Aloha to Nancy Lee Badger and BURNS SUPPER - Celebrating the life of Scotland's Poet

January 25th marks the annual celebration of Scotland's national poet Robert Burns. Find out about his life and poetry, the Burns supper, and this year’s festivities at this link.

I invited Nancy Lee Badger, author of Scottish themed romance books, to share her experience with Burns Supper.  

Celebrating the Birthday of Scottish Poet, Robert Burns

Scots living outside the borders of Scotland, and folks of Scottish descent, are proud of their history. A large segment take the time to attend Highland games and festivals, Tartan day parades, and Robert Burn’s Suppers. All can be found in several countries such as the United States of America, where I live. I have talked about the Scottish games I attend in New Hampshire, North Carolina, and elsewhere. I have dreamed about marching in New York City’s Tartan day Parade, usually held around the 6th of April. Another holiday that dwells on kilts, haggis, and whisky is the celebration called the Robert Burns Supper.

Have you ever heard of the poem Tam O’Shanter, or A Red, Red Rose? Did you ever sing Auld Lang Syne while sipping champagne on New Year’s Eve? No other poet is as well-loved as Robert Burns, who was born in 1759, and no other Scot is celebrated with formal suppers. 

Since his birthday is January 25th, the deep winters are a good time to warm up with a delicious dinner and spirits. When we lived in northern New Hampshire, we trekked through the snow and sleet to attend a Robert Burns’ supper put on by a group called the St. Andrew’s Society of New Hampshire. We dressed in our best Highland attire, listened to a speech or two, sipped glasses of single malt scotch, and enjoyed such dishes as:

scotch broth: usually made of barley and lamb

cock-a-leekie soup: leeks cooked with chicken broth

bangers and mash: sausage and mashed potatoes, sometimes served with gravy

neeps and tatties: mashed rutabaga and potatoes

shortbread: a simple sweet, heavy cookies 

We all stood as a piper piped the arrival of the chef carrying the haggis, then listened to Burns’ Address to the Haggis.

Generally, Burns’ Selkirk Grace is spoken:

Some hae meat and canna eat,

And some wad eat that want it;

But we hae meat and we can eat,

And sae the Lord be thankit.

Here is a quick description of haggis: it’s a savory pudding that contains sheep’s pluck, otherwise known as a heart, liver, and lungs. It is ground up with onion, oatmeal, spices and salt, then traditionally encased in the animals’ stomach before baking. In the United States, we do not include the lungs, and it is usually cooked in an artificial casing. To me, it looked and tasted like a nutty, gritty goose paté. The best way to eat it is to smear a dollop on a cracker, followed by a swallow of whisky.

Robert Burns Suppers are fundraisers, and it takes many volunteers to plan the event. Anyone can generally attend for the price of a ticket, and should not be missed.

More About Nancy Lee Badger

After growing up in Huntington, New York, award-winning author Nancy Lee Badger attended College in New Hampshire, married, and raised two sons in a small town in the shadow of New Hampshire’s White Mountains. She is the proud mother of an Army veteran. She moved to North Carolina where she writes full-time. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Fantasy-Futuristic & Paranormal Romance Writers, the Celtic Heart Romance Writers, and the Triangle Association of Freelancers.

Nancy and her family volunteer each fall at the New Hampshire Highland Games surrounded by…kilts! Contact Nancy Lee Badger here…

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Her latest Release, MEDIEVAL REDEMPTION, is available at AMAZON

When his clan convicts Cameron Robeson of treason in 1598 Scotland, the last thing he thought his cousin the Laird would do was banish him to the future. With a certain woman on his mind, he plans revenge while surrounded by the sights and sounds of the modern day New England Highland Games. His plans go awry when a comely redheaded lass wearing the Mackenzie plaid lands at his feet. 

Iona Mackenzie is worried about her friend, Haven, and searches for answers among the tents at the games. Whom can she trust to help? When a magical amulet and an angry sorcerer send this unlikely couple back through time, more than one heart will be broken. Will the strong-willed Highlander and the present day witch stop fighting long enough to listen to their hearts? With a letter in her hand and a Highlander at her back, what could go wrong? 

