Offline for a while...

Okay, okay, don't everyone applaud at once. Sheesh.

I'm off on vacation to the state of Washington with my family. I'll be back in early July. Have a happy 4th, and I'll see you soon!



Gotcha! LOL

Scotophile Monday

Welcome back to Scotophile Monday, where I post interesting tidbits of Scottish news, history, culture, humor, photos, whatever strikes my fancy. All sources are credited. Click the Read More link and enjoy!


Duke of Wellington Traffic Cone Hats...
Although recently the Duke of Wellington's equestrian statue outside the Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow has not been sporting a red and white traffic cone on the head of the Iron Duke, that headgear was at one time an almost permanent fixture. At one point it was suggested that it was not appropriate and efforts should be made to stop its reappearance every time it was removed,. But there was support in high places, including the Lord Provost, who expressed disappointment, saying that it highlighted the Glaswegian sense of humour. Read more

Stone of Destiny - The Movie
When four Scottish Nationalist students snatched the Stone of Destiny from Westminster abbey in London on Christmas Day in 1950, it made worldwide headlines. Now there are plans to turn the story into a movie, with director Charlie Martin Smith (best known as an actor in The Untouchables, American Graffiti and several westerns) finalising casting and locations. The "Scottish heist movie" is being based on a book by one of the students who took part in the daring raid to take back to Scotland the Stone of Destiny (reputed to date back to biblical times) which had been pillaged by King Edward I in 1296. Read more

From Flush to Plush
A public toilet ("rest rooms" in some parts of the world) in St Andrews was sold this week for £195,000 to an unnamed buyer who may convert it to housing. Read more

Last Gasp Bid to Save "City of Adelaide"
There have been previous failed efforts to save the clipper "City of Adelaide" which has been rotting on a slipway at the Scottish Maritime Museum in Ayrshire for the last 15 years. But yet another bid to raise £1.5 million has been started by the north-east England city of Sunderland, where the ship was built in 1864. The ship is five years older than the "Cutty Sark" which is moored on the river Thames as a tourist attraction. Read more

Lochaber Wins Geopark Status
1,000 million years of geological history has helped the Lochaber area of Scotland to become Europe's newest "geopark". It stretches from Rannoch Moor in the south to Knoydart in the north, and from the Small Isles in the west to Glen Spean in the east. Ben Nevis, the UK's highest mountain, is within its boundary. Read more

This Week in Scottish History
June 24 1314 - Robert the Bruce defeated Edward II at Battle of Bannockburn.
June 25 1799 - David Douglas, explorer and botanist, born at Scone, Perthshire. In addition to the Douglas Fir, he brought back to Europe lupins, phlox, penstemmon, sunflowers, clarkia, Californian poppy, mimulus, flowering currant, rose of sharon and mahonia.
June 25 1887 - Wallace statue unveiled at the Wallace National Monument, Stirling.
June 25 1971 - Lord Boyd Orr, biologist and Nobel Prize Winner, died.
June 25 1876 - Seven Scots, including John Stuart Forbes, were in the US 7th Cavalry with General Custer at the Battle of the Little Big Horn.
June 25 1891 - The first Sherlock Holmes story by Edinburgh-born author Arthur Conan Doyle was published in the "Strand" magazine.
June 26 1488 - James IV crowned king at the age of 15 at Scone. He reigned until 1513 when he fell with the flower of Scotland's nobility at the Battle of Flodden Field.
June 26 1695 - Darien Company formed to set up a Scottish colony in Panama.
June 26 1830 - King George IV died, aged 67 (and William IV ascended the throne). George IV is reckoned to be Britain's fattest king. His favourite breakfast was two roast pigeons, three beefsteaks, a bottle of white wine, a glass of champagne, two of port and one brandy.
June 27 1583 - King James VI (aged 8) escaped from Castle Ruthven.
June 28 1838 - Queen Victoria crowned at Westminster Abbey.
June 30 1857 - Start of trial for murder of Madeleine Smith who was eventually found "Not Proven"

Scottish Proverbs
Mony cooks ne’er made a gude kail. (Too many cooks spoil the broth).

The lost Bond: for Sean's eyes only
IT IS the most ambitious and action-packed James Bond movie ever. Sean Connery returns as 007, battles a robot shark in the New York sewers, water-skis the Hudson River, and parachutes on to the top of the Statue of Liberty.
Sadly, however, it was never filmed and exists today in a few recently unearthed sketches and photographs. Warhead never made it in front of the cameras, let alone on to the big screen, falling victim not to SPECTRE, but to a bitter and complicated legal battle.
Bond aficionados have always vaguely known about "the great lost Bond movie". But only now has it become apparent just how close it came to being filmed in 1977. And the full extent of Connery's involvement - not just as the star, but also as producer and in the unfamiliar role of scriptwriter - is only now clear.
Read more

Scotland's "Great Wall"
Scotland features four World Heritage sites - the isle of St Kilda, Edinburgh's New Town and Old Town, New Lanark, and Neolithic Orkney. Efforts are under way to gain similar status to the Roman ruins of the Antonine Wall, and the person directing Scotland's bid offers a glimpse into the wall's history.
Read more

Killer Rabbit!
WE HAVE real-life beasties such as the midge and fantastical monsters such as Nessie, but now investigators believe they have found a new fearsome creature roaming the forests and glens of Scotland.
Researchers have produced two carcasses of what they hope is a previously undiscovered species - a large rabbit-headed wildcat.
The mystery black mammal has a small head, a large snout, long canine teeth and - most distinctively - long ears which bear a resemblance to a rabbit or hare.
Big cat hunters are calling on gamekeepers to help trap a live rabbit-headed cat so its identity can be established once and for all.
Read more

