Chapter 04
Kermit the Frog once famously sang, “It ain’t easy being green”. Far be it from me to disagree with the king of the Muppets, but for me, it is easy to be green, especially this time of year around Saint Patrick’s Day. Even though Saint Patrick was born in England, he spent most of his life in Ireland as a missionary to the Irish people. Tradition holds that he used a green three leaf clover to help explain the concept of the Holy Trinity, which is why everyone wears green on Saint Patrick’s Day.
I am proud of my Irish heritage as my family tree has deep roots in the Emerald Isle. According to an ancestory.com report from my Aunt Donna, the Conley side of the family is 99.7 percent Irish.It’s always been my dream to visit Ireland. I want to immerse myself in the culture, with an emphasis on sampling the local cuisine. The dish I’m looking forward to the most is having Bangers and Mash (Sausages and Potatoes) served in the traditional style and wash it down with a pint at the local pub. I would also love to hear the fife and the fiddle accompany a traditional Irish Jig.As fascinated as I am with all things Irish, you might think that when beginning the search for a new puppy in August 2021, I would be drawn to the Irish Setter. But for some unexplainable reason, I chose a Chessie, which is as American as apple pie and baseball, having originated on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland in the 1820’s.It is probably more accurate to say that my Chessie, Gabe, chose me and it was not due to the Luck of the Irish. When picking out a puppy, I held each one and Gabe was the only who seemed content just sitting there. Even now at five months old, he is still my lap dog even though he weighs almost 40 pounds and can barely fit.When sitting in my lap, Gabe’s tongue does not have far to go to lick my face and ears. While Gabe still has traces of “puppy breath”, it is often overwhelmed by other scents he has picked up while exploring the farm. As you can imagine, not all of them are pleasant aromas. That’s why I give him Arin’s Good Girl Dragon Slayer treats to help slay the beast of bad breath with their minty flavor.Legend says that Saint Patrick used a shamrock to drive all the snakes out of Ireland. Just in time for Saint Patrick’s Day, the Dragon Slayer treats come in the shape of a Shamrock to dive away your four- legged friend’s bad breath like a K-9 tic-tak. So no matter how you celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day, whether it be by simply wearing green or you go all out like I do, get some Dragon Slayer treats, too, and let your dog join in the fun.