Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Today is Saint Patrick's Day! I'm not Irish but I certainly enjoy being Irish for the day! lol.

Saint Patrick was born as Maewyn, in AD 385, in Wales. He was sold into slavery at 16. He converted to Christianity, took up the name Patrick, and escaped from slavery in his early 20's. He joined a monastery in Gaul and found his calling converting pagans (Druids) to christianity. For thirty years, he set up schools and churches in Ireland, converting the Celts into Christians wherever he went. He died on March 17th AD 461.

There is much folklore surrounding St. Patrick's Day. It is believed that Patrick raised people from the dead. He is also said to have given a sermon from a hilltop that drove all the snakes from Ireland. Scientists say that snakes were never native to Ireland. Probably, this is a metaphor for the conversion of the pagans.

One traditional icon of the day is the shamrock. Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Trinity. He used it in his sermons to represent how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements of the same entity. His followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock on his feast day.

In 1737, The first American St. Patrick's Day was celebrated in Boston. Today, people celebrate the day with parades, wearing of the green, and drinking beer. One reason St. Patrick's Day might have become so popular is that it occurs just before spring. One might say it is the first green of spring.

Here is a link to the Catholic encyclopedia about St. Patrick.

I am celebrating with a dinner of Bubble and Squeak. What's that, you ask? Why, it's boiled corned beef with cabbage, carrots, potatoes and onions! I like to put the corned beef in a crock pot and simmer all day. Then I add the vegetables in the last couple of hours. I make baking soda bread and, this year, I want to make a grasshopper pie: chocolate cookie crust with a green marshmallowy filling with creme de menthe liquer. Yummy!!! Here's a link to the recipe. Or maybe just a coffee with some whipped cream and Baileys.

Here's wishing a blessing to everyone, direct from the mouth of St. Patrick himself:

A blessing on the people --
Men, youths, and women;
A blessing on the land
That yields them fruit.

A blessing on every treasure
That shall be produced on their plains,
Without any one being in want of help,
God's blessing be on everyone.

A blessing on their peaks,
On their bare flagstones,
A blessing on their glens,
A blessing on their ridges.

Like the sand of the sea under ships,
Be the number in their hearths;
On slopes, on plains,
On mountains, on hills, a blessing.

Little Greenie - song: Jean Genie, artist: David Bowie, album: Aladdin Sane

7 comments:

Dan and Betty said...

Val, very nice.

When do we eat? I'll bring the green beer - or is it I turn green when I drink too much ?

I love the prayer.

Dan

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Hey Fiona!

Guess what? I'm Back!! I think I experienced blog withdrawal symptoms. hehe

So, what time is dinner?

A lovely after-dinner apertif is fine, too. :D

I'm Irish (and Lithuanian) and I totally forgot that today was St. Patrick's Day. Looks like we're having Taquitos tonight. lol!

Rapunzle

ps: August Rush was AWESOME!!!

Laughing Orca Ranch said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
The Wades said...

You are such an informative blogger! I loved this again. Grasshopper pie?? I wish I had read this before late on St Patty's day. Sounds super yummy!

Fantastyk Voyager said...

Thanks Lisa, I have sent an email to her.

I'm glad you're back on line.

I'm really glad you liked August Rush. Wasn't it great? I cried a couple of times, in a good way.

I never got around to the baking soda bread. We had "bought" wheat rolls instead. But the dinner and dessert was fantastyk!! I wish everyone could have had some with me.

Train Wreck said...

First I wanted to thank you for you kind words an thoughts for the loss of my dear friend. He was a wonderful person.
Next what a great post. I am Irish, well a wee bit anyway. I totally forgot to have Corned beef and cabbage! I am fixing it tommorow. lol. Thank you for being such a great friend.

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Hey Val,

Thought this might be something you and/or Trevor could do. Sounds right up your alley.
Lisa


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