Happy St. Patrick's Day

Ballymoon Castle Ruins, County Carlow

Ballycarbery Castle, Ring of Kerry

Torc Waterfall - Killarney National Park

St. Canice's Cathedral - Kilkenny 

Marching in the Green

It is March - Finally. And now we can commence celebrating the great land of Ireland, its patron saint, Patrick, and the return of spring. 

Climbing Toward Spring

Happy Saint Brigid's Day, Imbolc, Groundhogs Day (tomorrow) and the arrival of spring - that most hopeful of seasons! I love that on the old Celtic wheel of the year now is the very start of spring, as the inklings of color return as color pops of crocuses, tree buds swell, and I can feel the thrum of green underground. (A better time than January 1st to set goals, aspirations, resolutions, in my opinion). Of course, here in my neck of the woods winter often clings much later and we consider Spring Equinox the beginning of Spring. Optimistically, I prefer today as the beginning. Many blessings as nature heralds in the green. 

Read more about today in the Celtic tradition HERE. 

Scottish Relics: Crichton Castle

"That castle rises on the steep

Of the green vale of Tyne;

And far beneath, where slow they creep

From pool to eddy, dark and deep,

Where alders moist and willows weep

You hear her streams repine."

- description of Crichton Castle in1808 

by Sir Walter Scott from Marmion

Crichton Castle rising from the banks of the Tyne below. Built around 1400 by John Crichton. This castle is unbelievably picturesque and grand. Cared for by Historic Environment Scotland and on their Members Pass, about 40 minutes from Edinburgh and well worth a visit.

It was the very end of May when we visited but the May Tree, hawthorn, was at her splendid height of bloom as you can see. The castle overlooks this incredibly lush river valley, a strategic outpost with near 360 degree views and would have held control of the river. 

Unique diamond faceted façade added in 1580 by Francis Stewart - inspired by journeys to Italy.

Inside of the Grand Stables

The Grand Stables

The Gatehouse

Crichton Collegiate Church - Built in 1449 by William Crichton, Chancellor and one of the most powerful people in Scotland at the time.

Irish Spring

A little bit of color while Old Man Winter makes one more visit to the Midwest. I plucked these blooms to save them from the cold and nestled them into an Irish tea tin I brought back from travels a few years back. 

Secret Spring Garden

A recent creation for a local shop inspired by some of Ireland's rock walls. 

Irish Adornments

March has finally arrived! Get out your Saint Patrick's Day decor if you haven't already. Sure, there is all manner of green on green things for sale at party stores this time of year and those are a great place to start, but over the years I've added my own little touches to my March Irish decor. Below are some of my favorites:

The simplest decor involves picking some of those lovely spring flowers blooming outside. I like to use large Guinness bottles for vases or clear glass vases with a few drops of green food coloring added. I also use the boxes from a six pack of Guinness bottles or other Irish brew to hold napkins and silverware for a party.

Here I photocopied some pages from my atlas but one could easily print some Irish map off the web and add a little watercolor for any easy collage. 

If you are lucky, you might find some shamrock plants for sale this time of year. I always try to snatch them up if I find them. Pull out all your shades of green and assemble together for a nice arrangement. 

This time of year I also like to pull out all of my Irish books - many are green so they make a good additions to decor but I like friends and family to be able to thumb through them, too. 

Some green candles and artificial, or real, ivy are nice additions to any arrangement in your home. Add a little bit of that emerald green store bought decor and you'll have a really festive spread. 

Ireland on my Mind

Antrim Coast, Northern Ireland

Just a little over a month until St. Patrick's Day, a holiday celebrated in myriad ways. For me it is a time when my affection for Ireland is effervescent, bubbling over so that I may share it with others. The dawn of spring and the arrival of St. Patrick's Day always have me longing to hop a plane, or at least look back at photos, thumb through old travel journals, reminisce about all the amazing journeys I've had on the Emerald Isle. I feel my tiny Irish roots pulsing with pride. Plus, a proper celebration needs some planning so the Chieftains are on my radio, and Ireland is on my mind. In the coming days I'll share some of the ways I celebrate Ireland and ways I indulge my slight obsession. 

Oliver St. John Gogarty's Pub in Temple Bar, Dublin in the early morning. Note the lack of people and the stack of kegs, this is when the empty ones are exchanged for full ones. 

