Heading a bit north from Africa.... I'm in Ireland for a couple of weeks, enjoying the sights, and mostly, freedom from my computer. But I did promise a few Irish country scenes, so here's one: "The Guardians of History." These cows took their job of guarding these castle ruins VERY seriously. This was taken just outside of Loughrea, Co. Galway, where I was trying to find the house of a childhood friend whom I visited 36 years ago. The details of where, exactly, the house was, were a little fuzzy, and I never did locate it (or the childhood friend, who I think now lives in Galway city). Loughrea, Co. Galway, Ireland. 2 July 2008.