February 23, 2014

 

Top of the Mornin’ to Ya!

Enjoying the Irish countryside on our visit to “Quiet Man” country” in September 2013

 PINCH!

That was the penalty administered by fellow students, when I was a child at Abby B. Sawyer Elementary School, if one forgot to wear green on March 17th, St. Patrick’s Day…because on St. Patrick’s Day, everyone was/is Irish! Teachers hurriedly safety pinned hastily cut-out construction paper shamrocks upon those green deficient children, as they entered the classroom, to ward off the annual pinchfest .  Years later, when I myself, taught elementary school, things had progressed, shimmery Hallmark shamrock stickers replacing the construction paper variety, yet still dispensed posthaste to those students neglectful of the wearin’ o’ the green each St. Patrick’s Day.

 
St. Patrick’s Day “Armor”, Protecting against St. Patrick’s Day Pinches

 So, just where did this tradition of non-green wearing persons being subjected to the dreaded St Patrick’s Day pinch come from?  According to blogger Deborah in her fun post “Erin go Braugh!”, March 17, 2013 …

 The pinching on St. Patty’s Day was started in America sometime in the 1700′s. The myth said that leprechauns could not see a person dressed in green, and anyone they did see (anyone not wearing green) the leprechauns would pinch. So, be sure to wear green today otherwise the leprechauns (and random Irish-lovin’ strangers) will pinch you.

 For more from Deborah’s blog posting and wonderful 1940’s movie star St. Patrick’s Day photos, including this Maureen O’Hara one, please click on the link below the photo.

 

Maureen O’Hara, star of “The Quiet Man”
in a St. Patrick’s Day publicity shot

 http://hellcat-vintage.com/tag/maureen-ohara/ 

 

The Quiet Man:
A Film for St. Patrick’s Day,
and Vacation Inspiration, too.

 On that one day of the year when “everyone is Irish” and thoughts turn to the land of St. Patrick’s Ireland, one film comes to mind for me, The Quiet Man!  One of my very most favorite movies ever, and just chosen in December 2013 by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry, this 1952 John Wayne/Maureen O’Hara film is indeed a classic.  In fact, it was “The Quiet Man” that was the impetus that led to a brief trip to Ireland for my husband and myself last fall. It was three days wonderfully spent!  :o)


Standing next to the”Quiet Man Bridge”

 “The Quiet Man Bridge” in the movie

 
At “The Quiet Man” Museum in Cong, next to replicas of wardrobe from the film

Ruins in Cong (Ireland)

Enjoying  the serine landscape of County Mayo, Ireland

County Mayo Sunset, September 2013

 Please, read my four blog postings on our Ireland trip.
Click on the links below.

 https://annettehoffman.wordpress.com/2013/10/11/the-quiet-mans-ireland-day-1/

 https://annettehoffman.wordpress.com/2013/10/18/the-quiet-mans-ireland-day-2-or-a-day-fit-for-a-quiet-man-crazy/

 https://annettehoffman.wordpress.com/2013/10/01/irish-gold-part-1-3/

 https://annettehoffman.wordpress.com/2013/10/05/irish-gold-part-2/

Watching The Quiet Man

 Watching “The Quiet Man” is a tradition each St. Patrick’s Day at our house.
(My four children were raised on the classics! :o)) I have owned this movie in several forms over the years, but many were disappointing in quality.  However, I highly recommend the new Blu-ray version!  The picture quality is phenomenal!

The Quiet Man is my one “must watch” movie on March 17.
“The Quiet Man” now out on Blu-ray!

Update-The Quiet Man will air on Turner Classic Movies on
March 17, 2020 at 8:00 pm EST!

Dale and me with the stream from “The Quiet Man” fight scene behind us

 To read more facts about The Quiet Man, please click on the post below.
Note, the fight scene was not shot at Ashford Castle as described,
but at a stream in the town of Cong.  (See photo above)

 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045061/trivia

 Bonus St. Patrick’s Day Movies

 

 Song of the Islands (1942)

I stumbled upon this delightfully light-hearted film on Fox Movie Channel one day.
A musical comedy starring Betty Grable, this Hawaiian/Irish film, culminates with the tune “O’Brien Has Gone Hawaiian”performed at their St. Patrick’s Day celebration on the (fictitious) Hawaiian Island of Ahmi-oni Isle.

Betty Grable performs “O’Brien has Gone Hawaiian” in the movie
“Song of the Islands”

 To view the lyrics for “O’Brien has Gone Hawaiian”,
please click on the link below.
 http://www.squareone.org/Hapa/o9.html

 For more information on “Song of the Islands”,
please click on the links below.
 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035361/

http://dawn-bettygrable.blogspot.com/2010/05/song-of-islands-1942.html

Luck of the Irish (2001)

This fun Disney film, with Irish flavor, has always been a favorite of my family.
It follows Ryan Merriman as a boy with very Irish roots on his mother’s side
(Spoiler Alert, his mother is a leprechaun!), and Cleveland (Ohio) roots on his
father’s side.  :o)

 

 This 2001 Disney Channel movie is currently showing on Disney+.
(This statement was posted as an update in March 2020.)

