Seeds, Seeds, Everywhere...

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Mostly in the U.S., this holiday is spent pub crawling, getting extremely drunk, and wearing funny plastic green hats. I do not drink alcohol, however, so none of that for me. I know...I know....I am lame. As a diabetic, the powers that be (doctors) frown upon alcohol consumption. I really never liked the taste of alcohol, so it wasn't that big of a deal for me anyway. Giving up cake liked to killed me, though.

My best friend swears that you are supposed to leave a glass of milk on your front stoop to appease any rogue Leprechaun's running about. We live in America, so I am pretty sure that is just a waste of milk. Also I don't have the heart to tell her, but I am fairly certain Leprechaun's aren't real in Ireland either.

Today, I will celebrate by planting some seeds in my garden. I actually come from a long line of farmers. Swedish, Scottish, English, French, and Irish farmers. That being said, I have rarely had luck with seeds. It's a good thing I am not a farmer like my ancestors and great grandparents (who could grow anything by simply looking at it) or we would have all starved to death. I have had such bad luck, even my bean sprout I was forced to grow as a child in science class never sprouted. Everyone else's did....mine was still a bean. A bean with mold on it.

Fast forward years later and every seed I have ever planted has died. Every single one. I can grow bulbs and established plants but seeds hate me. Then last year I germinated some Columbine seeds and they grew. I felt this was a fluke though, because we all know I can not grow seeds.

Last month we bought some Thyme, Rosemary, Lavender, Onion Chives, Garlic, Cilantro, and Basil seeds. We had the seed starter dirt and the little cardboard holders. Nothing happened. I warned my husband, when it comes to seeds I have a brown thumb. I reinforced the idea that we shouldn't hold out much hope. I mean, I seem to have not received any ancestral farmer genes. My farmer genes are dead. As is my hope for seed growing.

Still, we went ahead and planted the accursed things to see what would happen. I waited...and waited...and bupkis. Nothing. Nada. No seedlings....

Until yesterday, and BAM! We have seedlings! Seeds, seeds, everywhere! Every single type of herb I bought sprouted. Some only two out of the twenty something seeds....but who cares! I have created life!!!!! The brown thumb curse has been lifted! I am so very excited, and I feel less like a disappointment to my long heritage of crazy farmer people. Yipeeeeeee!

So although, I won't be wearing green today (green tends to make my red hair look...yellowish), I will be planting green and surely that is kinda the same thing, right?


It just goes to show to never give up. Things can always change if you are persistent enough, and lucky. Which I am going to claim is the luck of the Irish.....in honor of today. We could all use a bit of good luck and a great heap of hope.

So, happy Saint Patrick's Day Ireland and all of the Irish people out there, be it actually Irish or those of us who have Irish ancestors. Your country is beautiful as is your heritage. Your stories and struggles are inspiring. I will leave you all with this Irish blessing:

May the road rise up to meet you. 

May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
Be safe out there everyone.
Neurotic Nelly