WISDOM OF THE WORLD - WEEK18

The Snake’s Lesson
A snake living in the forest in India was fed up with his life. “I see a person, I bite a person, and people hate me and scream and run away when they see me coming.” He said to himself. “There must be a better way of being in the world.”

At that moment, a wise Indian spiritual teacher was passing. The snake approached him. “Please help me,” implored the snake. “I want to change. People are afraid of me and I don’t want to hurt people any more.”

The old man took pity on the snake and agreed to be his teacher. He taught him not to bite and to centre in love, sending out loving thoughts and blessings to the people in the nearby village. The snake was a willing student and after a few months the teacher thought he was ready and left to continue his travels.

A year later, the Guru was again travelling in the forest where the snake lived and thought he would look in on his friend. He found the snake in a terrible state, all battered and bruised. “What happened to you?” he asked him. “Teacher, it was awful.” The snake replied through tears. Over the months the little boys realised that I wasn’t attacking, they became more and more brave, coming closer and closer, eventually they would run up and give me a kick and now I am constantly being beaten.”

“Poor little snake” the master said with great compassion, “I didn’t tell you not to hiss.”

5 MINUTES WITH - MARTIN MALONEY

Martin Maloney has always had a keen interest in birds. He is known as the bird doctor and at the moment he is caring for a baby owl that was in danger of being eaten by larger birds in the nest. Martin travels around the schools of Donegal with his peregrine falcon, barn owl and Harris Hawk entertaining and educating children on the wonders of birds. Throughout the summer he will be at Glenveagh National Park demonstrating the fine art of falconry to enthusiastic tourists. Martin is a member of the Inishowen Wildlife club and goes bird watching most weekends.

What would you never throw away?
I would never throw my camcorder away. I always seem to have it recording. I use it a lot for filming wild birds in the countryside. If I go to weddings and other social events I use it then. I also tend to record the family when they least want me too …

What book are you reading?
I have a great book that I am reading at the moment called Jesus In His Times, it’s a history book that was printed by the Readers Digest in 1989. I also have a lot of bird books that I use for reference.

What music do you like?
I like some of the old classic bands like Thin Lizzie, the Eagles and R.E.M. I also really enjoy church music. I am in the folk group at the Cockhill church and also sing with the Gateway singers so church music can be inspirational.

What was your favourite childhood game?
Sledging. Some might not believe this but we used to have snow that settled for 2 to 3 weeks in the winter. My friends and I would go down the hill near Castle Park in the town and sledge right down until we ran into the Stone Jug, which used to stop us from careering into the Swilly.

Have you been to the cinema recently, what did you see and was it any good?
Elizabeth, my wife and I try to go often to the cinema. The last film we went to see was Blood Diamond. This is a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio about a fisherman, a smuggler, and a syndicate of businessmen matching their wits over the possession of a priceless diamond. It was based on a true story and was very entertaining.

What section of the newspaper do you turn to first?
The sports pages, especially football.

What is your idea of a good night out?
A good meal, then over to the Cruiskeen Lawn.

Can you be forgetful?
Yes. I have been known to go to the wrong venues when I am singing. I was due to sing at Cockhill church but went to the oratory in Buncrana instead. And there was that time that I went to singing practice with my daughter Lisa and forgot she was there! I realised when I got home and had to go back for her…

Have you a favourite TV programme?
Any nature programme, especially ones on birds. There are some fabulous documentary programmes.

How do you relax?
Birdwatching and flying birds. It is so relaxing flying falcons and hawks.

What job did you want to do when you were a child?
I always wanted to do something that was linked to wildlife, maybe a vet. I went out with my father Nicholas when I was young to catch goldfinches and linnets. It isn’t legal now I must stress, but years ago you could catch these birds and keep them as pets. They had beautiful singing voices and lived happily in cages. My father would catch the birds and give them away to people who could give them a good home. I picked up my love of birds form doing this.

Where would you like to go for your holidays?
Rome – We (The Gateway Singers) are going at the end of June to sing in Venice. We will also have an audience with the Pope.

Your idea of hell?
Being the only Leeds and Celtic fan in a room full of drunk Rangers and Manchester United fans.

What famous people would you invite around for dinner and why?
David Attenborough - he could talk about his latest series Life in Cold blood, which explores the lives of amphibians and reptiles.

Favourite animal?
No surprise, my birds and two dogs.

