The world is green, green, green with all the rain we've had lately. We can't keep up with the mowing and weeding. The shade is deep under the trees, and plants seem to be bending from the weight of their greenness. It is not easy now to remember the starkness of winter, and when I look at pictures from just a few months ago, it is like looking at a different country.
This picture was taken before Larry was able to get out the weed-eater and mower--everything has been so wet. It looks so much better now, but just give it a few days...
Remember those days? Maybe mowing and weed-eating won't seem like such a chore!
Green is associated with new life and luck and yet also with death and misfortune. In folktales and ballads, those wearing green are returning from death, soon to die, or are otherworldly creatures, like fairies. Even today some people still think it is unlucky to wear green or own a green vehicle; many race car drivers avoid a green car because of bad accidents in the early days of racing.
Green sayings:
“Green December means a full graveyard.” This probably means that a warm December means people are not be prepared for bad weather and are more prone to illness.
“Married in green, you will not long be seen.” This was from the belief that green was a sign of bad luck and death. In Scotland at one time green considered such bad luck that nothing green was allowed at weddings and no green foods were served.
“A green Christmas, a white Easter; or, a white Christmas, a green Easter.” This is like the saying that rain on Easter means it will rain on the succeeding seven Sundays—something I have seen proved right several times.
“Never trust a woman with green eyes.” Perhaps because jealousy is the “green monster,” or could she be “green with envy”?
“Green thumb.” In this case, green is good!
“Green around the gills,” A beginner, which doesn’t seem either lucky or unlucky. It also refers to mean someone is ill.
“Greenbacks.” Money, and good fortune, certainly.
“Living green.” Environmentally aware living is a good thing!
I consider green to be good luck. I am always anxious for for fresh lettuce, green onions, and green buds on trees. And the green brings flowers with it, the best reward for waiting through a long winter.
Here is a folktale for this “green” season:
The Fairy Tulips (An English Folk-tale)
Once there was an old woman who raised beautiful tulips. One night she was wakened by singing. She looked out at the window but she could see nothing. On the following night she was again wakened by sweet singing, so she rose and went into her garden. Standing by each tulip she saw a fairy mother who was singing and rocking the flower like a cradle. In each tulip cup laid a tiny baby. The old woman tiptoed back to her house, and from that time on she never picked a tulip.
The tulips grew brighter in color and began to bloom all year round. Every night the fairy mothers sang to their babies and rocked them in the flower cups.
One day the old woman died. The tulip bed was torn up but nothing would grow there again. The fairies sang over the old woman's grave so it was always green. All around it grew tulips, daffodils, and violets, and many other flowers of spring.
