Happy March!
It's cold, windy, and wet, so let's drink!
Dear Readers--
The month of March is a trickster. You want it sunny? Sure. How about a side order of hurricane gales with that sun? Ready to put in your garden? Hahahaha! Here comes a flash freeze! Who amongst us has not wanted to get their yards cleaned up, only to have all the neighbors’ leaves and detritus blow into your yard? Tricky, teasing March, no wonder we have a holiday smack in the middle where everyone can celebrate being Irish!
I am of Scottish and Irish descent, among other genes in the pool. Years ago, my family traveled to Glasgow. While in that lovely Scottish city, we went into a tartan shop. I asked (oh, so stupidly!) if my maiden name (Bell) was a diminutive of Campbell. The store owner and his red moustache bristled and he thundered: “Ye are not of the Campbell clan! Ye are of the the Bells and ye are of an Unruly Clan!” He said that with an emphasis on the r, so it came out “unrrrrrrrruly!” When I recovered my wits, I asked if there was a Bell tartan? He practically tossed a gray/blue plaid at me. When I got home, I researched what he said and I was not disappointed. My ancestors were verrrrrrrrrrrrrrry unrrrrrrrruly. So unruly, that the 1587 Act for the Suppression of the Unruly Clans was passed to suppress the Bells and 16 other clans. What did my family do? Per the Act, “delighting in all sorts of mischief” like stealing cattle, harrying their neighbors and “acting independently of royal authority.” These clans were driven out of Scotland to Ireland and many moved to America. And you wonder where I get my ideas for stories?
Have you researched your family tree? Did you find any surprises? Thank goodness the pugs are unruly with only one r! Scroll all the way down what the pug boys are up to and to enter a giveaway ;)
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Who doesn’t love a second chance romance story? Old Flames, New Beginnings is a heartwarming contemporary romance tale about two generations rediscovering love, and the power of second chances.
What I’m listening to...
A diary written in 1912 unveils a chain of events that go back to 217 Blackfeet dead in the snow. Told in transcribed interviews by a Blackfeet named Good Stab, this is an American Indian revenge story written by one of the new masters of horror, Stephen Graham Jones.
It's the Luck of the Irish! Enter the giveaway now. https://gleam.io/46ztL/sharon-buchbinder-march #leprechauns #ghosts #talkingcats
From the home front: my pug boys, Agent Frank (L) and Igor Valentino (R), were in the mood to celebrate St. Patrick's Day early! No beer for them, just lots of water, treats, and a warm bed.
Happy March (beware the Ides!) from my home to yours,
xoxo
Sharon, The Crazy Cat (and Pug) Lady
So...."ye are of an Unruly Clan". 🤣🤣 That must have been a shocker to hear him say that! Genealogy is fascinating. I've uncovered some real gems. I learned to double verify my findings too to be certain. I've hunted down graves and am thrilled when I find them. I had a 6th (or was it 7th) great grandmother who was in the last group executed at the Salem Witch Trials. I went to Salem and Rowley, Mass where she was from. Incredibly interesting! Never been to England-yet-to research my father's side. Someday!
Happy St. Pats, Sharon. Your pups are adorable!