Walking Continues

It is true that I once refused to eat haggis in Scotland  and this did not sit well with the local population. ~ Rick Ridden Whenever people discuss foods of Scotland "the haggis"* is usually the first item mentioned. It was mentioned in the itinerary of the tour. It was discussed by my fellow travelers all along the way.  I think most on the trip tried it - haggis balls (small fried balls of haggis - like hushpuppies or the more standard haggis at breakfast). Many suggested it tasted at bit like meatloaf. I love a good meatloaf, but b ecause I do not eat "organ meats" I decided to skip the haggis in favor of other things. And as far as I know, no one seemed insulted by my refusal to sample any. I did eat black pudding (also known as blood sausage) a couple of times as I have been a fan since eating it in Ireland. In each case here it was good - one was particularly, well, almost sophisticated. I believe that was the prized Stornoway black pudding.**  Scotland is bl

We're all ghosts.  We all carry, inside us,  people who came before us. ~ Liam Callanan, from The Cloud Atlas Eilean Donan Castle* It's a kind of fiction we learned - rebuilt castles and kilts and Highland games and all. I'll let you do the research. But sometimes our ancestors can reach through the woolens and the whitewash. We arrived at Eilean Nonan Castle and toured as do many, walking across the bridge that links the castle's island to the mainland. It is a stunningly lovely place. We were able to climb up and down the stairs from a gathering room down to the kitchen. One could take photos outside, but in most of the castle photography was not allowed. Much of my focus was on NOT falling on the stairs. What can I say?** Wandering about the exterior of the castle. Some of the many external stairways. Fortunately it was always possible to steady oneself. A view from the courtyard of the castle. One of the stairs inside the castle. They were steep and narrow and uneve

Dark, dark was the day when we looked on Culloden And chill was the mist drop that clung to the tree, The oats of the harvest hung heavy and sodden, No light on the land and no wind on the sea. ~ Andrew Lang, Culloden** In Culloden fields the daisies grow... When discussing my ancestors - the Burrs, the McMullens (Macmillans), the Stewarts, and others - with a kilted Scot at one of the historic sites, I wondered allowed how and why it was they left Scotland for America. "They left after Culloden," he replied. NOTES: *Map and short explanation of the battle  http://www.poetryatlas.com/poetry/poem/1111/culloden.html **The whole poem:  Dark, dark was the day when we looked on Culloden And chill was the mist drop that clung to the tree, The oats of the harvest hung heavy and sodden, No light on the land and no wind on the sea. There was wind, there was rain, there was fire on their faces, When the clans broke the bayonets and died on the guns, And 'tis Honour that watches the

Everything that slows us down and forces patience,  everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature,  is a help.  Gardening is an instrument of grace.   ~ May Sarton Hard to go wrong starting with a bed of poppies! This slightly purple one really grabbed me. Ahhhh! I missed the "Royal" Botanical Garden in Edinburgh - no time. And I suspect I would have missed seeing most of it even if I'd the time to go there - it is enormous! Then the Inverness Botanical Garden appeared at the end of our Ness Island walk and invited us in. We found that it is a much more approachable size and lovely. Imagine my surprise to wander through the door the "tropical" greenhouse  only to discover that it was a portal home! Plants of my parent's garden and mine were all around me! It was a reunion of sorts - greeting long lost friends at every turn. The Tropical Garden Bougainvillea Gardeners in the UK love Spanish moss. Crinum Lilies (I've these in my garden.) So