You might know it -- the much decorated house on Park Avenue is now a bright green at night and there's a leprechaun perched on the lawn. It must mean that the holiday beloved of big city political machines is soon with us. Yes, March 17,
St. Patrick's Day. As my early life was spent in the South and the Southwest (and my Mom tended to be a dissident about these matters), St. Pat's was no big deal in my life until I settled in Chicago, where wearin' the green mattered mightily. (His Honor, Richard J. Daley, Mayor for Life, remember?)
Of course, merchants will grab any excuse for a promotion. At Fry's the other day, it was decorated cookies and Guiness stout. Can't complain about that combo.
At JB's, where I breakfast once a week with friends, there were Irish decorations galore, including these two flags...
...shamrocks supporting a charity...
...the goose was draped in shamrock bedecked ribbon...
...and there was a suitable mobile. There, now, I've done my duty by the Irish saint. My family all came from Scotland, England and Norway -- we don't get special days.
However, I certainly bear no grudge against green, especially in the desert in the spring. In fact, I groove on it. This map prepared by the US Geological Service for the
Forest Service firefighting monitors, shows where Arizona is greener than average for this time of the year. The deeper the green, the more above average. Just look at the desert south and west of Phoenis and down into Mexico! Most of the yellow & orange to the north represents higher elevations where it hasn't warmed sufficiently to green, as yet. In fact, we've got another cold front coming in tomorrow and, for the record, the electric bill I just paid noted that we averaged 4 degrees F lower this February than a year ago. I presume they were talking about Prescott.
You might know it -- the much decorated house on Park Avenue is now a bright green at night and there's a leprechaun perched on the lawn. It must mean that the holiday beloved of big city political machines is soon with us. Yes, March 17, St. Patrick's Day. As my early life was spent in the South and the Southwest (and my Mom tended to be a dissident about these matters), St. Pat's was no big deal in my life until I settled in Chicago, where wearin' the green mattered mightily. (His Honor, Richard J. Daley, Mayor for Life, remember?)
Of course, merchants will grab any excuse for a promotion. At Fry's the other day, it was decorated cookies and Guiness stout. Can't complain about that combo.
At JB's, where I breakfast once a week with friends, there were Irish decorations galore, including these two flags...
...shamrocks supporting a charity...
...the goose was draped in shamrock bedecked ribbon...
...and there was a suitable mobile. There, now, I've done my duty by the Irish saint. My family all came from Scotland, England and Norway -- we don't get special days.
However, I certainly bear no grudge against green, especially in the desert in the spring. In fact, I groove on it. This map prepared by the US Geological Service for the Forest Service firefighting monitors, shows where Arizona is greener than average for this time of the year. The deeper the green, the more above average. Just look at the desert south and west of Phoenis and down into Mexico! Most of the yellow & orange to the north represents higher elevations where it hasn't warmed sufficiently to green, as yet. In fact, we've got another cold front coming in tomorrow and, for the record, the electric bill I just paid noted that we averaged 4 degrees F lower this February than a year ago. I presume they were talking about Prescott.
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15 comments:
My family all came from Scotland, England and Norway -- we don't get special days.
Wait a minute!!!
What about May 17th - Norwegian Independence Day???
(My wife hates it that I can always remember her birthday because it's 5 days before Norwegian Independence Day!)
Break out the lefse!
I was of the understanding that our family surname is a welch spell. Let's not forget the taffys and St. David's day,
Hermano
As you know, we look forward to any occasion to celebrate with food! It's the corn beef and cabbage I look forward to:)
My Grandson works at Brians Irish Pub where they always serve Irish food on St. Paddy's day..
Cat-A -- I think that Garrison Keillor's jokes about bachelor farmers are about the only recognition that Norwegians get in this country...
Bro -- be sure to wear a leek, too.
brain -- surely rhubarb pie is not an Irish thing...
It seems as if this day show up once a year, every year.
Geese in green shamrocks. How the Irish Saved Civilization, indeed!
steve -- that's the whole thing -- there's absolutely no escaping St. Patrick's Day, except by heading out into the forest with a tent and no electronics.
boonie -- you snuck in while I was answering steve; as for saving civilization, I've never read that book. Maybe I should one of these days. When I finish reading all those local history books, that is.
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Wow! Pretty! This Scotch-Irish-Native American mix has always liked St. Patrick's Day!
crescnet -- your english is better than my Portugese! Thanks for the visit and come again...
tex -- Good to have you back. Enjoy your corned beef & cabbage.
Ah, JB's! A soft serve sundae with green sprinkles (or M&Ms) and the company of good friends seems a great way to celebrate to me.
Soft serve for breakfast, Jo? Perhaps better green sprinkles on the scrambled eggs...
I was going to say those of us from Protestant countries of oirigin rather missed out on the parties, but perhaps Catalyst has rather refuted that!
lucy -- in our country it seems to do with the estimated size (and coherence) of the ethnic voting bloc. Thus St. Pat's and Cinco de Mayo and M L King Day and back East, Columbus Day for the Italians.
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