Day 23 ~ Sunset

Since I live in Colorado Springs, CO I don't get much of a sunset as Pike's Peak tends to swallow the sun pretty quickly. Here's a sunset in Arizona where it lasts so much longer without obstruction from a 14,000 foot mountain. Interesting effect taking a photograph from a moving car, true?

Day 14 ~ Flowers

Here's is long view of my rose.

As many of you know, I volunteer as a gardener for the grounds of my church in downtown Colorado Springs. I get my fix of flowers by performing a service to my fellow parishioners and experience the joy of watching the blooms come in their appointed time. I have planted over a dozen roses, countless Spring blooming bulbs, pruned all the roses every Spring, dead-headed, watered, planted annuals and weeded. I don't have much of an opportunity to create a garden at my home as my HOA frowns up me digging up the water wasting, to no benefit sod. That, and there is no outside water source available to the owners/renters as the HOA really, really don't want ANYONE washing cars in the parking lots... That said, I have a garden in containers that are currently producing carrots, radishes, chives, oregano, rosemary, lettuce, tomatoes and hopefully potatoes. There are also a rose, an Easter Lily, daffodils, grape hyacinths, nasturtiums, yarrow, violets and a morning glory. Most of my flowers are Spring bloomers but for the yarrow, nasturtium and the morning glory. My lovely rose is, I believe, an Elizabeth Taylor and it is on it's FIFTH bloom of the season. The deer haven't dined on it as yet, thank you so very much. Here's a close~up of a rain be~dewed single rose.

#97 of 365 - National and State Tartan Day

For as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule. It is not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom — for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.

From The Declaration of Arbroath 1320.


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April 6th is the national and state designated celebration of the contributions of persons of Scottish descent to the founding and settling of America. This date was chosen, as it was the date the Declaration of Arbroath was signed in 1320. Some of the wording of this document was used in creating our own Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Arbroath was sent to the Pope in Avignon to tell him that the Scots were tired of being oppressed by the English. Obviously, that is a problem that still hasn't been fully resolved, even today.

I have been involved with the Colorado State Tartan Council for many years and this morning I attended the State House of Representative's reading of the State Proclamation. Lovely to see John Wallin, the Sargeant at Arms of the House of Representatives decked out in a Colorado kilt and carrying a two-handed Scottish Claymore. Most of the attending Representatives also were wearing either a Colorado State Tartan tie or sash. Even if you have no Scottish or Celtic heritage, as a citizen of the United States you are entitled to wear the Saint Andrew's or American Bicentennial Tartan as your national tartan. If your state also has one, you are entitled to wear it as a resident of your state.

Here I am helping out visitors to one of the State's celebrations, decked out in my Scottish attire which includes and arasaig (shawl) of Old Blair tartan.

As an aside: Scotland has co-opted our National Tartan Day and as of 2003 has started to celebrate Tartan Day.

#46 of 365 - Old Friends and New

The joys of the internet is reconnecting with friends from the past. Lysa and I went to the same tiny high school in New Jersey and somehow we both ended up in Colorado. This photo was taken at the Long Peak Scottish-Irish Festival in lovely Estes Park, CO this past September. Lysa is a Stewart and I, of course am a Blair.



Then there are newly met friends. That would be Shaun from Clan Rose. She was there with her workmates as the boss was a festival sponsor and took his whole team to the festival for a day. How cool is that?

Colorado Clan Blair Society Burn's Supper

On Saturday Night, the Colorado Clan Blair Society celebrated the Birthday of Robert Burns the great Scottish poet. We used the occasion as a planning meeting for our CBS annual general meeting being held here in Colorado in August at the Colorado Scottish Games in Highlands Ranch, CO.

Torin Blair did a bang up job of reciting the Ode to the Haggis, that master of the Pudding Race, by Robert Burns. It was a lovely evening, enjoyed by all.

Attendees included myself and The Blair Family of Littleton, CO

We had a lovely meal, consisting of haggis and bacon tidbits, salad with dried cranberries and toasted oatmeal with whisky viniagrette, pork loins done on the grill and tatties and neeps (Smashed potatoes and turnips) followed by shortbread with pecans and chocolate chips and whisky soaked cake for dessert. Yummy! We do have some great cooks in our Clan.

We are well on the way with our planning for the AGM, we have our venue for the Clan Dinner and plans for events surrounding the visit of Blairs from all over the US and Canada.