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Meredith
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Well my daughter and I just finished reading Little House in the Highlands by the lovely and most talented Melissa Wiley and we are now enamoured with wanting to study some Scottish history and then maybe tie in to a study of England, Wales and possibly Ireland. I know you're probably all thinking, whoa that's like centuries of history, but hey we just thought we'd see where it might take us. For starters any ideas for Scottland would be grand!  You women (and men) are always so helpful and creative, TIA. 
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Meredith
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Weel, Isee there have been 14 views on my inquiry but no responses  . Has anyone done ANY study of Scottland??? I would really like something "living" to study besides my encyclopedia. Would so love some suggestions here. MacBeth....where are you??? Anyone...
Thanks so much, flailing helplessly here 
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alicegunther
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LOL, Meredith! I must admit that I did take a look at this post, but we haven't studied Scotland in earnest yet. Here is a website that might be of some use--it seems to cover all things Scottish.
Luckily, Lissa has more books in the Highlands series! They will make beautiful follow up reading for you. A friend of mine actually took her family of five to Scotland after reading Little House in the Highlands. How's that for inspiration?!
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JennGM
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Meredith,
I haven't done a study, but I wanted to throw out a few ideas.
Watch the musical Brigadoon.
Read about the history of tartan plaids.
This site: [ulr=http://www.travelforkids.com/Funtodo/Scotland/scotland.htm]Travel for Kids[/url] has absolutely a great collection of Scottish books and travel ideas that might give you some jumping points.
Patron Saints Index lists Andrew the Apostle (patron of Scotland) and then Columba, Margaret of Scotland and Palladius as saints from Scotland. But there's also Kentigern, Blessed John Ogilvie.
Studying the foods, you need to look into Sheep's Head, Haggis, Bannocks, Scones, Shortbread, and Struan Micheil.
I don't have books that I can think of, but studying Mary Queen of Scots is sure to be exciting.
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JennGM
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Just a PS...Scotland Tartan and Dress looks to be a great site...and the history of wearing the kilt and tartans is so fun to read.
I don't think that it's too much to want to blend in studies of the British Isles...or you could narrow it by studying the Celtic line...Scottish, Irish and Welsh. I just recently found out that the Celts settled in Spain near the Compostela...so there is lot of Celtic influence there.
Studying the influence of the ocean on these countries...fishing, boating industries, etc.
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Meredith
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Oh Alice, God bless you for responding! WE have ALL of Lissa's wonderful books and are so looking forward to reading them all aloud (my daughter plowed through all 8 or is it 9 of them within 2 weeks I think) together now. I really want to embelish them. Maybe I'll have to contact that elusive author for more research . Actually I know she's a little busy right now so don't want to bug her, but thanks so much for chiming in and can't wait to explore the website you sent.
My kids would love to go to Scottland and Ireland as a family trip, I am a McRoberts (maiden name) and my hubby is a Doroughty (SP?) so we have BOTH heritages under our belt, but don't know much about either country in an intelligible way. (That sounded weird, but maybe you kwim ) Anyway, thanks for your response, call MacBeth for me, maybe she'll *pipe* in Sorry, couldn't resist. Love you ladies one and all!
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Meredith
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Jenn, I think you and I posted at the same time, thank you too for your thoughtful post and links, they look great!! I love the Saint Andrew tie in. Appreciate it after my begging! I'm off to research now...
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JennGM
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This site Symbols of Scotland has tons of links about Scotland...scroll down to see them all organized. I'm getting lost in my reading and clicking through! Very interesting stuff...
Our family can trace some roots in Scotland...so when my brother had a 10 trip when he was in Austria at the FUS campus, he made a trip to Scotland...traced our tartan. He knew no one but he was put up by some very generous folk.
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MacBeth
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The Scottish Games are coming up. Here's a photo of Libby tossing a caber a few years ago. More ideas later (just rolling off the beach now).
<edit>
Libby just made me remove the caber picture... . Anyway, here's a link to the games. Wish you could all stop by!
Scottish Games
Oh, and here's a link to Libby's page, with the photo...shhh!
http://charlottemason.tripod.com/libby.html
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alicegunther
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 Great picture, but watch out for those precious violin hands, Libby!
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alicegunther
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MacBeth, tell the story about the time Libby's violin playing called the phantom Scotsman out of the mist.
It's a good story, and, if memory serves, includes an excellent musical recommendation. Scottish Fantasy, wasn't it?
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MacBeth
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Oh, yes, Alice! That was really funny!
Libby was practicing Scottish Fantasy in the hallway at our local Waldorf school, and she turned to see a Sctosman, in kilt and all (including the knife in his sock holster), with a fiddle on his back. This is not an everyday occurance at Waldorf, but the fiddler was in NY for Tartan Week, and he was going to do a demo for the kids. I released her from her German school obligation, and we heard Paul Anderson's Wonderful fiddling and story telling.
More info... Paul Anderson
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materdei7
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Meredith, my dh has just finished a great read called
Born Fighting, the story of how the Scot-Irish settled
America, by James Webb. It is a great history book of Scotland/Ireland and the influence it has on America!
Brigadoon is a great film classic...my girls love the dancing (with the kilts!)And we have a Clan and Tartan
book to identify our clan as well as many others.
How about bag-pipes! And carding wool....tea time...
and lovely collie stories by Albert Terhune!
