Question posed to write about this month is: The first day of spring is just around the corner. What one sure "first sign of spring" tells you that winter is finally over and the cycle of life is ready to begin anew?
That would have to be St. Patrick's Day for me. It's a big holiday for my family. We've got close roots to Ireland and all of us are red heads. We've got the Irish grit and the famous tempers. But that doesn't make it Spring. It's the big traditional dinner we have. It's similar to Christmas at our house. My mom cooks the dinner and we all go to my parents house for dinner. Corned beef, cabbage, carrots, potatoes and Irish soda bread. We've also added some modern touches to our traditional dinner. My sister now makes the Shamrock cookies. They are peppermint flavored sugar cookies that are soooo kelly green, we all end up with green mouths. But that's part of the fun. Shamrock punch that is a lime sherbet punch that is just too good. A new tradition we started a few years ago is decorating an Irish tree. I happened upon a small kelly green metallic Christmas tree, but we decorate it with Irish ornaments and blessings. The only traditional item we don't participate in is the Guinness. We're not big beer drinkers, go figure. But after our big feast, I always feel like it's time for Spring. Must be all that green!
