PEAR TREE LOG

pear tree log: I started this blog to keep my younger son, Jonny, in touch with life in Lincolnshire, while he spent a year working in China. That year turned into five! Now he is home and training to become a physics teacher. This is simply a patchwork quilt of some of the things I enjoy - life in rural Lincolnshire, our animals, friends, architecture, books, the gardens, and things of passing interest.



Tuesday 29 May 2012

I Was Out Walking Toby When..

..I looked down and saw a four-leaf clover.











Then I spotted another..
and another..




I didn't have my glasses with me and I hadn't gone out looking for them - they just seemed to jump into my sight and eventually I ended up with...

twelve four-leaf clovers.
click to enlarge!


This is the clump of clover, if you look there are lots in there.

Toby stood still for all of two minutes and was anxious to be on his way - so I muttered a "Thank you"  to the four-leaf clover fairy and followed him.

I hadn't gone looking for them, they just waved at me.

My family will tell you that this is not an unusual occurrence for me.  I can be walking along, head in the clouds, glance down and hey presto!  It probably just means that my brain is very good at picking out that particular pattern amongst all the regular clover leaves.

Traditionally four-leaf clovers are supposed to symbolise good luck, especially if found accidentally...  The first leaf is said to represent faith, the second hope, the third  is for love, and the fourth for luck.

I have yet to win the lottery, but I do consider myself to have been lucky in so many ways.

I would love to share these clovers amongst you, but I have read that it is unlucky to do so... I suppose the next best thing would be to offer to show you where this clump of clover is, then you can see for yourself.



43 comments:

  1. Hello Elaine:
    And,next you will be telling us that a Leprechaun lives at the bottom of your garden. Well, with 12 four leaved clovers at one picking, we could believe anything!!!!

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    1. Hello Jane and Lance, A Leprechaun at the bottom of the garden - well, funnily enough we have spent a lot of time in Ireland over the last couple of years - perhaps one travelled home in my suitcase! I was certainly very fortunate today.

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  2. Very nice, that was a lot of luck at one time.

    Hugs
    Elna

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    1. Hello Elna, It was a complete surprise, but that is the way it happens!

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  3. Owl Wood really is magical!
    Jane x

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    1. Hello Jane, It was a wonderful surprise...I had been 'talking' to the sheep in the adjoining field. I half expected the cuckoo to call out!

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  4. Hello Elaine. I never knew what the four leaves stood for. My father was always good at spotting four leaf clovers too. He would just look down and see them. I would look and look and rarely be able to find one. Thank you for bringing back this memory. I love all the green!

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    1. Hello In My Wild Eden, It sounds as though your father had the knack too! I'm so pleased it brought back happy memories for you!

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  5. HI Elaine,

    Lucky you. I cannot imagine finding that many. I used to find the odd one when I was a child, you would think I had found a pot of gold.

    Lovely refreshing post:)

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    1. Hello Cheryl, It is wonderful, whether you find one or twelve it is still exciting...Toby wasn't impressed though!

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  6. where EXACTLY is this patch... I need me some luck!

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    1. Hello Dom, If I tell you to think Claythorpe, and the old engine house...look along the verge between there and the beautiful old station house. Best of luck!

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  7. Reminds me of a song from the 50's:
    I'm looking over a four-leaf clover, that I overlooked before,
    One is the sunshine, the second is rain, third is the roses that grow in the lane, No need explaining the one remaining, It's somebody I adore, I'm looking over a four-leaf clover that I overlooked before.
    Methinks you must lead a magical life!

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    1. Hello Ms Sparrow, I had completely forgotten that song - but I can hear it now - what a trip down memory lane. I'd love to think it was magical...the truth is that my brain is just reasonably good with patterns and oddities.

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  8. I once found a four-leaf clover when I was around 10 years old. I was so excited about my good luck that I dropped it and immediately lost it. So much for my good luck, I thought.

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    1. Hello Mitch, You may have dropped the four-leaf clover but you didn't drop your good luck, otherwise how would you have met Saint Geraldo?

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    2. Thank you for that, Elaine! You are absolutely right.

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  9. My mouth is hanging open. That's how I find them, too. But never twelve. And, thanks to Ms. Sparrow for a song my mom sang a lot about the house.

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    1. Hello Joanne, Now that is interesting...we both have brains which can process patterns quickly - or shall we both claim to be exceptionally lucky? I sang along to that song as a child, I had quite forgotten about it!

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  10. send me one! I need a nice bit of luck x

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    1. Hello John, Come on over, we'll get you some lucky clovers of your own, then come back here for tea and scones...did I ever tell you about the time I won first prize in the village show for my scones? Dom (see above) will tell you he was robbed!x

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  11. Egads, I didn't know this happened to anyone else! I have always been able to do this. Yes, I have found that many at one time. How funny. Thanks for sharing.

    Harry may not have been all that impressed but HE is one lucky lad. You are making his childhood magical and memorable.

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    1. Hello SAS, When I was a child I spent years looking for one, especially after my older brother found one! I didn't find a single one. Once I stopped looking for them, they began to wave to me.

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  12. Well you are a lucky charm--at least that's how I feel with knowing you! Your walks are definitely magical. XOXO

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    1. Hello Susan, The rest of yesterday's walk was lovely - I saw so many beautiful wild flowers, grasses and sedges. It would have been fun to have you and Meggie along too, although we would have been so busy talking we would have missed the flowers! x

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  13. My mother was the same. All her books were filled with them. She always said she never looked for them; they always looked up at her.

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    1. Hello Cro, That is it exactly! They really do look up. I popped my clovers into my recipe books - I don't use them very often - my family sometimes need a bit of luck to survive my offerings.

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  14. Hello Elaine....what a wonderful response to your Good Luck Clovers.....Harry is so "lucky" to have you for a grandmother.

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    1. Hello Meggie, I am lucky to have Harry and Francesca - they give me a great excuse for playing like a child!

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  15. This is such an amazing thing to happen. Good luck clovers should be shared and spread the luck around. I will never know where this patch is so I feel that keeping a secret can surely keep the luck safe. I hope my logic is good logic!

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    1. Hello Claire, If you would really like a clover then the next time I pass that clump I will ask for one in your name. If it happens, and you send me your address, then it is yours.

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  16. Isn't it fun when something like that happens! I guess that's one thing my brain can do. It seems that I can spot them more easily than most people.

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    1. Hello Amy, Yes! I'm so glad you agree, it is something which just happens, no seeking or searching is needed!

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  17. Hi love, sorry to ask you so publicly but we're having a tea party over at Belleau Cottage on Monday at 5pm. Would love you, George and the gang to come over and have a slice of cake with us... let me know if you can come x (dom@belleaukitchen.co.uk)

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  18. Oh no, I didn't know it was unlucky to give them away! We've got a few patches of four leafed clovers and I've given some to other people in the past. I feel awful now because I thought I would be giving them good luck.

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    1. Hello LBM, Don't worry, I have given them away in the past, although I have wondered about it. I don't think we actually pass on bad luck, it's more that the luck was for the finder.

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  19. You are lucky indeed! I never knew what each leaf stood for. It's fun to learn.

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    1. Hello Marie, I confess, that is one of the other things I like about doing these posts. I felt I had to do a little research - which is when I found out what they stood for. It was new to me too!

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  20. that's really kind of special I think to come across the four-leaf clovers. I'd get a real buzz out of that!

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    1. Hello Carole M, I must admit, it still gives me a buzz! I read somewhere that only about one in 10,000 clovers is four-leafed, so it is amazing that we can spot them amongst so many. I'd be happy to show you the patch - see if you can spot some for yourself.

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