St. Patrick's Day By Numbers

This is taken from a CNN release; parts not in quotes are my own comments.....
   "When you suit up in green and head to the St. Patrick's Day parade or your favorite Irish bar to celebrate, dropping these facts and figures about the holiday's origins will impress your fellow revelers!"  -  Originally, the color blue was used to celebrate Saint Patrick.

" 5 - St. Patrick's Day began as a religious holiday to honor the the man who, in the fifth century," did the most to introduce and spread Christianity across Ireland.  There were two other Christian 'missionaries' in Ireland prior to Patrick's arrival.

" 1762 - The first St. Patrick's Day parade took place in New York on 17 March 1762.

149 million - Number of people in the United States who plan to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in 2018.

83 - Percentage of those celebrating who plan to wear green.

27  - Percentage of Americans who plan to go to a bar or restaurant to celebrate.

$5.9 billion - Expected St. Patrick's Day spending in 2018.

3,400 - Species of snakes in the world.  According to legend, St. Patrick drove all of the snakes from Ireland. "  In truth, there were never any snakes living on the land that became Ireland.

" 5 - Approximate number of hours the Chicago River remains emerald green after being dyed for the city's St. Patrick's Day parade.

17-5641 - The Pantone number for the color emerald green, which was the 'Pantone Color of the Year' for 2013.

32.3 million - People in the United States with Irish ancestry, as of 2016.

1 in 10,000 - Your chances of finding a four-leaf clover.

6 - Ireland's global rank in beer consumption per capita in 2016, with 98.2 liters.

21 - The United States' rank in beer consumption per capita in 2016, with 74.8 liters.

170 - Rank in popularity in the United States of the baby name of Patrick in 2016.

460 - Calories in a 12-ounce (small) McDonald's limited-edition green Shamrock Shake.  The large size contains 800.  "


My husband's male ancestors came from Ireland.  The surname is Devine, which was from the Irish Gaelic  Ó Daimhín.  The root of this name is believed to be "damh," which supposedly means an "ox" or a "stag."  The name Devine is chiefly found today in the Irish counties of Tyrone and Fermanagh.  Up to the fifteenth century, the chief of the sept was Lord of Tirkennedy in County Fermanagh.

December First

This morning, as I walked to the bakery for my breakfast bagel, I looked in wonder at beautiful puffy clouds that were painted in colors of pinks and purples against a dark sky.  Less than five minutes later, as I walked back home with my fresh warm bagel, the sight of the mountain-top snows took my breath away.  In the east, the clouds were pink and purple, but they painted the snow on the peaks in the west a glowing, warm lavender.  I miss the gulls and birds of the east coast, but these sunrise visions are gorgeous in Colorado! It's currently 54 degrees outside, the sun is shining, and the humidity is 25%.  I'm sitting at my desk with the patio door and window wide open, while the cats wander in and out.  It's a fantastic fall day.
  The weather has made it easy to get the smell of chemicals and backed-up kitchen water out of my bathroom, closet, and front hall.  And I'll probably be complaining about the fierce cold here beginning Wednesday.  Right now, our forecast calls for highs in the mid-50s Monday and Tuesday; a low of 11 on Tuesday night, and highs on Wednesday and Thursday of 15 and 9 degrees.  I'll be inside, cuddled up with the kits on those days.  The air is so dry that I can't go outside and breathe normally if the temperature is below 20.  I'll be carrying my inhaler at all times later this week...  And I've already sent out warnings to the owners of the dogs that I walk on a daily basis.
  I do have the Broncos and Chiefs game on the television.  I just shook my head while watching the Gators and Seminoles play yesterday.  Poor Gators.  I loved watching the Ohio State Buckeyes win; and I had a blast watching the Gamecocks defeat Clemson.  Of course, the mind-boggling play of all the games yesterday was the Auburn Tigers returning a missed Alabama field goal for 100+ yards and the winning of the game.  I don't think the 'Bama fans have had this first loss even sink in yet...
   And since it's the first of December, my daughter-in-law sent me one of the best photos I have seen this year:

Son Kevin and grand daughter Kennedy getting ready to decorate the house for Christmas!

Assorted Photos

Charleston, South Carolina

One of the Fiji Islands

Daughter Etoye, grand daughter Kennedy, and son Kevin

Lavender fields in France

Full moon at the Point Montara, California lighthouse