going to have to become Mrs. Beeton. Or, better, Donegal's domestic goddess!

It's times like this that I wish I'd listened, observed and learned more from my father who was brilliant at making jams. Luckily I still remember most of how he went about it but after my experience making apply jelly last year, I think I need to adjust my sugar content. I created the most perfectly clear apple jelly with one major downfall ~ it was way too sweet.

So now I will have to pick as many damsons as I can get and set to with my jam making.

Pass me a pinny ...

GIVE ME SPOTS ON MY APPLES ...

2009-10-16T17:32:00.034+01:00

In Daisy Cottage last week we noticed the apple trees had lots of big, fat rosy apples just ready for picking. The branches are a bit high just to reach the apples, and shaking the tree was getting us nowhere. My husband had the idea of using the rake we had been clearing leaves with and started to pull down branches to shake off some apples. It was slightly chaotic in that apples were springing off their branches at random and had health & safety rules applied, we would almost certainly have been required to wear hard hats. But we threw caution to the wind and went with our improvised idea to get the apples. Dodging about ensured there were no injuries, and when we decided we had enough apples released, I gathered them to take home to cook.

Looking at them, I thought they weren't the prettiest apples in that they weren't all shiney and perfect but rather, had spots and imperfections. But then they ARE organic and so I can do without the perfection to enjoy a chemical free apple. And that reminded my of the Joni Mitchell song, 'Big Yellow Taxi':

"Hey farmer, farmer, put away your DDT now
Give me spots on my apples but leave me the birds and the bees, please
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got till it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot "

(To listen to the song, click on the heading at the start of this post).

So I took the apples home and now I have lots of organic cooking apples to think up dishes to put in. Yes, of course I will do apple crumble and possibly apple pie too (and maybe even apple jelly if I gather enough apples next time) but I decided to try something different and made an apple sponge. I've never made this dish let alone sponge before so the fact that it was edible was something of a miracle. Added to that I didn't bother finding a recipe and just made it up as I went.

I peeled and sliced the apples, which are delicious I have to say, tart but with a touch of sweetness and bursting with a flavour only achieved by such freshness. I buttered a ring bound tray and put the apple slices, sprinkled with a little sugar, into the tray to a depth of about 2 to 3 inches to allow for cooking shrinkage.

Then I made up a sponge mixture and put this in on top of the apples. Into the oven for 40 minutes and and removed from the oven and allowed to cool. After running a knife around the edge to make sure the sponge was not stuck, I clicked open the ring around the tray, put another flat tray on top and flipped over. Perfect. And, much to my delighted surprise, it all stayed together ~ I had expected it might just spread out like warm jelly.

And to finish off the dish, I made some homemade custard. Real comfort food which was enjoyed by all and afterwards we sat around like very happy cats who'd got the cream. Or in this case, cats who'd got the custard.

OLD FRIENDS & COINCIDENCES

2009-08-16T13:05:00.007+01:00

The Great Outdoors Under Cover

On Saturday we were sitting outside in the G.O.U.C. (the Great Outdoors Under Cover), as the gazebo/patio is called, awaiting the arrival of our Spanish guests. The big back gate was open as my husband had just arrived back to Daisy Cottage after a trip to Killybegs.

So we sat there chatting and enjoying the afternoon sunshine when suddenly a lady whizzed in the back gate, ran into the house calling my name, swiftly followed by the arrival of two cars into the adjoining yard.

I said to my husband 'I think that's J...' (a lovely lady who once taught me - or tried to - over 20 years ago!). Puzzled we stepped forward to see what was going on, it being all slightly comedic. The people got out of the cars and they were our Spanish guests. The lady (J) appeared back out of the house where she had been calling my name. It was just lovely to see her and we hugged and said a big hello whilst the Spanish people stood watching. I assumed the Spanish guests were friends/relations of hers. Wrongly, it turned out.

J. had been in the village butchers doing some shopping and one of the Spanish guests had gone in to ask directions to Daisy Cottage, mentioning my name. And J said she'd show them ~ in small villages everyone knows everyone which is what makes them special. It seems she lives just around the corner from Daisy Cottage though I had not realised. And wasn't it a great coincidence that the Spanish guest wandered into the butchers just at the moment someone who knew my name was there.

It was a great ice breaker for our new guests and we all had a giggle about it. J.then waved them goodbye and wished them a happy holiday. Just as the rain started! But they were such a happy crowd I'm sure a drizzle of Irish liquid sunshine wasn't going to ruin their holiday.

And after spending half an hour or so showing them round and how to use the various equipment, my husband and I left them to it. And I got lots of kisses from them. I've said it before, and I hope I will say it many times into the future, but I just love our Daisy Cottage guests!

