Wild Shamrocks Bloomed in Florida on St Patrick's Day

Wild Shamrocks Bloom in Florida On St. Patrick's Day ^ | 3/18/03 | Claire Wheeler Solt

[ClaireSolt]

Sunday AM I was truly delighted to learn something new. I spotted two blooming wild shamrocks -- one in my yard and one in my neighbor McCoy's yard. I looked for more throughout the neighborhood, but we were the only ones that were so blessed.

The symbolism was very encouraging to me. To me, finding shamrocks voluntarily growing in my yard exactly on Saint Patricks day affirmed my faith in many ways. I'm about half Irish, and so is my neighbor, though many would call her African American.

Saint Patrick's Day is a great day for the Irish, and I hope that you had a great day, yesterday, too. Saint Patrick was revered for ridding Ireland of snakes that were big pests. Although I am very sad about the failure of the UN to lead us to endurring peace in the world, and although the prospect of necessary war looming is indeed sober, I believe in Providence.

We will all be better off, if we drive the modern-day snakes (terrorists) into the sea and get rid of them, just like legend says St. Patrick did in Ireland, long ago. It is fitting, therefore that the end of diplomacy in the international effort to get Iraq to disarm should have been the feast of Saint Patrick 2003. And if Sadam Hussein goes underground to his S90 million luxury hideout, we can call in animal control to get him out, as we would any other poisonous snake. Whoever has the courage to do that are heros in the tradition of the patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick.

Claire Wheeler Solt Ph.D

[mvpel]

These shamrocks are taking over my yard, and I have to hose 'em down with 2-4-D every few weeks.

[ClaireSolt]

Better shamrocks, than Islamic jihad, I say.

[Mr. Jeeves]

You aren't kidding - the stuff used to spread like crazy in my yard (before it all died), and I could find four, five and six leaf specimens without trying very hard.

[piasa]

Beats the heck out of this godawful crunchy Floridian runner grass ... I don't care how well manicured it is, this stuff is nasty and horrible to walk barefoot in, like trying to walk on celery. I miss the wonderful soft red fescue back in Illinois, so the closest I can come to it down here in FL is golf course bentgrass.