Happy St. Patrick’s Day! If the wearin’ o’ the green and maybe some Irish stew are in your future, you might be Irish. My mother said we were Dutch and Irish (we were from Arkansas/the Ozarks). I’m not sure where she got that but with our fair/freckled skin, we would fit in. When I was young and in the sun a lot, my brown hair would turn reddish blonde. Now it has no color, but at least I still have hair. But to people everywhere it is time to raise a glass and celebrate. I am making Reuben sandwiches today and I might find something green in the closet to wear.

I decided for the blog this morning to do a little research on St. Patrick, the man. Another story another time. He was born in England in the latter part of the fifth century and at the age of sixteen he was captured by Irish pirates and enslaved in Ireland. He became a herdsman and at that time he turned to God for strength. He escaped some years later and returned to his home only to come back to Ireland and preach the gospel of Christianity. He is known for converting Ireland to Christianity and for running the snakes from Ireland because during a fast he was attacked by a herd of snakes which he ran into the ocean and there are supposedly no snakes in the country of Ireland. He studied and was ordained into the priesthood and became a bishop in the church.

St. Patrick used the shamrock as a symbol of the Holy Trinity with three leaves on one stem. His date of death is known as March 17, 461 AD. He was buried in Downpatrick’s Down Cathedral. He was never canonized as a saint in the Catholic Church was celebrated as a saint in the 1630s by popular acclaim by the Irish people.

So that is your history lesson for the day. I hope you celebrate your St. Patrick’s Day in the way you like with corned beef and cabbage and beer or whatever your tastebuds like. To me it is the beginning of spring and a time of magic.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

What are you reading/writing this week?