St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day is an Irish holiday that falls on March 17 each year. In Ireland its celebrated with parades, community feasts, singing, dancing, and church services, all in honor of St. Patrick, an English man who lived in about 400 A.D.St. 

Pat’s whole name was Magnus Sucatus Patricus. When he was 16, Irish raiders carried him off from England to Ireland to work as a slave. He escaped six years later, traveled and studied for many years, and became a Christian missionary. He returned to Ireland, and grew famous for all the miracles he performed and for converting many Irish people to Christianity.

The Celts brought a new perspective to Christianity, quite different than the Romans; the four major themes of Celtic spirituality are:

• Pilgrimage as a means of discovering your own path to God 
• Monasticism and life in community
• Art and symbolism
• The idea that God is present everywhere

Agenda Today:

1. Prayer of St. Patrick

2. Wear the green
3. Plant peas and onions
4. Enjoy hot Irish coffee

1. Prayer of St. Patrick:
The word "Christ" means the Chosen One; I believe we are all chosen ones, with "that of God" within - that was Jesus' message to us.

Christ, shield me this day:
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every person who thinks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

It's very powerful to ask to be surrounded and protected by a world and people filled with the love of God, and feel the Spirit of Love within and all around me.

2. Wear the green: 
In Ireland, it’s an old custom to wear a shamrock or a green ribbon pinned to your clothes on St. Patrick’s Day. 

The three-leafed shamrock plant (Trifolium repens, or white clover) is a national symbol of Ireland. St. Patrick may have used it to teach the Irish about the Christian trinity (the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost). Before that, though, the leaves stood for love, courage and wit; it was also a symbol of the Goddess Brigid as virgin, mother and crone.

A couple year's ago I made a shamrock pin, following the directions from the Saturday Evening Post. The only thing I added was a safety pin, so I can wear it on my jacket. Directions are here.

3. Plant peas and onions:

In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is the traditional day to plant peas and potatoes (or so some people say). I'm planting peas and onions instead.

Some permaculture tips for onions:

• Culture: Onions are photoperiodic plants — they regulate their stages of growth by day length; they will make top growth until the critical light duration is reached, then begin to bulb. The amount of growth and development prior to bulbing will determine the bulb size. (For my valley I choose long to intermediate-day varieties.)
• Bed preparation: Onions love good drainage, and detest mulch (they rot easily in the ground). I prepare my bed by loosening the soil with a fork, then applying complete organic fertilizer (1/4-1/2 cup per 5 row feet). The fertilizer should end up being 1-2 inches below where the transplant will sit, so next I add compost in raised rows. 
• Planting: I plant transplants rather than sets or seeds, because I've had the best success with these. One tip: Be sure to keep the transplants damp before planting so they don't get stressed out, or your onions might bolt later. Cut the plants to 3-inches tall, and plant about 8-inches apart into the raised compost.
• Companion planting: Plant onions with carrots, beets, cabbage, strawberries, and lettuce; they will ward off harmful insects due to their pungent scent. But be sure to not plant them with nitrogen-fixing plants like peas! Onions have antibacterial properties that are great for our health but will kill off the nitrogen-fixing bacteria that legumes produce.
• Watering: Onions have to be watered regularly, especially closer to harvest, as this dictates the bulb size. Water from the side, not the top, and don't let water sit in puddles -  excess water can lead to leaf rot, and water entering the bulb from the centre can cause the onion to rot within.
• Harvesting: When you see the onion tops start to look yellow and fall over, they are nearly done growing; push down the remaining tops and allow the bulbs to rest in the ground for an additional 10-14 days to reach full maturation. After no more than 14 days, harvest your onions on a sunny day and let them sit in the sun until the roots are brittle and dry in order to stop any root growth. 
• Curing: Once dry, bring the onions in and spread them out in a warm, well-ventilated space to cure for 2-3 weeks. Be sure to turn your onions to promote full, even drying.
• Storing: To store onions keep them in a well-ventilated area and never place them in plastic.     

4. Enjoy hot Irish coffee:
Ingredients:

• 1 c. freshly brewed strong black coffee 
• 1 jigger (1-1/2 oz.) of Irish whiskey 
• 1 tsp. to 1 Tbsp. brown sugar 
• heavy cream (not whipped)

Yield: 1 serving-
1- Warm a mug with hot water and then empty it. Pour piping hot coffee into warmed glass until it is about 3/4 full.

2- Add the brown sugar and stir until completely dissolved. (The sugar is essential for floating the unwhipped cream on top.) Blend in the Irish whiskey.

3- Shake the heavy cream a little, then pour it carefully over the back of a spoon, held just above the surface of the coffee. The layer of cream should float on the coffee without mixing. Serve hot, and drink the coffee through the layer of cream.