Day 298: St Patrick's Day in the neighborhood

"For the whole world is Irish on the Seventeenth o' March!" — Thomas Augustine Daly

 Project 365: #298

Today is a day that is greatly celebrated here, any excuse really! We had a fun ladies games night as an early celebration, and have been enjoying all the parades and Irish dancing. It does seem as though the whole world is Irish today - and what a heritage to celebrate. This is a glimpse of the neighborhood - complete with a leprechaun sitting on the garden bench! Even the dentist had a celebratory plant! I have been wondering as I go along how the differences between the continents all evolved...as often when you are introduced here, the person will let you know their heritage, e.g., "I am Italian, or Scottish, or Irish...etc" even if they are the fourth, fifth, or sixth generation living here, with no real ties back to their homeland. However, from SA, even though some of us have similar ties, we just introduce ourselves as "South African", despite similar cultural heritage. I have been trying to understand it, and sometimes, I think it was almost embarrassing to admit that we are descendants from a long line of colonists in Africa, so it is better to forget your heritage and embrace the multicultural society. Anyhow, as my mother was a McNamara, I will celebrate my heritage....after all, we need to know where we have come from to know where we are going!