When Irish Eyes Are Smiling & Irish Tootsies Bare

Time to break out the sandals and the ankle bracelets, spring is definitely in the air.  Wow, the birds are singing up a storm and the wind is gusty.  Perhaps some rain later.

All kinds of Irish frolicking is going on at the Lilac Thicket.  Since the residents here sport quite a bit of the Irish heritage, from the Connolleys, Haggerty's, Ryan's, Sullivan's, Kelly's and many undiscovered lines we claim about 50% of our lineage to the green side.  I have decked myself out in the greenest frocks I own.  I have never sported a brogue but I do have lovely memories of my father imitating his Grandmother Fanny "Get up and go to church ya dirty heathen!"  The Irish lass hailed from Balin Rostig in the great county of Cork.  Her father, a lighthouse keeper in the Bay of Cork.  She followed her brother to America and ended up in Chicago and eventually met my Great grandfather Darius James Roberts and married him.  She worked scrubbing floors in the Catholic Mercy hospital in Davenport Iowa.  She had designs on my Grandfather William becoming a priest.  Thank goodness he didn't, you wouldn't be reading this missive if he did.  I remember when I was a wee lass, maybe 3 or 4 being lifted into a bed and having an old woman stroke my head and coo in my ear.  That is the only living memory I have of that hard working, devout Catholic Great Grandmother Fannie Ryan Roberts.  Thank you God for that memory and for the wonderful values that my Irish family has bequeathed to me.


Well I know that I have been quite lax in my duties in the blogging realm but I am getting ready for my baby boy's visit and I want the Lilac Thicket to be tidy and neat and homey.  God Bless Us Everyone.