Life Goes On...

I've been missing from this blog for rather a long time...
I haven't been taking any photos in the Coleraine area for weeks now. Although I've posted recently on my other blogs, any photos were ones I'd already taken a while ago.

My father died on Monday 7th September.

Life continues, however, so it's time to get out with the camera again.

Portstewart Promenade

This is a view of The Promenade, Portstewart, looking to the left of the War Memorial shown in my last photo.

The town began life as a small fishing village which grew into a resort in the mid-1800's. The arrival of the railway in 1855 increased the popularity of the town, in spite of the station being built in the countryside a little over a mile away from the promenade, which was served by a steam tram.
The station was situated so far away because some local landowners would not allow the railway to cross their land.
Although the town has expanded over the years, the station is still surrounded by fields.

Golden Blog Award

Back on 6th August, Cheryl from NOSTALGIA: Today and Yesterday gave me this award.

Life seems to have been a bit hectic over the last couple of weeks, so I'm only getting around to accepting the award now.
Thanks, Cheryl - much appreciated although, if I'm truthful, not really deserved. My blog is haphazard with occasional posts. Yours, on the other hand, has a post most days - with the past few weeks featuring Colorado.

I'm not very much into the award thing, but apparently there are usually rules about passing it on.
I've chosen two people whose blogs I check out every day.

artic dreamer, for the blog an artic life which has educated me about the city of Yellowknife in Canada.

Maggie, for a couple of her blogs - In Pictures: Can't Get Indiana Off My Mind and Do these shoes match this purse?
Keep up the good work, Maggie!!

War Memorial, Portstewart

Another view of the War Memorial on Portstewart Promenade.

Getting Sorted...

When I started this blog my intention was to show photos of the Coleraine area.
On many occasions, however, I allowed myself to wander. So photos from as far away as Spain appeared.
Now I have decided to go back to basics. This blog will only cover the Coleraine Borough Council area.
Which means along the coast from Portballintrae in the east, to Downhill in the west. And as far inland as Kilrea and Garvagh.

For the rest of the North Coast, I will use another blog - North Coast Photos. And more...
This will cover the remainder of the coastline from the Ballycastle area in the north-east corner of Ireland across to Derry. Sometimes, the Donegal coast may also be included.

The rest of the country - and any foreign adventures - will appear in Finn McCool's Country, which will also be a more personal blog.

So that's that sorted.

Now I just need some photos...

War Memorial

Every time I walk down Portstewart prom, past the War Memorial, I am reminded of a poem by Seamus Heaney.

The bronze soldier hitches a bronze cape
That crumples stiffly in imagined wind
No matter how the real winds buff and sweep
His sudden hunkering run, forever craned

Over Flanders. Helmet and haversack,
The gun's firm slope from butt to bayonet,
The loyal, fallen names on the embossed plaque -
It all meant little to the worried pet

I was in nineteen forty-six or seven,
Gripping my Aunt Mary by the hand
Along the Portstewart prom, then round the crescent
To thread the Castle Walk out to the strand.


If you're interested, you can read the complete poem here.

Another Sunset

I'm a bit of a sucker for sunsets.

This one was taken yesterday evening from the Promenade at Portstewart. The sun is setting over the Atlantic Ocean, with the headlands of Co Donegal on the left and Portstewart Harbour wall on the right.