And speaking of lovely guests, last weeks, as have others, left the house gleeming ~ they even cleaned the oven and washed all the downstairs floors ~ a job I had said I hated while they were admiring the black and white tiles on arrival. How nice was that! They called themselves the 'Daisy Cottage Gang' and they were yet another group brilliant guests to Daisy Cottage.

FRESH FISH & VEG & HOMEMADE SAUSAGES

2009-08-16T11:59:00.011+01:00

The Fish Van on Killybegs Pier

We stayed in Daisy Cottage for a couple of days this week before our current guests arrived and I just love the availability of fresh fish down there. We drove over to the fishing port of Killybegs (9km) to get some fish for dinner. We were spoilt for choice with all the locally caught fish, the only fish on sale not caught locally was the sea bass. We went for the brill.

Lots of Choice

Baby Potatoes & Carrots

Over then to the fruit & veg seller a few steps away where I got some beautiful new potatoes, courgette, chilli pepper, carrots, mange tout, and French beans. I also got some perfect plums and nectarines and a few lemons & limes (lemons for the fish, and both for the pre-dinner g&t!).

Of course I couldn't resist taking pics when I was there and spent a lovely half hour just snapping away at the boats in the harbour and the sea birds flying around.

SEAGULLS RESTING ON AN OLD BOAT, KILLYBEGS HARBOUR

Back home to Daisy Cottage and I cleaned and chopped all the veg and half the chilli to make a stir fry of veg to accompany the fish. I boiled the baby potatoes in their very fine skins too. To cook the brill I simply heated the oven, laid them out on a baking tray and drizzled with olive oil and the fresh juice from one of the lemons, a quick grind of black pepper and into the oven. They cooked in minutes and the whole meal was delicious. I had taken a bit of a chance doing just nicely hot from the chilli stir fried veg but they went beautifully with the brill and didn't overwhelm it at all.

Brill Cooked with Olive Oil & Fresh Lemon Juice

Stir Fried Vegetables

Baby Potatoes

On Thursdays and Fridays there is a fish van in the village so the next morning my husband walked over to the van and bough some luscious looking sea trout. We've stopped eating trout for years because it had become such a disappointment and lost it's flavour, but this was sensational. Once again I just laid the fish out in a baking tray with olive oil, lemon juice, and black pepper, and as these were a bit meatier than the previous evenings brill, took a little longer to cook but still only a short time and came out just perfect ~ firm but moist. I had some courgette left and half the chilli so did a spaghetti of courget with a kick of chilli and used the remainder of my baby pototoes, this time lightly boiled and then finished off in the oven to crisp up the light skin. Delicious.

Fresh Sea Trout

Whilst at the van, my husband bought some fresh prawns too. I love prawns and these were delicious just with a little lemon juice.

We treated ourselves to a full Irish breakfast one of the mornings and bought some fabulous bacon and homemade sausages from the butchers in the village. Added to that some good quality black pudding, tomatoes, and free range eggs (all bought from the said butchers). A brunch feast!

Dunkineely is a great place to stay if you are a bit of a foodie and I think I have managed to get all the utensils & pans needed to help produce a meal into the kitchen of Daisy Cottage. It helps hugely to actually use the kitchen to double check that everything needed is there and so far I think I've it covered.

DONEGAL ~ BEST WEATHER IN IRELAND!

2009-08-09T19:02:00.003+01:00

Again!

July 2009 was the wettest on record for over 50 years in many parts of Ireland but according the Met Eireann, Donegal had the least rainfall. And the most hours of sunshine!

Years ago, Donegal was very wet and dull a lot of the time but in the past 20 years this has changed and now we in Donegal have blue skies and sunshine when other parts are deluged with rain.

Forget the "sunny south east" folks, it's now the sunny north west!

HOLIDAY RENTAL HOMES ARE HARD WORK!

2009-08-06T12:10:00.003+01:00

I love our Daisy Cottage and to date we have delightful guests but boy, is keeping a holiday home for rental hard work!

Every Saturday it means (for me), stripping 4 single beds, 2 double beds and a king size bed. Then making them all up again with sheets, duvet covers & pillow cases (20!) that I have spent the previous week washing, drying & ironing. Not to mention 20 bath sheets, 20 hand towels, 20 face/wash cloths, 7 tea towels, and 12 bath towels.

After that every room ~ 5 bedrooms, living room, kitchen/diner must be dusted and the skirting boards, doors, and door handles (yes, door handles ~ I blame my OCD) must be wiped. The the floors all hoovered and washed. Did I say all drawers inside checked & dusted? Well, them too. Back to washing the floors, I had been washing the floors with my old fashioned mop because I favour them best BUT I have discovered a new flat mop contraption which you change the cloth on each time. It is brilliant at washing and almost drying the floor as I go.

