Saint Patrick’s Celebrations and Irish Fun Facts
Every year on March 17, the Irish & the Irish-at-heart across around the world celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. The holiday started out as a religious feast day for the patron saint of Ireland but has become an international festival celebrating Irish culture. From parades and yummy Irish foods 
to dancing, and green everywhere you look, its a party. Not this year. Life has become just a little, okay a lot, unpredictable. Better safe than sorry is the mantra this year.
My hometown welcomes Spring with its annual St Patrick’s Day Parade. The celebration started 39 years ago, and this year the Irish downtown celebration and parade is as big as ever! I’m wearing my green! So I am invisiable to the leprechauns. No pinches here. How about you?
I’ve got ten Saint Patrick’s Day fun facts to make you smile!
#1 Did you know that we celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day on the day of the saint’s death, March 17th. He spent most his life converting pagans of Ireland to Christianity. His entrance to heaven was March 17, 461AD.
#2. How about this, Saint. Patrick wasn’t even Irish, nor was he born in Ireland. His parents were Roman citizens living in either England, Scotland or Wales, the scholars can’t agree which country, there’s something unusual, NOT.
#3. Here’s a shocker, Saint Patrick was a slave. He had the misfortune of being kidnapped at sixteen years old by Irish raiders. They sold him as a slave. For several years he herded sheep and learned about the Irish people. By age twenty-two, he’d escaped and made his way to a monastery in England.
#4. Ever wonder why the shamrock became part of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations? Because, Saint Patrick used the shamrock to preach about trinity. Now whether it was supposed to represent faith, hope and love or the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, remains a mystery. However, St Patrick must have been quite the 
inspirational speaker because Ireland’s pagan rulers at the time quickly converted to Christianity.
#5. Supposedly, St. Patrick drove all the snakes from Ireland. But I have to ask, if it was the reptiles “snakes” referred to or… a more figurative reference meaning pagan practices and their religious beliefs. I find it interesting to note that there isn’t any evidence that snakes, the reptile, ever existed in Ireland. Seems the weather is too cool for snakes to survive. This is all conjecture on my part, having never been to Ireland, but it’s on my bucket list!
#6. Everyone knows the color associated with St. Patrick’s Day is Green. Right? Not so fast. Originally the color blue represented St. Patrick. He was depicted in artwork wearing blue vestments. Also King Henry VII used the Irish harp in gold on a blue flag to represent the country. However, now days green is associated with Ireland, maybe due to the plentiful rainfall, creating the green countryside. Today, many refer to Ireland as the “Emerald Isle”.
#7. Nope, the Shamrock is not the symbol of Ireland. Surprised you didn’t I? Actually, since the medieval period, the harp has represented the nation. King Henry VII as early as 1534 used the harp on coins. Later the harp appeared on Irish flags, and Irish coats of arms. During
Ireland’s struggle for freedom, the Irish people used harps on flags during rebellions against England. In 1921, Ireland became an independent country and adopted the harp as the national symbol.
#8. Did you know there are more Irish in the United States than in Ireland? ‘Tis true. No blarney. They may not all be pure-blood Irish, but of Irish ancestry just the same. Mixed ancestry could be due to the troubled history of Ireland and millions of Irish left the country for the US during the potato famine in Ireland. This exodus continued through most of the 19th century until the economic boom of the 1990’s, when more Irish stayed in their native country rather than searching for better opportunities abroad.
#9. What is your drink of choice on St. Patrick’s Day? A Shamrock milkshake? Green Beer? Bet you didn’t know that from 1903 to 1970, Irish law declared St. Patrick’s Day a religious holiday. That meant that all the pubs were shuttered for the day. In 1970 the law was overturned and St. Patrick’s became a national holiday, allowing the beer to flow once again.
#10. Bet you don’t know what the odds of finding a four-leaf clover are. I do, approximately 1 in 10,000. That’s way better than the lottery, may the luck of the four-leaf clover flow your way on this Saint Patrick’s Day!
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Click on the cover to read more or purchase!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog, Holidays by Tena Stetler with 2 comments.
Colorado Hauntings – Mines, Mountains and Mysteries!
