A thought has been nagging at me for weeks now. I've wrapped my mental faculties round and round it, attempting to convince myself it's just my imagination, but try as I might, it simply won't go away. So here goes: As far as I can determine, the U.S. and Ireland are the only two countries in the world that have alter egos. Before you decide I've gone totally off the deep end, … [Read more...] about Brigid and Patrick: Ireland’s Alter Egos
Slainte
Linen to Dine For
In the late 19th century the legendary French food writer Brillat-Savarin said: "You are what you eat." I say, "You are what you eat on." Think about it. A length of colorful oil-cloth is just the ticket for a picnic or barbecue. A fancy afternoon tea party calls for lace. Colorful whimsical tablecloths are a bright eye-opener at breakfast. But when a fine dining occasion … [Read more...] about Linen to Dine For
See You in September
Americans vacation in July. Europeans do it in August. No one goes anywhere in September. During the peak summer months, regardless of continent, the shops are crowded, the beaches are jammed, flights are overbooked, and hotels (if you can even find one with a vacancy) charge astronomical rates. Come September, beds are bargains, shops offer sales, and beaches are bare. Hint: … [Read more...] about See You in September
Celtic White Gold
Riddle: I am everywhere, but I am difficult to obtain. When I am wet, I am invisible. When I am dry, you can hold me in your hand. I can fertilize or sterilize. I preserve, and I destroy. I am found in water, but I make you thirsty. I am a rock, but you consume me. Too much of me will kill you. Without me you will die. I am a paradox, a mystery. Answer: I am salt. The … [Read more...] about Celtic White Gold
Sláinte!: A Peck of Pickled Peppers
When I set out this year's veggie garden, it never occurred to me that 6 eggplants, 5 peppers, 4 cucumbers, 6 string beans, 3 zucchini, and 8 tomato plants, plus a few 4-inch pots of herbs, would pose a problem. The seedlings looked so innocent sitting in the wide swaths of dirt recommended by my gardening manuals. Four months later, the puny plants had morphed to monsters and … [Read more...] about Sláinte!: A Peck of Pickled Peppers