Neighborhood News: Jamesport’s first-ever St. Patrick’s Day parade

Belated wishes for a Happy St. Patrick’s Day and St. Joseph’s Day. This is the week where everybody celebrates their favorite heritage with great food and fun. Whether you’re Irish or Italian, or neither, it’s a fun week to sample some traditional foods from other parts of the world.

After writing this, I will have tossed the corned beef into some water and slow-cooked it all day. It’s the one day of the year I actually enjoy eating shrink-wrapped meat. Maybe I should reconsider that tradition next year.

This year, Jamesport will add one more parade to its yearly calendar. This Saturday, March 22, at 1 p.m. Jamesport will celebrate its first-ever St. Patrick’s Day parade, which will begin at Washington Avenue and follow along the Main Road to Jamesport Fire Department on Manor Lane. Come out and support the local businesses and enjoy some Irish music, food and fun. I’m unable to participate but I hope you and your family can attend this fun community event.

Johanna is finally home from the hospital. February was a very long month. I finally had the opportunity to attend rehearsals with the Jamesport Meeting House Chorus. George Moravek is a great director and we are all honing our choral skills and learning some new ones. There’s been a great response. Richard Wines joked and said we may have to put the choir in the pews and seat the audience on the stage for the performance. We are working on some catchy show tunes you’re sure to recognize. Everyone is working hard to be ready for the first concert on May 10. Save the date!

Donald Frank, a watercolor artist from Aquebogue, will celebrate his 91st birthday on March 30. Donald, your family and friends wish you many more happy and healthy birthdays. We all hope you have a lovely celebration and enjoy your day for years to come.

It’s here! Today, Thursday, March 20, is the first day of spring! The weather is supposed to cooperate today. No matter what the temperature, believe that it is spring and new life is on the way. We have had some beautiful blooms from our indoor bulb garden, making it easier to imagine that spring is finally arriving on the North Fork.

As the flowering bulbs die out, it will be just about time to start sunflower and zinnia seeds for our summer gardening. I just hope Johanna stays out of the hospital this spring so she can enjoy some seed planting. I want to get a jump on gardening this year in hopes of having more sunflowers and zinnias.

Have a wonderful week and think spring!

Contact Eileen Benthal at [email protected] or 833-1897