Happy mid-March, friends! And Happy St. Patrick’s Day! On Instagram today, I offer a short history of St. Patrick, as well as a beautiful graphic assembled by my girl (and Virtual Assistant extraordinaire) Kaitlyn. I took the picture used in the graphic when our family visited Ireland in 2017. It’s a view I return to often, especially this week of the year. When you’re an O’Neill by birth, St. Patrick’s Day is something wholeheartedly celebrated!
I think I also like St. Patrick’s Day because to me, it marks the downhill slide towards spring. (I say as I stare at eight inches of snow outside my window. But even us Coloradans will get to spring eventually!)
St. Patrick’s Day is one of my favorite things, and I include a fun way I celebrated it this year in my Favorite Things list below. I also include a few other goodies I’m enjoying right now. I hope you find something you enjoy, too!
The Gilded Age: I was intrigued by this show ever since I read a summary about it a couple of months ago. In one way, you can think of it as Downton Abbey but in America. However, it takes place before the Downton Abbey timeline, beginning in 1882. Set in New York City, it follows the lives of the two sides of wealthy society: Those with “old” money and those with “new” money. Y’all, actress Christine Baranski CRACKS ME UP with her quips as a snappier, more sarcastic version of Violet Crawley. This is a good time to watch it as much of it (or at least much of what I’ve seen so far!) takes place in spring/summer.
Lavender Essential Oil: Mix it with some lemon and YUM. A nice spring scent (and summer scent, for that matter).
Shepherd’s Pie: I make this every St. Patrick’s Day. I usually make this Rachel Ray recipe, but this looks like a great option, too!
St. Patrick’s Tea Party: Last year, my daughter and I hosted a St. Patrick’s Day Tea for her and a friend. This year, I hosted it for a few of my own friends that are a part of our small group from church. I had so much fun planning it that it might very well become a yearly event! I made Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad, Irish scones (recipe from the proprietor of a B&B we stayed in while in Ireland), and then I bought these pistachio macarons from Whole Foods. (I know, I know. macarons aren’t Irish, and neither is the chicken salad. But I went with Irish colors and called it good!) Anyway, it was a delightful time, and I can’t wait to do it again next year. As a side note, this article here offers a St. Patrick’s Day menu, too.
Twinings Irish Breakfast Tea: Speaking of St. Patrick’s Day, this tea is delish. English Breakfast gets a lot of attention, but I like this Irish Breakfast tea just as much.
The Pioneer Woman Cooks Super Easy Cookbook: 120 Shortcut Recipes for Dinners, Desserts, and More Faith bought me this for Christmas, and I have made several recipes from it that the fam has enjoyed. Favorites include the “Taco Shells and Cheese” and “Spinach Ravioli Bake.” The recipes really are easy to throw together, especially for busy weeknights.
Madewell Square Necked Smocked Top: A couple of weeks ago, I was able to stack a couple of sales and buy this. It’s cute and comfy and hides a multitude of sins in my stomach department. (Heh.) It’s still on sale, although it’s a bit of a risk to purchase because all sales are final. I’ve had more than one friend ask where I got it, so I thought it worth mentioning here!
Kristen’s books: Right now, Girl Meets Change, Back Roads to Belonging, and When Change Finds You are on sale at Amazon. With graduation season upon us, any of these books would be a gift to the graduate in your life.
That’s all for today, dearhearts. Sending you lots of love and shamrocks☘️ today!
Note: Amazon links are affiliate links, which adds no additional cost to the product’s purchase price.
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