Full of old mines from the Gold Rush Days, Mountains and Mysteries, no wonder Colorado has an abundance of paranormal sightings. From the famous Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, to the Cliff House in Manitou Springs spirits abound. As we learned in previous weeks, Cripple Creek, Colorado with its wild and turbulent past has a history of unexplained, supernatural occurrences earning it the reputation of one of the most haunted towns in America.
Let’s take a quick look at a few:
The Cliff House in Manitou Springs was built in 1873, before Colorado was even a state. Through it’s many renovations, paranormal experiences remain, including disembodied footsteps, ghostly voices when no one is there and white orbs floating through the hallways late at night. Could these be spirits of the old American West? The Cliff House was known as only The Inn was a popular stagecoach stop in route from Colorado Springs to Leadville? Hmmm….
How about Emma Crawford Coffin Races in Manitou Springs?
The story goes, that Crawford moved to Manitou in the 1800’s to heal her tuberculosis. She succumbed to the disease and was buried on Red Mountain. A favorite spot of hers. Construction on the mountain forced relocation of her coffin to the south slope in 1912. Unfortunately, heavy spring rains washed her coffin down the side of the mountain, where her ghost is said to still roam today. Participants of the race, held in downtown Manitou Springs, claim they feel her presence every year. See for yourself, this year the coffin races are October 26, 2019. See you there!
The ghost of Maggie, haunts the Colorado Grande Casino & Hotel and Maggie’s Restaurant in Cripple Creek, Colorado. At night, voices (Maggie’s lilting Irish soprano) and music can be heard from the ballroom, slots clinging and clanging after hours. The hotel’s security cameras have caught Maggie in her turn-of-the-century clothing, only to have the tapes mysteriously disappear. The scent of her rose perfume lingers even if she chooses not to make an appearance.
Want to know more about the Ghosts of Cripple Creek Mining District?
Speaking of Ghosts, if you are looking for a fun Halloween read. A Witch’s Journey has meddling ghosts, shifters, stolen magic and a handsome Navy SEAL who has a dark secret. Available at Amazon.com, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble.
Every Tuesday throughout the month of October I will have Colorado Hauntings we’ll take a look at The Stanley Hotel and the Halloween traditions. Mark your calendars, you don’t want to miss any of these Halloween Celebrations!
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Posted in For Fun, Holidays, My Say What Blog, The Pikes Peak Region and tagged A Witch's Journey, Colorado, Cripple Creek, ghosts, Halloween, Haunted by Tena Stetler with 9 comments.
Colorado Hauntings – Happy Halloween
Celebrating a spooktacular Halloween all month on My Say What Blog, so today is the final haunting article about Halloween. What’s not to love about Halloween? One day out of the year you can dress up and pretend to be anything you want and people don’t think you’re crazy. Okay, well, not as crazy as if it wasn’t Halloween!
One of the highest haunts in Colorado is the Stanley Hotel at an altitude of over 7,500 feet. Bawawawa! You know the one that claims to be the 
inspiration for Stephen’s King’s The Shining (REDRUM – MURDER) . The Hotel was built in 1909 by Freelan and Flora Stanley of Stanley Steamer fortune. Originally, they came to Colorado in an attempt to alleviate the symptoms of Freelan’s tuberculosis. They fell in love with Colorado and purchased property and built a home. The Stanley was built as a summer resort for guests Freelan and Flora entertained during their extended vacations in Colorado.
It’s believed Flora haunts the hotel to this day, enjoying one of her favorite pastimes of playing the piano late at night when no one is around. Tales abound of visitors claiming sounds of revelry occurring in the empty ballroom. Room 217 is purported to be haunted by the ghost of a long-term housekeeper. If you gain her favor, she’ll help you unpack. If not…. Well…. It is the room allegedly occupied by Stephen King at one time. Inspiring The Shining?
I don’t know about that, but the hair on the back of my neck stood up as I took photos of The Stanley Hotel outside in broad daylight.
Want to know more about haunted places in Colorado? Click on the link.
Speaking of Hauntings!
Did you know, most present day Halloween traditions are traceable to the ancient Celtic day of the dead? Halloween consists of mysterious customs, but
each has a history, or at least a story behind it.
