homeland-blog

The Old One's Are The Best : ) - 2nd July 2010

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 11:56:34 +0100

A Glaswegian stops before a graveyard in a Gorbals cemetery, and notices a carved tombstone declaring,
"Here lies a lawyer and an honest man..."
"Ach, who'd ever think..." he murmered, "there'd be enough room fer two men in that one wee grave..."

Address To A Haggis - Robert Burns - 23rd Jan 2010

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 11:42:06 +0100

Address To A Haggis

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy o' a grace
As lang's my arm.

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o' need,
While thro' your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.

His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An' cut you up wi' ready sleight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like ony ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!

Then, horn for horn,
they stretch an' strive:
Deil tak the hindmost! on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve,
Are bent lyke drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
"Bethankit!" 'hums.

Is there that owre his French ragout
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi' perfect sconner,
Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him ower his trash,
As feckless as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Thro' bloody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread.
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He'll mak it whissle;
An' legs an' arms, an' heads will sned,
Like taps o' thrissle.

Ye Pow'rs wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o' fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies;
But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer,
Gie her a haggis!

The Translation

Fair is your honest happy face
Great chieftain of the pudding race
Above them all you take your place
Stomach, tripe or guts
Well are you worthy of a grace
As long as my arm

The groaning platter there you fill
Your buttocks like a distant hill
Your skewer would help to repair a mill
In time of need
While through your pores the juices emerge
Like amber beads

His knife having seen hard labour wipes
And cuts you up with great skill
Digging into your gushing insides bright
Like any ditch
And then oh what a glorious sight
Warm steaming, rich

Then spoon for spoon
They stretch and strive
Devil take the last man, on they drive
Until all their well swollen bellies
Are bent like drums
Then, the old gent most likely to rift (burp)
Be thanked, mumbles

Is there that over his French Ragout
Or olio that would sicken a pig
Or fricassee would make her vomit
With perfect disgust
Looks down with a sneering scornful opinion
On such a dinner

Poor devil, see him over his trash
As week as a withered rush (reed)
His spindle-shank a good whiplash
His clenched fist.the size of a nut.
Through a bloody flood and battle field to dash
Oh how unfit

But take note of the strong haggis fed Scot
The trembling earth resounds his tread
Clasped in his large fist a blade
He'll make it whistle
And legs and arms and heads he will cut off
Like the tops of thistles

You powers who make mankind your care
And dish them out their meals
Old Scotland wants no watery food
That splashes in dishes
But if you wish her grateful prayer
Give her a haggis!

Not Long Now Till Burns Night....and Supper!

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:15:37 +0100

A Burns supper is a celebration of the life and poetry of the poet Robert Burns, author of many Scots poems including "Auld Lang Syne" ," which is generally sung as a folk song at Hogmany and other New Year celebrations around the world. The suppers are normally held on or near the poet's birthday, 25 January, sometimes also known as Robert Burns Day or Burns Night (Burns Nicht), although they may in principle be held at any time of the year.

Burns suppers are most common in Scotland , but they occur wherever there are Burns Clubs, Scottish Societies, expatriate Scots, or lovers of Burns' poetry.

The first suppers were held in Ayrshire at the end of the 18th century by his friends on the anniversary of his death, 21 July, In Memoriam and they have been a regular occurrence ever since. The first Burns club, known as The Mother Club, was founded in Greenock in 1801 by merchants born in Ayrshire, some of whom had known Burns. They held the first Burns Supper on what they thought was his birthday on 29 January 1802, but in 1803 discovered from the Ayr parish records that the correct date was 25 January 1759, and since then suppers have been held to 25 January, Burns' birthday.

Merry Christmas One and All !

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:38:43 +0100

It's that time of year again and independent of one's beliefs I wish you all a peaceful and happy time of year. It's a time for familes and friends. A time to reflect on the year gone by and to look forward to the New Year. To consider what we have and to spare a thought for those less fortunate. Have a Cool Yule!

Buchaille Etive Beag, Glen Coe, by John MacPherson

Final Bow

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 09:12:30 +0100

Street performer Claire Wedemeyer gives one last wave as she packs up on the final day of the 63rd Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The world's biggest arts festival with 34,000 performances of more than 2000 shows broke all previous records by selling over 1.8 million tickets!

Norway 4 Scotland 0

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 08:11:20 +0100

....and that kinda say's it all !

So......on to happier things......

Archaeologists have uncovered a rare example of a grave that has been kept almost intact for 4000 years.

The burial chamber, which was found in Forteviot, Perthshire, is thought to have been used as the final resting place of a "significant" person, who may have been a community leader or religious figure in the Early Bronze Age.

His grave lay hidden by a four-ton sandstone slab until a crane was used to lift the massive stone, revealing artefacts including a bronze dagger, a leather bag, wooden bowl and portions of the original birch bark coffin.

The grave was found at Forteviot, where Kenneth MacAlpin, the first king of a united Scotland, died in AD858, and Historic Scotland said it was a "rare and exciting" discovery.

: )

Tonight's the Night!

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:15:39 +0100

SCOTLAND'S World Cup dream hangs in the balance but manager George Burley will not be stricken by a fear of failure as he sends out a side alert to the need for a victory tonight in Oslo.......and they better win too!

jings crivvens and help ma'boab!

World Cup Qualifier......keep your fingers crossed!

Sun, 09 Aug 2009 13:55:57 +0100

Scotland play Norway on Wednesday.......

THE SMELL of cut grass, another strip, maybe a new challenge: this time of year brings many things to mind, but the national side is not one of them.

On the shores of Loch Lomond this weekend, Scotland are preparing for a World Cup qualifying match in Oslo, the magnitude of which ought not to be lost in the phoney war that is pre-season.

Their crucial Group 9 clash with Norway has a surreal dimension to it, a bit like a birthday during the festive period: people tell you it's important, but with so much else going on, you have to wonder. Defeat on Wednesday might not seem like the end of the world, not with a summer sun to soothe the hangover, but it will on the long dark nights of winter, if Scotland have missed out on another major finals.

Burns homage in Tattoo programme : BBC

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 09:01:07 +0100

A panoply of international talent, including UK debuts for performers from China and a Canadian choir, will help celebrate the 60th Edinburgh Tattoo.

The event will also celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Scottish poet Robert Burns.

More than 1,000 performers, featuring a Tongan cultural troupe, Swiss percussionists and Brit Award-winning pipers and drummers will attend.

The tattoo is expected to draw 217,000 people over three weeks from 7 August.

A special Burns homage will include Canada's Calgary Burns singers - alongside vocalists from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

About 200 pipers and drummers representing 10 different bands from the UK and overseas are expected to fill the Esplanade playing Scots, Wha Hae and Duncan Gray.

The pipes and drums of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, whose CD of military music partly recorded in Iraq won the best album award at the Classical Brits ceremony in May, will take to the arena along with The Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

The musicians will together perform a special selection of tunes including the world premiere of a specially commissioned composition entitled Tour of Duty by Runrig founder member Blair Douglas.

One of China's top cultural acts, the 90-strong She Huo troupe from Edinburgh's twin city of Xi'an, will perform a colourful display of traditional song, dance and acrobatics, with "never-before-seen skills".

The Central Band of the Swiss Army will make its debut Tattoo performance.

World Pipe Band Championships 2009

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:46:25 +0100

Glasgow Green – Saturday 15 August

The biggest and best event in piping is back! Once again, pipe bands from across the globe will descend onto Glasgow Green with one goal - to be World Pipe Band Champions 2009! Welcoming bands from as far afield as Australia, USA, Pakistan and New Zealand, this is the most anticipated musical event on the cultural calendar.