March 13, 2026

REMINDER: YOUR SUBMISSIONS ARE ENCOURAGED

Northern Lapwing: The National Bird of Ireland

Overview for this week.

1. Bindu's Corner: I have a new morning affirmation from Bindu this week.

2. St. Patrick's Day: This year, I'm focusing on the man himself rather than the parades and celebrations, but I'm still going to wear green.

3. Around Town: The annual Tucson Festival of Books returns to the University of Arizona Mall this weekend.

4. National Parks: After a fairly wet winter, Death Valley is experiencing a once-in-a-decade superbloom that is expected to last into April.

5. Flock Spotlight: I'm putting the Flock spotlight on a friend and cancer researcher, Dr. Rachna T. Shroff.

6. The Heavens: A fragment from a fireball meteor that exploded in the skies above Europe crashed through the roof of a home in Germany.

7. Volcanoes: The Kilauea volcano had another major eruption this week, sending ash and tephra over a wide area and forcing the closure of a major highway and the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

8. Reaching High: Mount Washington in the White Mountains of New Hampshire is the highest peak in New England and offers breathtaking views and some of the harshest weather in America.

9. Pet's Corner: Fern, the Flock's favorite alpine mouser, makes an appearance this week, along with Zeus, who's all grown up now.

A Note From Beth

It has now been six weeks since Nancy Guthrie went missing. Please don't give up. Keep praying for Nancy Guthrie and her safe return to the Guthrie family.

Now, to this week's Flock.

Thank you, Bindu, for this morning affirmation.

This coming Tuesday, March 17th, is St. Patrick's Day, and people of Irish descent, or no connection to Ireland whatsoever, from Boston to Tokyo will be celebrating Irish culture with traditional Irish food and libations, Irish music and dance, and parades, all in commemoration of the patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick. This year, I want to give a little background on the man who would begin his Irish journey as a slave in the fifth century and go on to be celebrated as the country's patron saint for more than a millennium.

Saint Patrick is Ireland’s patron saint, known for spreading Christianity throughout the country as a missionary during the 5th century.

From: Biography.com, March 14, 2023

Who Was Saint Patrick?

The man who would come to be known as Saint Patrick was a missionary that helped spread Christianity throughout Ireland during the 5th century. Much remains unknown about his life, including his birth name, but British-born Patrick became a devout Christian during his six-year enslavement in Ireland. He escaped only to return to Ireland later in life as a missionary, combining Irish pagan beliefs with Christian sacrament in his teachings. A religious figure within the Christian and Catholic faiths, he died around 461 AD and later became the patron saint of Ireland. Saint Patrick is annually honored throughout the world on his feast day, March 17.

Canonization and Sainthood

While Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, he was never officially canonized by the Catholic church. There was no formal canonization process during the first millennium, so many saints from that time received the title by popular acclaim if they were martyrs or seen as extraordinarily holy.

Various Christian churches also declare that Patrick is a saint in heaven.

Death and Legacy

Saint Patrick died circa 461 AD in Saul, Ireland, and is said to have been buried in the nearby town of Downpatrick, County Down. Saint Patrick is recognized as the patron saint of Ireland, and his writings, noted for their humble voice, include the autobiographical Confessio and Letter to Coroticus.

Many legends have been associated with his life, including that he drove away all the snakes from Ireland and that he introduced the Holy Trinity through the three-leaved shamrock. In fact, snakes have long been absent from Ireland’s natural ecosystem because of the climate and possibly the island’s watery surroundings. Saint Patrick’s reptilian banishment, then, is just the stuff of folklore. As for the Holy Trinity, there’s no definitive proof regarding how Saint Patrick taught it.

Why Do You Get Pinched on St. Patrick’s Day?

From: Real Simple, By: Liz Steelman, February 4, 2026

There are plenty of superstitions people follow on St. Patrick's Day, but there's one almost everyone has to prepare for. If you don't wearing green, you may endure some uncomfortable St. Patrick's Day pinches from friends and family members.

Whether you follow these traditions or not, you may wonder what the deal is with the St. Patrick's Day pinch rule. Is this an ancient cultural practice or a silly game people play this time of year? Here's more about the St. Patrick's Day traditions we practice and where these pinching superstitions originated.

