J.M.J.

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Finney in his rocking chair in his snug and comfy home!

     Hello to you!  As you know by now, I am Nannie and I have been wonderful-ly  blessed by God…I am a Friend of the Leprechauns!  You can be a Friend to them, as well, if you are very careful not to try to catch them…and never, never try to steal their pot o’ gold!

     Leprechauns love to play and have fun!  Bairbre McCarthy, in her Irish Leprechaun Stories, describes Leprechauns as “fun-loving,” and dressed in their suits of green and ‘fine leather shoes adorned with silver buckles’.”

     Ireland is an island country.

With the seashore surrounding Ireland as it does, there is plenty of opportunity for a happy little Leprechaun to take a walk by the sea…once, of course, the work of the day is done!

     In the story, “Watchin’ The Tide” (#43), Finney tells about what it is like to see the sea waters come and go…what it’s like to see the birds catching a meal…

     

     In Finney’s last story, about his Mum’s “cookin'” (#45), we find out a little more about Leprechaun meals and how the sea provides seaweed that helps feed Leprechauns, too!  Finney also mentioned the “prayin’s”  that his Leprechaun Family says before they eat…

We’ll eat together and thank God,

For our home on this grand old sod!

We’ll thank Him for our food and drink…

And for each other… and we’ll think

Of all that we are thankful for…

And, for our place in Ireland’s lore!

Also mentioned in “Cookin’!” was the movie, “The Secret of Roan Inish”, and Grandmother Tess making her special soup from seaweed!  Her prayer was always special, I thought, when she was “preserving” the fire until morning…

          “I rake this fire as the pure Christ rakes us all.  Mary at the foot and Brigid at the head.  May the eight brightest angels from the City of Grace preserve this house and all its people til the coming of day.”

     Interestingly enough, Kathryn Graham (www.lib.latrobe.edu.au) tells us this prayer of Grandmother Tess was inspired by a real life “heroine” of the Blasket Islands (off the southwest coast of Ireland) named Peig Sayers.

     Peig’s prayer was recorded in Peig Sayers — An Old Woman’s Reflections,  translated from the Irish by Seamus Ennis and Introduced by W. R. Rogers…

          “I preserve the fire as Christ preserves all, Brigid at the two ends of the house, and Mary at the center.  The three angels and the three apostles who are highest in the Kingdom of Grace, guarding this house and its contents until day”  (Sayers xiv).

     The book jacket of her Reflections tells us that Peig (1873-1958) was ‘the Queen of  Gaelic story- tellers’.  “Students and scholars of the Irish language came from far and wide to visit her.  She was, as Robin Flower wrote in The Western Island, ‘a natural orator, with so keen a sense of the turn of phrase and the lifting rhythm appropriate to Irish that her words could be written down as they leave her lips, and they would have the effect of literature with no savour of the artificiality of composition’.  Her Reflections are a collection of her fireside stories…”

     There is also a quote from Blackfriars… “Peig reveals in almost everything she says that special gift that will always belong to the simple and unspoiled in Ireland, which one feels quite justified in describing, when one has met with it over and over again, as a unique perception of reality, both in the world of nature and the life of faith.”

     I am so happy you stopped by to visit Finney and me!  Thank you!

As Finney would say…

I am so glad we talked today!

God bless you is what I do say!

J.M.J.

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Hello, my Friend!  Hello today!

I hope you are in a good way!

No matter rain, no matter shine,

I always hope your day is fine!

It’s so fun to go to the beach,

Where sand and waves are within reach!

We spoke of tides last time we talked…

I showed you beaches I have walked!

We saw how the sea gives good meals…

And I guess most anyone feels

So good to feel the ocean breeze!

I, Finney, find I feel at ease,

When I spend time right by the sea…

It’s just such a grand place to be!

Also, for food, I thank the sea!

Grand soup, from it, Mum makes for me!

From weeds of sea, me Mum will make

Some soup so fine that I will take

So many helpings, that I feel

As if I’ve had the grandest meal!

