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!

I walked across the grass today,

And there was something in the way!

‘Twas hard to see, ’cause it was small…

Sure ‘n that’s no matter a’tall!

(We Leprechauns are strong and fine!

How tall or small can’t hide our shine!)

“But, oh, what could this be?” says I…

Where is it from and, I ask “Why?”

The answer’s unbeknownst to me.

A flower, there, ‘twould, so nice, be!

That’s what I thought and what I’ve done…

Planted a flow’r under the sun!

     

Now, “That’s a grand flower!” says I!

“…looks much better than what it’s by!”

So, though, I don’t know what’s nearby…

My flower’s tall and reaching high!

And, who did come to sit with me,

But my grand, old good Friend, the Bee!

I went to bed feelin’ so good…

Just like a good Leprechaun should!

Next mornin’ when the sun did rise,

I loved seein’ before my eyes,

My flower had so nicely grown

And it was all my very own!

I gave thanks to God…went my way…

And did my work till end of day.

As daylight dimmed, I saw the moon,

And knew it would be bedtime soon.

The night time came… ’twas time for bed…

And I lay down my sleepy head…

Once more, at dawn, I rushed to see

Just how my flower, then, would be!

What I did see, was mighty fine!

My flow’r had grown in the sunshine!

‘Twas just so lovely… so, I thought

To gather stones, as I was taught.

My flower then ‘twould, safer, be,

From any mischief aimed at me!

So, as I slept, that very night,

I’d never guess what ’twas my sight,

When sunrise made the sky so bright,

And I awoke to mornin’s light!

The sight before my very eyes,

Was flowers of a great, grand size!

What is whatever’s on the ground,

On that fine day, that I had found…?

Whatever matter it might be,

It’s giv’n these flowers, as you see,

Some great, fine strength to grow and grow,

But what it is, I do not know.

Just where ’tis from, these brown round things…

I don’t think it’s ’cause a bird sings…

But there is something comes to mind,

Something that is a different kind

Of creature that I see around,

That hops and hops on grassy ground…

              

I see this garden creature much…

In bushes, brush, near trees and such.

Maybe this creature left this gift,

That gives to flowers a life lift!

How wonderful that this is so,

I’ll have to let my Family know!

     

 Me Mum will be so very proud,

She’ll say, “My Finney!” right out loud!

Me Dad will also cheer for me!

But he’s away right now you see…

He’ll be home soon when work is done.

I know it’s hard and not much fun.

But as an elder, he must lead

Our Clan in ways, for ev’ry need.

Right now ’tis secret work that he

Must do… for my Fam’ly…for me!

But when he’s home, to him, I’ll show,

Just what the Fam’ly will then know!

 And then, my buds, I want to tell!

I know they’ll think that I’ve done well!

Daíthí and Pronshi are grand Friends.

We’ll help each other till life ends!

And Uncle Obie, he’ll say “Grand!

The finest flow’rs in all Ireland!”

     

Uncle Obie, Brother to Mum…

‘Tis not so far, where he comes from.

Me Mum, to him, is just so dear,

And we all know that he will cheer,

Always for us, and we do, too,

All cheer for him for good he’ll do!

     

So then that night we went to sleep.

And no one made the slightest peep.

But who could guess what we saw when

The bright fine mornin’ came again…

THE FLOWERS’ GROWIN’S went so high,

They looked like they did touch the sky!

My goodness, thanks is very due

To God and long eared creature, too,

     

     

For playing such a great big part…

Givin’ these flowers a grand start!

I am so glad we talked today!

God bless you is what I do say!

 

Hello to you, Friend! Nannie here!

 Our little bunny Friend certainly was a big help to Finney in his gardenin’ effort!

Rabbit manure is actually a wonderful fertilizer…according to Chris McLaughlin, a contributor to http://www.vegetablegardener.com, who wrote a very fun article about “rabbit poop!” Amidst much great info, Chris tells us in “Rabbit Manure In the Garden”, about the mondo-benefits of direct application, composting, and, you’ll love this…bunny brew!!! It seems bunny brew is rabbit compost tea.  Maybe you would like to read more about it in Chris’ article!

 Another fun thought I picked up somewhere (?) is that Coney Island in the metropolitan New York area is said to have received that name from the Irish immigrant population there who saw so many rabbits…the Irish word for rabbit is coinín* which probably sounds like Coney to the American ear…hence, Coney Island!

If you go to http://www.pbs.org there is an article “Coney Island Gets Its Name” which tells us there are several different stories of how this little island received its name. There’s no mention of the Irish word coinín, but there is mention of the Dutch word for rabbit, konijn, and the “Bear” tribe, Konah. However, the story that seems to hold the most sway is an Irish story. 🙂

            “According to an article published in the “Sligo Champion,” an Irish captain named Peter O’Connor sailed the schooner Arethusa between New York and Ireland in the late 1700s, and named Coney Island after an island that lay a mere mile from his home in Sligo. This Coney Island was, and is, about one mile long and about half a mile wide — much like the American version.                                                                                                                                       

            Not only is the time right for O’Connor to lay claim to the name, his nationality fits as well. In the early 19th century, Tammany Hall, New York’s corrupt and predominantly Irish political machine, began to send its more ignoble operators out to Coney Island. It is reasonable to imagine these settlers reaching for a familiar name from their homeland for the location.” (www.pbs.org)

*go to talkirish.com and you can listen to the right Irish pronunciation…

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