Happy St. Patrick's Day Eve!

 

 

Well, get out your green ties or shirts and celebrate St. Patty's Day with a green beer or whatever lifts your spirits. We've made it to another St. Patty's Day, through cold and snow, and all kinds of quirky events. I hope you all celebrate in your own way, whether you are Irish or not. I did a little research and found out that in Ireland, the day is a religious day commemorating the death of a Christian missionary. The merriment came about in U. S., with Boston laying claim to the first St. Patrick's celebration on March 17, 1737. However, historian Michael Francis found that it may have been celebrated even earlier, in 1600, but Spanish in St. Augustine, Florida. The British take credit for the largest St. Patrick's day parade in America, claiming it was a group of British soldiers (Redcoats) in New York City marching to breakfast in 1762. Whoever or wherever, it's a fun tradition, and I love that along with the shamrock and leprechauns, there are wonderful traditional foods associated with the day. Corned beef and cabbage, Irish soda bread, and beer! Top it off with lime poke cake or pistachio-ricotta cheesecake and and steaming mug of Irish coffee, and you'll be too full to dance a jig, but you'll be one happy human.

I met middle son, Bob, for lunch at Tirozzi's, and that was very good. I had a pastrami on rye sandwich and brought home half of it. Very large with plenty of meat and cheese. It seems to me they have kept most, if not all of the menu items featured when it was Riley's Fish Shack (I was tempted to bring home some clam chowder, but I'll have that another time), and have added plenty of other choices, along with pizza and delicious bakery products. The food was very good and we enjoyed it.

There is a little snow floating in the air tonight, but for the most part, today has been without snow coming at us. I measured another 3.5 in. this morning on the deck, and it was a tad above freezing all day and we even had a bit of sunshine around noon. I got my car washed while I was in town - but of course it got messed up again as soon as I got off the paved road onto West Shore Road that still has plenty of slush. 

Diane Rossi sent this picture of the sunrise this morning and the Ice-Out flag that is not quite buried by snow. It's that little speck near the center of the frame. Great picture, but there is very little sign of melting going on except those icicles coming off of Diane's roof. We can expect a weather warmup in another week or so, I imagine. Tomorrow there may be some rain showers, or for us it could be snow. It's hard to tell what we will get. The forecasters surely got this last storm wrong. The prediction was for something like six inches for us, but we have had closer to two feet. Jamie was down here with his tractor again today, pushing back snowbanks. I think that is his defense against a lot more snow - you know, whatever you are prepared for probably won't happen -- that sort of defense. I hope it works. Most of us are ready for some real spring weather.

I saw several old friends when I shopped at White Market today. Usually I don't see anyone I know there anymore. I ran into the Berwicks from Peacham and it was very nice to see them. It had been a long time. And as I was leaving, I bumped into Howie Stahler, one of oldest son, Bill's, longtime friends, and it was great to see him. I always enjoy seeing those "kids" that grew up with my three boys. It's hard to believe they are all responsible adults and have their own families. Time has flown by very quickly, and I'm always impressed that they remember me. It's as if time rolls backwards for a few moments and we're all young again.

So enjoy your celebration tomorrow, but do it safely and respectfully. It's been a long, and kind of crazy, winter.