5 little shamrocks

One green shamrock,

in the morning dew,

Another one sprouted,

and then there were two.

Two green shamrocks,

growing beneath a tree;

Another one sprouted,

and then there were three.

Three green shamrocks,

by the cottage door;

Another one sprouted,

and then there were four.

Four green shamrocks,

near a beehive

Another one sprouted,

and then there were five.

Five little shamrocks,

bright and emerald green,

Think of all the luck

these shamrocks will bring.

Five little leprechauns dressed in Green.
 They're the happiest I've ever seen.
This leprechaun has a big gold ring. 
This leprechaun has a song to sing.
This leprechaun wears a funny wig. 
This leprechaun likes to dance a jig.
This leprechaun nods his head to say 

 "We Wish You A Happy St. Patricks Day"


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When I Visit Grandma

The very best device kept from those days of yore, A tool so very useful for nearly every chore It' s not the modern kitchen, utensils by the score, But the hearty steadfast apron, that every Grandma wore

"Grandma's Apron"

When I would visit Grandma. I was always very blessed,
by the apron that she wore, and the love that she expressed.
Always she had two, one for baking and one for outside mess.
And when that bow was tied, then Grandma's day would start.

Just a simple cloth it hung, but it was full of heart;
She used it for shooing flies away or fowl that stalked her legs.
Then it became a bountiful basket, for gathering the eggs,
And tiny just-hatched chickens, needing somewhere soft and warm Or a li'l orphaned lambkin, born on a frosty morn.

That apron carried kindling, to stoke the household fire,
And brought in a load of washing, or became a quick hairdryer.
To protect her hands, a hot pad, to lift up steaming pans,
and when anyone was overheated, she waved it as a fan.

If cold, she wrapped up babies, or even her own arms,
At dinner time, she'd flag it, to bring men in from the farm,
Dirty ears and tender tears, were always sweetly wiped,
and it became a hiding place, if little kids were shy.

Vegies any season, in the summer, spring and fall,
were brought to the kitchen table in that apron carry-all.
Any pie fruits she collected, were secure with apron pins
When peas were shelled, the hulls were tipped out to the hens.

Oh, how much that trusty apron, could dust all down the hall
If unexpected guests turned up, with a sudden friendly call.
One day Grandma went to glory, God called her to rest
'Cause from her life of apron loving, so many had been blessed.

~Unknown~

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Remember Time Spent With Mom

Poem conveys a Mother's hope when she is old and needs care from her children.

Full Newspaper clip - Image can be viewed here 

Dear Ann Landers: I read this article by Virginia Bass of El Cajon, Calif., in the San Diego Union-Tribune and hope you have room for it in your column. – Faithful California Reader

Dear California: Thank you for sending it on. I found it very moving and am happy to share it with my readers. Here it is:

I was the caregiver to my mother and her twin. They lived to ages 95 and 96. Now I find myself on the other end of the scenario, which is difficult in a different way.  I hope to be spirited and wear a smile for some time to come (I am 71) but intentionally prepare my children for times ahead by writing a poem. I gave each of my children (ages 45, 43, and 34) a copy and told them, “I mean it.”

To My Children

When I spill some food on my nice clean dress
Or maybe forget to tie my shoe,
Please be patient and perhaps reminisce
About the many hours I spent with you.

When I taught you how to eat with care,
Plus tying laces and your numbers, too,
Dressing yourself and combing your hair,
Those were precious hours spent with you.

So when I forget what I was about to say,
Just give me a minute — or maybe two.
It probably wasn't important anyway,
And I would much rather listen just to you.

If I tell the story one more time,
And you know the ending through and through,
Please remember your first nursery rhyme
When I rehearsed it a hundred times with you.

When my legs are tired and it's hard to stand
Or walk the steady pace that I would like to do,
Please take me carefully by my hand,
And guide me now as I so often did for you.

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Grandma's Apron History

“Grandma’s Apron Strings” 
is a collection of homestyle recipes and celebrations of grandmothers.
Photo Courtesy Anna Overcash Rotz

“Grandma's Apron” A poem by Tina Trivett
An original poem written by Tina Trivett in honor of her own grandmother.