History of Pinching

It's common for people to wear green on St. Patrick's Day because of the holiday's association with Ireland's nickname, the "Emerald Isle," and its flag's colors. In addition, people wear green on this occasion since shamrocks are commonly associated with this holiday.

According to fun folklore, you get pinched on St. Patrick's Day for not wearing green because green makes you invisible to leprechauns. Leprechauns are mischievous creatures, and according to legend, they like to pinch people (because they can!).

If you wear green, leprechauns won't be able to see you, so you'll be free of any painful pinching. But if you're sporting any other color this holiday, you're easy to find for them to pinch.

St. Patrick's Day Pinching Rules

The reason why other non-leprechauns pinch someone not wearing green is to remind them that they should be. Here are some universal rules to consider if you take part in this holiday tradition.

• You must wear green clothing (rather than dye your hair green), which must be visible for all to see. Sorry, green socks tucked inside your sneakers won't do unless you can see them.
• If you end up pinching someone who is wearing green, they're allowed to pinch you back.
• If you aren't celebrating, you're not off limits either. You still weigh the chance to get pinched.

Attention all literary enthusiasts. The annual Tucson Festival of Books is happening this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, March 14th and 15th, on the University of Arizona Mall. Meet your favorite authors, attend author workshops & panel discussions all at one of Tucson's favorite springtime events.

From: KOLD Tucson, By: Ariana Araiza, March 12, 2026

The Tucson Festival of Books is back at the University of Arizona Mall this weekend for its 17th year, bringing thousands of visitors together for a two-day celebration of literature, creativity, and community.

Organizers say the free festival is designed for all ages, with everything from kid-friendly activities to author panels, book signings, and interactive exhibits.

This year, festival leaders say they are putting an added focus on public safety. Security will be enhanced throughout the event, and a clear bag policy will be required for anyone attending author events inside venues. Organizers are also encouraging attendees to download the official festival app to keep up with schedules and events in real time.

The festival begins at 9:00 a.m. Saturday with a Storybook Parade, giving kids a chance to see some of their favorite characters. Starting at 9:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, the festival will feature more than 260 exhibitors and over 300 authors. Attendees can meet authors, browse books and merchandise, watch interactive segments, or head indoors for panels, presentations, and autograph opportunities.

There will be a free book giveaway on both days for children and teens, helping to expand access to literacy for southern Arizona youth.

Organizers say the atmosphere will feel like a community party with food, music, and entertainment throughout the weekend.

Festival leaders also emphasize the event’s long-standing mission to support literacy in southern Arizona. Over the years, the Tucson Festival of Books has donated millions of dollars to literacy initiatives, helping keep the festival free and accessible.

Located at the southern end of the Great Basin at almost 300 feet below sea level and with an average yearly rainfall of about two inches, Death Valley is the hottest and driest National Park in America. Between November of 2025 and January of this year, the park received more than a year's worth of rain, with 2.5 inches, creating the perfect conditions to wake dormant seeds on the valley floor and produce a springtime superbloom of color the park hasn't seen in a decade.

From: The Guardian, By: Sara Braun, March 10, 2024

Travelers are flocking to the famously arid desert covered in a blanket of pink, purple and yellow wildflowers

After a winter of record rainfall, a superbloom has erupted in Death Valley, covering the famously arid desert in a blanket of vibrant pink, purple and yellow flowers. As travelers from around the world make their way to the desert, they can expect to be greeted by fragrant air and a quilt of delicate hues.

While there is no official definition for a superbloom, the National Park Service uses the term to “describe conditions when so many flowers are present that they appear as swaths of color across the landscape, rather than isolated plants, especially striking at low elevations where the ground is typically sand, gravel and rock”.

The park last experienced a superbloom in 2016, which can only occur in “perfect conditions”, with “well-spaced rainfall” and mild temperatures.

The National Park Service said that low-elevation flowers would continue blooming until mid- to late March, depending on the weather. Higher elevations will experience blooms in April through June.

Death Valley wildflowers. Posted by the National Park Service in March 2026.

Time is of the essence to catch a glimpse of the superbloom, so if tourists can get there in time, they should keep an eye out for some of the most commonly occurring (and eye-catching) flowers: desert gold, brown-eyed evening primrose, golden evening primrose, phacelia and mojave poppy, to name a few.

