Saint Patrick's Day

Lá Fhéile Pádraig

St Patrick's Day and the massacre of the shamrock at the White House!

Uhuh. That little bowl of shamrock, the "enduring symbol" of the relationship between Ireland and the U.S. is destroyed after making the long trip from Ireland.

CNN says White House security protocol dictates that any "food, drink or plant presented to the president be 'handled pursuant to Secret Service policy'."

As CNN points out that's "Secret Service-speak for destroyed."

I guess I can understand not passing on food or beverages to the President, but a little green weed? Seriously?

I've never been a fan of celebrating Saint Patrick's Day - green beer and bagels and rivers, an excuse for alcoholic excess... none of that appeals to me. I wish there was more concentration on, more attention paid to the history and literature and music of Éire.

And, frankly, I'm just not a fan of Patrick anyway, I prefer Saint David: gwnewch y pethau bychain mewn bywyd.


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The Wearing of the Green
Rising of the Moon
An Irish Lullaby
Irish Rover
Rosin the Beau

hippo birdie to me

45

feeling older than dirt today... aw well, it beats the alternative.

That nor'easter was something else. Did someone on the Eastern seaboard cheese off the weather gods? Man, it's been some winter. There was a lot of rain and wind at the farm but no damage - I guess Easton is too far inland. My parents, in Westport, were mostly spared, just an enormous amount of branches down. They were in Manhattan all weekend celebrating Dad's 71 birthday (March 12) and no matter where they went they got completely drenched. They came back to a debris filled yard but no real damage, thankfully.

Last night my sister and I met up with the parents at Saint Tropez in Fairfield. It's been my birthday dinner pick for three straight years and it was yummy! I had the sauted shrimp in apple raisin curry... for the third year in a row! Yup, it's that good!

Chile

I was at my sister's home over the weekend and woke up to the news of the Chilean earthquake. We watched the coverage all day Saturday (why? I don't know... we were doing craft projects and just got a little obsessed). See Google Crisis Response for ways to donate and other information on Chile.

American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund

AmeriCares

Habitat for Humanity

Doctors Without Borders

Oxfam America

Water.org