A St. Patrick’s Day Centerpiece

Kiss me I’m Irish! Well, maybe just a wee bit Irish. The exact amount, I’m not sure of. The Irish comes from my dad’s side. This time of year is always a bit rough for my family and I. Last week marked the anniversary of my father’s death to melanoma. He was a prestigious physician and adored by thousands. I like to remember all the stories he'd tell us about growing up in Detroit. Remember Eminem’s movie “8 Mile”? Well, my dad grew up on 7 Mile. From what he said, 7 was worse than 8….yikes! What makes me so proud is how he and his brothers and sister all decided not to let their circumstances dictate their future. They strove to be the best and achieved it.

One story he told me was what his grandmother would yell at the kids each St. Patrick’s Day. “Don’t you dare wear green! You are to wear orange! We are Orangemen!” Which I guess was a protestant fraternal organization founded in Ireland in the late 1700’s. Ummmm, ok??? Of course as a kid I had never even heard of Orangemen, nor did I really care. I certainly wasn’t about to wear orange and get pinched for not wearing green! Kids keep it simple and uncomplicated. They toss politics and religious legalism to the wind.

Centerpiece…. oh yes… we’re getting to that.

I can hear you now… you are wondering what does this have to do with this centerpiece? Well, my daddy loved rainbows, I mean, who doesn’t? The legend says that there’s a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. So on St. Patrick’s Day, I like to think about dad’s love for rainbows, their beauty, their promise, and the joy and wonder that they bring to everyone who sees them!

So I decided to cheer myself and family up with a St. Patrick’s Day Centerpiece, inspired by the rainbow. Simply fill mason jelly jars with water, add a few drops of food coloring and stir. Place a daisy (with the GOLD COIN centers) in each jar and tie with a ribbon. I’d like to say that the clover came from my neighbor’s yard but sadly it’s from my own…. weed killer coming soon! I think we can let it live through St. Patrick’s Day at least.

Instead of mourning, I’m smiling when I see this rainbow and it brightens my entire family’s day! I hope it’s brightened yours too!

Kim

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