Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Here in Central Virginia it’s a cold and snowy one. It started snowing yesterday evening around 4:15 pm, and has been mostly snowing ever since. This is not what we would usually expect for this time of the year, although we had a sizeable snowstorm last year around mid-March as well. Wildlife were out and about early this morning, leaving tracks in their wake.
Here in Central Virginia it’s a cold and snowy one. It started snowing yesterday evening around 4:15 pm, and has been mostly snowing ever since. This is not what we would usually expect for this time of the year, although we had a sizeable snowstorm last year around mid-March as well. Wildlife were out and about early this morning, leaving tracks in their wake.
The birds crowded around the feeders, resting on tree limbs and branches between bites.
I’ve been musing on St. Patrick’s Day associations over the weekend. Memories and connections
have slowly unfurled.
My favorite memory from this holiday dates from the second grade. My father had taken me to some sort of school activity. Was my class singing for someone? Doing a presentation? I no longer recall the details. But I do recall a bright blue North Carolina sky; a vivid green carpet of grass; black patent Mary Janes; and a full-skirted dress in soft green cotton. I know I didn't need a coat on that lovely springlike day. I think this may be the dress. I wish there was a magic way to “colorise” this photo.
have slowly unfurled.
My favorite memory from this holiday dates from the second grade. My father had taken me to some sort of school activity. Was my class singing for someone? Doing a presentation? I no longer recall the details. But I do recall a bright blue North Carolina sky; a vivid green carpet of grass; black patent Mary Janes; and a full-skirted dress in soft green cotton. I know I didn't need a coat on that lovely springlike day. I think this may be the dress. I wish there was a magic way to “colorise” this photo.
Short of that, here’s a little fifties figurine in green, that somewhat captures the colors I remember.
Other childhood associations with this holiday include:
Bright green shamrocks, cut from construction paper. Wikipedia has a piece on shamrocks:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamrock
And here’s a linen tea towel with shamrock motif.
Bright green shamrocks, cut from construction paper. Wikipedia has a piece on shamrocks:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamrock
And here’s a linen tea towel with shamrock motif.
Rainbows with pots of gold. I’ve not yet stumbled on a pot of gold, but a couple of months ago there was a marvelous display of rainbows in this area.
And of course, leprechauns. Thinking of leprechauns brought to mind a favorite movie of Mom’s, “Darby O Gill and the Little People,” a Disney film from 1959. Gary and I watched it on Amazon yesterday evening. I always used to think Mom liked the notion of the leprechauns in this piece, but had overlooked the male lead, a very young, good-looking Sean Connery, several years before his 007 days. Wonder if that was it.
Further musings have brought to mind Irish pottery, Celtic art,and Gaelic blessings.
In terms of Irish pottery, I have three pieces of Nicholas Mosse. I love the bright colors and stenciled
motifs.
As for Celtic art, Dad loved reading about illuminated manuscripts and studying images reproduced from their pages. He had a reproduction copy of the 9th century Book of Kells, with its wonderfully complex illuminations of the Gospels, in rich and vibrant hues.
Here’s Wikipedia on the Book of Kells:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Kells.
The photo below is an image of one of the illuminated pages of this ancient Gospel book, as found in a book that Dad had, "A History of Illuminated Manuscripts," Christopher de Hamel (1986).
Here’s Wikipedia on the Book of Kells:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Kells.
The photo below is an image of one of the illuminated pages of this ancient Gospel book, as found in a book that Dad had, "A History of Illuminated Manuscripts," Christopher de Hamel (1986).
Here's a museum scarf, found at a yard sale some years ago, with a Book of Kells motif.
And as for Gaelic blessings, here are the Cambridge Singers, doing John Rutter’s “A Gaelic Blessing,” also known as “Deep Peace.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObrYXo93QYI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObrYXo93QYI
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
(Traditional Gaelic blessing)
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
(Traditional Gaelic blessing)