This seaweed soup Mum makes for me

Comes in with tide…I watch to see…

I have my bucket to bring some,

To home, with me, to give to Mum!

Well, she gets busy right away…

Dries some seaweed on that same day!

Mum takes them to our nearby brook.

She’ll wash them then, and use the hook

That’s in the wall, right by her chair,

To hang them, and they dry right there!

Sometimes she’ll chop them into flakes.

On diff’rent meals, the flakes, she shakes!

But dryin’s for plants she will store,

For meals to come, when she needs more.

But, just for now, she’ll use cleaned plants…

She’ll keep them safe from little ants,

And Mum will make her dee-lish meal,

And, oh so good, we will all feel!

The seaweed broth she seasons well…

What all Mum adds, I can not tell!

All I do know is it’s sooo yum!

‘Tis just so hard to wait for some!

Mum also makes her seaweed stew,

And, ohhh, my, my!  I love that, too!

She’ll go outside and look around

To find good stew things in the ground!

She also looks all through the grass,

Across the green, her eyes will pass,

For tasty greens, she hopes to find,

For making food that’s in her mind!

When Mum puts all this in her pot,

And stirs it slowly till it’s hot…

It tastes sooo good, I want to eat,

No matter when, ’tis such a treat!

There’s so much more me Mum does make

To feed us all AND she does bake!

     

But bakin’ tales, I’ll not tell now,

Nor will I even tell you how

Mum makes amazin’ stuff to eat.

I’m tired of standin’ on my feet!

So, I will tell another day

Of what exactly is the way

Mum makes her tasty, mmm, fine treats,

For desserts that everyone eats!

Now…me Mum’s seaweed soup or stew…

She just might still make some for you!

If Mum still have some plants and flakes…

Of course, she would!  For goodness sakes!

So, now I’ll go put up my feet,

And hope for some fine tasty treat

That I can eat after I rest…

Me Mum, she’s grand!  Her food’s the best!

We’ll eat together and thank God,

For our home on this grand old sod!

We’ll thank Him for our food and drink…

And for each other and we’ll think

Of all that we are thankful for…

And, for our place in Ireland’s lore!

     

We talked today about the sea…

How it provides for you and me…

In many ways…yes, more than one…

And I’m so grateful for the fun

Of fine, grand beach days in the sun!

And I’m so tired when beach day’s done!

 

I hope you can have beach fun, too!

And maybe I just might see you!

I am so glad we talked today!

God bless you is what I do say!

Note from Nannie!

     In this story, we find out a little more about Leprechaun meals and how the sea provides seaweed that helps feed Leprechauns, too!  “Irish Moss is a type of seaweed that has been used for centuries in Ireland, as a healing sea vegetable used in soups to fortify and especially strengthen malnourished individuals …”(keep in mind Potato Famine time)…”  It is traditionally brewed as a broth to release its beneficial nutrients.” (www.superfoods-for-superhealth.com  There’s great info on the health benefits of Irish moss…everything from nourishing to helping respiratory tracts, skin, connective tissue and joints, digestive tracts, and even weight loss…if you go to the referenced website!

     If you are familiar with the movie, “The Secret of Roan Inish”, you might think about Grandmother Tess making her special seaweed soup!  This movie is a great favorite with my Family!

     If you go to the footnote link, you will find a question about this story for younger readers! 

God bless you and thank you for stopping by to visit Finney and me!

 

J.M.J.

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Our Lady of Knock, please pray for us and with us…

Note from Nannie!

On this special day of the Feast of Our Lady of Knock, please know that all of you who are so kind to visit Finney and me are always in my prayers.  Thank you for taking the time to stop by!

Sacred Heart of Jesus, please bless each of us and all for whom we pray!

Finney’s Fun Facts:

On this day in 1879, Our Blessed Mother, St. Joseph, and St. John appeared in County Mayo, Ireland…at Knock.  There was a Lamb resting on the altar right by  them.