The all the windows inside have to be washed and polished. Then all the en suites (3) and bathroom (1) to be washed from top to bottom. After washing the loo I even have a 'bathroom duster' and spray the seat and lid with spray polish and shine with my 'bathroom duster'. And the taps and loo handles polished. And finally in those rooms I have discovered that very pale tiles on bathroom floors are totally unforgiving of a mop and so it's down on my hands and knees to wash the floors. I will end up with housmaids knee!!!

Then the landing and stairs carpet hoovered ~ NEVER buy a cherry red carpet if you have to be fussy about hoovering! It is a nightmare. I was warned, but would I listen? As indeed I was warned about Egyptian cotton sheets, but did I listen then either?

After the bedrooms upstairs and the bedroom downstairs & en suites and bathroom, it's into the living room where the ashes have to be lifted (although some of our guests have left the fire clean for me, something I really appreciate). All the sofas have to be dusted and polished, top, front & back. Then the tv unit, tv, coffee table, side table & bookstand & display cabinet dusted and polished. And the lamps & shades. Floor hoovered, mat taken outside and shaken, floor washed. Door glass polished.

Then out to the kitchen/diner. Cupboards dusted, any dishes in dishwasher put away. I am so lucky so far in that all our guests have left neither dirty dishes nor dirty saucepans ~ another thing I greatly appreciate. Drawers & utensils checked and cleaned. Fridge/freezer cleaned and doors, & handles polished and dishwasher front & top polished. Table washed. Chairs dusted. Placemats washed and dried. Work top polished. (Can you imagine how blooming wrecked I am feeling when I get this far?).

And then the very, very worst job of all. Washing my beautiful classic black and white tiled hall & kitchen/diner floor. I have a love/hate relationship with these tiles. I love to look at them but they are a total nightmare to wash! And get dried! I am sorely tempted to cover them with wood and be done with it but the love side of me won't let me.

Out back to check the Great Outdoors Under Cover (paved & covered gazebo patio area), the games loft, and the bins. Finally downstairs windows washed and polished and the front door too if I get a chance.

And after all that, it's back home to begin 3 days of washing & ironing of sheets, duvets, pillow cases. And washing towels, bath sheets, teatowels.

I never realised how hard work keeping a house this size so spick and span would be! I want a cleanaholic house cleaner!

But for all the work, I love our Daisy Cottage and it's atmosphere and I enjoy meeting our guests so it's all good.

HIDDEN GEMS ON THE EDGE BUS TOUR

2009-07-16T13:06:00.004+01:00

THE HIDDEN GEMS ON THE EDGE BUS TOUR

Silver Strand, Malinbeg ~ One of the stop offs on the tour

I have just been speaking to a lady in Killybegs and she told me of new bus tour just starting there. The tour goes out 5 days a week (Sunday and Monday excluded) and leaves Killybegs at 11 am, which ties in with the bus to Killybegs from Donegal Town (and Dunkineely) which arrives into Killybegs at 10.15 am allowing plenty of time to buy tickets for the tour.

The tour takes the coast road from Killybegs and stops off at various scenic points along the way to allow photographs to be taken. The tour visits Muckross, the Silver Strand, Carrick, Glencolmcille (stopping there for a break) and on to Sliabh Liag. The entire tour takes around 4 and a half hours, arriving back in Killybegs at approximately 3.30 pm. The fare is €20 per adult, reduced rate for children and concession rates can be arranged for large groups.

To enquire/book, ring the Killybegs Tourist Office on 074-9732346 or email them at killybegstourism@gmail.com

What an excellent idea and well done to the orgainisers of the tour.

APPLE BLOSSOM TIME IS OVER

2009-07-12T12:58:00.013+01:00

The apple blossom on the trees in Daisy Cottage's orchard garden has now gone and been replaced with small green apples which will ripen and be ready for apple pies, apple jelly, apple crumble and lots of other apple dishes come the autumn.

I planted 3 clematis plants a couple of months ago, 2 behind the G.O.U.C. (great outdoors under cover ~ the gazebo), and one on an old stone wall in the orchard which had once been swamped in ivy. I am delighted to see the speed of their growth and hoping that I might even have flowers this year. The idea with the ones at the G.O.U.C. is that they will grow up and around the edeges of the gazebo. And at the rate they are growing this shouldn't take too long.

I also threw flower seeds in various places and poked in nasturtium seeds in at the bottom of trees and on top of the yard stone wall (my gardening skills truly know no bounds). All I can see so far is the nasturtium appearing below one of the trees at the gazebo. But I remain hopeful of more appearing, especially on top of the stone wall because these would then cascade down into the yard.

