HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

BOOKS4ME WON CHRISTIANA'S CHOICE, MY GIVEAWAY FOR THE ROMANCE REVIEWS ANNIVERSARY PARTY .

I SENT IT DIRECTLY TO HER KINDLE AS A GIFT, WHICH WAS EASY TO DO. (MY AMBER QUILL PRESS PUBLISHER'S WEBSITE CAN DO THE SAME FOR PURCHASERS THERE.)

EVEN IF YOU AREN'T IRISH YOU MAY GET PINCHED IF YOU AREN'T WEARING GREEN TODAY. AT LEAST THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS WHERE I GREW UP IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

I HAVE SOME IRISH IN ME BLOOD, AND MY HUSBAND AND I ENJOYED A TOUR OF GREAT BRITAIN SOME YEARS BACK. HERE SOME PHOTOS OF IRELAND.

THE IRISH SEE THE HARP, NOT THE FOUR-LEAF CLOVER, AS THE SYMBOL OF EIRE, OR IRELAND. THE ANCIENT HIGH KINGS PLAYED IT, AND WORE WIDE GOLD BANDS ON THEIR UPPER ARMS AND GOLD THROAT COLLARS THAT EXTENDED ALMOST DOWN TO THEIR PECS.  

 ON THE LEFT IS A GOLD CLOAK
FASTENER.

BELOW YOU'LL SEE A COTTAGE IN A REPRODUCTION OF AN EARLY IRISH VILLAGE.

 IT'S ON THE SITE OF BUNRATTY CASTLE, WHICH WE TOURED. THE MOAT IS GONE, BUT THE CASTLE IS NEXT TO A RIVER, AND THE CASTLE HAD PLACES ON EACH FLOOR THAT ACTED AS "TOILETS" WHERE WASTE WAS CARRIED DOWN TUBES TO THE RIVER, WHERE THEY WERE CARRIED AWAY BY THE FLOWING WATERS.




THE CASTLE WAS QUITE PLAIN AND SPARTAN. SOLDIERS BUNKED ON THE GROUND LEVEL, AS I RECALL.

WE HAD STOPPED EARLIER AT BLARNEY CASTLE, BUT IT WAS HOT, THE LONG LINE INTO AND UP TO KISS THE BLARNEY STONE WAS CROWDED. THERE WAS NO RAILING ON THE PART OF THE STAIRS AWAY FROM THE WALL, AND THE WHOLE THING MADE ME CLAUSTROPHOBIC. I DO NOT MISS NOT HAVING KISSED THE STONE.


IN A PUB IN THE RECREATED VILLAGE, I ATTENDED A CEILAGH--AN IRISH PARTY--HAD DINNER WITH OTHER TOUR MEMBERS WHICH CONSISTED OF THREE DISHES WITH POTATOES! THE POTATOES WERE DELICIOUS, AND SO MUCH TASTIER THAN WHAT WE HAVE IN THE STATES.
     TO THE RIGHT ARE PIECES OF BROUGHTY GOLD IN ONE OF THE DUBLIN MUSEUMS.

BELOW IS AN ANTIQUE SILVER CELTIC AGATE BROOCH.

CRAZILY, I HAD NO IDEA THE IRISH WORE KILTS! I THINK THEY WORE THEM BEFORE THE SCOTS DID. I BELIEVE THIS WAS A MEMBER OF THE CELTIC THUNDER SINGING GROUP. BELIEVE ME, THEY'RE REALLY SEXY WHEN THEY SUDDENLY APPEAR IN THEIR KILTS TOWARD THE END OF A PROGRAM.

HOPE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO WATCH A PARADE, OR HAVE A GREEN BEER OR A MCDONALD'S GREEN SHAKE AND SOME MERRYMAKING WITH FRIENDS OR FAMILY TO CELEBRATE.

DEE ANN PALMER
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