How is it the last day of March?! 2019 is a quarter of the way through — how are you feeling about your year? Are you on track with your goals?
I’ll be honest, I…am behind. Ah well. Such is life some days, right?
Still, we get one last trip to Ireland to close out the month – and that’s not a bad thing.
For this week, I dug into the photos from our first trip to Ireland. The pictures aren’t as good (though at the time they were amazing digital pictures — we went in 2003 and if you remember the state of digital photography back then? It was rough. We had an ENORMOUS camera that you had to put 3.5″ discs in to store your photos. And each disc could hold like 10 pictures. I think we took 20 discs – maybe 25 – and we filled them all. Technology, y’all. It changes when you blink.)
ANYWAY – I chose three of my favorites for this week. First up is Powerscourt. If you’ve seen the recentish (like 2000) movie of The Count of Monte Cristo (with Jim Caveziel in it?) – a good bit of it was filmed here and it was fun to walk across the courtyard and think about how they’d used it for the movie.
There’s a scene in the movie when a cart drives around this little lake and you get a glimpse of the house up these steps like this. So fun.
Next up? Monasterboice.
Now looking at this gorgeous stone cross (the likes of which you can find all over Ireland. Honestly, they’re some of my favorite things to look for and study closer.) you don’t think much beyond “So cool.” But in person? It’s 18 feet tall. I wish we’d gotten a picture with one of us standing by it for scale, but alas, we did not.
The round tower (like you see in the back, behind the cross) is also a great example of something you see all over Ireland. Round towers were very popular for defensive purposes. Their entrances are all quite high off the ground and residents could pull in the ladder and effectively seal themselves in against any attacks.
Last, but not least, is Newgrange.
This is a neolithic (~5000 years old!) passage tomb. You can take a tour inside (it’s dark, cool, and close. Claustrophobics need not apply.) But the center, where the graves were, is really quite cool. It’s also an amazing feat of engineering (particularly when you think about how old it is) — and it’s set up such that on the winter solstice, the sun rises and lights up the passage and center perfectly. People apparently queue for tickets to be there for that a loooong time in advance.
And that ends our brief little foray into Ireland. I hope you enjoyed it!
Winners this Week
If you’re a winner, you should have received an email from the author in charge of the giveaway. If not, please email us at: prizes at inspyromance dot com.
Hallee Bridgeman’s winner is Susan Bates!
Jackie Castle’s winner is Wemble!
Shannon Vannatter’s winner is Priscila!
Congratulations!
Don’t forget… every comment you make qualifies you to win one of the monthly Amazon card giveaways!
Reader Gathering
Did you know Inspy Romance hosts a Christian Romance Reader Gathering group on Facebook? Join us… but don’t forget to answer the questions for admittance!
Mark your calendars for our two author takeovers in the CRRG coming in April!
April 12, from 7-9 pm Eastern, Shannon Vannatter will take over the CRRG!
April 24, from 7-9 pm Eastern, Jaycee Weaver will take over the CRRG!
Last Week on Inspy Romance
On Monday, Elizabeth Maddrey took us on a trip in the wayback machine.
On Tuesday, Staci Stallings talked about detours and alternate destinations.
On Wednesday, Jackie Castle asked about how you use technology in church.
On Thursday, Jan Thompson wondered if you were ready for the beach.
On Friday, Janet Ferguson introduced us to her daughter, the cover model.
On Saturday, Marion Ueckermann talked about when life begins at forty.
Next Week on Inspy Romance
Monday: Heather Gray
Tuesday: Melanie Snitker
Wednesday: Ginger Solomon
Thursday: Liwen Ho
Friday: Julie Arduini
Saturday: Jolene Navarro
New Releases
March 2019
Remember Me (A Chapel Cove Romance 1) by Marion Ueckermann
Love Me (A Chapel Cove Romance 2) by Alexa Verde
Cherish Me (A Chapel Cove Romance 3) by Autumn Macarthur
Broken Heart Strings (The Imagination Series 4) by Staci Stallings
My Charming Billionaire (Grimwood Legacy 2) by Jackie Castle
April 2019
Reclaiming Charity (The Potter’s House Books 21) by Marion Ueckermann
The Cowboy’s Romantic Dreamer (Montana Ranches Christian Romance 3) by Valerie Comer
Country Blessings (Dalton Brothers 2) by Merrillee Whren
Lawfully Cherished by Liwen Y. Ho
Her First Love (First Love 1) by Ginger Solomon
Match Made in Heaven by Julie Arduini
Loaves & Wishes (Baxter Family Bakery 1) (formerly in Romance Grows in Arcadia Valley) by Elizabeth Maddrey
A Tuscan Legacy Complete Collection by Marion Ueckermann, Elizabeth Maddrey, Alexa Verde, Heather Gray, Narelle Atkins, Autumn Macarthur, and 1 other
What Makes a Home (Everyday Love Book 3) by Jaycee Weaver
Tender Wishes and Butterfly Kisses (Honeysuckle Cove 8) by Mary Manners
A complete list of Inspy Romance books by our authors is always available on our BOOKS tab. Find our audiobooks, our permanently free e-books, and our thank-you gifts for newsletter subscribers there as well!
Hi Elizabeth, thanks for sharing more photos from your trip to Ireland- I am even more eager to go there one day:)
Marion commented on her post yesterday that time speeds up even more once you hit 40- it already seems to be flying past, I cannot imagine it (feeling like) getting faster!
Blessings:)
I’m 45 – I wonder if that’s the problem ;) it really does feel like I can blink and miss an entire month.
I hope you can get to Ireland some day!
Hi Elizabeth! Intriguing historical Irish facts. Love being an arm chair traveler. So many unique historical places to visit around the world. Time marches on. Even in retirement, I am behind in my reading. Been an interesting start to the year, especially with the fluctuating weather. Spring break and still in the twenties. Best wishes.
Oh brrr. That’s cold for spring break! Hope everyone is back to healthy though ?
Thank you so much for sharing your photos with us! I wish I could travel, but it’s not feasible, so I travel in your stories!
You’re welcome! So glad you enjoyed them!
Hi, happy Sunday. Thanks for sharing your wonderful facts from when you visited Ireland. Have fun when you go again. My son will be going to Scotland in August. So exciting.
Scotland is on my wish list! How exciting.
Thanks for sharing,Elizabeth. I have to travel via armchair or BOOKS…..due to health issues. I especially enjoy reading!!
Happy Spring…..loads of pollen here in GA, temps in 70’s.
The pollen is coming here too. :)
Thanks for all the pictures of Ireland and your memories of the trips there! Have a great week! I’m not ready for it to be April already :-)
Thanks! You too :) (and I’m not ready for April either!!)
I love your pictures from Ireland. Thank you so much for sharing them.
You’re welcome!
Love the pictures. That is a dream for someday! Thanks.
So glad you enjoyed them!
Thanks for sharing the pictures of Ireland and interesting information. I hope to go there some day, hopefully before I get too old to go. Until then, going through others eyes and through stories, I can image being there. Thanks so much.
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed them and hope you get to go!
Thanks for pictures and info. It is amazing. God bless.
You’re so welcome!