Our Lady of Knock is also known as Our Lady of Silence…her message when she appeared in Knock was unspoken.  In a beautiful hymn for Our Lady of Knock, she is called the Golden Rose, Queen of Ireland, and Queen of Peace.

                                      Finney says, “I am so glad you came today!

God bless you is what I do say!”

 

J.M.J.

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Hello, my Friend!  Hello today!

I hope you are in a good way!

No matter rain, no matter shine,

I always hope your day is fine!

When I sit down right by the sea,

The waves come near to look at me!

But then they seem to go away…

But then they’re back on that same day!

So, yes, the sea it does come near

And goes away, as if in fear!

     

But I don’t think that this is why

Sea water’s low and then it’s high.

           

I think God lets it take a turn,

To come so close and then return

To where it’s from…another place,

Where it goes back to show its face!

But then maybe that other place,

Has water come…and back ’twill race!

So back and forth may be the case!

Between where I am and that place!

😉

Seems like the water’s in a chase…

From here to there in a large space!

🙂

Whew!  That thought took time to come out!

But that’s what I think it’s about!

Oh gosh, my brain is tired now

Just trying hard to think of how

This sea tide comes and then goes out,

And how does this just come about?

     

Makes sense to me what I have said!

But…more to tell…I’ve in my head!

The water’s way is only part…

For my story…it’s just a start!

When the tide goes out, you can see

Meals of all kinds happen to be!

The water goes and leaves just sand,

That is a wet and food-filled land!

     

I see the birds look for a meal,

And sometimes one will try to steal

From another bird who is there.

This thief-bird sometimes knows just where

To go for food that will be free,

And steals it right in front of me!

That does not happen every day,

But I have seen it be the way

Some birds will find their food to eat,

And that bird’s, no doubt, a big cheat!

But then you’ll see a bigger bird,

Catch some breakfast…have you heard

Of how a crab will find its way

To be a meal?  …I must just say,

Not a great way to spend a day!

For crab, I mean…just not okay!

     

But other birds will be around…

Want to see what was on the ground

That bigger bird did find that day,

To have a meal in a fine way!

     

But bigger bird watches with care,

‘Cause that bird doesn’t want to share!

And other bigger birds come, too,

They must eat like you and me do!

     

They mosey ’round the feeding place,

In hopes of finding their own space,

Where a fine meal will come their way,

And this makes for them a fine day!

     

They walk this way, and then that way,

     

And then they’ll just go fly away!

     

Then the bird that’s left will just look…

To just be sure there’s not one crook

That’s left and who would want to steal

What’s left of bird’s quite fine, grand meal!

‘Tis so grand that we have the sea!

God made it all for you and me!

I do have more I’d like to tell,

Of how the sea does feed so well.

But I’ve worn myself out today!

                                      God bless you is what I do say!  (See Footnote #43)

 

 J.M.J.

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Hello, my Friend!  Hello today!

I hope you are in a good way!

No matter rain, no matter shine,

I always hope that you are fine!

Don’t you think water is so grand?

Just wonderful, straight from God’s Hand,

Is how a nice, cool drink can feel,

After a dee-lish home cooked meal!

…or how it feels washing your feet,

after long walking in day’s heat!

…or how great ’tis to watch it pour,

And see it splash right on the floor!

or how it feels right on your hand,

When washing off the beach day’s sand!

And how ’bout when the water twirls,

so happy sending sprays and whirls!

     

With splash-ful drops the spray…it hurls

The water drops…fly high with swirls!

When Heav’n above lets the rains come,

To wash the Earth and water some,

The drops are left so tenderly,

On flow’rs and leaves so lovingly!

     

The sun, with water, loves to play,

and not always in the same way.

Sometimes the sun plays with the rain,

And sky ends up with colors-gain…

 *

When great rainbows show their great arch,

As they from Heav’n to Earth do march!

**     

Sometimes the ‘bows do come to rest…

right on the water…just the best!

      

Just one more thing that’s fun to tell…

Of how water and sun play well…

Is how amazing it is when

Sun shows amazing stuff again,

By giving “aura” center stage,

Giving Sun’s story a grand page!

