Five for St. Patrick’s Day

1. Why, when I cook corned beef, does it always turn out gray? Poor meat.
2. We used to live across the street from a little bar named Paddy’s in Cambridge, Mass. It was a neighborhood joint, one of those places where you rarely saw a woman enter. I always think about it on days like today, and wish I’d gone in to stay instead of just to peek.
3. Green beer = unappealing. Green bagels = even worse. Green cookies = another story.
4. I am a fan of any holiday that promotes fun and silliness. Pickle Week? I’m there. My only problem with St. Pat’s Day is that the other kids always pinched me, even when I was wearing green.
5. Apparently there is a shamrock shortage in Ireland this year due to severe weather. We’ve had a winter here, too, but today it’s sunny and 60 and I’m going to plant some Japanese turnips and some rainbow Swiss Chard.