The strings were tied, it was freshly washed, and maybe even pressed.
For Grandma, it was everyday to choose one when she dressed.
The simple apron that it was, you would never think about;
the things she used it for, that made it look worn out.

She may have used it to hold some wildflowers that she'd found.
Or to hide a crying child's face when a stranger came around.
Imagine all the little tears that were wiped with just that cloth.
Or it became a potholder to serve some chicken broth.

She probably carried kindling to stoke the kitchen fire.
To hold a load of laundry, or to wipe the clothesline wire.
When canning all her vegetables, it was used to wipe her brow.
You never know, she might have used it to shoo flies from the cow.

She might have carried eggs in from the chicken coop outside.
Whatever chore she used it for, she did them all with pride.
When Grandma went to heaven, God said she now could rest.
I'm sure the apron that she chose, was her Sunday best.

APRON HISTORY

The principle use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, but along with that, it served as a holder for removing hot pans from the oven; it was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken-coop the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came those old aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids; and when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.  Chips and kindling-wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden it carried all sorts of vegetables.  After the peas had been shelled it carried out the hulls.

In the fall it was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.  When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out on the porch and waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields for dinner.

It will be a long time before anyone invents something that will replace that old-time apron that served so many purposes.

Author Unknown

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Funny How

In light of the many recent school shootings Let's see ...

 I think it started when Madeline Murray O'Hare complained she
didn't want prayer in our schools ...
And we said ... OK

Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school ...
the Bible that says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself.
And we said ... OK 

Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave
because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem. And we said, an expert should know what he's talking about
so we said ... OK we won't spank them anymore.

Then someone said teachers and principals better not discipline our children when they misbehave. And the school administrators said no faculty member in this school better touch a student when they misbehave  because we don't want any bad publicity, and we surelydon't want to be sued.

(There's a big difference between disciplining and
touching, beating, smacking, humiliating, kicking, etc.) 

But we accepted their reasoning ! Then someone said, let's let our daughters  have abortions if they want to. They won't even have to tell their parents  And we said ... that's a grand idea !

Then some wise school board member said, since boys, will be boys and they're going to do it anyway, let's give our sons all the condoms they want.
They can have all the fun they desire, and we won't have to tell their parents they got them at school.
And we said ... that's another great idea !

Then some of our top elected officials said it doesn't matter what we do in private, as long as we do our jobs. And agreeing with them, we said it doesn't matter to me what  anyone does in their private lives, as long as I have a job,
and the economy is good.

And then someone said let's print magazines with pictures of nude women and call it wholesome, down-to-earthappreciation for the beauty of the female body.
And we said we have no problem with that.

Then someone else took that appreciation a step further and published pictures of nude children stepping further still by making them available on the internet.
And we said they're entitled to their free speech.

And the entertainment industry said: let's make TV shows and movies that promote profanity, violence, and illicit sex. And let's record music that encourages rape, drugs, murder, suicide, and satanic themes it's just entertainment. It has no adverse effect, and nobody takes it seriously anyway,
yes, go right ahead.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves. Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough ... we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with
" We Reap What We Sow."

Dear God, Why didn't you save that little child the other day at the shooting? Sincerely, Concerned Student

And The Reply ...
Dear Concerned Student, I am NOT allowed in schools. Sincerely, God 

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God
and then wonder why the world's going to hell

Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says... Funny how everyone wants to ... go to heaven provided they do not have to believe, think, say, or do anything that the Bible says.

Funny how someone can say,
"I believe in God"
but still follow Satan
who, by the way,
also believes in God.

Funny how we are quick to judge
but not to "be" judged.

Funny how you can send a thousand 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, But when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think
twice about sharing.

Funny how the lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene pass freely through
Cyberspace, but the public discussion of Jesus is suppressed in the
school and workplace !

Funny how someone can be so fired up for Christ on Sunday, but be an invisible Christian the rest of the week.

Are you laughing? 

Funny how when you go to forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it to them

Funny how I can be more worried about what "other" people think of me than what "God" thinks of me. Are you thinking? 

Pass it on if you think it has merit.
If not, then just discard it .... no one
will ever know what you did, for sure.

