IT'S NOT HARD TO THINK GREEN IN THE SPRINGTIME

Kermit Frog says, "It's not easy being green." I don't know what his thinking is behind this. Perhaps it is explained in the rest of his song, but the title is all that sticks in my mind, so I assume that his thoughts about being green have to do with that definition of green which pertains to being inexperienced or immature and that is hard. But since Kermit is green in color it sort of muddies this assumption, and one gropes around trying to think what actual color has to do with it not being easy. When a human is slightly green in color he is thought to be sickly and that state is not easy. And being green with envy is uncomfortable as well as unbecoming. However, if a frog is green he is in good health. But I'm not going to belabor Kermit's color or thinking. His just being, although of green and red felt only, is one of my great treasures.

Let me try to justify my title. Of course it has to do with St. Patrick's Day, since today is it, and I'll get around to that. First, let me go on a little about the easy color, green. It is said to lie between yellow and blue yellow as in sunshine, singing canaries, twittering goldfinch blue as in clear skies, bluebirds, babies' blue eyes. Not a bad place to be.

In grade school we wore out our blue and yellow crayons quickly, performing our first easy miracles of making green with them.

I sometimes wonder how we would like the world if chlorophyll had been any other color but green, say black, tan, gray or even lacquer red. When it departs the leaves and grass in autumn, we see the breathtakingly fall color and we thrill at the marvelous display. Could we stand the busy color pattern year round? Beautiful as the autumn colors are, the greater thrill and joy, for me at least, is when nature's growing things slowly begin showing green in the spring. It is new beginning, rejuvenation, resurrection. One believes more strongly in eternal things, feels as if he is happily floating on the flow of time without having to manipulate sails or start an engine.

The willow trees are first. Their long, swinging fingers, delicately yellow-green, seem to be motioning for attention, saying in their own form of script, "Hey, look! It's greening time again." The autumn olive, bush honeysuckle and mock orange catch on and begin to unfurl their tiny leaves, almost comic in their diminutiveness. Soon the whole outdoors takes on a misty green appearance as if some of the French impressionists painters were at work painting a new season in easy, restful greens.

I've spent much time this winter hovering over my three tiered plant stand, rich with an assortment of green ivies, begonias and philodendrons. Just a little green growing thing in winter provides a stepping stone between autumn and spring and somehow makes you feel you're harboring a bit of chlorophyll to start up things in spring. A bit of green yeast which we must not let die.

The robins are back in little flocks of three or four. Would robins look so good on anything else but green grass? With the russet accent of their feathered breasts, they are like movable decorations down the green avenues of spring that lead to St. Patrick's Day.

Being of part Irish ancestry, I make much of the holiday. Long ago I fashioned a green checked table cloth and it has seen much duty, especially during the "greening" month. Green cabbage doesn't retain its color when cooked. But laced with chunks of corned beef and served in a green bowl, it is suitable.

From watching the Jello commercials I know I can cut shamrock shapes from Jello molded in a sheet cake pan. That I will do this very day if time permits. Otherwise, it just might be green squares served on a crisp green leaf.

A green angel food cake rests on a green glass stand. Didn't have green coloring so performed another miracle with my blue and yellow.

I don't have a tape or record of "The Wearing of the Green" to play but I remember the tune from early school days, and I'll go around singing that, maybe. Maybe not. Folks have a tendency to drift away when I sing and there's just too much green cabbage, cake and Jello for me to eat all by myself.

REJOICE!