There’s an old saying that on St. Patrick’s Day, everyone is Irish. I really am. Or at a least my heritage is Scotch-Irish, heavy on the Irish. When I was in Dublin with my sister and mother on a gardening tour, I blended in so well that people would stop me on the street and ask directions.
As far as I was concerned, that trip explained a lot.
On other trips, I had seen magnificent gardens in England. Some had grand vistas, some wide borders within different floral “rooms”, one leading to the next, some were “landscape gardens”, where seemingly natural pathways wound through structured views. And there were the famous “Cottage Gardens”. They were more personal, more intimate, and their plantings looked more casual, though they were very carefully planned and organized.
Then we went to Ireland. There the gardens showed a strong English influence. They were beautiful, too, but somehow, were different. I couldn’t figure out how gardens sharing the same general climate, many of which displayed the same plants, could be so similar and at the same time so consistently different in feeling.
On the fourth day, we viewed an Irish Cottage Garden. Same enclosed setting, same plants as I had seen previously in English gardens, same general structure… almost. Our guide pointed out one huge difference. Every so often, there was a tall spike of yellow flowers rising from a large rosette of course, grey-green furred leaves. It was a Mullen. Apparently, gardeners would allow a Mullen to self-seed and pop up at random in an otherwise structured flower bed. So much for human control!
For me, this epitomized the famous “touch of the Old Nick” I saw and valued so much in my family. It was an herbal example of playfulness, of welcoming the unexpected (since it will be there, like it or not), of joking around. I loved it. It made me think of my beloved uncle Graves, and how he would sit back at the dinner table sometimes, laugh and burst into full-throated song. We had been taught not to sing at the table, but… what the heck.
So this St. Patrick’s Day, I will sing, I will laugh with friends, and I will embrace my Mullens, where-ever they pop up. But I won’t drink green beer.
Added by admin:
Hi Lucy-
I had tried posting this question to your blog but it didn’t work (I am technologically challenged). I love your website and your molds.
I have a collection of about 35 molds that I have decided (sadly) to part with. Do you know of anyone who is interested in buying/starting a collection? I could send you a list of what I have if you like. Most of my molds were used (if they were used) for paper casting. The others were so beautiful that I hung them up and used them for decoration. All are in really good condition.
I would appreciate any info that you could pass my way.
Thanks in advance for your help,
Andrea Kirkpatrick
I really think you would be best offering your molds on e-Bay. I have never sold cookie molds retail myself, and I hesitate becoming involved as an intermediary. At first I thought that it would be neat if people could post what they wanted to find/what they wanted to sell, but the more involved I become with my web sites, the more hesitant I become on this issue. I really LIKE the fact that http://www.brownbagcookiemolds.com and http://www.shortbreadpan.com are informational sites only. They are a format in which I can help solve problems, answer questions, share ideas, images, recipes, what-not, and everything is free. Over the years, I have developed a real sense of personal connection with so many people outside of commerce. I treasure this. I do have links for wholesalers to get in touch with sales for the Shortbread Pans and for the new Classic Cookie Stamps, but that’s it.
Good luck placing your collection.
Lucy
I cannot find anyone who is selling the Brown Bag Claddagh 3″ cookie stamp, and I need one for a special anniversary. I went through most of the retailers on your site (plus eBay) with no luck.
Please help….thanks!
Marg
Hi, Marg,
Try going to emersoncreekpottery.com. Along with their own products, they carry mine. Click on “bakeware”, then on “cookie stamps”. You should be able to order one from them, no problem.
Best,
Lucy
I am looking for an older mold that had the words Happy Birthday on it. Would you be selling that one??Thank you…Liz
Your should check e-Bay. They list hundreds of retired cookie molds, and sooner or later, just about everything shows up. I no longer make or sell the molds. I stopped in 2005, except for 2 designs I made to raise money for Habitat for Humanity and for Heifer International.
Good luck in your search.
Lucy