The Chicago River, ready for the parade

From Chicago on St. Patrick's Day, here is our famous green river, dyed last Saturday for the big downtown parade, captured by my friend Bill Linden.

What does this have to do with the birth story? Well, nothing, but we of Irish descent just get the one day to celebrate, you know? Or, counting parade day and the festivities on the South Side on Sunday, three days, tops.

And Ireland does have the lowest maternal mortality rate in the world at last tally, with just one mother dying per 100,000 births in 2005.

That certainly is something to celebrate, and to remark upon.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Photo courtesty of Bill Linden