“A flea and a fly in a flue
Were caught, so what could they do
Said the fly, “Let us flee.”
“Let us fly,” said the flea.
So they flew through a flaw in the flue.” – Unknown
The large quail at the entrance to the Carmella Winery in Southern Idaho made me giggle. -- Photo by Pat Bean
Travels With Maggie
Roadside sites, like a giant wooden California quail at the entrance to the Carmella Winery adjacent to Three Island State Park in Glenns Ferry, Idaho, make me giggle.
But it was a snicker that erupted from my lips when I saw the name of the Catholic Church in Glenns Ferry. I really didn’t mean to be so irreverent, but I simply couldn’t help it.
“The Lady of Limerick Catholic Church” read the sign. .
Now a limerick is a kind of five-line poem that is usually a bit bawdy. Or,poetically explained:
The limerick packs laughs anatomical
In space that is quite economical,
But the good ones I’ve seen
So seldom are clean,
And the clean ones so seldom are comical.
The Lady of Limerick, to whom I issue an apology for my irreverence
Of course there was another explanation. The Lady of Limerick refers to a statue of the Virgin Mary located in the city of Limerick in Ireland. I now know that because I did a bit of research out of curiosity. It still seems a bit odd to me, however, that anyone knowing what most people think of when the word limerick is mentioned would still name a church that.
But to check if my sense of humor was askew, I told a friend that I had passed a church called “The Lady of Limerick.” She didn’t snicker, but she laughed so hard she almost choked.
At least I have company in my irreverence.
Well, you got me laughing too!!
I’ve seen other church names that had me laughing too, but I can’t think of them right off the bat.
It’s good to laugh
I remember marathon limerick sessions in the college dorm. One that sticks with me. Little Miss Muffet decided to rough it, in a cabin quite medieval, a bounder espied her, and plied her with cider. and now she’s the Forest’s Primeval.
I’ve seen it attributed to Ogden Nash. If not his, it certainly could have been!
It’s nice to think of the Virgin Mary as a woman who could enjoy a good limerick–at least it is for me.
lol! I’m glad I was reading the first limerick and not trying to say it out loud.
Strange name for a church. But something that makes people smile, chuckle, giggle, or laugh is a good thing. 🙂
Laughter is a great healer for the soul. I love to both hear it and do it. And I’m glad I tickled your funny bone. The Lady of Limerick certainly tickled mine, and for that I thank her.