At the very end of the orchard garden at the back wall, there is a huge fuschia bush and it is now just popping all over with glorious red and purple blooms.

I love fuschia!

My big pot of herbs is doing very well and I got to take a selection of herbs back home with me. Now to make some delicious herb oil. How do you do that? Heat olive oil a little, put into bowl, add herbs, leave to cool and infuse, transfer to sterilised jar or bottle. Easy.

Unfortunately, and much as I love some weeds, many are popping up on the paved area of the gazebo and gravel path. So I tried a method of killing them that a friend told me recently ~ pour boiling water over them. And it really does work. Ok, it might not kill the roots (as sceptics keep telling me) but it certainly kills the bit you can see above ground. And all without resorting to the use of strong chemicals. Great idea eh?

THE NITTY GRITTY

2009-06-12T09:28:00.020+01:00

I suppose it is difficult looking at holiday homes on the internet to get an idea of the size of rooms. Many things can be done nowadays with the crafy use of a camera so I think that giving the actual size of rooms gives potential guests a better notion of what they are getting.

DAISY COTTAGES' VITAL STATITISTICS & DETAILS

GROUND FLOOR

HALLWAY

LIVING ROOM ~ 12'11 x 13'7"

Open fire, flat screen tv with free view, cd/dvd player, books, board games.

KITCHEN/DINER ~ 19'19" x 12'10"

Table (10' long), 12 chairs, electric hob & oven, microwave, side by side fridge freezer, dishwasher, coffee machine, fruit/veg juicer, pop corn maker, 4 slice toaster, electric kettle, radio.

BACK HALL/UTILITY AREA
Washing machine, tumble dryer, iron, ironing board.

BEDROOM & EN SUITE ~ 12' x 10' & 7'10 x 6'6"

Double bed, wardrobe, chest of drawers, 2 bedside cabinets, lamps. En suite has disabled loo, whb, and shower.

1ST FLOOR/UPSTAIRS

BEDROOM 1 ~ 13'3" x 9'
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2 single beds, bedside cabinet, wardrobe, lamp.

BEDROOM 2 & EN SUITE ~ 12'11" x 10'2" & 6'5 x 6'2"

Queen/king size bed, 2 bedside cabinets, chest of drawers, dressing table, lamps. En suite has shower, wc & whb.

BEDROOM 3 & EN SUITE ~ 12'3" x 11' & 6'5" x 5'

Double bed, 2 bedside cabinets, wardrobe, chest of drawers, lamps. En suite has shower, wc & whb.

BEDROOM 4 ~ 14'4" x 8'5"

2 single beds, wardrobe, bedside table, lamp.

BATHROOM ~ 7'5" x 5'5"
Bath, wc & whb.

OUTSIDE

SHED WITH GAMES LOFT
Pool/air hockey table, dart board, football table.

COVERED PATIO AREA ~ 17' x 17'

2 large bench tables - each seats 6.
BBQ beside.

ORCHARD GARDEN

Grass, trees, etc.

OUR GUEST BOOK

2009-06-11T15:47:00.007+01:00

Our first guests have now been and gone and I am happy to say the wrote a little note in our guest book.

Our first guests, an English couple with 3 little children now living in Ireland, wrote:

And our second guests, a couple from outside Belfast, wrote:

I hope to have lots more entries to add and of course will continue to strive to make Daisy Cottage a place guests will both enjoy and want to return to.

We decided against taking an 'excess cleaning/breakages' deposit, prefering to trust our guests to respect Daisy Cottage and take care of it. And so far, I am delighted with the way our guests have left the house. It is great to have people who appreciate our effort and reciprocate by leaving the house as they found it (other than washing bedding & towels of course ~ it's a holiday after all, not a cleaning camp!). We hope we can continue not taking such a deposit because it adds so much to the initial outlay for guests booking accommodation.

ANOTHER COMMENT (guests from Belfast):

THE GREAT OUTDOORS UNDER COVER

2009-06-11T14:52:00.005+01:00

The Great Outdoors Under Cover. The name my husband has put on the covered patio area. And I like it!

It is just so lovely sitting there on a summers day. Our adjoining orchard garden is full of all sorts of birds and I sat alone there recently watching blue tits, ring necked doves, robins, thrushes, and black birds to name but a few, busying themselves too and fro feeding their young. The blue tits have built a nest in the ivy climbing up an attached barn wall beside the G.O.U.C. (great outdoors under cover). The robins have nested in our little fuel shed and the rest of the birds are in the trees in the garden. Their tweets and chirruping was so relaxing and lovely.

