What is St Patrick's Day Celebrated for?

 Just exactly How did St Patrick's Day begin?

What does St Patrick's Day celebrate? More recently we have done some alcoholic celebrations, what with green beer and the like, but historically, Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick, is a cultural and religious celebration held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick, the foremost patron saint of Ireland. 

St Patrick’s Day is celebrated in many parts of the world, especially by Irish communities and organizations. Many people wear an item of green clothing on the day. Parties featuring Irish food and drinks that are dyed in green food color are part of this celebration. It is a time when children can indulge in sweets and adults can enjoy a “pint” of beer at a local pub. Many restaurants and pubs offer Irish food or  drink, which include:

• Irish brown bread.
• Corned beef and cabbage.
• Beef and Guinness pie.
• Irish cream chocolate mousse cake.
• Irish coffee.
• Irish potato champ, also known as poundies, cally or pandy.
• Irish stew.
• Irish potato soup.

Some people plan a pilgrimage to St Patrick’s Purgatory, which is commonly associated with penance and spiritual healing since the early 13th century. It is on Station Island in Lough Derg in County Donegal where St Patrick had a vision promising that all who came to the sanctuary in penitence and faith would receive a pardon for their sins. (credit: https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/common/st-patrick-day)

Now that you know a wee bit more than you might have, click this link for a real treat of Crimson Clover you should hang on your wall as a proper way to celebrate St Patty's Day

2022 Thanksgiving is for Memories and......

Historically Thanksgiving has Always Been for Memories 

Taking your child or Grandchild out for their first Christmas tree cutting, is definitely one of those grand memories. 

And if your mail person is a kind one, perhaps their first sit in the mail truck, engine off of course and emergency brake on. 

I'm sure you can think of a few dozen more, such as their birth, then their first Birthday, and so on. 

Memories is why we give thanks to our families and friends and those special moments. But Thanksgiving dinners and gatherings can as well be about, what those memories can foretell to a degree about our futures. Our futures become a live topic all the day long on Thanksgiving, and for days after. Planning ahead, at least in our thoughts about what might become of our family and our extended families. Will a member stay local or move to a far off location? Perhaps college or university life beckons, or a new opportunity for a job, or a new career opens up or retirement sends us off to a warmer location.

I like spending time ahead of Thanksgiving thinking about these possibilities before the day of, so I can open up conversations, once our company has had the chance to settle in and perhaps after a game or before, but certainly not immediately and certainly not in a manner that is argumentative.  There are times for that type of approach. Thanksgiving is the time for bringing out older family photo albums, or connecting from phone to tv, digital photo frames running, perhaps sharing photos on your device with others. There are so many more ways today to share our treasured pictures. I have been known to bring out any special items that belong to a focused family members keepsakes to share and for family members to hold and treasure during their visit. Mementos are a gift to as much or more than photos depending upon the significance. I hold dear my Grandfathers Fire Chief badges and ribbons as well as my Father's war photos, his career photos and his wallet with items still inside. 

Here's hoping you will have these opportunities for both memories and future thoughts during this very special day.

Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for reading

If there's a lag in conversation and you prefer another shared experience, take a jump to my website

Veteran's Day November 11th Every Year

On Friday, Nov 11th we Give Thanks to all who Have Served in Defense of our Country

Memorial Day is the day we honor those military personnel who have sacrificed their lives. But we can, if you choose, honor both on both days. However it is best to remember which day represents the proper soldiers.  Memorial Day on May 30th (last Monday in May every year), and Veteran's Day on November 11th (every year).

It's always an honor to be told "Thank you for your service" no matter where I am. I was walking in a grocery store yesterday, when a man walked up to me, reached out his hand to shake mine, and used that phrase. I realized a second later it was doubtless because of my military ball cap I had just purchased a week ago at an Military Exchange store. Not why I bought it, and I will be aware on the next occasion I wear it of what to expect, perhaps.

So even though I'm not suggesting you shake the hand of everyone wearing a military cap, you might get a renewed sense of just how many we see as we are doing our daily duties outside of work. And knowing that, we might also get a sense of the vast number of those who have served, we can't recognize, without their cap. There are many. Some of which, too many in fact, who live alone, or don't have friends who might call or visit to just spend time together. And their are still the numbers of homeless vets out there.

For any of those Veterans you have in your family and extended family and friends, make it a mandate that you at least say hi, with a call, a text, an email or better yet, a visit to see them. You don't have to bring up war stories. But you might celebrate their service with that oh so common phrase again, " I just wanted you to know I appreciate your time the military and what you've done for all of us here at home, or something similar.

There are many other ways to say thank you too. A meal, a day invited over to your home, a walk, a movie, a game, a gift of any appropriate category. Because my specialty is photography I get to choose from my own portfolio. The best to you and your veteran 

1-rich-collins.pixels.com/

  

 

Veterans Day: forget Dinner for a Vet, Give them a Print they will Remember

Rather than Spending $$$$ on Dinner for Your Favorite Veteran, Gift them a Special Print that will last for Decades

Your Special Veteran, deserves a lasting memorial from you and your family. And instead of a surprise, ask them to join you in viewing you online at my website to allow them to pick what they want to hang on their wall.

So many to choose from, and you don't want to get this wrong. 

Here's just one to show them 

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Celebrate Indigineous People's Day Today

 Columbus Day is now officially: Indigenous People's Day

                What is Indigenous Peoples' Day?

Indigenous Peoples' Day advocates say the recognition helps correct a "whitewashed" American history that has glorified Europeans like Italian explorer Christopher Columbus who have committed violence against Indigenous communities. Native Americans have long criticized the inaccuracies and harmful narratives of Columbus' legacy that credited him with his "discovery" of the Americas when Indigenous people were there first.

"It is difficult to grapple with the complete accomplishments of individuals and also the costs of what those accomplishments came at," said Mandy Van Heuvelen, the cultural interpreter coordinator at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian.

There are no set rules on how one should appreciate the day, said Van Heuvelen, a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe from South Dakota. It's all about reflection, recognition, celebration and an education.

"It can be a day of reflection of our history in the United States, the role Native people have played in it, the impacts that history has had on native people and communities, and also a day to gain some understanding of the diversity of Indigenous peoples," she said.

 

So let's celebrate the Native American tribes that were here long before the Italian Christopher Columbus arrived. In honor of that I would like to direct you to view one of my photos   

https://pixels.com/featured/native-american-chief-rich-collins.html

Honoring Veterans Day

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Honoring Our Veterans

From the earliest of battles to the present day, on this day we honor our veterans for having served in action, in so many ways. Some with a single flag in ceremony of the freedom we all enjoy. Others are able to celebrate this Federal Holiday by choosing to join one another in prayer at their churches and in communities at parades. We here at Shooting Outside wish all veterans of all wars and actions worldwide, a grand thanks. 

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Happy Mother's Day

You can imagine a Mother, any Mother in any part of the world which celebrates Mother's Day, when she receives her flowers, or her invite to brunch, or that special call, but one I like to think is even better is the print she receives which will hang on her wall for years which celebrates her. Hopefully your gift is on time, but even if it is late, make certain you remember her this year in a most special way. Linking to the title 'Happy Mother's Day' above, will give you a number of prints to choose from in my Gallery titled WhiteBorders.