“Beware the ides of March.” – Soothsayer from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar
I have heard this quote – if only in my own head – every year on the fifteenth day of March. My family would say it with a shaky finger pointed ominously at us. If Julius Caesar couldn’t survive it, what hope did I have?
But the luck of the Irish – another March celebration – is with me. I have found two four leaf clovers, which makes me doubly lucky today.
The clover – like the shamrock – is typically a three leaf plant with each one of its leaves pertaining to a quality. The first represents faith, the second hope, and the third stands for love. But that rare fourth leaf is for luck, which is why we consider them lucky.
“May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow and may trouble avoid you wherever you go.” – traditional Irish Blessing
The shamrock is the symbol for Ireland and St. Patrick is credited with using them to represent the Trinity when bringing Christianity to the Irish. It is often worn on St. Patrick’s Day – a mere two days after the Ides of March. It may help steer you away from the cabbage dishes so many of us prepare as a ‘celebratory’ dish and toward a little fresh salmon. At least I hope so.
Maybe if I wear one of my four leaf clovers in my lapel it will help fend off bad spirits and conjure up good ones – like Bailey’s Irish Cream or a minty vanilla shake.
I know one thing for sure, I’m not going to the Forum in Rome today. At least, not without my four leaf clovers.
“Wherever you go, and whatever you do, may the luck of the Irish be there with you.” – traditional Irish Blessing
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Love that you found not just one, but two shamrocks. You are a super-snooper-sleuth of four leafed clovers. I can’t remember the last time I found one. But I’m sure it was in my childhood. You are definitely still a child.
I love your super-snooper-sleuth description! Yes, Georgette, I am still a child at heart and the thing is, I have always had a talent for finding four leaf clovers. It doesn’t work if I look for them on purpose, it has to be almost a glancing down to see one waiting for me.
I have four leaf clovers pressed in my baby book. I found them when I was a little girl.
I’m pressing mine as well. Did you find yours while living in France?
As someone whose maiden name began with “McG”, thank you for the Irish wishes! (Although I think we were Scottish, rather than Irish….)
By the way, be sure to check my blog tomorrow. There’ll be something there for you. No – it’s not green.
I have Scottish ancestry too! And I love Celtic music, dance, writings, etc. It is such a rich culture and there is much to use your imagination about.
Renee, I found a four leaf clover when I was 12. I pressed it between the pages of a book and kept it there until my sister stole it. I’m still wondering if she stole all my good luck with it! hee hee! 🙂
Bella, I can share one of mine with you. I still press them between book pages and am definitely still a kid at heart.
Lucky you for finding two! I plan to celebrate with a Bailey’s Irish Cream cake…..decadent 🙂
OMG! That sounds super good. My mother’s favorite cake is Italian Cream Cake so I may have try this one as well.
Hi,
What a very lucky find, I have never been lucky enough to find one, I am convinced they do not have 4 leaf clovers in Australia. 😀
I didn’t find any when I was in Australia either, so you may be right. But you have kangaroos and magpies and golden beaches….all lucky as far as I’m concerned.
The Ides of March, indeed. I love that line in Shakespeare. Talk about sense of foreboding. No, Happy Ides of March, or Welcome, Ides of March. Just beware it. Well, my daughter returns for spring break on the ides. Yikes. Hope all goes well…
I’m sure the Ides will be lucky for you. But every time I think of it there is such an aura of foreboding around it. Shakespeare was brilliant!
when I was a child I spent hours looking for four leaf clovers. I finally concluded they did not exist and were as Father Christmas and the Tooth fairy “make believe”. It’s nice to know and least one of my childhood beliefs are true!
I’m sorry you didn’t find any as a child. That must have been disappointing. I find at least one every year but it has to be by accident – just looking down while walking the dog and seeing the oddly shaped one looking back.
I found a shamrock 4 actual leaves after years and years of looking. It was in a pot I had planted with soil from my family’s ancestral soil (we sold the house…found the shamrock afterward). So much fun.
http://tinyurl.com/7atzpaf (review on CQCX)
Sounds like it was a sign of transporting your luck with you in the move. What a nice memory.
I have never found a 4 leaf clover. But then I’m not Irish. I still try and find the pot of gold under the rainbow though.
Maybe I should be aiming for the pot of gold. Excuse me while I seek the rainbow.
What lovely photos and great thoughts on this day of Ides. 😉
Love the shamrocks, for some reason it makes me think there must of been a fairy-folk about wanting to bless double with good fortune. 🙂
Sounds like a wee bit of blessing ye be bestowing on me there lassie. I’m feeling luckier already!
My mother was a “Mc” and my paternal grandmother a “Mac” – Irish/Scotch then add in my 100% Swedish Grandfather- and you have a lefse eatin, jig dancin’, Celtic music-toe-tapping .. me!
How cool is it that you found REAL shamrocks? 🙂
Cheers!
MJ
Isn’t it wonderful to have mixed cultures where you can explore all the best of them all! I think that is one of the beauties of America – we adopt and celebrate everyone’s holidays! We may have been related many generations ago with our ‘Mc’ and ‘Mac” heritage and curly hair!
I’d claim you for sure 🙂 MJ
HI, thanks for checking out my blog, I’m happy to have found yours so I can follow what you are up to. It’s always great to read work by fellow writers!
Thanks you Jenny. I enjoyed yours as well and share the sentiments.
Loved your words, made me giggle, smile and think. Now I need to go find some four leaf clovers for myself.
I guess you’ve noticed that I tend to deal with everything through humor. But it does make me feel just a little luckier when I spy that four leafer winking up at me among its three leaf family. Good luck with your ‘hunt’.
Glad you decided against Rome. But I do think the clovers would’ve protected you if attached to your ID.
If you’re traveling anywhere these days you probably need a little luck. I think I’ll keep one just for those occassions.
Well done, my friend! Can’t believe you found two four-leafers! Great information and pictures.
I wish you your Bailey’s and vanilla-mint shake!
That sounds like a fantastic shake. Must try it. Thanks MJ.
I have never ever seen a four leaf clover. I thought they were a myth! Fantastic – GOOD LUCK TO YOU THEN!! I loved you taking a photo of it, because I would have found it hard to believe. Well I’ll be darned, they really exist…
Wow. I find one or two almost every year. The odd shape catches my eye in a patch of normal three leaf clovers – a square in a field of triangles. Try looking for that in a patch of clover and see if you can find one as well.
You are lucky! I’ve looked and looked and never found a four-leaf clover.
But I can’t get through March 15th without Bewaring the Ides of March though, either. 🙂
Hi Emily. Thanks for stopping by. Yeah, that Ides of March quote sticks to us all doesn’t it! I wish a four leaf clover for you soon.
I don’t think there’s much clover in our yard any more, so I didn’t even look for four-leaf clovers. There were a lot at my dad’s where I grew up. What a great way to spend a lazy afternoon. Maybe I should plant some? The wild bunnies would probably like them. Good job finding two! I can’t get past March 15 without the Shakespeare quote, either! I guess our English teachers did their jobs well. 🙂
I have to say I am surprised by the number of people who have never found a four leaf clover. Some say they didn’t even know they existed – just a theory. Wow. I hope you find one soon, but as you say, the bunnies love the clover as do the deer.