Later that same day I was in the kitchen which looks out to the G.O.U.C. and the orchard garden. The ring necked doves were sunning themselves on the garden wall and I tried to quitely get near to photograph them but unfortunately the gravel underfoot alerted them and off they went. I fully intend to get close ups of them soon by simply sitting quietly in the garden for a while and waiting, camera at the ready ...

A couple of weekends ago we stayed in Daisy Cottage for 2 nights and after dining out (at the wonderful Kitty Kellys in Killybegs ~ write up to follow), we came home and had a few drinks in Macs Bar. Later, back at Daisy Cottage, we sat outside in the G.O.U.C. and enjoyed the darkness and silence only possible in rural areas. The night was warm and balmy and sitting out there relaxing was divine and the perfect end to a perfect day.

The garden is looking so green now with the trees in full leaf and the grass growing well. Too well I think ~ it is going to need very regular cutting. Poor Richard, the lovely chap who cuts the grass, will have his work cut out!

I found this little chap to put on the garden wall to welcome guests to our garden and I rather like his cheeky little face and laid back pose!

And for the cooks who are guests at Daisy Cottage (and ourselves of course) I planted up a terracotta planter filled with lots of fresh herbs. The great thing about herbs of course is that they benefit from lots of cutting and so hopefully our guests will have a good supply of herbs for any cooking they do.

Around the G.O.D.U. I have planted some rather lovely clematis which hopefully will grow up around the frame and give us lots of flowers. It has already grown at least a foot since planting a few weeks ago so perhaps we will have flowers from it this year.

There is a rather nice plant, the name of which I have no idea, currently in full bloom to the side of the G.O.U.C. It is huge ~ probably around 15' high and seems to be a large bush rather than a tree, but I could be wrong. Regardless, it is very pretty and bursting with flowers.

And I was absolutely delighted to discover at the very back of the orchard garden that plant so reminicent of the hedgerows of Ireland in earlier years, before machines cut them away to make way for wider roads, a fuschia bush. I remember as a child on holiday at my grandparents' home here in Donegal having great fun 'popping' the unopened flowers. Oh, the days of childish innocence ...

WELCOME!

2009-06-11T14:39:00.003+01:00

I wanted the hall in Daisy Cottage to be as welcoming as possible for our guests and was delighted to find this little 'relief' locally. It is so sweet ~ a little cherub standing beside a nest with mummy bird feeding the little chicks in the nest. I had my husband hang it just inside the front door and so it is the first thing our guests see. I hope it makes them feel welcome!

I am happy too with the way the red carpet sets off the black & white tiles. I love red and when the sun is shining from the bathroom on the upstairs half landing, it reflects off the red of the carpet and casts a warm glow throughout the hall. It's an absolute terror to hoover though! But hey ho, it's beauty outweighs it nuicance value.

A WELL EQUIPPED KITCHEN

2009-06-11T13:00:00.013+01:00

A well equipped kitchen is a must for those of us who love to cook and so we have tried to more or less replicate what we have in our kitchen at home in Daisy Cottage. One of our priorities was the large side by side fridge freezer. I know at home I NEED maximum cold space for veg, fruit, dairy products, etc. and so althought they are fairly expensive, I thought it was worth it.

Added to the space, is the function I most love about this style ~ the ice cube dispenser and the chilled & filtered water dispenser. The water in Daisy Cottage is good, clean water and perfectly good for drinking but I like the option of having chilled water on demand. And ice cubes on demand ... perfect. The large freezer side has ample room for all the frozen food one could need for a week or two's stay in Daisy Cottage and room on top of that for the ice packs we have left there for putting into the cold box for picnics.

Sharp, good quality knives are another thing the cook in me and you needs and so these are what we have put in Daisy Cottage. At home we use a couple of magnetic holders on the wall for knives rather than putting them in a drawer and so I put one in Daisy Cottage too. It has the added advantage of keeping knives away from the reach of tiny fingers.

And being slightly ocd about germs, I also bought a set of chopping boards and accompanying sign which tells you which colour board to use for raw meat, cooked meat, fish, veg, and so on. This also suits the vegetarians among us, being able to prep their food on boards never used for meat. I also bought a separate wooden board for cutting bread, toast, etc. and a separate bread knife as cutting bread with sharp knives is the fast-track way to blunting them.

Of course ample utensils, cutlery, pots & pans, baking dishes and even serving dishes are important and I think I have covered mostly all the things needed to prep a meal, whether it be a full Irish breakfast, a light lunch, or a dinner party. One of the things we use a lot at home is a veg/fish steamer and so this was important to have in Daisy Cottage too. As indeed were such things as a salad spinner, hand blender, electric mixer, wok, mixing bowls and so on and again, these too have been put in Daisy Cottage.