I know you must be thrilled to see,

Such grand fine sights for you and me…

BUT

To speak of water could not be,

without much talk of the grand sea…

Its power, might, and majesty!

An endless wonder…awesomely!

I’ve heard it said God’s chosen folk…

Had fear of sea, of which they spoke.

It isn’t hard to think of why…

‘Cause all that rain fell from the sky,

And then the Flood that was so great,

brought to many… death as their fate.

God gave to Noah the Ark’s plan,

Which did save the Family of Man.

When the Flood waters sailed the Ark,

Noah became the Patriarch!

But after that, the rainbow came,

After the waters became tame.

God’s rainbow then became the sign,

Of God’s Promise so good and fine.

 *

He said no Flood would come again

That would destroy the Earth for men…

So, we who are alive, now, here,

Have God’s Promise to keep all fear

Of our World ending in that way…

The way it did in Noah’s day.

So now we can look at the sea

In a fine way for you and me…

We can be happy though we know,

That sometimes sea waves, great strength, show…

The sea can be both calm and rough…

     

     

For boats on water, sometimes tough!

     

The sunlight loves to brightly play,

on waters’ top with glimmer’s way!

     

And then ’tis sometimes calm with shine,

From sun’s generous light so fine!

        

So, when I look out on the sea,

I really am happy to be,

In a grand place where I can see

Such wondrous might and great beauty!

           

I’d like to talk about the Tide,

But first I need to go inside.

Me Mum has made fine lunch for me,

And this wee man is quite hungry!

But we will talk another day,

About the sea tides and the way

Sea’s waters roll this way and that…

But, now, to you, I tip my hat!

I am so glad we talked today!

                                     God bless you is what I do say!  (See Footnote #42)

 

 

J.M.J.

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Hello, my Friend!  Hello today!

I hope you are in a good way!

No matter rain, no matter shine,

I always hope your day is fine!

Sometimes I look, but I don’t see.

Is it the same, for you, like me?

This world that God did make for all…

For each of us…the small and tall…

Is wondrous, beautiful, and fun…

Adventure-full for everyone!

     

Each day when I wake up and see,

The sun rise up to look at me,

The daytime shows so much to sight…

Because dark’s gone and now there’s light.

I’m able to look all around,

To see the things my eyes have found.

But there are things not plain to sight…

Not even in the bright daylight!

     

I like to look, so hard, to see,

Small things not seen so easily!

     

The things my eyes can’t see from far…

Like gentle lines of green there are

In this small flower’s inside part…

‘Tis an instance with which to start!

     

Or how about seein’ a stone?

     

Or a black crow standin’ alone!

     

Can you see what is on this tree?

Those pretty pine cones…can you see?

      These maple leaves…a work of art!

Just like the flower…”Bleeding Heart!”

           

Sometimes I’ll glance…not “see” so well,

But then I SEE and want to tell,

I’m lookin’ at something so grand,

I want to tell all in the land!

     

Not everyday a dragonfly

Is not too high up in the sky…

And close enough to really see,

Without bein’ afraid of me!

And who would know a big snowball,

Is just a bunch of flowers…small!

     

Or that a shamrock’s flower white,

Would have amazing petals bright!

     

Or even to find shamrocks where

You do not know they’re even there!

     

And do watch for the gentle puffs

That breeze does bring with such soft “hhhufffs!”

     

Sometimes the big pink catches eyes!

To look around…would be so wise…

Little daisies are hidin’ where,

The brush will show just big pink there!

     

The fuzzy brush won’t try to hide

Spider’s web, hard to see, outside!

     

The grand white queen’s buds are beauties,

Must look close to see these cuties!

     

With pink queen’s princess buds…the same…

Lovely! To not “see”…’tis a shame!

     

How about when you think you see

Just a flower…BUT THERE’S A BEE!

     

To watch water’s always a treat…

God’s artwork…an amazing feat!

     

Amazing, huh?!  Indeed ’tis so!

