Spring time in Germany

On the drive to work we go past the park which is in full crocus bloom right now. Along the pond, in the median along the sidewalk along the road. There are white, purple and yellow ones. They are closed up in the mornings and open up mid-day and are still open on the drive home. They grow very low to the ground, and the foliage looks a lot like the Rye grass surrounding them. They are so very pretty right now.

I did some checking on if they really open and close and found out that Crocus are part of a group of flowers that produce fragrance to attract bees and other pollinators during the day, but at night when there are no bees around they close to conserve their fragrance. Isn’t God amazing!!

And did you know the stamens of the fall-blooming crocus are the source of the spice saffron! I’ll have to remember this next time I am having Saffron Rice~

Next will be the Iris and Tulips, I cannot wait to see them!

A Spot of Tea

We have started enjoying Hot Tea with our meals. I found a lovely Tea Pot with tea light warmer. We can brew a 5-6 cup pot of tea and keep it warm with a small tea light candle (gives a whole new meaning to tea light candle). Of course there is caffeine in Tea but Green Tea is a GREAT lower caffeine alternative. So which tea is better -- green, black, white? There really isn’t enough difference to get overly excited about. All teas generally contain the same amount of flavonoids. Green and black tea come from the same plants. But Green Tea is dried for a shorted period of time and doesn’t go through a fermenting process used for Black Tea.

Just Some of the Believed Benefits of Drinking Hot Tea:

For those who have digestive problems. It also contains antioxidants, and has other health benefits:

• It eases irritability, headaches, nervous tension and insomnia.
• It acts as an anti-spasmodic agent, to relieve stomach cramps.
• It boosts the immune system.

Other benefits:

Arthritis: Research suggests that older women who are tea drinkers are 60 percent less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than those who do not drink tea.

Flu: You may be able to boost your fight against the flu with black tea.

High Blood Pressure: Tea lovers may be surprised to learn their beverage of choice touts yet another health benefit: blood pressure control.

Colon Cancer: Green tea and white tea probably fight colon cancer.

Heart Disease: Tea consumption may help heart disease patient.

Onset of Alzheimer’s: Drinking tea might delay Alzheimer's Disease.

But forget about all these benefits, a warm cup of tea helps relax away the troubles of the day.....So have a cup sometime today and enjoy!

Wishing you a Rainbow

Wishing you a rainbow

For sunlight after showers—

Miles and miles of Irish smiles

For golden happy hours—

Shamrocks at your doorway

For luck and laughter too,

And a host of friends that never ends

Each day your whole life through!

Legend of Saint Patrick Good St. Patrick travelled far, to teach God's Holy Word And when he came to Erin's sod, a wondrous thing occurred He plucked a shamrock from the earth and held it in His hand To symbolize the Trinity that all might understand The first leaf for the Father And the second for the Son The third leaf for the Holy Spirit All three of them in one.

May those who love us, love us.

And for those who don't love us,

May God turn their hearts.

And if he can not turn their hearts,

May he turn their ankles,

So we may know them by their limping.

May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live.

What Shall I Say About the Irish?

The utterly impractical, never predictable,
Sometimes irascible, quite inexplicable, Irish.Strange blend of shyness,
pride and conceit,
And stubborn refusal to bow in defeat.
He's spoiling and ready to argue and fight,
Yet the smile of a child
fills his soul with delight.
His eyes are the quickest to well up with tears,
Yet his strength is the strongest
to banish your fears.
His hate is as fierce as his devotion is grand,
And there is no middle ground
on which he will stand.
He's wild and he's gentle,
he's good and he's bad.
He's proud and he's humble,
he's happy and sad.
He's in love with the ocean,
the earth and the skies,
He's enamoured with beauty wherever it lies.
He's victor and victim, a star and a clod,
But mostly he's Irish—
in love with his God.

Blessings

May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind be always at your back,

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

The rains fall soft upon your fields and,

Until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of His hand.