Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Magpie

Most of us have heard of a four-leaf clover bringing good luck, but I wasn't aware of how horribly superstitious the Irish are! In fact, the 'Luck of the Irish' is actually a very ironic statement that refers to the bad luck that has befallen Ireland in the past.

Below are a few funny superstisions I discovered while perusing the history of Irish traditions and folklore.

It's a sure sign of death to see a magpie chattering at your windowsill.

 

A horseshoe (found, not bought) hung above your door is good luck, just make sure the points are up so the luck doesn't run out!

 

If you meet a funeral procession, you must turn around and walk four steps with them.

 

Meeting three magpies on the road is very unlucky.

 

Two magpies to your right is good luck.

 

You can expect visitors if a rooster walks across your doorstep.

 

If you trip on a gravesite, it's bad luck for you.

 

If you touch the ground after tripping on a gravesite, it's death for you.

 

To make your skin beautiful, wash your face with the dew at sunrise on May Day.

 

If the first lamb of the year is black, a family member will die within the year.

 

It's a sign that you will come into money if your palm is itchy.

 

A sick person must lie in a bed facing north and south to be cured.

 

Turning off a light at supper means that one of them will die that year.

 

You will always win at cards if you have one crooked pin in your coat.

 

 

Yea, thinking maybe I won't be visiting Ireland anytime soon!

Do you have any superstitions to add? Maybe some signs of good luck to come?  

 

March Gardening Tips for Zone 5

We're here! The snow is melting, the sun is shining and you've come out of hibernation. You keep staring at the packets of seeds, ready to get outside and plant. Since it's a bit too early yet, here's a list of what to do in the mean time;

• Seed Starting
• To make the most of the growing season, start seeds indoors. Seeds should be started roughly eight weeks before the last frost date, making it early to mid-March for Michigan.

• Tall Ornamental Grass
• Tie up and cut off ornamental grasses, leaving the stems roughly three to four inches tall.

• Remove Winter Mulch
• If you have any winter mulch protecting your plants and soil, now is the time to move it. 

• Garden Design
• Thinking about redesigning the landscape this year? If so, March is a great time to make a plan.

• Prune Trees & Shrubs
• Scraggly trees and shrubs should be pruned in late winter or early spring, before any new growth is showing.  Here are a few tips on how to prune trees and shrubs.

• Planting New Trees
• New trees should be planted early in spring, before mid-May if possible. This month, figure out what trees will be added to your landscape. This way, you'll be ready for for Arbor Day (April 24th) sales at your local nursery.

• Compost
• How's the compost pile? Get ready to spread all of that nutrient-rich compost onto your garden. This can be done as soon as the ground thaws and has been tilled.

• Equipment Maintenance
• Do the blades on your lawn mower need to be sharpened? Is there string left in your weed wacker? Make any repairs that need to be done before the upcoming summer season.  

To check your plant hardiness zone, visit this USDA interactive map.

Do you have any tips, tricks or things to remember? What's on your to-do list? 

Happy Weekend

Photo via State Birds

Have you seen any of these little chub-muffins yet? 

Growing up, our babysitter taught us to 'stamp' the first Robins of spring. When we saw a Robin, we'd lick our right thumb, press it to our left palm then slam it with our fist. She'd always ask, 'How many Robins did you stamp today?' so we were always on the lookout to see who could stamp the most in a day. Does anyone else do this? Do you know where it comes from?

I haven't seen any yet, but am just waiting to stamp my first one! 

Here are a few interesting links, if you're in the mood;

Traditional Irish Recipes {Round-Up}

As much as I love stuffing myself full of mashed potatoes and stuffing during Thanksgiving, the traditional St. Patrick's Day meal is my absolute favorite. I could eat corned beef and cabbage all day, every day. No lie.

A few weeks ago, our boss brought in a crock pot meal of corned 'beef' and cabbage, except it was venison. It blew my mind at just how much it tasted like beef. And whats even better is the venison has none of the fat that the corned beef brisket does. It was a lean, mean, St. Paddy's day machine.

In the spirit of things, here is a round up of traditional Irish recipes to try out;

Spring Cleaning & Organization

Flickr Photo by Storebukkebruse

 

Spring fever anyone? There are no complaints in our neck of the woods!

Isn't it funny how 50 degrees in the fall feels absolutely freezing, yet 50 degrees in the spring is sun-bathing weather? And while I haven't quite opened the windows yet, I'm itching too.

Remember this link from last Friday? It challenges one task per day to organize your entire home in 30 days. I thought it was perfect for March when it's still a bit to wet and snowy to start working on outdoor projects.

So here are a few things we've checked off the list lately;