One of things I worried about for myself was having to cook with electricity. At home I have used gas for many years together with an fan assisted electric oven. We had no option but to use electric cooking in Daisy Cottage as we do not have piped gas in Donegal and so cooking with gas would involve changing cylinders ~ not the easiest of things for those not used to it. So a rather nice, blakc (what else?) electric hob was installed. I don't know why I worried ~ it's a breeze to cook on and in some respects, better than gas. It is so quick to heat and easy to use that I am tempted to add an electric hob here at home! I suppose I had been a bit of a cooking snob thinking that gas was the best, but I have been proven wrong. And my favourite foodie book at the moment, "A Day at elBulli" by Ferran Adrai (a genius) says that because of the rather remote location of the restaurant elBulli (Cala Montjoi, nr. Roses, in the province of Girona in northern Spain), gas was not an option for them and so worried though they were about cooking with electric are now in fact delighted with the speed of it. So Daisy Cottage is in good company! By the way, I strongly recommend that book for those of you who love food, reading about food, viewing pics of food, and just plain food obsessed. It is fabulous.

Another thing I thought was important, thought I suppose it's a fairly minor detail, was a four slice toaster. I can't imagine the patience it would take to do 2 slices at a time when trying to get a group fed! I bought the kettle to match and chose that one because it is the same as the one we have at home and boils fairly quickly. The one thing I don't like about it is that the lid is a pain to remove but I just fill it through the spout and no problem with battling off a lid then.

All in all, I think we have managed to equip the kitchen in Daisy Cottage fairly well. I had a trial run recently when we invited a group of friends from the area to dinner there. I made a 3 course meal and am happy to report that I had all I needed to prep and serve the meal. Apart from one thing ~ a potato/veg peeler. Honestly, of all the things to forget! I guess it's true, the devil's in the detail! But that is resolved now.

What did I make for dinner?

Starter: smoked salmon cheesecake served with dressed leaves & red & yellow peppers. Really quite simple to make: crushed water/cheese biscuits mixed with melted butter and pressed into serving dish. Cream, cream cheese and fresh lemon juice whipped together. Smoked salmon finely chopped and then blended and then added to the cream mix. Poured on top of biscuit base and refridgerated for a few hours to set. Simple. And delicious!).

Mains: a choice of sirloin steak and all the trimmings or chicken stroganov with rice. Sides of steamed broccoli, french beans, baby potatoes and carrots.

Dessert: Vanilla ice cream with fresh strawberries and strawberry coulis. Served with freshly brewed coffee from our coffee machine in Daisy Cottage.

Glad to report everything was eaten and enjoyed (well they gave great ooos and ahhhs and cleaned their plates), and after a long relaxed meal we all dragged our full tummies and bodies into the living room to chat and laugh and have after dinner drinks in front of the blazing fire. We bade a very fond farewell to our lovely guests around 3am, tired but happy.

COTTAGE WITH A SEA VIEW

2009-06-11T12:40:00.006+01:00

I never noticed this before but I can actually see the sea from Daisy Cottage. I first noticed it during the winter when the branches on the trees in the garden were bare. However, I don't think I will be advertising 'Cottage with a Sea View'. And here's why.

In order to enjoy this view, one must go to the very back of the orchard garden, part the tree branches and stand on tip toes and then you have the sea view. And while it is lovely and you can see the sea, it does not really constitute a sea view which I, and no doubt most others, would think of as a view from a window or at least very easily seen! So, no there will be no ad. telling of a sea view. It will be a little secret guests can discover for themselves. However, it does show how near the sea is to Daisy Cottage which even I hadn't realised, being slightly challenged in working out maps and proximities!

Another thing I discovered whilst on tip toes taking pics of the sea from the back of the orchard, is that I can see Benbulben (a mountain) in County Sligo!

I think we might need to erect a viewing platform in the orchard where both we and our guests could enjoy the view.

Either that or build a roof terrace ...

DAISIES, DAISIES EVERYWHERE

2009-04-15T15:34:00.005+01:00

I love daisies which is probably why Daisy Cottage is so named. Daisies remind us summer is on the way and that spring has truly arrived. What a way to welcome in these seasons!

At the weekend I could not resist taking lots of pics of little daisies as everywhere seemed covered in them. There is something about daisies that is reminiscent of childhood days, sunny days with these pretty little flowers all around. There is an innocence about them but under that innocence they are hardy little flowers which can pop their heads up on all sorts of ground from soft meadows, to velvet lawns, to stoney ground.