Biggest fear?
I really do not like to see injections. I am not squeamish; I can look at hospital dramas and operations. I just don’t like to see the blood being sucked out of people.

Biggest thrill?
Finding birds nests of special interest such as the Hen Harrier.

The world’s most irritating invention?
That would have to be the JCB. They destroy the countryside and wildlife habitats.

Personal philosophy?
Never give up.

Which period in history would you most like to have lived through?
2000 years BC The days when falconry hunting was the main means of bringing food to the table.

World’s most useful invention?
The computer. It is fantastic for keeping the records of bird nest findings and documenting wildlife photographs. (You can see some of Martins photos on http://www.inishowenwildlifeclub.com/)

MEDITATION DAY IN BUNCRANA

Day of Meditation to be held in Buncrana

A day of meditation will take place on Saturday 31st May at 5 St Mary’s Road in Buncrana from 10am-4pm. Noel Bradley and Julie Brown will facilitate the day, which will introduce you to the practice of meditation. Meditation is a wonderful opportunity to connect to the peace of your own being. It is a great support for managing the stresses of modern living.

During the day meditation techniques will be practised for relaxation and healing, becoming more aware of our body, mind and emotions and finding inner peace.

Both Noel and Julie have been meditating for years. Noel, an experienced group leader in transformation workshops explains, “I have always used meditation as an integral part of development, growth and transformation at workshops, as well as a spiritual discipline in my own life. I believe it has kept me physically, psychologically and spiritually more healthy over the years.” He says, “I really think it is important for people to learn different ways to meditate, relax, centre themselves and to access the depth of their inner lives.”

Julie has also been practising meditation for the past fifteen years and has worked with groups locally and nationally sharing the benefits that meditation has brought into her life. “Meditation is a very important practice for me and brings joy and contentment into my life. I have had many wonderful teachers in meditation and enjoy sharing what I have learned,” she says.

Booking will be essential if you are interested in taking this opportunity for connecting with your inner being before the summer holidays start. The cost of the day will be €40 and will include a light lunch of soup and salad. Please book by contacting Noel on 074-9362390 or Julie on 074-9363684

ORGANIC FARMING SEMINAR - INISHOWEN

Press release from Mary Reilly

There has been a lot of negativity in the media recently about the future of Farming in Donegal, Inishowen in particular. One local paper has gone as far as saying that farming is going to ‘the wall’.

There’s good reason for this, the price of diesel has gone through the roof in recent months, and petroleum based fertilisers have doubled in price since last year. And global warming has everybody confused!

So what’s the good news? With the introduction of the Single Farm Payment, farmers now have a certain amount of freedom to experiment and look for alternatives to exclusive livestock farming. There are lots of ways to utilise farmland. Many people are talking about growing biomass willow for alternative fuel when the price of oil goes beyond what we can afford. Forestry is always another option.

But what happens when fuel prices go so high that we can’t afford to import all the food we need? At the moment, most of the food in our shops is imported. Why can’t we start looking at ways in which we can feed ourselves?

Organic Farming is fast becoming a realistic option for many farmers seeking a way to stay on the land. Now that farmers don’t have to overstock in order to get a decent headage payment, the traditional option of mixed farming can be opted for.

There is a lot of interest among consumers in getting locally produced food, and this demand can’t be met unless more farmers start producing food for the local market.

The Inishowen Organic Group, in association with the National Organic Training Skillnet (NOTS) are hosting an evening of information in McGrory’s of Culdaff on the 28th of May. Starting at 6.30pm, the evening will include a buffet meal and talks and presentations on all aspects of Organic farming, from production to outlets.

Speakers on the night will include: Elaine Leavy, Teagasc, Kevin Hickey, North West Organic, John Brennan, Leitrim Farmers co op, and Sean McGloin, NOTS. Farmers from Donegal and Derry who produce organic beef and grain will be there to talk about what they do and one to one consultations will be available free. Organic produce will be on sale from the Farm Shop, Moville and North West Organic.

Admission, including the meal is €10

For more information, go to the Inishowen Organic Group’s website http://www.iog.weebly.com/ or http://www.nots.ie/.
For information on training in organic production call Sean on 086 1728442

WHAT? ORGANIC FARMING SEMINAR

WHEN? WEDNESDAY MAY 28TH AT 6.30PM

WHERE? McGRORY’S CULDAFF

BILL CULLEN

Bill Cullen, the motivational speaker flew in to see the pupils at Scoil Mhuire in Buncrana recently. Bill is the author of the best selling - Six Steps to Success book - Golden Apples.