 To read more about “The Luck of the Irish”,
please click on the link below.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0274636/

 Leap Year (2010)

A sweet (PG) movie starring Amy Adams and Matthew Goode.
(Update-This film is currently available to watch on Hulu in March 2020.)

Bonanza (1963)
S5, Ep12
Hoss and the Leprechauns

One, of two, humorous episodes of Bonanza that I enjoy
(the other being the Easter bunny episode).
View it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5Iz4MCpCLk

The Emerald Isle (1948)

A short cartoon about Ireland.
Watch it at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIa1ZKO76Ho

St. Patrick’s Day Fun: A Craft and Recipes
 The Craft: LUCK in Green Glitter

 

As a fan and frequent persuer of Pinterest *,
I incorporated several ideas that found on this site, and combined them into my LUCK in green glitter project,
Green Glitter Letters.

Having done this project last year, or was it the year before?, I do not quite remember the sequence of my steps, but I think what follows is pretty close.

 Gather materials–

Letters L, U, C, K (Michaels, or Hobby Lobby)

Emerald Green acrylic paint(not sure of actual name)

Sponge brush (1 or 2)

Glue Gun and Glue gun sticks

Newspaper for painting and to catch excess glitter

          Green, finer grade, glitter (I think that I used Martha Stewart brand)

          Mod Podge

 Paint letters green.  It may take two coats. Let dry.

Hot Glue together letter in configuration desired. (If it needs more stability, staple gun back of letters, or

Refer to these great directions at http://www.lifesweetlifeblog.com/2010/12/diy-pottery-barn-knock-off-noel-sign.html.)

 Cover front of letters with Mod Podge.

 On newspaper sprinkle glitter over wet Mod Podge generously,

allowing extra glitter to spill onto the newspaper.

 Allow letters to dry.

 Pour spilled glitter from newspaper back into bottle.

 GOOD LUCK! :O)

 http://www.pinterest.com

You can follow my pins on Pinterest- In the search box type
“I’m Annette” blog-annettehoffman.wordpress.com

Other Items in my photo above:

 The Irish Blessing

Came from this fun blog below.
Click on it to visit her site.

 file://localhost/Printable http/::myblessedlife-lora.blogspot.com:2008:03:happy-st-patricks-day.html%3Fpfstyle=wp

 

The Bless This House Sampler

This was a collaborative effort between
my daughter in law and myself.
After buying the supplies  (the frame, material , felt, embroidery thread, tag, stamping letters, and stamp pad), I cutout the shamrocks. Cayce stitched the saying, and sewed on the shamrocks.
I put it the frame, and added the stamped tag “All Who Enter Here”.

Other Items 

God Bless Shamrock was purchased at Hobby Lobby last year, or year before.

Shamrock lights were purchased at Target, I think, a year, or two ago.

 Candlesticks were a gift.  They were brass and I painted them white.

 

The Recipes

 

Two Easy and Delicious Treats for March 17,
or any day!

Easy Artichoke Dip

 Ingredients

1 can, or jar artichoke hearts, drained

1 cup of light mayonnaise ( I use light Hellman’s)

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (Fresh is best)

 Crackers ie. Ritz, Club, Triscuits, or crudités (sliced, fresh veggies)

 Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine all ingredients, chopping up artichokes, if needed
• Bake for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees.  (The microwave can be used, too, if in a hurry.)

Serve with crackers or crudités.

 

 Irish Gold

 

Repinned from my earlier blog, Irish Gold 2
https://annettehoffman.wordpress.com/2013/10/05/irish-gold-part-2/

 This photo courtesy of http://blog.saymmm.com/page/3
Check out her blog filled with recipes by clicking on the link above.

Ingredients 

 Miniature Ritz Peanut Butter Sandwich crackers,
(or 2 plain Ritz Crackers with peanut butter spread in the middle,
or just plain Ritz Crackers, if desired)

 
1 (12oz.) bag Butterscotch chips

 Directions

▪   Melt chips in in a microwave safe bowl.

▪   Carefully dip the crackers into the melted chips.

Set on wire rack, or waxed paper, and let butterscotch harden

Enjoy!

 Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

 Thanks for reading!  :o)

Annette

I attempt to post my blog bi-monthly. Talk to you again around March 18.

I would love for you to join my blog “following” to receive “I’m Annette” via email, FREE, immediately upon posting, please sign up on the right-hand side of this page. 

Vintage Phone Booth in Cong (Ireland) where much of
“The Quiet Man” was filmed