Sunday Thoughts

Here we are again, another Sunday, another blog post of Sunday Thoughts. The weather has been very flat and dull recently, my camera is charged and ready, but on days like this it doesn’t come out of the bag. I had hoped that today would be different, as sun was promised, and I was going to go for a walk and hopefully take photos of the changing leaves, but it didn’t happen, and I am looking at a grey sky, and a dirty kitchen floor!

The blog hit a couple of milestones this week; the Facebook page reached 20,000 followers, which I’m delighted with, and The Heart of Sligo group is four years old. The downside is that yet another person thought that the blog is my daughters, so it had me questioning if I’m too old to run a blog. I certainly don’t feel like I am, but it seems that quite a lot of people out there think blogging is for younger people. Mind you, the blog will be 17 next February, so I can’t see me stopping any time soon. Note to self: don’t put a pic on Twitter/X – so many desperate men!

I’m up to my eyes compiling the Sligo Gift Guide, I wasn’t going to do one this year, it takes such a lot of work, emails backwards and forwards, deadlines missed, and missed again, but I had people asking me this year, so I did it. Not sure it’ll happen again though. I always forget how much work I have to put into it, and it should be straightforward. On a positive, I think it’s the best gift guide to date, there’s so much choice, and so many wonderful local businesses. So watch this space, as it will be published mid-week.

I went to a lovely event for work on Thursday, it was a celebration of Leitrim Women in Agriculture, and it was inspiring listening to so many women telling their stories, not only the speakers and the panel, but also the people in the room. Everyone has a story, but not everyone gets the chance to tell it. It got me thinking about a new podcast series, amplifying women’s voices, and as I’m typing this, I’m thinking about a book too. Here we go, the sparks are flying! I’ll have to press pause on it for now, but I will consider it.

Yesterday morning I went to do the weekly shop, I also made time to visit The Hamilton Gallery (Clive Bright’s paintings above), and The Model, Sligo. I love spending time looking at art, it’s so relaxing. The Model has a wonderful, extended gift shop too. I must go back to have a proper look.

I also called to Mc G Cakes, who opened their Christmas Emporium recently. It’s a stunning shop, and it was heartwarming overhearing a little girl chatting to one of the Santa ornaments. It was so sweet.

Talking of shops, there are two new business that I discovered recently. One is Balance You Foods, they are based in Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo, but I saw their post on Instagram, about gluten-free goodies, so I sent some to Lucy and Laurence, and they loved them!

I saw another post on Instagram for Fleurista, it’s a gorgeous florist and gift shop in Drumkeeran, Co. Leitrim. I called in on my way home from work, and it’s like stepping into a Christmas wonderland, it’s well worth a visit.

The lovely people at Áit Apparel kindly sent me a Sligo mug, so I had to take it to visit Benbulben – as you do! It was a good excuse to go for a walk too. I love their products, they have something for every country in Ireland, and my hoodies is the cosiest hoody that I own, I’m living in it at the moment. You can check them out here: https://www.ait-apparel.ie/