Take wearing costumes, and roaming from door to door demanding treats. This behavior can be traced to the Celtic period and the first few centuries of the Christian era, when it was thought that the souls of the dead were out and about, along with fairies, witches, and demons. Offerings of food and drink were left out to placate them. As the centuries wore on, people began dressing like these creatures, performing antics in exchange for food and drink. This is where the practice of trick-or-treating began. To this day, vampires, witches, ghosts, and skeletons are among the favorite costumes.
Our Halloween also retains activities from the original harvest holiday of Samhain, such as bobbing for apples and carving vegetables, (pumpkins) as well as the fruits, nuts, and spices for cider associated with the day. Although at my house, hot chocolate is pretty popular, since Halloween almost guarantees the first snow of the year.
Looking for a fun Halloween Read? A Witch’s Journey is full of meddling ghosts, shapeshifters, sexy witch, a ruggedly-handsome Navy SEAL. An exciting story of redemption, wildlife rescue and Halloween festivals. Available at Amazon.com, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. And I let you in on a little secret. A Witch’s Journey is available in audiobook, so grab yours! After you’ve read A Witch’s Journey, you’ll want the sequel, A Witch’s Holiday Wedding, also available in audiobook Amazon.com, 
Well, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to don my vampire costume, custom fitted fangs and pull up a stool in the shadows. With a candy bowl beside me, I sneakily turn on the fog machine. Out of the mist, I’ll greet the little trick or treaters or scare the bejeebers out of the older ones with bats hanging over head and screeching on my command. Won’t you join me? Happy Halloween!
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Posted in For Fun, Holidays, My Say What Blog and tagged All Hallows Eve, Colorado, ghosts, Halloween, Haunting, Lobster Cove, shifters, Stanley Hotel, wildlife, Witches by Tena Stetler with 35 comments.
WISHING YOU A HAPPY & PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!
Happy New Year! After Christmas is done and all the decorations are put away, it’s time for reflection. What was accomplished in 2016? What will 2017 bring?
I learned a lot more about the promotion side of the publishing business and the importance of social media. My Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Amazon Author page and Goodreads Author accounts are brimming with activity. If you get a moment, check them out.
Author’s Secrets roared to life in 2016, it’s my second blog and welcomes a wide variety of authors, their new releases, character interviews and conversations about the craft of writing. Stop by discover some interesting tidbits and find your next great read.
Once again I challenged myself in National Novel Writing Month which happens in November (NaNoWriMo) I succeeded in completing 56,700 words in thirty days. I love the camaraderie with hundreds of other writers all over the world and it usually results in a good start on my next novel. This year was no exception. Woohoo!
In 2016, I finally got a handle on the process of creating fun, informative, and well formatted newsletters. It’s not as easy as it looks. My author newsletter goes out quarterly, with updates, contests and recipes. Feel free to sign up.
What’s up for 2017? I’m glad you asked. My fifth book, A Warlock’s Secrets will release early in the year. Hopefully, the third and fourth books in the series will follow in 2017. I hope we have no more softball size hail storms. That was an adventure I’d rather not repeat. A trip to Disneyland and Universal Studios is planned for our milestone wedding anniversary. Yep, Star Wars and Harry Potter fan here.
Believe it or not I’ve already made a few camping reservations for the spring and summer. In Colorado, if you don’t get reservations early (six months from arrival date) you’re out of luck in a lot of the state and national parks.
I continue to strive to reach my goal of 5000 – 7,000 words a week, which I did manage to meet (barely) in 2016. Spend quality time with my family and friends, take long walks with my dog and more play-time with my parrot. I am determined to find a way to reduce stress and take control of my life. (Yeah, right. Sounds good though.) And lastly, work at being more patient, that has never been my strong suit.
How was your 2016? Did it meet your expectations? What about 2017? Any resolutions, changes you want to make, plans or vacations you want to take or do? Please leave comments as to what you are looking forward to in 2017!
Wishing you a safe, heath, prosperous and Happy New Year!
Next we tackle Valentine’s Day, camping plans and Spring. See you then.
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Posted in Food for Thought, Holidays, My Say What Blog by Tena Stetler with 2 comments.
