Katherine Nolan

@dochara

Here for news, non-rancorous political discussion, cute cats & dogs, tech stuff, experts on the many things I know nothing about. #FreePalestine Hobby site gone mad at

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Katherine Nolan@dochara· 17d

How is business this Summer at the bug hotels? High occupancy rates for July but still decent capacity.

Hanging bug hotel on an old wall, with just less than half of holes plugged with papery plugs, which I think means some specific type of insect but don't know which. Solitary wasps maybe?

Bigger hotel mounted on an old stone wall, with blue and white flowers in the foreground. Well more than half of holes securely plugged.

Katherine Nolan@dochara· 17d

Lovely stroll through the wild parts of @jollymuffin.bsky.social's gorgeous garden.

An old wooden chair that has seen better days in a wild meadow with trees in the background.

The pond has dried up but the trees and plants growing around have stayed green and lush despite the dry weather.

Lots of varied meadow flowers, alive today with bees and butterflies

Katherine Nolan@dochara· 25d

There has to be better packaging than these infernal things. Either there is no starter corner (this one), there is but it doesn't work or breaks off. It's a complete surprise when the occasional one works as "designed".

A piece of salmon on a tray with a supposedly peel off plastic cover. Which like most packages of this kind does not actually peel off.

Katherine Nolan@dochara· 29d

"Verify your age" We had a phone like this in the first place I worked after college. Our phone number was Gort 19. I was one of the last towns in ireland to lose its local operator exchange and get those new-fangled dialling phones!

An old black bakelite phone with no numbers to dial. You made a call by lifting the headset/handle, waiting for an operator to answer and then asking the operator for the number you wanted.

Katherine Nolan@dochara· Jun 15

Coffee and a sausage roll in the car for breakfast and this guy wants his share.

Crow sitting on the open door of a car, expecting to share our breakfast.

Katherine Nolan@dochara· Jun 1

this is a cat check point. relinquish your most recent cat picture on your phone.

Small black and white cat on a tarmac driveway, photographed through the leaves of a plant.

Katherine Nolan@dochara· May 16

Out on the farm of a friend of a friend where there are three generations of houses in the yard. Two now storage, but fully intact, and the modest 'new house' built in 1910 where they live and the current occupant, and his father before him, grew up. A magical place, want to stay and move in!

Tiny old stone building with a small window covered in foliage and hidden in trees. Forgot to ask about it, but maybe a labourer's cottage?

The back of the 'old new house' on the right, the one lived in pre 1910. White washed with a slate roof and buttresses against the wall. Just one room deep - the windows are on the other side. Old stone cow sheds at right angles to it across the yard.

Lots of trees, both very old and new. I liked this little group at the back of the house.

Fabulous views from the new house over the haggard field to distance hills.

Katherine Nolan@dochara· May 12

Looking for images of trains, at least these gave me laugh but still, AI is a pox.

A train running down some waterway, supposedly in Dublin, with some kind of mashup of the Financial Services Centre and other buildings that may or may not exist in the background.

A train running on a track that goes along the top of the Cliffs of Moher, except on some non-existent part of the cliffs where it could plunge into water on both sides.

Katherine Nolan@dochara· May 6

When polls (Ireland Thinks) include questions like this you really wonder who they are polling for. And no, the follow ups didn't allow for nuance.

A series of poll options asking an opinion on the government's handling of immigration. The answers are all about "right direction" and "wrong direction" with no means of what in your opinion is right and wrong.

Katherine Nolan@dochara· Apr 27

The light this evening is just gorgeous, everything looks like a painting. Wish I was a better photographer.

Looking through trees to a field bathed in evening light.

Looking across a field to a line of trees silhouetted against a sky with clouds. The clouds are grey and an orangey yellow where the setting sun is reflecting on them

Katherine Nolan@dochara· Apr 24

Micheál Martin brings his wishy washy to Europe.

“It’s difficult to reconcile everybody’s priorities with the available budget, and indeed, some think the budget is too high as it is. Others think it’s not high enough. So those are the challenges,” he added.

Katherine Nolan@dochara· Apr 22

Does anyone know where this is? I think it's in a graveyard at some monastic site.

A stone obelisk with scenes of some kind carved on the surface of the top part

Katherine Nolan@dochara· Apr 21

I was completely unaware that the Dail has passed a bill to ban flavours, except tobacco, from vapes. I don't use flavours, but I know people who do because it helped them break away from cigarettes. Just ban disposables ffs. You can contact your TD here: respectvapers.ie/contact-your...

If you currently use fruit, menthol, dessert, drink, or any other non-tobacco flavour, this directly affects you.

For many adult vapers, flavours are not just a preference, they are the reason they were able to quit smoking and stay off cigarettes. Removing those options could make it much harder for people to remain smoke-free.

This is not something happening in the distance. It is time-sensitive, and the matter is due to be discussed on Wednesday this week. That means your voice needs to be heard now, before decisions are made without the people most affected.

Katherine Nolan@dochara· Apr 18

Amazing how names go in and out of fashion. There have been fewer than three Abinas a year since 1989.

A graph showing the popularity - or lack of popularity - of the lovely name Abina. From a high of 13 in 1968, fewer than three babies a year have been given the name since 1989.

Katherine Nolan@dochara· Apr 18

Daffodils may signal the arrival of spring but dandelions are its real glory. I couldn't love them more. I mean, look at them!

A large grassy area filled with yellow dandelions. In the background are trees and a blue sky with some fluffy clouds.

Katherine Nolan@dochara· Apr 15

My email, took minutes.

Katherine Nolan@dochara· Apr 6

Look at this beautiful thing? Gift of homemade Paska from a Ukrainian friend. Seems a shame to even think of eating it, but I'll get past that!

A small cake, beautifully iced and decorated with gold and silver balls and sprinkles. It is wrapped on brown paper held in place with twine.

Katherine Nolan@dochara· Apr 3

This has to be the most ambiguous question I've ever been asked on a survey, a high bar. What way is which?

A survey asking for an opinion on the Irish government's handling of immigration. The options ask you to say whether you think there is movement in the 'right' or 'wrong' direction. Right and wrong are not defined.

Katherine Nolan@dochara· Mar 26

The size of a room shouldn't factor into how many TDs we have. Refurbish. I reckon move the front row forward a bit, shaving an inch or two off seat, desk & legroom depth (Ryanair configuration), change the pitch a bit, and you'd get another row. Dublin has plenty of empty offices.

The Dail chamber, showing rows of tiered seating arranged in a horseshoe shape around a central floor.

Katherine Nolan@dochara· Mar 23

I made a cake and it is delicious. Venetian Carrot Cake, thanks to @nigella.bsky.social. I didn't need it to be but as a bonus it is gluten and dairy free.

A low golden brown cake with a few slices missing. You can see the rum soaked sultanas and flecks of carrot inside and it is topped with toasted pine nuts.

Katherine Nolan@dochara· Mar 10

That's a bargain. This morning.

Petrol station sign showing petrol at 179.8c/l and diesel at 89.8c/l

Katherine Nolan@dochara· Feb 22

Rarely pass through the Castle Park without going in to say hello to Sandy. Anyone who has owned #dogs will recognise the obvious sadness of his owner.