Shamrocks to Bees

Not a long post today.  It's exhausting reacting to everything stupid our president and his cronies do.  So, instead, I'd like to focus on two things, St. Patrick's Day and Spring.

First, for those who celebrate and have Irish lineage, I wish you a happy St. Patrick's day.  Certainly, many of us celebrate and use the holiday as an excuse to have a pint.  But, before you do, here are some facts:

St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland.  Why?  Born to a rich family, Patrick was captured and sold to slavers where he became a shepherd. It's during that time that he found god, escaped and took up a new mission in the name of the Church.  Because, he was able to expand the church in Ireland by converting the pagans to Christianity and chasing out the druids.  This expulsion of the former religious majority has been told and retold as an allegory whereby St. Patrick drove the "snakes" out of Ireland.

The reason for the Shamrock also stems from St. Patrick's use of the plant to educate the pagans on the Holy Trinity.

To best honor St. Patrick while you're drinking a beer, tradition calls for a shamrock to be placed at the bottom of the glass, and once the drink is consumed, one is supposed to either swallow the shamrock or take it and throw it over your shoulder for good luck.

Behind Dublin Castle is a garden with an ornate circular stone pattern worked into the lawn, which represents snakes.

Tradition dictates that, to celebrate this holiday properly, you are to drink Irish Whiskey, Irish Beer or Irish Cider.  If going with the latter, may I suggest Bulmers or Magners (outside of Ireland).  While I understand that other American "beer" makers advertise hard for this holiday, let me be the first to tell you that if your drink happens to be Amstel, Miller, Bud or Coors...it's best to order a water instead as, if given those options, it's the only thing a self-respecting Irishman would drink.  If you're not going to drink real beer, go with water.

Onto spring.  I came across this and think you all should do it.  Finally a company putting their money to where our mouths are.  Learn about Cheerio's seed initiative, order some seeds, and learn some facts on bee habitats.

http://www.cheerios.com/BringBackTheBees.aspx

And, one more link which combines St. Patrick's Day with honey.  Enjoy!

http://www.celticwhiskeyshop.com/other/irish-honey-mead
'Beannachtam na Feile Padraig!'