If the world gets too noisy, stand and stare at spring!

Double Vision with Charlie Adley

Phew! What a trip that was. As I turn the car into our driveway, the Snapper and I are back in our quiet corner of the west of Ireland. Stepping out of the car, my mind sends me flashbacks of crowded food halls in glassy international airports, traffic roaring around London’s M25 and through the streets of Tel Aviv.

The modern world is a noisy place. Each time I arrive back from a family trip, my ears ring with the silence here. This calm quiet almost makes me feel dizzy at first.

Silence takes many forms, and as I stand outside my car for a few seconds, I feel the gentle tickle of the breeze on my ear. I can hear birdsong and a dog barking up the way.

It’s not pure silence, but there’s nothing manmade about these noises. Even when a strimmer starts in the distance, it makes no difference. We all have to cut things down and back. It’s a fact of life in the country.

More than anything when away, the Snapper and I miss the peace of being here.

Well, that’s not entirely true. There’s another member of our family group who ranks much higher, and now there’s another sound – the welcome and familiar explosion of energy and blonde hair that is an ecstatic Lady Dog, being walked around the corner of the house by my wonderful friend Whispering Blue.

“Howya mate. How’s it all gone?” I ask, as Lady launches herself at the Snapper, covering her with face licks and half a ton of dog hair.

Lady shedding her winter coat is a natural phenomenon worthy of a David Attenborough TV special. Be careful as you read this. If you become too involved, you might well find dog hairs on your clothes.

”All good mate!” smiles my mate, with a gentle calmness that immediately reassures me.

I always believed in the rare gifts of animal whisperers, but first saw them in action when we moved to this area five years ago. I’d seen a sign about dog daycare, so pulling off the road, I drove towards what I thought was the main building.

To read Charlie’s column in full, please see this week’s Galway City Tribune.