St. Patrick's Day Frolic!

Orange Glazed Carrots

From LittleShamrocks.com

1 c. orange juice
4 tbsp. granulated sugar
5 tbsp. butter
1 pinch red pepper

15 carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise with stalks still attached Preheat oven to 350F. Place the juice, sugar, butter and red pepper in a saucepan and simmer until butter and sugar have melted to make a glaze. Place carrots into an oven proof dish and pour over the glaze. Bake until the carrots are tender. Yield: 12 servings

St. Patrick's Day, Dancing Couple - art.com

Irish Sayings & Humor

• Why should you never iron a 4-leaf clover? You don't want to press your luck.

• As you slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point in the wrong direction!

• The most beautiful music of all is the music of what happens.

My Gathering Basket

I have Irish heritage on both sides of my family. I haven't been to Ireland, but I did perform in the Fullerton Civic Light Opera production of Finian's Rainbow in the late 70's. If you haven't sung and danced with a pint-sized leprechaun, you haven't lived!

I adore the celestial resonance of Celtic music, especially when hymns are sung. I have a predisposition for potatoes, singing, poetry, quick wit, and occasional blarney. Perhaps Irish citizens might disagree with these generalities or consider them to be more Irish-American, but I'm all of the above.

In celebration of St. Patrick's Day, I have placed a few items in my gathering basket.

• Check out You Tube for How to Make Tasty Irish Scones in a Flash. Elinor Sweeney presents an easy-to-follow VIDEO TUTORIAL on the scone making process.
• Tammy Yee offers free templates for an Irish Shamrock Box and/or an Easter Chick Box. The folding instructions are listed on the site.
• The fabulous Mrs. Kwitty is having a Giveaway! Hurry over for a chance to win one of her whimsical handcrafted drawstring bags! Scroll down to her March 12th post entitled, "Drawing Time."
  
• The LIMERICK WRITING CONTEST ends tomorrow, March 17th, at Midnight PST. The winner will be chosen by the votes of my readers. The prize is the amazing book, Pink Ladies & Crimson Gents, Portraits and Legends of 50 Roses. You may enter 4 posts down.

"Limerick Writing Contest" Reminder

The details of the LIMERICK WRITING CONTEST are 3 posts down. The contest concludes on March 17th. At that time, my readers will get to vote on their favorite Limerick. I will be happy to email you a (pdf) copy of Limerick Formula & Examples. It will help you to find your inner jig! (My email link is in my profile.)

The P•R•I•Z•E is no longer a SURPRISE! The March/April copy of Victoria recommended a gorgeous book entitled: Pink Ladies & Crimson Gents, Portraits and Legends of 50 Roses, written by Molly Glentzer and photographed by Don Glentzer. I have pre-ordered a copy and it will be presented to the winner of the Limerick Writing Contest! Wouldn't you agree it's worth writing a Limerick just to win this inspiring book?

Random House wrote:

"Shaped like a miter’s cap or delicately hued like the pearl-colored petticoats of a duchess, scented like honeyed almonds or nodding heavily in the wind, every old-fashioned rose possesses a unique character. And their names–often drawn from history and mythology–have stories as enchanting and evocative as the flowers themselves."

[Please make any comments on the posts below.]

Photo courtesy of Random House

"Spring Blessings" with Kari & Kijsa

Kari and Kijsa at Ask Kari and Kijsa are stirring up some "wonderfulness" in the sweet blogging community. They are hosting a "Spring Blessings" tribute and I feel inclined to leap into the frolic! I've laid out my welcome mat to SPRING and to YOU...my guest!

The butterfly is a flying flower,

The flower a tethered butterfly.
-Ponce Denis Écouchard Lebrun

They seemed to come suddenly upon happiness
as if they had surprised a butterfly in the winter woods.
-Edith Wharton

A Spring Limerick

There was a young lady of Leeds
Who swallowed six packets of seeds;
In a month, silly lass,
She was covered in grass
And she couldn't sit down for the weeds!
-Unknown

A blooming pot of tea...

A retired nest...

When Birds Were Songless

When birds were songless on the bough
I heard thee sing.
The world was full of winter, thou
Wert full of spring.

To-day the world's heart feels anew
The vernal thrill,
And thine beneath the rueful yew
Is wintry chill.

-William Watson 1858-1935

Nest photo from (walkcarmarthenshire.com)


THE "BUTTERFLY NAPKIN FOLD" IS 1 POST DOWN.

"Butterfly Napkin Fold" Tutorial

In my March 4, 2008 post, the featured Butterfly Napkin Fold attracted enough interest that I am providing this tutorial. This fold works beautifully on both paper and cloth napkins. (An example of the "paper" butterfly exists on the March 4th post.) If you decide to introduce this fold into a special occasion, I would love to hear the details!

1.) Begin with a square cloth napkin and fold it in half. If the napkin has a wrong side, make sure that the right side is visible. The napkin used in this tutorial (made by April Cornell) is not perfectly square; however, the minor imperfections will give this fold fold some character.

2.) Fold the upper right and left hand corners down to meet at the center of the lower half of the napkin. It should form a pyramid.

3.) Turn the napkin over with the bottom of the pyramid closest to you. Take the left side of the pyramid and fold it to where the outer edge is lined up with the center of the napkin.

4.) Repeat Step (3) on the right side of the napkin.

5.) Lightly securing the center of the napkin with your fingers, reach under both sides of the napkin and gently pull out the flaps.

6.) Turn over the napkin. Make note of the upside down cone in the center.

7.) Fold the top point down to the bottom point.

8.) Take the portion that you just folded down and tuck it under and into the the opening of the upside down cone. Then, pinch the top center part of the napkin together to give the fold a 3D effect.

The pinching affect will hold much better on a paper napkin. On cloth, you can press the center with a hot iron or place the napkin on a tablecloth or in a beveled plate.

HAPPY FOLDING!