One more fun thing, I want to show…

Sometimes I watch and then I see…

Someone is lookin’ back at me!

     

I am so glad we talked today!

                                    God bless you is what I do say!  (See Footnote #41)

 

J.M.J.

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Hello, My Friend!  Hello today!

I hope you are in a good way!

No matter rain, no matter shine,

I always hope your day is fine!

Today is such a special day!

I have just a few words to say!

Almost 800 years ago,

Some grand folks, in Ireland, did show

Their great Faith in Jesus, our King,

Their hope, trust, and praises did sing!

St. Dominic was the one  who

Showed them the way, and helped them, too.

     

They learned the Truth and shared it well

To all in Ireland, they could tell

About God’s Love, like good  St. Pat …

All things of Faith…all things like that!

Thank you, Dominicans, I  say!

We, Leprechauns, thank you today!

Enjoy this Feast in a grand way!

St. Dominic, thank you, we say!

I’m so glad to tell this today!

                                    God bless you is what I do say!  (See Footnote #40)

J.M.J.

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Hello, my Friend! Hello today!

I hope you are in a good way!

No matter rain, no matter shine,

I always hope your day is fine!

Well… now that you and I have talked

Of flowers we’ve seen when we’ve walked,

We see how God reminds us of

His Love and Care from Heav’n above!

Noah’s rainbow has been His sign,

Of His Promise…sacred…divine.

We see the work His rainbows do;

They wash the flow’rs with colors true!

     

     

     

     

Rainbow colors will always be

In places we can always see…

The world of Nature…what a sight!

Full of life…sounds and colors bright!

This sign of Promise leads us to

The Sign of Promise in sky’s blue…

Our good St. Pat tried hard to show

What this Cross Sign helps us to know.

The Rainbow sign…it showed us hope.

The Sign of Cross…it gives us hope.

Fulfillment of the Rainbow’s sign

Is shown in the great Cross so fine!

St. Pat said, on the Cross, keep sight.

That’s how to stay in His great Light.

The Cross of Jesus now will guide,

And lead us to be by His side.

We, Leprechauns, heard St. Pat’s words,

And then we watched and saw the birds

Stay close and want to be right by

The Cross of Jesus in the sky!

     

     

Then we saw the clouds give kiss

When they passed by…they did not miss.

Even the moon will stand steadfast

As Cross endures unto the last!

     

           

We know and trust what St. Pat said.

We know that’s how the good are led.

There is in ancient Irish lore,

A story…and, I’ll tell you more…

In Moses’ time, a certain boy…

Was snake-bitten…no cause for joy.

His name was Gaedhal, which sounds like “gale,”

And ’tis of him I tell this tale.

Healed by Moses, the boy did live.

His descendants, his name did give

To them the name they are known by…

The “Gaels” are who these people are,

That come from Gaedhal, back in time, far.

God had told Moses way back when,

To mount a snake, for sake of men,

Upon a pole, for them to look.

                                 This did save some, says the Good Book.  (Numbers 21:9)

A bronze serpent, as story’s told,

Moses used in these days of old,

To save those serpent-bitten folk

From certain death, as we just spoke.

When those snake-bitten did look high

At pole’s snake top, they did not die.

Moses then, as this tale is told,

For this boy, Gaedhal, he had foretold

That his Family would live, one day,

On an island in the west-way.

Long, long, long after Gaedhal did live,

His Family grew and one did give,

The way by which the tale came true.

Milesius is this person through

Whom Gaedhal’s people found this fine land.

This Moses’ tale… a story, grand!

By Milesius, these “Gaels” were led,

To Ireland’s island…it is said.

Could be Gaedhal did what God did say

And looked at pole’s top on that day.

His life was saved…his children found

Their promised land on Ireland’s ground.

This legend-story of the Gaels,

To what St. Pat did teach, it pales.

What St. Pat taught’s in the Good Book…

He taught, on Jesus, all should look,

And give to Him all hope and trust,

To find real life…this is a must.

The Cross of Jesus is our Sign

Of God’s most grand, loving Design.

