Happy St. Pat's Day to all who celebrate. Sometimes I pretend the day doesn't exist and I'm mostly Irish with a touch of Scotland and Wales thrown in - all immigrant coal miners in the mid 1800's. DD is half. As a child growing up in Castle Shannon (a suburb of Pittsburgh) March 17th was the feast day of St. Patrick, not really the huge drinking event as it is now. The day began with a Mass in the Cathedral and then we'd march in the St. Patrick's Day Parade. I took step dancing lessons before someone decided that garish costumes and curly wigs were mandatory, sang all the old Irish songs with my dear Da, drank Brewley's or Lyon's tea with cream and sugar, and baked soda bread with currants with my Grandmother. We will have a special meal to celebrate this weekend when the kids come over for a birthday celebration. They always ask for corned beef and colcannon rather than the Irish stew or shepherd's pie we often had as kids. I took my son to Ireland for 10 days and we had great craic as they say - which means fun. He gallantly put up with me when I joined in the singing in the pubs at night but I spared both of us the embarrassment of dancing any jigs or reels. I hired a driver so that we could both sit back and relax and enjoy the scenery and not deal with the roundabouts and driving on the wrong side. DD's boyfriend is from London so we're trying to plan a trip to visit his family and then go on to Scotland or Northern Ireland. Maire

I already had some of theirs coming from earlier sales, so I ordered: Flamenco, High Society, Lagerfeld (to replace one that died), Royal Welcome, Soft Whisper, Sundance, Tournament of Roses (also a replacement) and Voluptuous. They did a sneaky late addition of some sale roses after I'd already placed my order, or I'd have ordered a replacement of Malibu instead of the Lagerfeld. Not that it's a bad rose, but it's available elsewhere and that one I'd prefer own root. Cynthia

mimi, I've never had this recipe fail, because you mix the flour and sugar to break up any lumps, then whisk in the milk before you put the pan on the heat. The 'pudding' is smooth as silk, even before you add the butter. Make sure you keep the heat low, after the paste starts to thicken, so you don't scorch it. I've even started adding the butter to the still-warm paste, whipping it in until it melts, then refrigerating the mixture until cool, and whipping it up later. It doesn't seem to affect the texture of the frosting, and it's quicker than mixing in one spoonful of the paste at a time. I've noticed, though, that the cooked buttercream seems to get soft quicker from the heat from my hands. Good luck!

Happy Saint Patrick's! My son indulged my Celtic heritage. We listened to my music and he let me drink and sing loudly to Mollie Malone, Lord of the Dance, Isle of Hope/Isle of Tears... And if course, being Celtic, I cried my eyes out. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0783IpPKN4g It's the last reference. Play it loud, and cry along with me, direct descendant of Robert the Bruce. P.S. I can find four+ leaf clovers anywhere. Anytime.