5 MINUTES WITH - AIDEEN DOHERTY

Aideen Doherty lives and works in Carndonagh. Her job as the Area Manager (Inishowen and Letterkenny) for Community and Enterprise with Donegal County Council brings many interesting projects to Inishowen, such as the making of the film Dead Long Enough, directed by Tom Collins. The film went on to win a prestigious award at the Cardiff Film Festival. More recently Aideen has been involved with bringing Diarmuid Gavin to the peninsula to work on the Barrack Hill Park project in Carndonagh and the filming at Malin Head of A Shine of Rainbows, a film by the Emmy award-winning director Vic Sarin's. Aideen is married to Joseph McDermott and they have two children.


What music do you like?
I am listening to classic 60’s 70’s and 80’s Mowtown at the moment. Al Green, Aretha Franklin and Barry White all produced fantastic summer sunshine music. I also listen to Bruce Springsteen; he is a great live performer. I am also a huge fan of Kylie - she has such spirit!

What would you never throw away?
I have a small collection of paintings that I adore. They are mostly by local artists and would be irreplaceable. I will try to recycle nearly everything else.

What book are you reading?
I am reading The Goddess Guide written by Dublin-based journalist Gisele Scanlon. She has spent years writing lifestyle, fashion and travel pieces, and has rounded up the information to produce a book full of tips from how to get biro marks off your bag to the chic places to eat in Paris, New York or London. It teaches you how to be a Goddess!

What was your favourite childhood game?
I was one of the Famous 5. The five were myself, my two sisters, Dervla and Nuala our friend Maeve Gillen and Toby the dog. We were given a packed lunch in the morning to take with us, and then headed off into the wilderness to have great adventures. We would make our way home when we heard the church bells ringing the Angelus?

Have you been to the cinema recently, what did you see and was it any good?
I went to see Maid of Honour recently, starring the fabulous Patrick Dempsey. The content of the film didn’t really matter as long as he was in the scene!

What section of the newspaper do you turn to first?
I usually turn to Current affairs, politics and local news.

What is your idea of a good night out?
I enjoy a dinner out then off to the pub with friends.

Have you a favourite TV programme?
I am not watching much television at the moment, there is too much to do on these light summer evenings. In winter I would make Greys Anatomy an essential part of the week. Mainly again because Patrick Dempsey is in it as a character called Dr Derek Shepherd!

How do you relax?
I do disco dancing in the garage. It’s great exercise!

Where would you like to go for your holidays?
I have enjoyed a lot of holidays in many parts of the world. Now we tend to go for holidays destinations that will suit both adults and children. This year we are going to Italy as the area is very child friendly. When the children are happy, so are we!

Your idea of heaven?
This shifts with my mood! I am tired at the moment, so a lie in on a Saturday morning would be heaven enough.

Your idea of hell?
I don’t like the idea of being closed in. We were stuck in a tunnel last week on the Stanstead Express train line. We were there for 45 minutes until we started moving again. It was nearly as bad as being stuck in a lift.

What famous people would you invite around for dinner and why?
What is Patrick doing this week?

Favourite animal?
I love horses. They are so majestic. They seem so liberated and riding gives you a real sense of freedom.

Biggest fear?
Frogs! Horrible slimy frogs. In fact anything that is slimy or scuttles around on the floor. I am not good with anything like that.

Biggest thrill?
The Shine of Rainbows locating to Inishowen. They came through a scout from the Irish Film board.

The world’s most irritating invention?
Large exhausts on cars. Try getting a baby settled with those things making a racket.

Personal philosophies?
Keep positive. Get your feet on the floor and keep dancing and - Get over it and get on with it!

Biggest disappointment?
These are only moments in time, so you can turn a disappointment into a challenge for something positive.

Which period in history would you most like to have lived through?
America in the 1940’s and 50’s. I love the big cars and flamboyant clothes.

World’s most useful invention?
The electric kettle, cups of tea made easy!

Any chance you would move from Inishowen?
I did think that I would like to retire to a city; there would be plenty of things to do! I am very happy where I am now though, it is important to have family close by.