Lambs of Celtic Lands

From April's Post, I have some leftover lambs looking for a home:

5x7 Lamb Notecards in shop for $4. Get one (or more) HERE

April Emerald Post

The April Issue of Emerald Post (apologies for late arrival - I squeezed in a mini vacation to the Rockies in there) features some inquisitive natives. Pictured above is a 5x7 notecard and envelope featuring lambs at Walltown Crags which is the site of Hadrian's Wall near the border of Scotland and England. Around 122 AD, Roman Emperor Hadrian set to building a fortified wall along the Scottish border for patrol and defense from what he considered the barbarian, and unconquerable, tribes of the Highlands, such as the native Pict tribe. The Wall stretched from the east coast to the west, with several strategic manned forts along the way. You can read more of my visit there HERE. The April issue contained a mini notecard and envelope as well, featuring a sheep scrambling up to the base of Carreg Cennen Castle in Wales. Also included was a 4x6 postcard of the arched threshold between Cong Abbey ruins and the Cong Woodland in Ireland. Can you spot a Green Man left by the master mason? 

Feeling Sheepish

Welcome Spring

Spring, or the Vernal Equinox, arrived yesterday in which day and night were equal. In Ireland many ancient portal tombs and cairns align with sunrises or sunsets of solstices & equinoxes. Loughcrew Cairns is one such ancient monument that aligns with the Spring Equinox. Watch the magical video below to see that sun illuminate the inside of a stone cairn. Read more about it HERE.

Here in the Midwest Spring arrived with a sultry 87 degrees and a gorgeous blood orange sunset. Back to normal today with rain (thank goodness) and 60s. Spring is such a delicious, refreshing season. I hope it lingers, though yesterday had me fearing it would get skipped altogether.

May Spring be beautiful, long, and green. May we be blessed with blooms and rain a plenty. May the season inspire your soul. Go outside and greet the it.

Countryside in County Kerry

My Irish Cottage

Happy March! Spring is just around the corner.

A recent painting I completed on a shop window. Spreading some spring fever and a little (or a lot) of Irish charm.

Shadow of Spring - Irish Tradtions

Happy Groundhog's Day here in America. Happy St. Brigid's Day in Ireland. Happy Imbolc in Ancient Ireland - the first day of Spring according to the old wheel of the year. The beginning of February is steeped in old folklore, traditions, and religion, though many only know of the infamous Punxsutawney Phil.

Traditionally, if the groundhog emerges from his burrow and it is cloudy, thus seeing no shadow, spring will come early. If it is sunny and the groundhog sees his shadow, he will retreat back into his burrow and winter will persist for six more weeks. 

This tradition has trickled down from ancient times. February 1st is the Ancient Celtic Festival of Imbolc, which divides the winter from the spring, and honors the Celtic Goddess of fire and fertility, Brigit or Brigid. She dispelled the dark of winter and was "mistress of fertility"* to the land, animals and women, too. Later this day would be Christianized into St. Brigit's Day, the patron saint of mothers, cattle, and poets. Imbolc marked time to begin sowing seeds for Spring and reading the signs of nature to forecast spring weather. "An exceptionally fine day was regarded as an omen of poor weather to come."** Seeing a hedgehog was a good sign, because he would always return to the burrow if he sensed the coming of bad weather.** Traditionally, ancient civilizations also trusted the Badger to impart this important prediction because they lived beneath the earth where Spring might already be afoot. If the badger saw his shadow, winter would linger on. This tradition came over to America with German settlers and became the Groundhog Day we know today, once with a little more veneration.*

So many nearly forgotten or over-commercialized traditions are deeply rooted in the past. There is so much history in the transformation of traditions, from a Celtic Festival to Punxsutawney Phil, and much can be learned about our ancestors who settled this country and the places they left behind.

In Ireland, many traditions remain that are associated with both St. Brigit and her more ancient incarnation the Goddess Brigid such as making St. Brigid's Cross with rushes or straw, feasts, and visiting her holy wells. One fascinating tradition is to hang a piece of cloth outside for the day for the Saint to bless overnight. Throughout the year, this scrap of cloth could be used to treat headaches and other ailments.

Read more about St. Brigit's Day Traditions HERE or HERE .

*Dance of Time by Michael Judge

**A Year in Ireland by Kevin Danaher