The Secret Gardener

Mercy!

Yes, it has been 3 months since

I've worked in my "Secret Garden."

But trust me, I have a million excuses.

I could bore you and give them to you.

Or I could just move on.....

Which is probably the wise thing.

In the Springtime,

when you see this happen.......

and this,

and this,

WHOOPS!

This last one didn't have anything to do with Spring at the Mahans.

However, I loved the Queen's Hat and coat

AND she matched my Azalea bushes so perfectly,

that I just had

 to throw her in here somewhere. HA!

Anyhow, when you see those beautiful big Azalea bushes blooming

at our house...then it's probably March.

Which ALSO means that it is time for...

"The Annual Mahan St. Patrick's Day Party!"

An event that we have been holding for nearly 12 years.

(Roxanne, Joyce, Marsha)

Every year we wear ourselves out preparing for this event.

And I hear my husband Don Mahan tell me the day before when we are cleaning and working in our yard like mad.....and hurting in our bodies,

(Various friends and neighbors)

"This is the last year we are doing this!"

HA! HA!

I say...because we never can seem to stop doing this.

Partly because our friends ask us every year to do it...because they love the food we prepare.

And partly because love to host this.

Specifically because we live in South Louisiana and holding an

"Irish" gathering is very different.

Because the flair here is always very much "Cajun French."

(The Clark's and Don)

So that must get our "Irish" up so to speak.

Traditionally, we make all the boiled

"Corned Beef"

cooking it up in our HUGE "Crawfish" pots! HA!

And yes, we know that the people don't really eat that in Ireland..they traditionally eat ham.

However, the Irish Immigrants did eat this when they came to America

 and Americans continue

 to eat this every year on St. Patrick's.

We also serve, boiled cabbage, potatoes and carrots.

Potato rolls, and a host of various desserts.

Which usually end up being something

"Green" in color.

Our guests are a huge BLESSING and help to prepare

these items for everyone to share in.

(Our daughter Ariel and I last year)

So we hold to that menu pretty much every year.

Afterwards....for those who linger.

We have "Tea and Scones"

with Lemon curd and Jam......

Someone usually always wears a Kilt...

"someone" being my husband

Don Mahan that is!

My friend Roxanne brings beautiful

 home made Irish breads every year.

This year she made a gorgeous

Irish Brown Bread

that was to die for.

Everyone LOVED it!

All of our children...

Ariel and her husband, Gabe and his girlfriend,

Caleb and his fiance (wedding is in May)

Luke on the end with his girlfriend.

Another shot of our boys minus our daughter and

her husband who had to leave.

Gabe, Luke, Caleb

I don't think I have mentioned to any of you yet,

 that when we were England, in October,

 we also went to visit this place.

IT was so green.

Just like Ireland.

But it wasn't Ireland.

Maybe this photo will help you guess where we went.

Figured it out yet?

Another fabulous land of Castle's and Legends

and KILTS.

Here we are outside of Edinburgh Castle!

Yes,

we went to SCOTLAND.

I will share more of that........next time.

So you will have to just come back again.

Hopefully, I will do this in a shorter time frame.

I know, I know.....

3 month spans between updating is ridiculous.

I'll do better next time.

Cheers!

Joyce