I’ve recently learned that Irish mythology almost universally describes leprechauns as wearing red. Further, and this is the real shocker to me, there is no known mythological association between leprechauns and breakfast cereals. Apparently they mostly just fixed shoes, though they were fond of playing tricks on people. I was told growing up that people wore green on St. Patrick’s Day because leprechauns would pinch anybody who didn’t, but similar to the methods of Santa Claus, I later learned that the leprechauns exclusively outsource their duties to willing (cruel) family and friends.
I tend to forget about St. Patrick’s Day and wearing green every year, with my mind turned more towards the lengthening of the days and the coming of the spring equinox. This year Daylight’s Savings Time will happen on March 8th, but by the equinox we will have reclaimed all of the lost morning daylight postponed by the change. There’s definitely a feeling of renewed vigor and energy with the coming of the equinox and the transition from winter to spring. Even though it’s been a fairly mild winter, I’ve been impatient to get back outside, and I’m looking forward to what this spring has in store.
I’ve been delighted to walk the grounds and see the early spring bulbs coming up, and I continue to check on our cherry trees to see when they’ll open this year. Our humble little driveway becomes a lane bordered by snowstorms of fragrant white cherry blossoms each year, and for the short while it lasts, it’s probably my favorite display of the season. We’ll also be holding our annual garden box lottery this month, which is the harbinger of our growing season. I’ve been delighted by all of the flowers I’ve seen in the boxes in the last few years, and hope we keep up the tradition.
Whether you wear your green for St. Patrick’s Day, or you have a green thumb, it looks like the month has lots of good things in store. We’re on the march!