St. Patricks Day – Its all about the tradition

I never had to be one of those people who pretended to be Irish on St. Patrick’s Day. I was one of the lucky ones who was born with it on both sides. (Ok, my paternal grandfather swears that it wasnt enough to muck up the German genes, but with a surname like “Ryan” I’m pretty confident there’s Irish there.)

(P.S.: I love CareBears – always have – who doesn’t love cuddly and loving bears who can “CareBear stare” their frenemies??)

St. Patrick’s Day in our house has always been about tradition. (The Irish do love their history and traditions!) The potatoes and carrots are peeled early in the morning, cabbage is washed and cornbeef is prepped. Yeah, I know, all standard fare across the country. *BUT* the best thing about St. Patrick’s Day is my mom baking the Irish Soda Bread, a secret recipe for which has been passed down for generations. It’s printed on an index card that has tons of gunked-on flour and finger print marks – all of which remind us that generations of women have done this same ritual countless years before us.

While the Irish soda bread is baking (with raisins and without caraway seeds, thankyouverymuch), the corned beef and cabbage are put to the stove, the most beloved part of the day starts.

Watching “The Quiet Man.”

This year is the 60th anniversary of “The Quiet Man” (John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara). I can’t remember a year when I didn’t watch it, actually. I would laugh at me list and smile as she plucked her hat up off the post at the derby and stomped her way off in a huff. The song “Wild Colonial Boy” is one that pops into my head at any given time of the year and always makes me think of John Wayne. I think it was the first John Wayne I can remember watching with my dad and thus began a long list of favorites staring him. But none of them could ever beat the smoldering sexy heat he had as he kicked in the locked door or drug Maureen O’Hara from the train station across the fields and to her brothers place. John Wayne in that role is my perfect male.

So, this year I’ll be eating warm Irish soda bread (with melting butter of course) and begging my mom to make a second batch (so there’s definitely some for dinner too!) and watching my favorite alpha male do what he does best – get the girl.

Hopefully, this year, YOU will be joining the rest of the authors and I on the mega blog hop! Carrie Ann Ryan did a great job organizing 125 authors together for a mega lucky leprechaun leap. Two lucky winners names will be drawn from across the comments on all 125 blogs to win one of 2 Grand Prizes:
- Choice of an Amazon Fire or Barnes and Noble Nook Tablet.
- A $90 Gift Certificate to either Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Here on my blog I’ll be giving away a personalized, autographed digital copy of my book, 3 Christmas Wishes.

So, leave me a comment here and tell me about your best St. Patricks Day tradition, story, etc. Then, go read the rest of the authors St. Patricks Day posts. (I promise, even with the word Christmas in the title, its a great read for any time of year.)

Have a wonderful St. Patricks Day!