More pics of filming A Shine of Rainbows at Malin Head

See Inishrahull island where the Shine of Rainbows filmed the seals

WISDOM OF THE WORLD - WEEK 17

The tiger and the fox

A man walking through the forest saw a fox that had lost its legs and wondered how it lived. Then he saw a tiger come through the trees with game in her mouth. The tiger had her fill and left the rest for the fox.

“God is surely good” thought the man. The next day, the tiger came back with more meat and again the injured fox did not starve. The man continued to contemplate God’s greatness and said to himself, “I too shall just rest in a corner with full trust in the Lord and he will provide me with all that I need.”

He did this for many days but nothing happened. He was almost at death’s door when he heard a voice within say,
“O you who are in the path of error, open you eyes to the truth! Follow the example of the tiger and stop imitating the disabled fox.”

BIODIVERSITY WEEK

The organisers and speakers included Father Maningi from Tanzania. He spoke about the use of solar panels improving the lives of people in Moshi near the mountains of Kilanmanjaro, Tanzania.

Biodiversity week 17th -25th May 2008

The Living Foyle started things off with a day in Moville. First to the beach then talks.

For more information:

Loughs Agency

Notice Nature

5 MINUTES WITH - JOEY GRANT

Joey Grant has been caring for the Sisters of Mercy Convent gardens for over thirty years and has been a gardener for many years before starting at the convent. Over the years Joey has built up a fabulous display of bluebells by patiently collecting the seed heads and redistributing them around the garden. Joey also likes to introduce new plants and features into the garden every year. This year sees a new display of climbing roses.

What music do you like?
I really enjoy Country and Western. Live bands that get you dancing are particularly good.

What would you never throw away?
I never throw anything away. It comes from years of gardening. If you do throw something out you can be sure that you will be looking for it the next day.

What book are you reading?
I am reading a book on Padre Pio. I also enjoy gardening books. Let’s not forget the local papers too…I read them all!

What was your favourite childhood game?
For two weeks in the summer those of us who lived in the country had time off from school to dig the spuds in the fields. I also went out with my father in his horse and cart to do the turf cutting. We would go out with a goose egg and duck egg in our pockets to eat with our tea. This might not sound like a game, but it was to us young lads!

Have you been to the cinema recently, what did you see and was it any good?
It has been twenty years since I was at the pictures! When I was a young lad I used to get the money to go by caddying on the golf links on Buncrana. 18 holes would get you as much as half a crown (2shillings and sixpence), which would get you into the cinema easily.

What section of the newspaper do you turn to first?
Anything to do with gardening.

What is your idea of a good night out?
Having plenty of them! I like to see bands. I have no local pub as such but I enjoy a pint with friends.

Most embarrassing moment of your life?
There was the time I fell into a shuck coming home drunk from a wedding…enough said!

Have you a favourite TV programme?
My favourite bit of TV viewing is when a western in on. John Wayne was the best.

How do you relax?
It sounds a bit strange but I relax by keeping moving!

What job did you want to do when you were a child?
I was always interested in gardening and all I wanted to be was a gardener.

Where would you like to go for your holidays?
Castlebar in County Mayo will do me. My brother lives there and I will be going to visit later on in the year to take part in a charity walk in aid of Alzheimer’s.

Your idea of heaven?
I believe in reincarnation so if I could come back as another member of my family I would be happy

Your idea of hell?
There’s no such place

What famous people would you invite around for dinner and why?
I don’t invite anyone for dinner. Who comes,comes…. Anyone and everyone is welcome.

Favourite animal?
The horse. We had a fabulous grey mare we used for going into the hills. I hope this doesn’t make me sound too old!

Biggest fear?
I don’t have one. Thank God.

The world’s most irritating invention?
It would have to be the mobile phone.

Personal philosophy?
Be patient, especially when you are explaining things to people.

World’s most useful invention?
Money!

What is your idea of a good night in?
I like a few glasses of wine and a game of cards with friends and family.

Biggest disappointment?
When I was young I was really disappointed when I had to go back to school. I loved being outdoors so much.

What do you most like about the Irish Countryside?
Apart from the land, I really like the old traditional cottages. I was reared in a thatched cottage and they evoke great memories for me.

WISDOM OF THE WORLD - WEEK 16

A Contemporary Folktale

A businessman needing to attend a conference in a faraway city decided to travel on country roads rather than the motorways so he could enjoy a relaxing journey. After some hours of travelling he realised he was hopelessly lost. Seeing a farmer tending his field on the side of the road, he stopped to ask for directions. “Can you tell me how far it is to Chicago?” he asked the farmer. “Well, I don’t rightly know,” the farmer replied.

