Lion or Lamb – March is a Great Month

By Joe Bullick

It’s already the third month of the year.  The Romans named this month for Mars, the god of war.  Although it is not the first month of the year, it is often a month of firsts—the first daffodil, robin, earthworm, and skunk cabbage.  If you are Irish (or wish you were), a highlight of March is the feast day of St. Patrick on the 17th.  In honor of this day, we bake Irish soda bread, eat corned beef and cabbage and proudly wear green.

March is notorious for temperamental weather.  A wise old weather proverb states if it comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb.  When March arrives, it’s time to tap the maple trees.  It takes about 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup.  It is also a good time for pruning apple and other fruit trees. 

It is also time for spring cleaning.  As a young boy, this was not one of my best times.  I had to roll up the carpet, take it outside, throw it over a clothes line and beat the heck out of it.  We did not have wall-to-wall carpeting.  Our carpets were wool.  Some people sent theirs to a local cleaners.  I was not that lucky.  Our house was heated by a coal furnace, so the house got dirty.  We didn’t have Molly Maids to do our cleaning. 

Also, in the spring, I had to get ready to cut grass with a push mower—no gas mower for me when I was a young boy.  However, I did have fun too.  We flew kites.  Most were handmade of a light wooden frame covered with paper or linen.  I don’t think many kids do that today. 

Lent, which starts with Ash Wednesday, meant Stations of the Cross on Friday nights.  We also ate a lot of fish.

March also means baseball spring training.  I think I had a baseball bat and glove in my hand as soon as I could walk.  Millions of fans travel every year all over the country to watch their favorite teams get ready for opening day.  Spring training has also become a big business.  The Pittsburgh Pirates train and play at McKechnie Field in Bradenton, Fl. 

Silly Putty was invented on March 6, 1950, and Monopoly was invented in 1933.  Baseball great Joe DiMaggio died on March 8, 1999.  On the 12th of March in 1912, the Girl Scouts were founded.  Coca Cola was introduced on March 29, 1886.  I could go on and on.  What does March have in store for you?  Will it be a lion or a lamb?  Whatever it brings, enjoy it—especially Easter. 

As I leave you, remember a true friend is the best possession.

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Joe welcomes any ideas, suggestions or interesting stories.
Email him at northcon@nauticom.net. Please put "Town Crier" in the subject line of your email.

To contact Joe to schedule an appointment to tour his museum at McKnight Elementary School, call the Northern Connection office at (724) 940-2444 or email northcon@nauticom.net. Please put "Museum Tour" in the subject line.

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