watchingthedaisies

Bikes in Bloom

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Floral display outside my favourite restaurant – “Danny Minnie’s”

I live in County Donegal, on the north west coast of Ireland, which was recently voted “The Coolest Place on the Planet” by National Geographic Traveller (UK).

My village has been participating in Ireland’s national “Tidy Towns” competition for several years.  One of our star attractions is our “Bikes in Bloom.”

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The village car park complete with colourful seating, bicycle and wildlife information

A dedicated team of volunteers maintain the bicycles, and embellish their baskets with flowers each spring.

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The bikes are painted in colourful hues…

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They stand to attention along walls, telegraph posts and outside shops and other village establishments.

 

They light up a couple of uninhabited cottages.

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They smile at visitors who travel along “The Wild Atlantic Way” – a tourism trail that passes through nine counties from Donegal’s Inishowen Peninsula in the north, to Kinsale, County Cork in the south. The trail covers 2500km and is depicted by the blue wave sign seen in the photograph above.

I smile every time I pass a “bike in bloom”.  I wonder how many other smiles they create in a day?

Brigid P. Gallagher is a retired natural medicines therapist, passionate organic gardener and author of “Watching the Daisies- Life lessons on the Importance of Slow,” a holistic memoir dedicated to the art of mindfulness and healing from debilitating illness.

 

100 comments

  12. Ohhh Daisies, I’m so glad that you sent me in search of this blog post! Awww… this is just incredible and what’s more … it’s made me feel that I’d rather like to do something along the same lines. So I’m going to keep my eye open for an old bike that no one wants anymore. Something shoved at the back of a shed or garage somewhere. It might not happen this summer (doubt it will) but I am going to hope for next year. If it happens, I’ll blog about it.

    Thank you so much for telling me about this.
    Bless you. ~ Cobs. x

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  16. Suddenly makes the phrase ‘on your bike’ sound more welcoming as it could bring a sense of peace and satisfaction working on one’s bike.
    Any idea as to the origins of this practice?

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  17. What a refreshing post, love the photos. I love Ireland. Have visited the Dublin twice with trips to Wexford, Howt* and Avoca. I love the place, people are friendly and the scenery is breathtaking a bit like Scotland with better weather I think 😉

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  18. Well this post and those bikes definitely made me smile. How lovely to have them scattered around your town. Thanks for sharing your patch of the world Brigid. xo 😊

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  21. Hello ‘Daisies’ 🙂
    Just a little note to tell you that I’ve nominated you and your really lovely blog for a Liebster Award.
    You can read more about this here: https://thecobweboriumemporium.wordpress.com/2017/06/14/liebster-award-nomination/
    You don’t have to accept the award if your blog is award free.

    I’ve placed a link to your blog on my own blog, so that people can come and check you out. 🙂
    Congratulations on being worthy of nomination. Your blog really is such a joy. ~ Cobs. 🙂

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  36. Hello Brigid,
    What a gorgeous idea… I really loved the blue bike with the yellow flowers…
    And such great recognition for your county too. It’s a definite must visit now when we come to Ireland.
    Thank you for such a lovely post 🌟🌟💕

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  38. Oh I love that idea and they are so colorful and pretty…I bet they must create thousands of smiles!! What a lovely site, how could you not smile when seeing that.

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  39. “The coolest place to live on the earth!!” That’s fun to hear! I’ll bet you just thought it was your own dear home– cool or not. But it does look totally charming Brigid!! Love when you share photos like this… xox

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