St. Patrick’s Day is a perfect excuse for a family outing as well as tipping ye hat into the realm of mystical leprechauns!  On March 16^th, the O.C. Fairgrounds is holding their 8^th Annual St. Patricks Day Celebration.  There is a fabulous line up of entertainment from world class Irish Dancers to Marston Smith, Lord of the Cello.  Entertainment abounds from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  For more information, please access their website; http://ocmarketplace.com/contents/Entertainment.aspx#StPatricksDay 

 

Leprechauns emerge this time of year being spotted by children at every turn.  Nurture this imaginary world of trickery and wonderment by baking traditional Irish Soda Bread.  While the bread is cooling, write a poem from a leprechaun on tracing paper.  Use your “non-writing” hand so your children do know it is you.  Roll the rhyme up real tight, place it in a straw cut to fit into the soda bread, and then slide it in the soda bread.  Be sure to remember where you placed it so that when you cut it, you are able to slice where the straw is not.  As your child enjoys the soda bread, they will then be stunned when they find a rhyme from a leprechaun¡ The following website has wonderful soda bread recipes to choose from;

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/irish_soda_bread/

To get you started, below are mystical rhymes that are loved by children every year!

Hear me in the breeze,                   Run with me,

See me in the trees,                        Laugh with me,

Watch for me dance                       Skip with me too,

on a flowers leaves,              Where ever you are,

keep looking for me              I’m always with you.

won’t you please.                              

           

On a leprechauns rainbow I now fly away

to return to you at this same time

next year on the this very same day!