Author Unknown

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Granny Has A Computer

For all Granny's every where   You think ol' Granny's all washed up? Well, here's a lesson to ya, Granny's got a whole new bag, and it's called a computer! Oh, you thought I'd just sit back, in my ol' rocking chair? Well, I've got things to do- and they aren't happening there! Yes, I remember the time when you wore a 'Net' in you hair- when a dot didn't precede 'com' but, times are changing, oh my dear! You thought I wouldn't catch on- just planting flowers in the yard! Well, here's some news for you- how'd ya think ya got this card? © Ellen M. DuBois #!@!!!

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Granny's Got a Bike!

My family thinks I'm crazy,
for buying this new bike.
Well, who taught them to ride,
when they were little tikes?

It seems like everybody wants me
in my rocking chair,
knitting blankets, socks and mittens-
but, there's so much more out there!

Well, I have got a wake up call!
You think that I'm too old,
and should be staying in the house-
so I won't catch a cold?

Listen up! I'm on my way!
I'm getting out of here!
I'm peddlin' and I'm peddlin'-
so keep those sidewalks clear!

I've got my safety helmet on-
so darlings don't you fret.
Cause Granny's got a brand new bike-
you aint seen nothin' yet!


©Beautiful Poetry © Ellen M.DuBois

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Mouse Control

Sitting at the computer I am in control
of delightful images to behold.
Beautiful cards from friends
are there for me
Waiting for me to click the mouse to see.

Now, it is not to be
for the mouse would not play
Deciding it would be in control today.
It hid itself so I could not get online
To read those beautiful cards of mine.

Try as I might,
I could not get it to come out
Even when I began to shout.
Twisting it here and there and all about
It chose to hide
and never peak its pointed nose out.


Oh why, Dear Mouse should it be today
I have trouble from you
When I so wanted to hear from my friend?
It has been a long weekend
And no one can come to my rescue.

I click and I click to no avail
Because Dear Mouse has tucked its tail
And hid from me, I am sure 'tis true
Never peaking out
to give me a glimpse of you.


Mousie has me in its control right now
Making me squirm about in my chair
Sliding it up and down
and here and there
Trying to get it to take me
where I want to go some how.

After a bit the mouse tired of the game
And settled down after its laugh at me
For there I see it point right at a greeting
Sent from my friend
and our hearts are now meeting.

Dear mouse your point I see!
You connect my computer and me.
We depend on you so much
To open mail, games, cyber space and such!

You Have MOUSE CONTROL!!!!!

Copyright © 8/16/04 Jane Ward Smith

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I Nose It

I am my own worst enemy
To do the things I do
No time to clean the homestead
No time to make the stew.

They say I like to gossip
Well! I talk about a few
But nothing like my neighbor
I've told you! You know who?

I even talk about myself
And if that don't wake you up
I write a lot of stuff down
Cuz I've watched you strut your stuff.

I make it my stinking business
Call me nosey I don't care
I'm looking in your window
Can you see my big eyed glare?

I saw you drink that big boss
And eat that chocolate pie
And when you threw the laundry away
I though that I would die.

Too lazy to wash your nasty clothes
Just put em in the trash
Took the money from hubby's pocket
Bought some more and paid in cash.

Poor thing he was a sleeping
And didn't know one thing
You cut the cord on the telephone
So the dang thing wouldn't ring.

When he wakes up he'll be surprised
His pockets empty of cash
But I know something you don't know
He has a little stash.

Call me anything you want
It wont be anything new
Sticking my nose in your business
Was more fun than cooking stew.

©Ginny Bryant July 24 2004

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Dancing In The Rain

How many of those storms are you hiding from? This is our choice; to do or to do not. It is also our choice to enjoy it or to be miserable. Which will you choose, dancing in the rain, or waiting?

Death, sickness, unemployment, war, hunger…there are so many devastating things that happen to us. God never promised he’d make our lives full of sunshine all of our days. After a tragedy passes, it is sometimes easier to brood and rest, recuperating your strength, and formulating a plan.

Teach yourself to take baby steps again and get back out there. Pray for strength and direction. If you are tucked away under your umbrella all the rest of your days, you will miss the sunshine and the rainbows. Go ahead; plant some seeds and watch them grow.

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass… 

It's about learning to dance in the rain. – Anonymous,

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