I am giving away a digital copy of MEDIEVAL REDEMPTION to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about BURNS' SUPPER - have you attended one?  Would you try any of the dishes Nancy shared?  Have you read any of Burns' poetry?

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, January 30, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, January 31, on SOS Aloha (link).

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Aloha to Mullet Creek Nature Park in Safety Harbor, Florida

Last week, I traveled to my home town of Safety Harbor, Florida, to renovate our condo for sale.  The Sunshine State was colder than expected!  One cloudy afternoon, I took a brisk walk and brought my camera along.  I discovered the Mullet Creek Nature Park.  From the city's website (link),

Safety Harbor's newest park is Mullet Creek Nature Park. It is an outdoor art gallery that provides a unique visitor experience. The demonstration gardens are an area where you will be able to learn about and see plants growing. These garden plots are planted and maintained by volunteers. The formal art gardens sits is on 2.6 acres of City owned land and is at the corner of Church Street and Philippe Parkway. The Park has Outdoor Art Gallery, two picnic tables, one barbecue pit, three swings, lots of benches and chairs, a water fountain, and lots of fresh air.

Let's check out the art gallery ...

... where children explored their imagination ... 

... and I found the same flowers and fish from Hawaii!

The wise owl ...

 ... watches over those who sit for a while.

I was delighted to find the Little Free Library.  From its website (link),

In the beginning—2009--Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin, built a model of a one room schoolhouse. It was a tribute to his mother; she was a teacher who loved to read. He filled it with books and put it on a post in his front yard. His neighbors and friends loved it. He built several more and gave them away. Each one had a sign that said FREE BOOKS. Rick Brooks of UW-Madison saw Bol's do-it-yourself project while they were discussing potential social enterprises. 

 

Together, the two saw opportunities to achieve a variety of goals for the common good. Each brought different skills to the effort. Bol was a creative artisan experienced with innovative enterprise models; Brooks was a youth and community development educator with a background in social marketing. They were inspired by many different ideas:

- Andrew Carnegie’s support of 2,509 free public libraries around the turn of the 19th to 20th century.
- The heroic achievements of Miss Lutie Stearns, a librarian who brought books to nearly 1400 locations in Wisconsin through “traveling little libraries” between 1895 and 1914.
- “Take a book, leave a book” collections in coffee shops and public spaces.
- Neighborhood kiosks, TimeBanking and community gift-sharing networks
- Grassroots empowerment movements in Sri Lanka, India and other countries worldwide.

What's your favorite artwork?  Or have you seen a Little Free Library in your neighborhood?  One randomly selected commenter from this week's blogs wins a book choice from my convention stash. Comments are open through Saturday, January 23, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, January 24.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

The back view of the Little Free Library

Aloha to Taste of Aloha - Polynesian Restaurant in Halethorpe, Maryland

 

Last week, my family enjoyed lunch at Taste of Aloha in Halethorpe, Maryland.  From its website (link),

Our mission is to serve the best Polynesian comfort food, in an enjoyable atmosphere for customers & employees. It's a popular place to meet friends & enjoy good, affordable food. Perfect for the business lunch crowd, families & students.

We are a family owned & operated business, focused on the quality of our food & your dining experience. We strive to ensure you feel like ohana when you come in. All our sauces & marinades are made from scratch; as are the weekend treats that Amy (my wife) makes. We pipe in Hawaiian music in the dining room & encourage you to relax & enjoy your meal.

 

Oldest son ordered Loco Moco - two scopes of rice, hamburger patty, fried egg, and brown gravy on top.

I dove into Teriyaki chicken with a scope of Mac Salad - an island staple.  I loved the classic cafeteria tray!

Hubby enjoyed the Hawaiian burger with grilled pineapple.

We were tempted by the cupcakes ... what is your favorite Hawaiian, Polynesian, and/or Asian food? One randomly selected commenter from this week's posts wins a book choice from my convention stash.  Comments are open through Saturday, January 23, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, Jaunary 24.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

The spices are devine!