This week, I'm putting the Flock Spotlight on the multitalented Dr. Rachna Shroff, a professor and Associate Director in the University of Arizona College of Medicine. I'm proud to know her. Rachna is the wife of good friend Dr. Puneet Shroff, whose Eskie Zeus née "Baby Truffle," has been a regular visitor to my Pet's Corner. I'll be giving an update on Zeus later in this newsletter.

From: The University of Arizona Cancer Center

Rachna T. Shroff, MD, MS, FASCO, is associate director of clinical investigations and co-leader of the Gastrointestinal Clinical Research Team at the University of Arizona Comprehensive Cancer Center. She also is a professor with tenure in the Department of Medicine, chief of the Division of Hematology and Oncology for the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson, and Medical Director for the Oncology Service Line with Banner Health. She came to the U of A Cancer Center from MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where she was on faculty from 2010-18 after completing her medical oncology fellowship there. 

Cancer Focus

Dr. Shroff is a clinical and translational investigator focused on developing novel therapies for pancreatic and hepatobiliary cancers. She holds multiple positions nationally due to her expertise in these areas, including serving as the Hepatobiliary Subcommittee co-chair for the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) and as Chair for GI ASCO 2024, a meeting sponsored by the American Society of Clinical Oncology focused on gastrointestinal cancers. She was elected to serve on the ASCO Nominating Committee from 2022-2024 and currently is an Associate Editor for the ASCO Daily News and serves on the ASCO Communications Committee. Dr. Shroff was award the Fellow of ASCO (FASCO) designation for her service to this professional society in 2023. She has also been a member of the Scientific and Medical Advisory Board for the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation.  

Dr. Shroff has led numerous clinical trials focusing on pancreaticobiliary tumors and was the national PI for SWOG 1815 which investigated a triplet chemotherapy regimen as a potential new standard of care for biliary cancers. It was the first randomized phase 3 trial in the US for biliary cancers and was one of the fastest accruing trials in SWOG. The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in 2024. 

Dr. Shroff has been invited to speak at national and international meetings on topics related to targeted therapies for pancreatic and biliary cancers and has numerous peer-reviewed publications in this area including many that have led to FDA approvals for these diseases. She also holds NCI peer-reviewed funding focused on supporting the Cancer Center’s efforts to expand clinical research across the state of Arizona.

Dr. Rachna T. Shroff receiving her chair at The University of Arizona College of Medicine earlier this week.

Back in September of 2023, I posted about a woman in France being woken by a loud noise when a meteorite landed in her Garden. This past weekend, a small meteorite fragment crashed through the roof of a home in Germany, leaving a football-sized hole in the roof. Luckily, no one was hurt, and scientists are studying the recovered fragment.

A German town has been peppered by meteorites after a stunning "fireball" exploded in the skies over central Europe. One extraterrestrial fragment landed in a bedroom after punching a soccer ball-size hole through the building's roof.

From LiveScience.com, By: Harry baker, March 9, 2026

A fireball meteor spectacularly exploded in the skies over Europe before raining fiery fragments onto buildings in a German town — punching a hole through the roof of a house and into the bedroom below, according to reports.

On Sunday (March 8), at around 6:55 p.m. local time, a meteor streaked through the atmosphere over the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate before it suddenly exploded, creating a bright flash that lasted for around six seconds, according to the European Space Agency (ESA). The light show likely meant that the space rock, caught on camera by Europe's AllSky7 fireball network, was "several meters" in diameter.

Fireball over Europe, 8 March 2026

The Kilauea volcano had another spectacular eruption this week, creating a double lava fountain, raining ash and tephra over the surrounding area, forcing the temporary closure of Highway 11 and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. If you are currently on the Big Island, please pay attention to local closures and alerts.

Towering lava fountains of Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano trigger park and highway closures

From: The Associated Press, By: Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, March 10, 2026

The latest lava fountaining episode of an erupting Hawaii volcano reached 1,000 feet (300 meters) high Tuesday, prompting temporary closures at a national park and part of an important highway because of falling glassy volcanic fragments, including ash.