This poem by Emily Dickinson says it beautifully about the little daisy:

The Daisy follows soft the Sun --
And when his golden walk is done --
Sits shyly at his feet --
He -- waking -- finds the flower there --
Wherefore -- Marauder -- art thou here?
Because, Sir, love is sweet!

Apparently those who love daisies are happy optimists and I do think I fit that category just fine.

PARADISE

2009-04-15T14:09:00.007+01:00

Easter Sunday was a spectacular day weatherwise in Donegal. We stayed down in Daisy Cottage and had intended to do work in the house that day but the turquoise skies beckoned and off we went, cameras in hand. And am I glad we did. The scenery in that area is wonderful and the sunshine only serves to enhance it further.

Around the corner from Daisy Cottage is St. John's Point, which at around 5 or 6 miles long is one of the longest promontories in Ireland. Under a mile from Daisy Cottage you see the ruins of MacSwynes Castle sitting on a little ledge on MacSwynes Bay. The road is narrow but so pretty and it is almost overwhelmingly tempting to stop the car every few yards to soak up the views.

Moving on, you come to the little Coral Beach where once again we were provided with spectacular scenery. There were a few people on the beach but not many as it is one of those secret places very few people know about. The weather was very warm and some of those on the beach were enjoying picnics, or diving and snorkelling, or simply taking in the view. A flock of Brent Geese were enjoying a little dip in the water too and were not even slightly perturbed by the people around them.

Further along the road you come to the tip of St. John's Point and the lighthouse. Looking forward you see the Atlantic Ocean stretching out to the horizon, to your right you have views across MacSwynes Bay to Killybegs and to the left you have views over Donegal Bay to Benbulben in County Sligo. If you gaze back you see nothing but open space all the way back along the point. It is 360 degrees of beautiful scenery.

On Sunday there were quite a number of people enjoying the good weather and the views along with many people down to enjoying the excellent diving into the almost crystal clear waters right down at the end of the point.

The Lighthouse and Atlantic Beyond:

The View Across MacSwynes Bay to Killybegs:

The View Across Donegal Bay to Benbulben, Sligo:

It truly is Paradise.

DINING OUT

2009-04-15T13:04:00.002+01:00

A couple of weekends ago we were down Daisy Cottage way, doing our usual ~ taking photographs. We decided to eat in Killybegs in a restaurant we'd enjoyed before and I'm glad to report it is still as good. It is called 22 Main Street and enjoys a great position down a pretty little alley with views from the back of the restaurant over Killybegs.

We had our eldest grandson with us who just loves getting a trip out with catrin (his name for me) and pa (his name for my husband). Husband and I were clicking away taking pics of the boats in the harbour and grandson, bubba ~ my name for him, decided that he too would like to take pics. We had a spare camera in the car that my husband uses for work so after a little persuasion from me, he let bubba use it. It was really funny to see his tiny little hands working the camera ~ he's only six but boy does he learn quickly. He mastered the zoom and focus within seconds and off he went snapping away. It was quite a funny scene I'm sure, 2 adults and a little boy lined up taking pics of the boats, and all fully concentrated on the job in hand.

So after hours of wandering around taking our photographs we took ourselves up to 22 Main Street. Great welcome, friendly staff and so comfortable. The have a tented effect on part of the ceiling of the dining room and it looks really nice with the twinkling lights around it.

The bill for the delicious meal consisting of lots of fresh fish for us (2 starters, 2 main courses) and a very fine homemade pizza for bubba, 3 desserts (all homemade too), 2 cokes, 2 glasses of wine, 2 mineral waters, an americano and a cappuccino ~ €80! Now THAT is value for money.

This weekend my husband and I ate at a little bar in the adjoining village of Mountcharles, The Village Tavern. Once again a great welcome and friendly staff. I had a seafood cocktail to start with (delicious fresh fish - salmon, smoked haddock, prawns etc.), he had a seafood chowder. Mains were for me shank of lamb (melted off the bone) and for him breast of chicken wrapped in bacon in a mustardgrain sauce, all of which along with 4 mineral waters and one cappuccion came to €50. Again excellent value.

On Monday we were tired having done so much work in Daisy Cottage we were too lazy to cook and took ourselves off across the road from Daisy Cottage to Baskins Diner. A lovely young chap served us and we each enjoyed a meal of scampi and chips which at €4.20 a head was again excellent value.

There are still many restaurants in the area to explore but if they all prove to be of a similar standard and similar value then both we and our future guests in Daisy Cottage are sorted for eating out.

THE FIRST GUESTS IN DAISY COTTAGE

2009-04-15T12:02:00.013+01:00

Us!

At long, long, long last we got to stay in Daisy Cottage.

