Day the Twoth (Tooth?)... (Tuesday, 3/17)

Happy St. Patrick's Day. Let's just get started, and I'll keep my rambling thoughts until the end of this post, 'k?

Here we go:

THREE THINGS TO BE HAPPY ABOUT:
1.) A bright red geranium blooming in a sunny, lace-curtain-covered window.
2.) Rainbows on the ceiling courtesy of a crystal suncatcher.
3.) The song of a spring robin as it sings from a nearby tree.

QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"Every hand that we don't shake must become a phone call that we place. Every embrace that we avoid must become a verbal expression of warmth and concern. Every inch and every foot that we physically place between ourselves and another, must become a thought as to how we might be of help to that other, should the need arise... Let's stay safe. And let's draw one another closer in a way that we've never done before." ~Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky

A LITTLE SOMETHING:

Best mind the dust and cobwebs up there...

Your kiddos who are home from school during these Interesting Times might enjoy keeping tabs on the Leprechaun Watch site. Leprechaun Watch is a webcam hidden in a location in Ireland that straddles the border of a 'fairy ring' that is linked to an oak and a fairy tree on the Coogan family's ancestral farm. According to the site (and, I'm guessing, as quoted from a Coogan family member),

"The fairy tree is the last link the Fair Folk have to the larger range they once enjoyed when they ruled the land - their anger at this loss is understandable. We are monitoring the area in front of the oak because of leprechaun activity there in recent weeks and months."

Hmmm. Angry leprechauns? Do we want to be monitoring them?

You may have to refresh the screen occasionally. And there are even directions for how to capture an image if you think you've spotted an elusive leprechaun. Fun!

Another fun activity? Have them make a homemade leprechaun trap. Creative ideas are all OVER the internet, of course, and a trap can be made from anything from shoeboxes to LEGOs, sky's the limit.

Also, I just watched a gorgeous and charming animated film called "Song of the Sea." You can stream it and "The Secret of Kells" (another animated favorite) right now for under ten bucks. The visuals are stunning, as are the soundtracks. (The links will bring you to the trailers only, so you can see if they're something you're interested in before making the purchase....)

LET'S CELEBRATE:
Of course, it's St. Paddy's Day. And DaysoftheYear.com has this to say about it:

"[St. Patrick's Day] celebrations are generally themed around all things Irish and, by association, the colour green. Both Christians and non-Christians celebrate the secular version of the holiday by wearing green, eating Irish food and/or green foods, imbibing Irish drink and attending parades, which have a particularly long history in the United States and in Canada."

THIS. Absolutely amazing! I cannot recommend it enough.

So you know what to do!

Here at Tumbledown I've yet to begin any festivities. Both James and I are online and things are moving SLOW there, so I've not begun streaming any jigs or reels. (My stereo is ancient and the speaker connections are shot, so all my wonder-filled CDs are pouting right now, tapping their little feet in the wings....).

Past celebrations have included facepainting and green wearing and hair dyeing, but I'm not sure if I'll go that far today. I do have a corned beef, though. And my beloved cabbage and potatoes (or as chef Rory O'Connell calls them, "bidet-toes"). And there's a list online on IMDB called "Shamrock and Ginger" that includes, I swear, a bagillion Irish movies that I've never heard of before. Here on Coronavirus lockdown, I think St. Paddy's Day will become St. Paddy's MONTH as I make my movie list and hunker down.

LIFE HERE AT TUMBLEDOWN:
I was preoccupied yesterday with creating social media posts and keeping my spirits up, and it's only taken less than 24 hours for me to backslide a bit....

The TV was off all day until evening when the state Governor pre-empted the scheduled National News. And for some reason, hearing his voice just made me realize how 'more-serious-than-I-ever-imagined' this whole thing is. It stunned me at a time when I was all proud of myself for being on top of my anxiety.

And today began oddly anyway, as I'm still finding my feet having James here working from home. But I checked on my adult daughters and their families and found one happily enjoying audiobooks and mountainbiking and the other outdoors hunting for treasure with metal detectors. (IS THAT NOT COOL??) So that was soothing.... Granted, it's still early days, but my hope is that familial bonds everywhere will be strengthened right now.

Because everything's in a big old state of change. I pray every day that we come out of this (because we will) stronger and better and kinder and wiser as human beings.

Magick is afoot. And today I'll celebrate it. Slainte.

Love you,
...me.
...