As St. Patrick's Day comes closer, I realize not much attention is being paid it here in the Southwest US. When I lived back east in New York, there was a parade and almost everyone wore something green....Irish or not. There's no parade here in Arizona, and little mention of the day.
This gets me wondering whether or not there's much of an Irish population here. I'll have to pay attention this year. Apparently, I haven't been.
Well, I do have about 1/16th Irish blood according to Ancestry.com. I can actually trace it and have photos of my paternal great-grandmother who came by ship as so many Irish immigrants did in the midst of the potato famines. She was thrust into life in
nefarious Hell's Kitchen on the lower east side of Manhattan. She didn't take to it one bit, so when a handsome smooth-talking "Negro" came selliong his vegetables from a horse-drawn wagon all the way from upstate New York, she didn't hesitate long.
In the beautiful rolling hills of Catskill, Mary (nee Owens), bore 9 children..some not living past infancy. She was a staunch Catholic and worked as housekeeper for the local rectory's priests. We have a few stories of her life to cherish, passed over decades. We know how stories can be embellished. However, I like to envision her as this feisty older lady here on my card. The image and sentiment are from Art Impressions. She's a whole lot of sass...just sayin'.
A Whole Lotta Sass! |
Blessings,
Erica