Eclectic and elegant would be the words best describing Arkens B&B in Granbury Texas.  A couple of weeks ago Bob and I celebrated our 27th anniversary.  We usually like to go somewhere special to celebrate and it was very special. Granbury Texas is about an hour's drive from us and it had been a while since we visited there. The photos will show how special it was but the real heart of the B&B lies in the beholders.  They were Arlis and Ken.  Arlis and Ken are a retired couple from the Aerospace Industry in California.  We really enjoyed our periodical visits with them.  They only offer two rooms but I think this allows more time for the special attention we received from them while offering numerous amenities.  Their beds with sleep number mattresses allow comfort to your specifications.  Everything from drinks and snacks are included.  We left for dinner and upon our return they had a delicious dessert prepared.  There were over 4,000 video's available to chose from and included.  The breakfast was wonderful.  They checked with us first to see if there was anything we didn't like or are allergic to.
I wanted to note that the Lighted Box in the pool room is actually marble that weighs over 1000 lbs.  I found it amazing you can see through the marble if lighted from behind.  It was so beautiful!

Granbury is a quaint town which has grown in the past few years presenting more shops, hotels, theaters,  and restaurants.  They even have a trolley car. We plan to return to Arkens later this summer with friends.

Outside Entrance to Arkens B&B in Granbury TX.

Entryway at Arkens B&B in Granbury TX.

Note our names on the chalk board welcoming us.

Bedroom at Arkens B&B in Granbury, (Overlooks the Lake and Pool Area)

This room may have been a little feminine for Bob but I loved it and he didn't seem to mind.  It overlooked the pool area and lake.   The other room available had many swords displayed on the walls and was more masculine. It was very unusual and interesting.  

Bedroom at Arkens B&B in Grandbury

Bath at Arkens B&B in Granbury

Pool Room at Arkens B&B in Granbury TX.

The Girls, Residence of Arkens B&B in Granbury

Pool Area of Arkens B&B in Granbury TX

Fire Pit and Sitting Area at Arkens B&B

Steps to Lake Granbury from Arkens B&B

Town of Kinsale, Ireland

The next group of photos are of Kinsale, a quaint town by the sea.  We stayed at the Old Presbytery B & B.    The two hundred year old home use to be the residence for Priests attached to St. John the Baptists Church. It was comfortable with many amenities and the owners were very nice people.  We took a boat tour by the shores of  Kinsale and viewed Charles Fort from the shore.  It was very unseasonably cold but we went anyway.

The White House Bar in Kinsale, Ireland

Business District in Kinsale, Ireland

Kinsale by the Sea in Ireland

Marina at Kinsale, Ireland

Tugboat in Port at Kinsale, Ireland

Along the Port at Kinsale, Ireland

Saleboats at Kinsale, Ireland with Ruins on Hillside

Homes on Shore of Kinsale, Ireland

Joe and Bob, Kinsale Ireland

Char and Joe on Board at Kinsale, Ireland

Kinsale, Ireland - Charles Fort

Charles Fort, Kinsale, Ireland

British Fort During Late 17th Century

Happy Birthday Jake!

Today is Jake's birthday!  He is posing with his Dad in the photo above.  Jake have a great day!  We love and miss you.

This is our Grandson Jack's art project at school.  I love it and wanted to share.  In case you can not read the wish list, here it is:

I wish that I could go to a good college

I wish that I could be a good sports player

I wish I could be an actor

I wish I could stay up all night

I wish I could change all of the bad things that has happened

I wish I could be famous

I wish Texas could win all of their games

I wish that the world would be a better place

I Wish!

I don't know what I was expecting when we drove a couple of hours from Dublin to Belfast to take the Black Taxi Tour but I was disturbed.  Even though I have read and seen many things regarding the uprisings in Ireland, being there made it more realistic.  Our guide would stop the taxi periodically and hop in the back with us and very passionately tell stories of innocent people who were shot and killed just because they were Catholic.
The Protestants are more loyal to Great Britain while the Catholics want to be independent from England and more loyal to Ireland.
The song that kept running through my head was "What the World Needs Now Is Love, Sweet Love" it's the only thing that there's just too little of. Things are better now than they used to be and hopefully conditions will continue to get better.
(to see all Belfast photos click older posts at the end of the page)

Gates in Belfast

Some of the gates in Belfast now open from 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM to allow people to go back and forth to work.

Part of a Memorial on the Catholic Side

Back of Homes on Catholic Side Protected with Fencing

The surrounding fencing allows children and families some protection from fall out so they can go outside.

Close Up View of Mural on Catholic Side of Belfast

The Catholic Side of Belfast, Murals

Close Up of Murals on Catholic Side of Belfast

Murals on the Catholic side of Belfast

Mural on Apartment in Belfast, Protestant Side

Entrance to Protestant Side of Fence in Belfast

On the Fence in Belfast

Mural on Building in Belfast

Mural on Protestant Side of Belfast

Mural on Apartments on the Protestant Side of Belfast

The Crown Bar in Belfast

Bar Area at the Crown Bar in Belfast

Beautiful Ceiling at the Crown Bar in Belfast

Private Booths at The Crown Bar in Belfast

In the 1800's it was considered improper for a woman to be seen in a bar.  They built these private booths so woman could go to the bar and not be noticed.

Hotel in Belfast

Opera House in Belfast

When you speak of something that is 5000 years old it is beyond my comprehension, yet that is the age of Newgrange, a 5000 year old tomb in Ireland.  Just think of it, it was built one thousand years before Stonehenge, three thousand years BC.  How did they physically do that?  How did they know to align it so  perfectly to capture those first rays of the dawn's sun on the winter solstice?  So many questions and so interesting!

Full View Outside Newgrange, 5000 Year Old Tomb

Stones Outside Entry of Newgrange

Outside Newgrange

Inside the Narrow Walls of Newgrange

Inside Newgrange - Door in Newgrange - 5000 Years Old

Window Inside Newgrange Lined to perfectly Capture the First Rays of the Dawn Sun on the Winter Solstice