I really have little to nothing to base this on. It always seemed that after the long cold winter months with January and February trying their hardest to deliver its’ worst the month of March would arrive. With its’ arrival there always was the thoughts that winter was falling behind us. At least that was what we thought but more or less hoped would happen. At our home the month of March delivered much more than the arrival of spring.
At our house we felt we had the luck of the Irish on our side and with good reason. You see my sister Peg was born on March 17th and to any good Irishman that might have well been the highest symbol of good luck. You see her birthday fell on Saint Patricks’ Day. Even though we were three fourths German we were sure that the one fourth of Irish was stepping to the front and delivering us into a better time for us all. Along with Pegs’ birthday on the sainted day she delivered all the signs of the Irish. She had red hair, lots of freckles, green eyes and also a hot temper.
With all of that going for her it was agreed that Peg could only have her birthday on Saint Patricks’ Day as no other would have done. Now Peg did enjoy the fact that her birthday did come on the holiday and she loved to wear the green outfits on that day and felt it so very cool to get birthday cards that mentioned this fact. Until her later years mention of an occasion such as this were hard to find. So when she received one that did she felt that person had thought her extra special to find one for her.
It is wise however to remember the age old saying that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Rare has it been that March ever arrived being calm. Most years the start of the month showed little or no change from the prior month and could create doubt among even the strongest person who believed this sign. But as the month moved towards March 17th the air seemed to become softer to the feel even though the March winds did blow. The temperatures would rise slightly higher each day and not drop as low as it had only a couple of weeks earlier. By mid-month the forsythia would begin to bloom and maybe a crocus or two. The trees began to form buds and with all this there would be no denying the fact that spring was almost here.
So I think that since a little over a month had passed and a month with harsh conditions to boot all were getting bored to say the least. So when Saint Patricks’ did arrive we had something to celebrate and at our house we had even more. This was a day we all enjoyed and even more since we could celebrate it with a family member bring at the center of it and not just as my mom would refer to them as “Hallmark Holidays’” made up only for the purpose of selling cards . Thing was that since it was about Peg mom never included this holiday as one of the “Hallmark Holidays”.
Mom would bake a cake and cover it with green icing. She also would fix whatever Peg wanted for our evening meal. Before we would eat cake and Peg would have to blow out the candles she also had to play Happy Birthday as she was the only one who could play the piano (we all insisted that she played as we thought it to be funny.) When done playing she would then make her wish and blow out the candles. I think back now and feel she always wished that she didn’t have to play Happy Birthday to herself. Peg was a good sport about all the hoopla we put her through but it really did help us all to lift up our spirits and meet another day that we never knew what we were going to face but we knew it wasn’t spring weather yet for sure.
As the big holiday and birthday passed and we all returned back to whatever normal was supposed to be March moved on. I think that at this time a thought came into our minds and that was we weren’t far from putting our winter coats away and search for those short sleeved shirts we had put away in a drawer so we could hang up and use the long sleeved ones. Several times March would warm up and spring would make an early entrance and of course at our home it was due to Peg and all that Irish that we wanted to be. Also after Saint Patricks’ day the grass would become greener and I can recall times when it would need mowing. (Surly a good sign.)
Work on the farm began and even though we were cleaning out the stables which is one of the most unpleasant jobs a farm holds for us it was good to get outside and work in the fresh air (so to speak.) It seemed that as the month of March was nearing its’ end the season to farm was just beginning and the world that makes up a farmers’ life was getting busier. The thing was we didn’t mind being busier at all. It beat just trying to stay warm and only going outside to feed the livestock mostly. Even though the beginning of busy would cause us to remember we had let our muscles get out of shape as they were now sore. But after a couple of days in the stables and on the work end of a pitch fork the soreness would wear off.
Like I said earlier March enters like a lion and leaves like a lamb. My answer to that leaving like a lamb is maybe but not always. But when we would talk about how March was going to go out we knew this meant one thing for sure. We were entering April and we were in spring. How did all this change happen? We looked back to Pegs’ birthday and felt that was when the change began. True or not it was our story and we were sticking to it.
These days we can’t look to Peg’s birthday any more as she has passed on. I guess it doesn’t matter as much since we don’t farm anymore either. Just like the weather our lives change also. So I guess on March 17th I will find some green to wear and claim to be more Irish than I am and to myself I will wish my sister a happy birthday. It marks the beginning of the year that is the best part and that folks will never change.
Rick Houser grew up on a farm near Moscow in Clermont County and loves to share stories about his youth and other topics. If you are interested in reading more of his stories they can be found in his books ‘There are Places to Remember” and’ Memories ARE from the Heart.” He may be reached at houser734@yahoo.com or mail to P.O. Box 213 Bethel, Ohio 45106.