This weeks theme at Gothic Arches is to create an arch using “all things celtic” as the theme. I made two arches for the challenge. I used two different images – one in honor of St. Patrick the other has a Scottish blessing in gaelic. My Mother’s family (Ford) came from southern Ireland (Crohane – County Cork) and my Dad’s family (Maxwell and Murray) came from the Ayrshire area of Scotland (and many still reside there today)….

St. Patrick’s Day was not a holiday my Dad enjoyed. He felt that few in the world knew that St. Patrick was actually a Scot – who was kidnapped by pirates and taken to Ireland. He also felt it had become a national “drinking” holiday. In his later years we actually would find “St. Patrick” day cards and goodies to give to him as a joke. :) One year when the holiday fell on a Sunday, friends at his church put an “Irish Parking Only” sign in front of his car in the church parking lot. I miss being able to tease my Dad on St. Patrick’s Day!