Thursday, January 25, 2018

Burns Night


Robert Burns, the beloved 18th century bard of Scotland, is remembered this night with celebrations in his homeland and around the world. A typical Burns Night celebration includes: bagpiping, haggis (and Burns' "Address to the Haggis"...you can see a lively one here), recitations of his poetry, and whiskey. The tradition began when some of Burns friends gathered to dine and remember him five years after his death. Although he was a prolific poet and lyricist with over 500 titles to his credit, Americans might know him best as the author of "Auld Lang Syne". But it was his love for Scotland that shone forth in his writing. Here is his poem, "My Heart's in the Highlands", with some pictures from our visit last year to the Scottish Highlands. And it's quite true...we left a little of our hearts there.


My Heart's in the Highlands

Farewell to the Highlands, farewell to the North, 
The birth-place of Valour, the country of Worth; 
Wherever I wander, wherever I rove, 
The hills of the Highlands for ever I love. 




Chorus.-My heart's in the Highlands, my heart is not here, 
My heart's in the Highlands, a-chasing the deer; 
Chasing the wild-deer, and following the roe, 
My heart's in the Highlands, wherever I go.





Farewell to the mountains, high-cover'd with snow, 
Farewell to the straths and green vallies below; 
Farewell to the forests and wild-hanging woods, 
Farewell to the torrents and loud-pouring floods. 
My heart's in the Highlands, wherever I go.


6 comments:

  1. I love the two photographs of beautiful old farm houses dwarfed by the majestic rocky mountains of the highlands! A large print of one or both of those would be really fun! I so clearly remember visiting the goregous Falls of Bruar (about which Burns wrote a poem) when I was studying in England for a semester back in college. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you! Those are some of my favorite photographs from our vacation! Such a memorable day!

    You studied in England for a semester?!?!? Living my dream!

    P.S. My sincerest apologies for the delayed response to your comment! Apparently Blogger changed how they notify me (or don’t notify me!) about comments, and I didn’t realize that your comment was there. I wasn’t trying to be rude…really! So sorry!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Kate,

    When you and your family did the Highland safari, did you drive from Edinburgh or from Glencoe? And what skeet shooting location did you use? It seems they have more than one. Still planning away...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We drove from Glencoe that day. We had driven up from Edinburgh to Glencoe the previous day.
      Skeet shooting...hmm. That was at Crabtree Clay Shoot south of the Yorkshire Dales. I hope that helps.

      Delete
  4. Kate you are so sweet and have been such a help! The trip is coming together and we are staying in some of the places you suggested. My husband was impressed but I definitely gave you the credit!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Enjoy! I am so excited for you! You are going to have THE BEST of times!

      Delete

Burns Night


Robert Burns, the beloved 18th century bard of Scotland, is remembered this night with celebrations in his homeland and around the world. A typical Burns Night celebration includes: bagpiping, haggis (and Burns' "Address to the Haggis"...you can see a lively one here), recitations of his poetry, and whiskey. The tradition began when some of Burns friends gathered to dine and remember him five years after his death. Although he was a prolific poet and lyricist with over 500 titles to his credit, Americans might know him best as the author of "Auld Lang Syne". But it was his love for Scotland that shone forth in his writing. Here is his poem, "My Heart's in the Highlands", with some pictures from our visit last year to the Scottish Highlands. And it's quite true...we left a little of our hearts there.


My Heart's in the Highlands

Farewell to the Highlands, farewell to the North, 
The birth-place of Valour, the country of Worth; 
Wherever I wander, wherever I rove, 
The hills of the Highlands for ever I love. 




Chorus.-My heart's in the Highlands, my heart is not here, 
My heart's in the Highlands, a-chasing the deer; 
Chasing the wild-deer, and following the roe, 
My heart's in the Highlands, wherever I go.





Farewell to the mountains, high-cover'd with snow, 
Farewell to the straths and green vallies below; 
Farewell to the forests and wild-hanging woods, 
Farewell to the torrents and loud-pouring floods. 
My heart's in the Highlands, wherever I go.


6 comments:

  1. I love the two photographs of beautiful old farm houses dwarfed by the majestic rocky mountains of the highlands! A large print of one or both of those would be really fun! I so clearly remember visiting the goregous Falls of Bruar (about which Burns wrote a poem) when I was studying in England for a semester back in college. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you! Those are some of my favorite photographs from our vacation! Such a memorable day!

    You studied in England for a semester?!?!? Living my dream!

    P.S. My sincerest apologies for the delayed response to your comment! Apparently Blogger changed how they notify me (or don’t notify me!) about comments, and I didn’t realize that your comment was there. I wasn’t trying to be rude…really! So sorry!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Kate,

    When you and your family did the Highland safari, did you drive from Edinburgh or from Glencoe? And what skeet shooting location did you use? It seems they have more than one. Still planning away...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We drove from Glencoe that day. We had driven up from Edinburgh to Glencoe the previous day.
      Skeet shooting...hmm. That was at Crabtree Clay Shoot south of the Yorkshire Dales. I hope that helps.

      Delete
  4. Kate you are so sweet and have been such a help! The trip is coming together and we are staying in some of the places you suggested. My husband was impressed but I definitely gave you the credit!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Enjoy! I am so excited for you! You are going to have THE BEST of times!

      Delete

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