Finding Fairies in Mechanicsburg and in Ireland

We are gearing up for the 29th Annual Fairy Festival to be held this weekend, September 9th and 10th in the gardens of The Rosemary House and Sweet Remembrances. Our Jim Thorpe sister was in town last week to spruce up the fairy gardens, adding new trinkets and treasures, highlighting with touches of color and sparkle, and throwing in a sprinkling of magic, too. 

The fairies are ready to welcome any and all wee folk, trolls even, sprites, and pixies, too.

There is a small admission of $7.50 (kids under 3 are free), but there are a lot of activities in the garden for young and old to discover. And there's even more in Rosemary Alley to keep you entertained throughout the day. A variety of vendors are also in Rosemary Alley, too. Fairy Food on the Fly can be found on the side porch of Sweet Remembrances.

We're sure you will find a fairy or two hidden in our gardens in downtown Mechanicsburg. You just have to believe.

And while in Ireland, I'm sure we were walking among the fairies when we found this mossy glen. They are quick and quiet, but there none the less.

And while visiting the Kylemore Abbey we found a Fairy Trail. Tucked among a ring of trees and mossy grove were a variety of fairy land surprises to discover. Inspiration, fairies and more were quietly waiting to be discovered in this little hidden cove. 

 

Do you believe in fairies? 

Do fairies live in the bottom of your garden?

Strawberry Fayre Tea Room, Coleraine, Northern Ireland

It was exciting to discover the Strawberry Fayre Tea Room seemingly in the middle of nowhere in Northern Ireland. After our adventures for the morning, we returned to this tea room to enjoy a late lunch.

With plenty of parking in the back, we ventured inside.

Susanna ordered the soup of the day (carrot zucchini) served alongside an order of egg mayonnaise sandwiches. The egg mayonnaise sandwich consisted of cut up slices of egg, red onion, and mayonnaise on white bread - not quite egg salad, but essentially the same ingredients.

This yummy cheese and pickle toastie (filled with melted cheese and savory chutney) came with a medley of corn and veggie salad.

The large cherry scone was served with butter and jelly, optional whipped cream was an extra charge. And a large pot of  tea.

When we asked about the 'tray bake' listed on the menu, the hostess brought out this array of desserts, and you were able to select the one that you preferred from cakes to cookies.

Our adventures on this day took us to the Giant's Causeway with a guided tour of the geologic and volcanic structures.

And also to the Carrick-a-Rede Rope bridge. Steep steps, short bridge span, and a long hike coupled with beautiful vistas along the causeway coastline made for a fabulous, slightly daring adventure.

An Cupán Tae Café, Dingle, Ireland

This busy little tea café, An Cupán Tae Café, is located in the town of Dingle, Ireland, on the Dingle Peninsula along the Atlantic Coast. After we strolled some of the gift shops in this touristy town, we ended up here for a fine cup of tea, served with milk and sugar, of course.

 

Order from the menu board, or be seated and a waitress will take your order.

Tea and cakes while enjoying the beautiful day in Ireland.

The colorful variety of buildings adds charm to this little seaside community. We stopped in a range of shops, from the typical touristy shop with souvenirs and trinkets to artistic specialty gift shops. Cedar found his souvenir, a hand crafted leather belt that was sized to order.

The donkey is trained to hee haw for a carrot when he hears the clink of the coins in the tin can. His owner produced a carrot from his sack to reward both the donkey and the tourist.

Beautiful Ireland Vistas

There is an unbelievable number of photographs on multiple phones capturing the essence of Ireland as we journeyed around the emerald isle. Simply enjoy the beauty of this foreign land as captured through our adventures.