Celebrating National Parks - Aloha Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island

2016 is the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service. There is one national park with an active volcano, Kilauea, home of Pele from Hawaiian mythology.  Above is the Kilauea Caldera .... 

.... with the Halemaʻumaʻu crater blowing off steam!

Madame Pele, the Volcano Goddess, is both feared and revered.  Her portrait hangs inside the Jaggar Museum in the Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park (link).

Pele produces two kinds of lava. Above is A'a lava that is difficult to walk over. Perhaps it is Pele's revenge.

This is Pahoehoe lava that can flow up or down hill. It is easier to walk across.

Pele's temper produces two types of sand - green and black.

Outside the Jaggar Museum, I found a "rainwater" station, "captured from the clouds, filtered by the sand, pumped here by solar." You can't get much "greener" than that!

We walked along the caldera rim to see it from different angles.

We discovered the vents where rainwater turns to steam when it seeps into Kilauea's caldera.

I welcome your comments about Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.  One randomly selected commenter from this week's blogs wins a book choice from my convention stash.  Comments are open through Saturday, January 23, 10 pm in Baltimore. I'll post the winner on Sunday, January 24.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

The pictures above are mine during the day .... and I found one fabulous photo at twilight to demonstrate the awe of Pele:

Dave from traveldave.com gave me permission to publish this image. It truly captures the essence of Pele - she is present even if you cannot see her during the day. You can find this image and others on his blog at this link. Mahalo, Dave!

Celebrating National Parks - Aloha to Haleakala on Maui

2016 is the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service. On Monday, Jeapardy! featured the category, National Parks. The answer (paraphrase) was "two national parks on volcanoes include Kilauea on the Big Island of Hawaii and Haleakala this island." The answer is Maui. 

Hale is "house" and "akala" is sun. Tourists waken at o-dark-hundred to ascend to the top of the national park to watch the sun rise over the Pacific. Those same tourists often ride bikes down the switchbacks. Alas, they miss the beauty on the volcano itself.

The Haleakala National Park (link) cares for this sacred mountain from its peak to the sea, ahupua'a.  The two pictures above are the silversword, ʻāhinahina, literally "very gray" - a rare plant that only grows on Haleakala.

Hanau ka po
Hanau Kumulipo i ka po, he kane
Hanau Po'ele i ka po, he wahine…
O kane ia Wai'ololi, o ka wahine ia Wai'olola
Hanau ka Manauea noho i kai
Kia'i ia e ke Kalo-manauea noho i uka…
O kalina a ka wai i ho'oulu ai
O ka huli ho'okawowo honua
O paia ['a] i ke auau ka manawa
O he'e au loloa ka po
O piha, o pihapiha…

The night gave birth

Born was Kumulipo in the night, a male
Born was Po'ele in the night, a female…
Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream
Born was the Manauea moss living in the sea
Guarded by the Manauea taro plant living on land…
Water that causes the withered vine to flourish
Causes the plant top to develop freely
Multiplying in the passing time
The long night slips along
Fruitful, very fruitful ...

-From the Kumulipo, the Hawaiian Creation Chant, translation by Martha Beckwith, 1951

Tourists may come for the scenery ... but they leave with an awakening.

Driving further up the mountain, we could see the Pacific Ocean beyond the rolling clouds.

Notice the elevation - 10,023 feet! Yes, it was a bit chilly for my teens! 

The crest is the perfect location for satellite tracking, weather monitoring, and space exploration!   Although we are an Air Force family, we could not access the Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing Site (AMOS - link).