“Well, can you tell me how far I am from New York?” the businessman questioned again. “Well, I don’t rightly know,” the farmer again replied. “Can you at least tell me the quickest way to the main road?” the exasperated businessman asked. “No, I don’t rightly know,” the farmer again answered.

“You really don’t know very much at all, do you?” blurted the impatient businessman. “Nope, but I ain’t lost.” The farmer calmly answered.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS - editorial for the Inishowen Independent

“Decking is the perfect answer for difficult sites.” Seamus from North West Decking

“Sean Furey from Sean’s Garden Machinery in Letterkenny knows the importance of having good quality machinery to hand for the heavier jobs on the garden.”

“A good stonemason like Stephen Grant can enhance your outdoor space and it doesn’t cost the earth.”

“Patios are a practical way of increasing your living space around the house. A good patio will be one that looks good and is practical.” Eddie from Grianan Precast Concrete

“It is amazing what a few coats of paint make not only to your house, but to your mood as well.” Conal Taitt - Painter and decorator

“There are other colours of asphalt to choose from as well, you can have red, green, blue or even white!” Sean McDaid SP Asphalting

“We pride ourselves in using the highest quality materials available.” Martin Hughes from M Hughes Fencing


THE GREAT OUTDOORS

As soon as you walk out of your front door you are into the great outdoors. The areas around your house and garden are the spots you see more than any others and they will reflect your outdoor living preferences. Do you like gardening? Sitting and relaxing? Lots of friends over for a barbecue? Do you need plenty of car-parking? Do you like a bit of privacy? So how do you plan for all the spaces you need such as; patios, driveways, decking areas, walls, beds, borders and lawns. Now the sunny weather is with us your outdoor living area becomes another room so how can you make the most of it?

WOODEN DECKING
Wooden decking must be one of the most versatile ways of increasing your outdoor living space. They can be used in most situations, even on water! In fact decking is the perfect answer for difficult sites. They can make use of areas of the garden that were out of bounds with traditional building techniques. There are a lot of houses that are built into hillsides; decks can be created to sit over the slopes at the rear of the properties to make them accessible. Of course you don’t have to have a difficult site to make good use of this method of building.

Seamus from North West Decking, builds a wide range of styles to suit both old and new properties. “We also specialise in Spanish Style barbeque areas, Seamus tells us. These really complement the wooden decking look. Bricks and stone cladding are used around a central chimney, which looks terrific and also stops you being smoked out at the barbeque.” North West Decking can also tend to your existing decking as they do a complete maintenance package which includes fixing any damaged areas and a pressure-washing service. “Decking requires very little maintenance at this time of year,” Seamus continues. The wood is totally pressure-treated before installation. If you wanted to brighten it up a bit then a coat of decking oil can be used. Alternatively you could just sit, relax and finish the book you are reading!”


THE COMPLETE RANGE OF GARDEN MACHINERY
At one time some of us would have had a few sheep to keep the grass down around the house. Many of us have pristine lawns now and to get that perfect finish, we tend to go for mechanical methods of keeping the grass under control. Grass is growing at full speed now after the warmth and sunshine last week. Sean Furey from Sean’s Garden Machinery in Letterkenny knows the importance of having good quality machinery to hand for the heavier jobs on the garden. “Sit on mowers are the biggest time saver for people with large gardens,” says Sean. “We stock a wide range of Castlegarden ride on mowers, which are well known for their reliability and ruggedness. We have a wide choice to suit any large garden.” Sean concludes.

Sean also stocks smaller power mowers of those of us who like to walk as well as hedge cutters, chainsaws, strimmers, and if the power goes in the house for electrical items he even stocks generators. So there is no excuse not to do that gardening job! Sean is celebrating 35 years in the business, giving him a wealth of knowledge to assess the best machine for your site.


INDIVIDUAL STONEWORK DESIGNS
Nothing can beat the look of real stonework on a house or in a garden. If you are thinking of opting for this low maintenance natural finish around the house then you will need the services of a professional stonemason like Stephen Grant.

