National Scotland Day

Tartan

We're celebrating National Tartan Day again, a time for celebrating the full, rich culture of Scotland! Tartan Day commemorates the Scottish Declaration of Independence, signed on April 6, 1320. In Canada and the US it’s a huge celebration, particularly for more than eleven million Americans who claim Scottish and Scotch-Irish roots and are proud of their ancestors.

The Declaration Of Arbroath

In 1320 51 Scottish nobles and magnates sealed the Declaration Of Arbroath, "a statement of intent sent to Pope John XXII confirming Scotland as a sovereign state."

This document was the inspiration for The 1776 US Declaration Of Independence. Hence Senate Resolution 155 and the Presidential Proclamation that decreed April 6 National Tartan Day. This proclamation refers to the predominance of Scots among our founding fathers and it recognizes the huge contribution they have made to the building of this nation.

"So today America celebrates all things Scottish with marches, Saltires, food fairs, gigs, fashion shows, tattoos, bagpipes, drums, dancing, speeches and parties — even miniature Falkirk Kelpies will be unveiled." ~Donald MaCleod

It’s Tartan Day — let’s party like it’s 1320

How will you celebrate? If you are not of Scottish heritage, I bet you know someone who is.....you know me! Take me to TEA!

Brodies Tea, Scottish Breakfast

You might know a few Celtic Women, some of them might have some Scottish blood!

If you are of Scottish heritage, reply to this message. Let's have some fun!!

To order your Tartan, click this link to start your search:
Light Beige Tartan Lambswool Scarf Gift

Here are some links you might want to check out:
Celebrating Tartan Day 2013

St. Patrick's Day Cookies

St. Patrick's Day Cookies

St. Patrick's Day Cookies 

They may not be traditional but they are fun! Whether you are planning a party or just for family, these cookies will be a big hit.

For centuries, these symbols held incredible power for the ancient Celts in every way of life. These Irish-inspired cookies are shamrocks, Celtic crosses and the Claddagh.

Ancient Celts revered the shamrock because of the trinity of its leaves. 

The Celtic cross is a symbol representing the meeting place of the Divine energies.

The heart of the Claddagh represents love, the crown is symbolic of loyalty, and the hands represent friendship.

Tips to make Perfect Cookies / Top 10 Cookie-Baking Tips / Tips for Decorating Cookies

Love this photo of St. Patrick's Day Cookies
used with permission from Oh Sugar Events Claddagh

Celtic Symbols and Signs

edited 3/17/2017

Celebrating National Oreo Day

March 6 is National Oreo Day! 

For over 100 years the world has enjoyed the Oreo Cookie! In 1912, Nabisco had a new idea for a cookie – two chocolate disks with a creme filling in between. Little did they know that this sweet white cream sandwiched between two chocolate biscuits would become the largest selling cookie of all time.

Did you know Oreos were first created in a New York City bakery with British customers in mind? Today they can be found in more than 100 countries.

It remains a mystery exactly why the cookies are named Oreos. They were initially named “Oreo Biscuits.” But the name changed to the “Oreo Crème Sandwich” in the 1940s and to the “Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookie” in the 1970s.

The first Oreo cookie looked very similar to the Oreo cookie of today, with only a slight difference in the design on the chocolate disks, but the ingredients have changed. 

My friend Shinichi Mine loves to eat, travel and cook. You can follow him on adventures through new food discoveries on YouTube as he comes up with unique recipes in his tiny kitchen in Tokyo. Here is his recipe for Oreos!

Festive White Chocolate-Covered Oreo Cookies

Oreo cookies covered in decadent white chocolate with sprinkles make everyone happy! Easy to make and yummylicious!

The original Oreo recipe included pork fat for the creamy center!!

In the mid-1990s, health concerns prompted Nabisco to replace the lard in the filling with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Starting in 2006, Oreo cookies replaced the trans fat in the cookie with non-hydrogenated vegetable oil. Oreos became Kosher in December 1997.

When they first debuted, there was also a lemon meringue flavor of Oreos, but those were discontinued in the 1920s. 


Do you think this is true?
I've read that women rather than men are more likely to pull their Oreos apart before eating them.

It's easy to order a box of Oreo's Click Here

 Images from Public Domain and Amazon 

Updated 3/15

Remembering Shirley Temple

When I was young, Shirley Temple movies were shown on TV quite often. I loved her movies which were always entertaining and uplifting. One of my favorite of her films was with her friend Bill Robinson who was a fabulous dancer himself. He appeared as a dancing butler in movies with young Shirley Temple.

Click the photo if you would like to purchase Shirley Temple - America's Sweetheart Collection, Vol. 3 (Dimples / The Little Colonel / The Littlest Rebel) (1936) 

In this video Bill "Bojangles" Robinson dances the stairs with a young Shirley Temple
From "The Little Colonel" (1935)

To watch Shirley Temple movies on Amazon click here: 
Hollywood Collection: Shirley Temple Americas Little Darling

Click Here to read more about Shirley Temple famed former child actress.
Click Here  to learn more about Robinson and the song that was written about him.

 

The Day the Music Died

"The Day the Music Died", dubbed so by Don McLean's song "American Pie" refers to the tragic aviation accident that occurred on February 3, 1959, near Clear Lake, Iowa, killing rock and roll musicians 22 year old Buddy Holly (Peggy Sue), 17 year old Ritchie Valens (La Bamba), J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson (Chantilly Lace), and the pilot Roger Peterson.

Singer Don McLean memorialized Holly, Valens and Richardson in the 1972 No. 1 hit “American Pie,”

Ironically, Holly, who influenced such artists as Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney, and his band, the Crickets, had just scored a No. 1 hit with “That’ll Be the Day,” and his last single was  "It Doesn't Matter Anymore."

"...with each passing decade, the myth of Buddy Holly has grown by substantial degrees." ~Claire Suddath, Time

Buddy Holly's career only lasted a year and a half with only one number one single, yet his influence on early rock 'n' roll is almost unmatched.

"Both John Lennon and George Harrison learned to play guitar in part by listening to Buddy Holly records. The first Rolling Stones' single released in the U.S. was cover of Holly's "Not Fade Away." ~Claire Suddath, Time

Buddy Holly and The Crickets - Peggy Sue - Live on The Arthur Murray Party (29th December, 1957)

Read More
Time: A Brief History of The Day the Music Died
This Day in History 

Edited 2/3/16