Hello Fans!

Even though we are enjoying some snow flurries at the moment, we know that spring is on it’s way.  (Just don’t know if it will make it before we go home!)  We have had some sunny days though, so we got out here and there and did a bit of sightseeing.

Love the retro taxi’s all over the UK.

Parish Church of St. Malachy (Church of Ireland) in Hillsborough, County Down, NI

Celtic Cross at the entrance of the Parish Church of St. Malachy

The return of one of our YSA...

...Elder Curtis Baker

“Baaaaa!” 

Church of St. Joseph and St. Conal (Catholic) in the village of Bruckless, 

County Donegal, Republic of Ireland

Slieve League Cliffs, County Donegal, ROI

A Napoleonic Signal Tower at Slieve League ~ A means of visual signals (“optical telegraph") popular in the late 1700 to early 1800’s.  Built in response to the threat of a French invasion. There were 81 of these around this island operating simultaneously.  Low cloud and sea fog, all too familiar on the Irish coast, were very real threats to the effectiveness of the system.

Picturesque wee church and village near Slieve League

Our District & Zone leaders ~ Elders Gill, Meyer, White, Blick, Johnson, Edwards & Schroeder

Sisters Morgan, Hansen & Blick

A bunch of Hermione’s at Tayto Castle/Crisp Factory.  ;)  (Love school uniforms!)

Yep. Crisps are made in a castle here in Norn Iron.  We got to go on a tour here AND best of all, we got to meet Mr. Tayto!!! We took home sacks and sacks of free crisps!

Tayto Castle in Tandragee, County Tyrone, NI is over 500 years old.  Has been a crisp factory since 1956.  Crisp flavours produced here are Beef & Onion, Cheese & Onion, Pickled Onion, Prawn (Shrimp) Cocktail, Roast Chicken, Salt & Vinegar, Smoky Bacon, Spring Onion, Wuster Sauce, Ready Salted, Bang Bang Spicy Thai and Chargrilled Steak. Other snacks are ~ Cheese & Ham Toasties, Onion Rings, Saucers, Texas BBQ, Spirals, Curry Chips, Bikers Spicy, Sweet Onion, High Fives Bacon, High Fives Cheesy, Mature Cheddar & Sweet Onion, Sweet Chilli & Red Peppers, Roast Beef & Peppercorn Sauce, French Onion and Texan Grill.  If you don’t like any of the above, you've got one serious problem!!!

Wall and corner watch tower at Tayto Castle

Beaghmore Stone Circles near Cookstown, County Tyrone.  This sight dates back to 2900-2600 BC!!!  One three letter word for that?  O L D !

Sisters Morgan and Hansen and Elder B.

A granite statue of St. Patrick on Slieve Patrick in Saul, County Down, NI  

 Built in 1932 to celebrate the 1500th anniversary of Patrick’s return to Ireland

Saul Church ~  two miles outside Downpatrick, built in 1932 to commemorate Saint Patrick’s first church in Ireland

Plaque on Saul Church

Stained glass inside Saul Church

Wow!  Do we ever love this wee country!  So much to explore. So much history and cool old stuff!  ;)  We just got back from the Preston (England) Temple with our beloved YSA.  It was the perfect way to spend some of our last days here.  Will blog about that next time.

Time is winding down.  I really had no idea that time could go this fast!  We are not looking forward to leaving all the wonderful people here, but we do want to get reacquainted with our kids and grandkidlets, so it’s a real bitter-sweet thing. Kinda looking forward to drying out for awhile though, and seeing the sun on a more regular basis.  ;)

Cheers!
Sister Blickenstaff