Sea of green, moat of asphalt

Ireland is a sea of green. There are oceans of grass, towering hedges that overtop the road, verdant fields that stretch to the horizon.

The Irish have apparently decided to defend themselves against the emerald by surrounding their houses by a moat of asphalt. Well-to-do houses are surrounded by a buffer zone of asphalt or crushed gravel. For many, you can drive completely around the house.

In the best cases, like our kind hostess’ house, the house is also ringed with a sidewalk. Here are a few examples.

We’ve struggled to understand the reasons for this difference. Ginnie had a good idea that such an approach would prevent mud from forming in the persistent rain. Or perhaps there are secret pleasures in owning a little ring of pavement. Mini-Nascar, perhaps?