Last weekend, being Easter weekend and with a few days off, we decided that we would stay over in Daisy Cottage.

I had picked 'our' bedroom after we first purchased the house four or so years ago. And even though it is not the largest, we still chose that as our choice.

This is the bedroom we chose:

This is the master bedroom:

And one of the twin bedded rooms:

I'm glad to report that it was totally comfortable, the heating works a dream ~ I switched it on and within a very short time the bedrooms were toasty warm. I ended up having to open the window during the night! It seems the old, thick walls (they're about 2' thick) holds the heat much better than our own home.

We arrived on the Saturday evening having spent hours earlier in the day packing the car with stuff we needed for the house. Our intention had been to get there early but that was impossible by the time we had everything gathered up and packed. We were like the Beverly Hillbillies leaving Letterkenny!

When we arrived at Daisy Cottage it took about an hour to unload and by that time it was getting late. We had intended to pay a night time visit to our neighbouring pub but by the time we had the living room tidied and arranged again, the fire lit, the bed made, the kitchen cleared a bit, it was too late to be bothered. But we did enjoy a rather nice bottle of chilled champagne, brought specially to celebrate our first stay in Daisy Cottage.

I noted the date on the cork and it now sits inside the cabinet in the living room! Awww ...

I LEARNED A NEW TERM!

2009-04-15T11:57:00.003+01:00

I was speaking to an American lady recently and she informs me that they call the large fridge/freezer we bought for Daisy Cottage as a 'side by side'. I thought that was a great description. So from now on, I'll be Americanized (get the zee!) and call it a side by side. And here it is, in place and firing on all cylinders, alongside the glossy black dishwasher. Never thought of a dishwasher as being attractive before but I kind of like this one.

BLACK IS BLACK

2009-04-05T15:12:00.004+01:00

The plumber is coming this week to plumb in the fridge and the dishwasher (which arrived last week) so we'll be all systems go (G&Ts with LOTS of ice at the ready!).

I chose the fridge/freezer in black as I thought it would match the vanilla units much better than a white f/f and once it's in situ I'll know for sure. But I think I'm right anyway. It's sitting with it's coat on in the hall at the moment just waiting for Mr. Plumber to arrive. At least he'll have 2 other guys in the house to help him move the beast!

And the dishwasher is black too. Yes, I chose it because it matches but also because I have never seen a black dishwasher before and thought it would look the bit. Hopefully it's a good dishwasher too!

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APPLE BLOSSOM TIME

2009-04-05T14:16:00.002+01:00

We were down in Daisy Cottage yesterday and the apple trees in the garden are heavy with apple blossom. It's so lovely to see the little trees spring to life after being so naked all winter. And the blossom lets me know that we will have apples later in the year. Hopefully this year I'll get to use the apples for the first time ~ apple jelly, apple crumble, yum!

CATASTROPHE!

2009-04-05T14:14:00.002+01:00

My plan for the games room has been given a bit of a shake! I awoke one morning last week to the dreadful thought ~ we won't be able to get a pool table up to the games room!

The games room is in the loft of the extension at the back of Daisy Cottage. And in all the fuss getting the main part of the house ready, getting this area finished was last on the list. But now that finishing work is being done it has dawned on me that my perception of space is out of kilter with the actual space. There is no way a pool table is going to fit up the tiny stairs leading to the loft games room!

Now it seems we will have a football table instead, much to my husband's delight. He retains a love of those tables from childhood ~ completely lost on me. As is pool. But that's not the point. So no pool table.

Still, the games room is coming together. I wanted to keep the old stone walls but have now been completely talked out of it so we will have plastered walls instead. I can see the sense in this ~ the old stone walls are cold and draughty so a nice new wall will be better but I wish we could have just left the stone ...

The new stairs are now fitted. The old ones were scary they were so rickety so a new staircase was essential.

All that's to be done there is the walls (this week) and the floor fixed up (this week too).

And then we'll have a games room sans pool table.

UPDATE

Panic over. The pool/air hockey table DID fit up the stairs so is not in situ.

DaisyCottageDonegal.com

2009-03-30T13:31:00.003+01:00

At last I have my domain name sorted ~ DaisyCottageDonegal.com.

Now for the hard work!

PHOTOS OF DONEGAL

2009-03-27T20:57:00.001Z

At last I have got around to starting to collate my photographs of Donegal. They are stored in village and town names but there are just so very many of them that actually picking through and gathering the best of them has been one of those 'long finger projects'.

But I have started ... and it is an on-going project. I will be adding to my flickr account very regularly.

You can check the photos added to date by cutting and pasting the link into your toolbar:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36710853@N06/