Leprechauns – Old Things New

I love going on vacation this time of year because when you come home after only a week away there are so many changes. The temperatures have warmed by 10 degrees, the swelling buds on the trees have begun to explode into flowers, the sun shines brighter, and the birds chirp louder . . . or so it seems.

I enjoy changing out the bookcases in our den with the Seasons.

Since Spring is about to burst forth I’ve added a lot of green accents.

All reflected in mirrors collected from various thrift stores and from around the house (you can read all about my Brilliant Mirrored Bookcases right HERE).

With St. Paddy’s Day right around the corner my little leprechauns have joined in the fun.

This little guy reminds me of my father who felt so strongly tied to his Irish roots.

I think it’s pretty great of Mr. OTN to let me rummage through his office for books of green.

This is his favorite room to relax in after a long day at work and he actually takes great delight in my making it a comfortable place for him to come home to.

Do you have a favorite room? The rooms that we spend the most time in can become kind of messy and neglected but I believe it’s important to take care to make these rooms as welcoming as any other part of the home. These spaces can be real sanctuaries, places of escape from the outside world.

Is the weather becoming Springlike yet where you live? Have you begun any Spring cleaning or Spring decorating? Sometimes we just have to start the ball rolling and wait for the weather to follow!

Almost Spring blessings to you my friends 😉

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!

Sunday:

TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, NiftyThriftyThings, SilverPenniesSundays,SundaysAtHome, RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays, GiveMeGrace

Monday:

IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, TheDedicatedHouse, CarrieThisHome, Dwellings, ProjectInspired

InspireMeMonday, BetweenNapsOnThePorch, Making Your Home Sing Mondays, The Beauty in His Grip What Joy is Mine/Monday Musings, Darling Downs Diaries, The Art of Homemaking

Tuesday:

HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, Elizabeth&Co, CoastalCharm, CozyLittleHouse, NaptimeCreations, CedarHillFarmhouse, KatheWithAnE,
VMG206, TuesdaysAtOurHome,

TwirlAndTakeABow, TheWinthropChronicles,

Dream.Create.Inspire.Link, MeCoffeeAndJesus,Rich Faith Rising Unite Linky,Time Warp Wife,Solo Deo Gloria Sisterhood,Testimony Tuesday,Cheerleaders of Faith,Tell His Story

Wednesday:

SavvySouthernStyle, IvyAndElephants,

TheBlissfulBee, Posed Perfection, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesdays, A Little R & R, Whole Hearted Home, Mom’s Morning Coffee, Women with Intention, Coffee for Your Heart

Thursday:

ShareYourStyle, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson,MyRepurposedLife , FromMyFrontPorchToYours, ADelightsomeLife, AKAWeekendRetreat,

KatherinesCorner, PrettyPreppyParty, YourTurnToShine, Serving Joyfully/Thriving Thursdays,The Deliberate Mom/Shine Blog Hop, I Choose Joy, Live Free Thursday, Thought Provoking Thursday,

MakingBrokenBeautiful

Friday:

FrenchCountryCottage, MissMustardSeed, ThirtyHandmadeDays,TheShabbyNest,TheCharmOfHome, RootedInThyme, TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday,

ShabbyliciousFriday, TheCreativeCollection, Christian Mommy Blogger Fellowship Fridays,Blessing Counters,Missional Women Faith Filled Fridays,Faith & Fellowship Bloghop, Grace & Truth Linkup, Grace&TruthSharingRedemption’sStories, Dance With Jesus, The Weekend Brew

Saturday:

FunkyJunkInteriors,

OneMoreTimeEvents, SaturdaySparks,
TheInspirationGallery, Still Saturday, Recommendation Saturday, Make My Saturday Sweet

Saint Patti’s Day

That is what my parents always called St. Patrick’s Day when I was a child. No wonder it felt like such a special day and that I felt so closely tied to my Irish heritage. Even though I am an American mongrel and have more Finnish blood than anything else, I loved having a day named just for me. This was just one of the ways my parents made me feel special.

My parents are both gone now but this little guy always reminds me of my dad. A tradition that began once my parents had grandchildren was for each grandchild to receive their very own leprechaun from my father. He waited until they were old enough to understand and then he gave them their leprechaun with a secret name. The name was never to be told to anyone else and known only to each individual grandchild and their Poppy.

I am the baby in a family that was spread out over many years so my own youngest child was only an infant when her Poppy died. He didn’t forget her though and when she was old enough my mother gave her the leprechaun that was set aside just for her. My girls still remember the names of their leprechauns and they still hold their secret names to themselves. What a wonderful tie to their Poppy and their Irish heritage.

I was having tea with a friend this week and we came across this tea from Ireland that I simply couldn’t pass up. I still have both of my in-laws and since my mother-in-law is Irish and loves tea I had to buy this as a gift for her. Gift of the Gab! What a great name for a tea shared with a few women.

And here is a little Irish gal that I printed from The Graphics Fairy to add to my St. Patti’s Day decor.

Her eyes are green just like mine! That was another thing that made me feel especially Irish as a child.

No matter what your heritage St. Patrick’s Day is a day for the wearin’ o’ the green (unless you’d like a good pinch).

I’ll be cooking a traditional meal of corned beef and cabbage and enjoying the feeling of having had parents that loved me so much that they named a day of the year just for me!

May the road rise to meet you,

may the wind be ever at your back,

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

and the rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

may God hold you in the palm of his hand.

Blessings,