In Moses’ time, God gave the way,

To save, from death, back in that day.

Now we have the Cross to see,

As St. Pat taught, ’tis what would be,

From God the very greatest sign

Of all His Love…His Son Divine!

     

So when the colors of rainbow

Inspire us to thank and know

God’s care for us is always real

Remember that the greater zeal

Should come from hearts, for everyone,

To see the Cross of God’s own Son

On which He hung to save us from

All death and give us Kingdom come.

 !

St. Pat worked hard to teach us this.

Let’s never slack so we don’t miss

The Promise of the Heav’nly life,

Where peace and never, ever strife,

Will be what Jesus gave to all…

No matter whether short or tall!

Mmm…I think fine food’s in the air!

Me Mum is home…must be from there!

The yummy smell of apple stew

Is finding me, and I’ll tell you,

It’s so dee-licious…fun to eat!

Mum’s cooking…mmm…just can’t be beat!

Fresh berries to put right on top!

And, yes! I’ll find it hard to stop,

Because I am so hungry now,

Just how I’ll stop I don’t know how!

Maybe some day, just you, with me,

Can walk and eat apple-berry!

I am so glad we talked today!

                                    God bless you is what I do say!  (See Footnote #39)

J.M.J.

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Hello, my Friend!  Hello today!

I hope you are in a good way!

No matter rain, no matter shine,

I always hope your day is fine!

When you go walking any day,

Do you love flowers and the way

Their easy beauty’s caught your eye,

And you don’t care to wonder why…

You just enjoy that they are there.

There are grand flowers everywhere!

              

     

There are all kinds and colors, too!

All different flow’rs for me and you!

                

A gift from God, these flowers are!

Just like the sun!…the moon!…a star!

Each flower is uniquely fine,

Some are scattered…some in a line!

     

Of course, we know the flow’rs we see

Are just a glimpse of what would be

If Paradise was still our home…

We’d never ever want to roam!

So it is just so very grand

That God gives flowers to our land!

      Sometimes we know before we see,

What kind of flowers there will be

Before our eyes…that are so near…

Because of something very clear…

And ’tis their lovely grand fragrance!

It makes us want to hum and dance!

     

     

     

     

         

       

     

The roses’ air can’t be described…

We are just glad that it survived

The Flood of Noah, and to be

Here now with us so we can see,

And smell the fine, grand, sweet air breeze,

That roses bring with such great ease.

     

When lilacs bloom ’tis like the air

Is carrying this scent so fair,

That one does wonder if this scent

Came right from Heav’nly firmament!

     

           

The flowers by the sea just grow

With natural beauty…their own glow…

The flowers…pinks and reds and blues…

Lilac, yellow, and purple hues…

     

     

     

     

     

     

The white flow’rs have a unique place.

As they stand out in a green space!

     

     

The daisies and the lilies, too,

Speak their piece to all who view!

     

     

     

     

     

     

All who see these lovely flowers,

Want to gaze for many hours!

Now I must mention one more thing…

The truth of which will clearly ring

To all who hear what I will tell,

‘Cause it is from one who knows well,

How Leprechauns and flowers live,

And what flowers, to Leprechauns, give!

WE ALWAYS NEED A HIDIN’ PLACE!

Yes!  Flowers often have a space!

Sometimes when we just can’t be seen…

(We’ve talked of this…;)…know what I mean?)

Sometimes, too, we can hide with ease…

     

But other times, we say, “Oh, please!”

And jump wherever we can find…

Sometimes results are not so kind!

     

And, though, we did, yes, find a place…

And, though, we could, yes, hide our face…

As you can see…our red hair shows!

And what to do?  God, only, knows!

Well, now I am just plain worn out…

But I’ll try to be a good scout…

That means I better take a nap,

Before my patience just goes snap!

It wears you out, this hidin’ work,

But hide I must…I must not shirk

From work that I was giv’n to do…

Same thing goes for me and for you!

I’m glad that we could talk today!

                                      God bless you is what I do say!  (See Footnote #38)