Lots of heather in the highlands!
blessings,
Kathy
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Lissa
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Meredith! Alice alerted me to this thread and my goodness, thanks so much for your kind remarks!
I'm writing in a rush (as usual) but here's a few of my favorite things Scottish...
--see if your library has any folk tale collections by Sorche nic Leodhas. Wonderful stories, told in the most entrancing brogue. All her books are out of print now, I think (haven't checked in a while) but sometimes turn up used.
--the EdinPhoto site http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/, which contains hundreds of old engravings of the city. My wall is plastered with printouts of these!
--lovely books to dip into: MEMOIRS OF A HIGHLAND LADY by Elizabeth Grant Rothiemurchus (her childhood stories are fascinating) and Dorothy Wordsworth's journal of the tour she made with her brother and Coleridge. Samuel Johnson's "Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland" is also quite interesting. I always skip around, savoring bits and pieces.
--the children's music CD, Gimme Some Elbow Room, is one of my kids' favorites (for years now)
--a fun trail to follow is the number of Scottish songs Pa fiddles and sings in Laura's Little House books. Many of them are Robert Burns airs, including Mary's favorite (I think) and mine, Bonny Doon. (My best housecleaning song.)
--anything to do with wool, of course. Harrisville sells a drop spindle kit. Maybe you'll have more success with it than I did. I'm waiting for Kate to tackle that one.
I have lots of Scottish history resources but nothing really kid-friendly. Oh, wait, what's that great website for all things Scottish...Unicorn something....ah, here it is: Unicorn Limited/Scot Press. They're in WV (so it isn't internat'l shipping, whew) and they have EVERYTHING. Very nice folks, too.
I know there's more, if I could only think of it...hey, there used to be a bunch of ideas on the CCM website, linked to the Little House entries on the booklist. Is that still there?
Enjoy!!
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Lissa
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A couple more resources...one book that is probably too dry for the kids but perhaps useful for you yourself is Fitzroy Maclean's SCOTLAND: A CONCISE HISTORY. Manageable size & gives a good overview of the big events. Also has geneology charts for the kings (though I'm sure you can find those all over the internet too). There are many other more comprehensive histories but this one makes a good starting point.
A book I have found invaluable for research is Marjorie Plant's THE DOMESTIC LIFE OF SCOTLAND IN THE 18th CENTURY. Detailed daily-life information, wonderful stuff.
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MaryM
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Lissa wrote:
--anything to do with wool, of course. |
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Meredith,
Have you ever been to the Trailing of the Sheep Festival there in Idaho? It's coming up in October. It celebrates the heritage of the sheepherders who have influenced the sheep industry in the Wood River Valley. From the website they mention that it "includes a variety of cultural programs relating to sheep ranching in Idaho and the Scottish, Basque and Peruvian heritage that figured prominently in its history." This year the Sheep Folklife Fair will highlight the contributions of the Scottish to Idaho History. Events will include Scottish music, dancing, kilt making, haggis, and Scottish games.
How perfect! Right in your backyard.
My parents went last year and really enjoyed it - (we have Basque ancestry). I hope someday to make it out to the festival with my kids.
And I also saw this on an Idaho site:
SCOTTISH HIGHLAND GAMES
Where?: Idaho Botanical Gardens, Boise
When?: Saturday, September 24th
At what time?: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The details: Scottish events, stalls, food and more
For more information: 331-5675
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Meredith
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Oh Lissa, thanks so much for checking in and Oh so many resources, we'll be months on this for sure, or at least I will I so appreciate your ideas and suggestions.
Mary, thanks also for chiming in here and yes, the Trailing of the Sheep is a must do event here, it's awesome. Thanks for the Highland festival heads up for Boise too, maybe *materdei* will meet me there for a clan gathering
Thanks again to everyone, it is so appreciated, I've got a hankering to watch Braveheart starring our favorite catholic actor, Mel
Will update on our rabbit trail here..." Oh, you take the high road and I'll take the low road....."
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alicegunther
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Lissa wrote:
| --anything to do with wool, of course. Harrisville sells a drop spindle kit. Maybe you'll have more success with it than I did. I'm waiting for Kate to tackle that one |
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After reading our first Martha book many years ago, the girls clamored for a drop spindle. Of course, I sent away for one, but, like you, just couldn't get the knack of it. I read all the directions and followed them to the letter, but all I was able to produce was a coarse lumpy blob that could hardly be called "yarn."
Then a couple of years ago, we attended "Tasha Tudor's Birthday Celebration" in Vermont. The whole day was filled with Tudor-esque activities, including a session on spinning yarn. We tried both a wheel spindle and a drop spindle, and it all put me in mind of the Stone House, but guess what? The instructor's yarn on the drop spindle looked almost exactly like my own lumpy blob from years before--only longer, much longer. Either she didn't really know much about drop spindling, or that's the way it's supposed to look!
Then again, I suppose Martha herself (or perhaps Auld Mary) would be the first to provide an explanation: Everyone's early drop spindling looks like a lumpy blob until they get some practice--and lots of it!
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Karen E.
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What about compiling a booklist of Scottish authors and their books -- a list that you could draw from for years to come?
There's J.M. Barrie, Andrew Lang, George MacDonald, Kenneth Grahame, Robert Louis Stevenson, Sir Walter Scott ....
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4Real Forums : Across Time and Place
Topic: Scottish History
