Love where you live

Saturday was my fourth round of golf since Monday and it was a killer--4.5 hours on a very long, hilly course with lots of bunkers. I was playing at Donaghadee with a neighbour. We are both vying for a place on the Challenge Cup team. I thought we were playing against each other to see which of us would be reserve on the team. As it turned out, my win on Saturday secured my spot on the home team (we'll have three pairs competing at Shandon) and my neighbour will be on the away team (there will be two pairs competing in Donaghadee).

I think a few of our potential players for this team are not available on 12 May, the match day, so newbies like me and my friend Fiona made the cut. We had a great time, Fiona is really good fun. I won 5-4, which means I was up five holes with four left to play. I am filled with both excitement and dread at the prospect of playing for Shandon against another club.

Sunday I took Paddy on a beautiful hike from Minnowburn to Giant's Ring. It put me in mind of a marketing slogan I heard years ago: Love where you live; live where you love. Nailed it!

I love the Irish countryside, I always have. This walk takes in so many aspects of what I love about NI. One is that it is very dog centric, so I'm among many people out with my dog hiking along the river and through the woods. And just look at that bridge. They don't  make 'em like that any more.

I love how Beflast is surrounded by Divis Mountain, Cavehill, and Black Mountain. Such a lovely backdrop. Here we also have Malone House in the middle ground.

My birthday celebrations highlighted the human element of why I want to live here, the desire for community that plays out in 100 lovely ways. But this hike reminded me of the physical geography that is so important to me.

I love ancient trees--so majestic, so permanent. This photo does not really convey the scale of this tree.

And I love how development is contained. Coasts aren't spoiled with condomiums and tacky shops. The river is accompanied through the forest by a tow path, used by runners, cyclists and dog walkers. The tow path begins minutes from Belfast. Sprawl is not permitted here as it is in the US, felling everything in its path. Fast food shops here are few and far between. We also aren't coming down with chains of drug stores, given that most drugs are free through the NHS.

There are of course flaws. The two parties that won the most seats last week are supposed to form a government. But the DUP refuses to go into government with Sinn Fein until the NI protocol is repealed. This was the price of Brexit – putting minor trade barriers between NI and GB so that NI could remain part of the EU, like the Republic of Ireland. But that represents an existential threat to the insecure unionist identity, so Boris is suggesting he will break the treaty he signed with the EU to appease unionists. With unknown repercussions. It's a bit of a mess. And NI government lacks transparency and accountability, leading to all kinds of skulduggery.

But these are things that it's fairly easy to ignore in every day life and for the most part I do.

7&8 May