Driving down, we spotted the Hawaiian state bird, the nene. Brought back from near extinction, the nene seeks sanctuary on Haleakala. Have you visited a mountain or another high place? One randomly selected commenter from this week's blogs wins a book choice from my convention stash. Comments are open through Saturday, January 23, 10 pim in Baltimore. I'll post the winner on Sunday, January 24, at SOS Aloha.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Celebrating National Parks - Aloha to the World War II Valor of the Pacific National Monument

Last week, I noted 2016 is the 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service (NPS)(link).   To continue the celebration, I offer you the National Parks in Hawaii.  The number one tourist attraction on the island of Oahu is the World War II Valor of the Pacific National Monument. Visitors can explore interactive displays, including a short film, before taking the shuttle across Pearl Harbor to the USS Arizona Memorial.  From the NPS website (link),

The USS Arizona is the final resting place for many of the ship's 1,177 crewmen who lost their lives on December 7, 1941. The 184-foot-long Memorial structure spans the mid-portion of the sunken battleship and consists of three main sections: the entry room; the assembly room, a central area designed for ceremonies and general observation; and the shrine room, where the names of those killed on the Arizona are engraved on the marble wall.

Initial recognition came in 1950 when Admiral Arthur Radford, Commander in Chief, Pacific (CINCPAC), ordered that a flagpole be erected over the sunken battleship. On the ninth anniversary of the attack, a commemorative plaque was placed at the base of the flagpole.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who helped achieve Allied victory in Europe during World War II, approved the creation of the Memorial in 1958. Its construction was completed in 1961 with public funds appropriated by Congress and private donations. The Memorial was dedicated in 1962.

According to its architect, Alfred Preis, the design of the Memorial, "Wherein the structure sags in the center but stands strong and vigorous at the ends, expresses initial defeat and ultimate victory....The overall effect is one of serenity. Overtones of sadness have been omitted to permit the individual to contemplate his own personal responses... his innermost feelings."

Inside the memorial, the far wall lists the sailors who lost their lives on that day of infamy, including seven sets of brothers. The USS Arizona, resting on the bottom Pearl Harbor, leaks about one quart of oil each day. Survivors call them tears, believing the Arizona will leak until all survivors have joined their shipmates in the watery grave (the National Park Service allows survivors to have their ashes interred in the Arizona).

I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash to one randomly selected commenter - open forum.  Comments are open through Saturday, January 23, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, January 24 at SOS Aloha.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

The Memorial spans the sunken USS Arizona.

Photo by US Navy (Public Domain)

Aloha to National Parks - Happy 100th Anniversary!

The National Park Service is celebrating its 100th Anniversary in 2016.   From Wikipedia (link),

National parks and national monuments in the United States were originally individually managed under the auspices of the Department of the Interior. The movement for an independent agency to oversee these federal lands was spearheaded by business magnate and conservationist Stephen Mather, as well as J. Horace McFarland. With the help of journalist Robert Sterling Yard, Mather ran a publicity campaign for the Department of the Interior. They wrote numerous articles that praised the scenic and historic qualities of the parks and their possibilities for educational, inspirational, and recreational benefits.  This campaign resulted in the creation of a National Park Service. On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill that mandated the agency "to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and wildlife therein, and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations." Mather became the first director of the newly formed NPS.

Everglades National Park
Public Domain (link)

National Parks have touched my life.  I grew up in Miami and enjoyed weekend getaways to the Everglades National Park (link).   I learned about our colonial history when I was assigned to Hanscom Air Force Base, outside Boston, by visiting the Minute Man National Historical Park (link).  In fact, my "farewell" plaque from Hanscom includes the famous Minute Man Statue.   Now that I live near Baltimore, my family takes pride in Fort McHenry, home of the Star Spangled Banner (link).    

The Minuteman guarding the North Bridge
Concord, MA

The Star Spangled Banner may be our National Anthem, but America the Beautiful is a song of our heart.  Yes, America is beautiful, especially in this Youtube Video (link) from the National Park Service - nature is our national treasure.

Next week I'll be away in Florida ... so I will share pictures from my favorite National Parks in another sunshine state, Hawaii!

Do you have a favorite national park, monument, or historical site?  Or one that you would like to visit?  One randomly selected commenter from this week's blog posts wins a book choice from my convention stash.  Comments are open through Saturday, January 9, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, January 10.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Park ranges dress as WWI soldiers
at Fort McHenry