Kilauea, on Hawaii’s Big Island, has been dazzling residents and visitors for more than year with an on-and-off eruption that periodically sends fountains of lava soaring into the sky.

The fountaining that began Tuesday morning marked the eruption’s 43rd episode since it began in December 2024. A livestream showed two fountains of bright-red lava and smoke. It’s unclear how long the fountaining will last. Some episodes have lasted a few days and others a few hours.

Like other times, the molten rock was confined within Kilauea’s summit crater inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and hasn’t threatened homes or buildings.

Kīlauea volcano erupts, shoots plumes 25,000 feet in the air, USGS says

Kīlauea Episode 43 Timelapse | Lava Fountains, Tephra Fall & Glowing Crater from USGS B1 Cam

Mount Washington, in my home state of New Hampshire, at 6,288 feet, is the highest peak in New England. While not nearly as tall as the Himalayan and Andean peaks I often feature in my Reaching High section, it presents its own challenges for mountaineers attempting its summit. In particular, the summit is known for unpredictable and severe weather. On a clear day, trekkers who reach the summit are rewarded with stunning views of the New England countryside and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Visitors who don't wish to hike to the summit can take a ride up on the oldest cog railway in the country.

From: U.S. Highpoint Guide, January 31, 2026

Mount Washington, affectionately known as "the Rock Pile," stands as the highest peak in New Hampshire. Renowned in New England for hiking, backcountry skiing, alpine climbing, and ice climbing, it is nestled just west of NH SR-16, between North Conway to the south and Gorham.

Famous for having "the World's Worst Weather" and holding the record for the highest wind speed ever recorded (231 mph on 12 April 1934), Mount Washington is a prominent feature in the Presidential Range. The range includes New England's five highest peaks, but initially, the entire massif was known as Mount Washington, stretching 30 miles from east to west. It wasn't until the 19th century that the surrounding peaks like Adams, Jefferson, and Madison were individually named. The mountain has a cog railway and a road leading to an observatory, museum, and snack shop at the summit.

FOX News Meteorologist Adam Klotz Battles ‘World’s Worst Weather’ Atop Mount Washington

Fern relaxing in Aspen

Zeus with his niece Janaki

Catching up with Zeus

I've been posting updates about Zeus ever since he was a little puppy, going by the sobriquet Baby Truffle. Here's what he wants to share, "I'm now 3 years old and all grown up!, I miss my brothers and sisters who always seem to be in doggy camp, or in Aspen chasing anything from turkeys to little foxes, but hopefully staying away from skunks and the big lions of the mountains. So far, they've been doing well."

Bluebells in woodland at Narrow Water, County Down, Northern Ireland, UK

These Flock regulars are always here for you:

Cita Scott for paintings, photography, and culinary art. Cita will be in and out of town all summer. Don't hesitate to give her a jingle. (520) 404-1551

Kimberly Gomer, MS, RD/LDN

Registered and licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist. Find me on my website at KimberlyGomer.com for information about nutrition coaching.

Sarah Smallhouse & Make Elections Fair ArIzona

– Sign the petition here

Sensitive & Specific: The Testing Newsletter by Mara G. Aspinall and Liz Ruark. Mara is always here to help in understanding testing knowledge and how it's being applied.

Kyria Sabin of Fletcher Pilates,

(520) 323-7070

The Fabric Jeanie!

Tap to learn more. 

(520) 245-0589

Linda Collazo, mezzo-soprano

for piano and voice lessons

Andres Valbuena, drum selection, drum basics, and more.

Dr. Hayward M. Fox, Ph.D.

The institute of Personal andTranspersonal Knowledge

Tucson Village Farm:

Vegetaable growing in the summer heat.

The Physio Shop,

Elite physical therapy services and more.

Icebox Cryotherapy,

Icebox Tucson’s unique enhancers allow you to be your best version! 

Nathan Anderson of Catalina Acupuncture

(520) 999-0080

Don't Be Shy: Share Your Stories!

I'm looking forward to sharing more of your personal stories - oral, written, or otherwise, as we enter our third year. I'd so love to present them to The Flock, hit a mailbox below to share your story.

Holualoa Ed Fit Wellness & Culture 2

520-818-4433

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