“The finish of natural stone is so versatile and of the most popular stone types for Inishowen is brown quartz.” Stephen tells us. “The uniform shape of the stone makes it an ideal choice for both house and garden walls. People see different colours in the stone, some think it is yellow and others see a brown or white colour, it is as individual as the customer.” Stephen works with other stone too. The customer can decide which type of stone they want for any particular job, be it a facia for a house, indoor fireplace or a retaining wall. The freedom of choice leads to greater customer satisfaction. A good stonemason like Stephen can enhance your outdoor space and it doesn’t cost the earth


WIDE CHOICS OF PATIO SLABS
Patios are a practical way of increasing your living space around the house. A good patio will be one that looks good and is practical; especially if you have young children or have difficulty manoeuvring. If you have garden furniture on the patio then you will need a level surface for them to rest on to avoid wobbly legs. Eddie from Grianan Precast Concrete has a wide range of hardwearing concrete slabs to give a level, professional finish to the patio. “We make our own range of slabs that come in all shapes and sizes,” says Eddie. “We also stock a wide range of Tobermore slabs to widen the range even further. Versatility is again a key factor for the slabs and they can be ordered to your own specific colour for a perfect complement to your house and home.”


PAINTING AND DECORATING OUTDOORS
Conal Taitt from Carndonagh is a registered painter and decorator and knows how important it is to get your outdoor space clean and bright for the summer. Conal will hang wallpaper and do all interior painting work but now the sun is shining. it is a perfect time for getting the outdoor area up to scratch. “For a really thorough job, outside walls can be pressure washed prior to re-painting. Preparing the surface is key to a long lasting professional finish,” Conal informs us.

It is amazing what a few coats of paint make not only to your house, but to your mood as well. Walking outside your freshly painted house or pulling the car up to your doorway in these light evenings will fill you with pleasure.


DRIVEWAY TO THE HOUSE
Driveways are also a key factor for our outdoor space around the house. A rough uneven and weed-infested approach to the house can be disappointing to you and visitors. Locally based SP Asphalting have the answer. Sean McDaid and his team work all over the peninsula smoothing out driveway surfaces. There is a dazzling array of material to choose from as well. “The most popular is black asphalt laid onto a well-prepared base to give a long-lived hardwearing surface,” says Sean. “There are other colours to choose from as well, you can have red, green, blue or even white!”

Sean also caters for people who like a Country-Paving surface; these are small block paving bricks laid out in a herringbone pattern for strength. Sean will also put in the entire kerb edging too and if it is just gravel you want as a driveway surface, they are happy to oblige.
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BOUNDARY FENCING
Martin Hughes from M. Hughes Fencing has been supplying and fitting fences around the North West since 1993. “We pride ourselves in using the highest quality materials available,” says Martin. “We have a wide range of materials depending on the customers needs. We do weld mesh panels for security. These are made from 5mm thick wires welded at every intersection and have anti-tamper fixings fitted as standard.”

For those of us who don’t need so much security there is Chainlink Fencing, but the most common timber fence available is the Post & Rail Fencing. “This can be used in various situations including boundary marking, paddock fencing, horse arenas and areas around a patio or compost area. We do a more ornate fencing made form treated wood called Timber Palisade Fencing. This is an attractive method of marking boundaries. It is supplied in many heights and designs, this is used widely as a decorative feature on housing developments.” Martin concludes.


One key factor for all of the companies mentioned here is their versatility and abilty to listen to their customers needs. This ensures that your house and the most important outdoor areas you have around your property will give you pleasure as well as the peace of mind of a job well done by professionals.

WISDOM OF THE WORLD - WEEK 15

ENJOY YOUR COFFEE

A group of old pupils, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite -telling them to help themselves to the coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is but normal to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress.
Be assured that the cup itself, adds no quality to the coffee and in some cases even hides what we drink.

What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups… And then began eyeing each other’s cups.

Now consider this: Life is the coffee, and the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of Life we live.

Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us." God brews the coffee, ……….enjoy your coffee.

LORETO HOUSE INTERNATIONAL FLOWER SHOW OPENED BY DANIEL O'DONNELL

Participants:

Jayne Marsh

John McDonald

Karen Sansom

Kazu Egawa

Sandra Brookes

Christine Buckels

Karen Mullan

Milton Porter

Rob Wallace

Steve Betts

Organised by Michael Doherty

For more information on the event go to the A Place Apart website

For more pictures go to the gardening.ie website gallery

For even more images go to the Inishowen News website