DNA test may solve the name game for outlawed MacGregors
They were once the most feared and persecuted clansmen in Scotland - forced to renounce their ancient ancestry or face execution.
For two centuries the MacGregors, including the legendary Rob Roy, lived as outlaws for refusing to renounce their name. Others legally changed their surnames to escape persecution as the clan was dispersed to the four winds.
But now, 233 years after the persecution of the MacGregors finally ended, the latest advances in DNA technology are being used for the first time by the Clan Gregor Society to welcome "lost" clansmen back into their fold.
Read more

Daggers drawn as Hollywood rivals do battle over Macbeth
"DOUBLE, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble." Four centuries after Shakespeare wrote Macbeth, two rival sets of film-makers are battling to produce a Hollywood version of the "Scottish play".
Both have major players in the film world behind them and both have declared similar intentions of appealing to a modern audience with special effects that play up the supernatural elements of the classic drama.
Scotsman

Hmmmm. Sound familiar?
A study into the Scottish election voting fiasco has found the highest proportion of rejected constituency votes came in the most deprived areas.
The probe, by the University of Strathclyde, was triggered by the chaos which saw more than 140,000 spoiled papers in the May poll.
It also found that more votes were discounted in areas where there were a larger number of list candidates.
The Electoral Commission has already launched an inquiry into the problems.
BBC

Scottish Weblog of the Week
Isle of Islay
News, travel tips, great pictures!

Bloggin' bloggin' bloggin'...

Catch my Creature Feature blog post at Fae, and my Diviniation Sunday blog post at the BYT. Leave a comment on my divination post, and get into the drawing for a free ogham reading. Enjoy!


Aha! You clicked on the Read More link! You like? [grin]

Fan-Yourself Friday

Those of you who click on the "Read More" link will be richly rewarded. [grin]


Can I just say, "YUM"?

Wordless Wednesday

Source: Worth1000.com

Scotophile Monday

Welcome back to Scotophile Monday! Here's where I glean interesting bits from Scottish newspapers and web sites from around the world. All sources are credited.

Enjoy!

Tartan for Scottish Film Star
The Borders knitwear company of Lochcarron has produced a new specially-designed tartan for a Scottish film star. No, not Sean Connery - Shrek, the cinematic ogre with a Scottish accent (well, nearly Scottish...) The tourism agency VisitScotland came up with the idea in advance of the release of Shrek the Third. The tartan is described as "muted browns and acid greens" and is aimed at encouraging people to trace their own Scottish roots. Shrek, presumably has done so and may be a member of the clan Nessie? Being of somewhat ample girth, they needed 10 metres of cloth to make Shrek's kilt, which he wore for advance publicity shots prior to the launch of the movie. Read more

Heart Transplant Patient Bags All 284 Munros

Murray Elder had a life expectancy of only days when he underwent a heart transplant operation 18 years ago. Since then, he has continued to climb all 284 "Munros" - the mountains in Scotland with peaks above 3,000 feet. He climbed the last of them last Saturday - accompanied by some friends and also the surgeon who performed the life-saving operation. Read more

Tycoon's Legal Win Bars Ramblers from Her Land

Ann Gloag, a multi-millionaire tycoon, has won a court case giving her the right to post "keep out signs on a large area around her home at Kinfauns Castle. This goes against the time-honored "right to roam" tradition, which gives the public the right to roam around freely in Scotland's great outdoors. Gloag is now allowed to build a 7-foot high fence around a 12-acre enclosure, claiming that because of her wealth, high public profile and prominence of her guests, she was entitled to a higher degree of protection. The Ramblers Association is convinced that the sheriff's judgement is in error and is considering an appeal. Read more

Scunnered with Microsoft's Office 2007

Those who use the English/English dictionary (as distinct from the US/English version) in Microsoft products have to teach it to speak Scots by adding common words to its dictionary of acceptable words on our own PCs. This can be a time consuming process, particularly if a lot of Scots dialect words are used. Now Microsoft has announced that the latest British version of their Office 2007 software will have Scots words included in its dialect dictionary. The software giant has invited users to submit their favourite Scots words and already thousands of words have been sent in. The most-nominated word so far is "scunnered" followed by old favourites such as "dreich" and "wean". Read more

Borders Biomass Boom

A new biomass power station, nearing completion near Lockerbie in Dumfries and Galloway, has sparked a wave of planting of willow on farms across southern Scotland. The plant will require 220,000 tonnes of fuel a year and it is hoped that local willow can provide 45,000 tonnes of that. Willow provides a similar amount of energy per ton as other hardwoods, but can be cultivated every few years at relatively low cost. Read more

Scotland for Sale

Relax - it's only Scotland.com that's up for auction in New York. Read more

Black Watch Play Marks Opening of Parliament

"Black Watch", one of the greatest successes in Scottish theatrical history, is to play an unprecedented role in the reopening of Scottish Parliament. Read more

Web Site on Scottish Highland History

Explore Am Baile, The Highland Council'sbilingual website, and discover the history and culture of the Scottish Highlands and Islands. Click here

This Week in Scottish History

June 17 1390 - Wolf of Badenoch burns Elgin Cathedral.
June 17 1823 - Charles Macintosh patented the waterproof cloth he was using to make raincoats.
June 18 1639 - Pacification of Berwick, Charles I forced to withdraw from Scotland and recognise an independent Scottish Parliament.
June 18 1746 - Flora MacDonald met Prince Charles Edward Stuart and persuaded him to wear women's clothes as part of the escape plan from the Outer Hebrides to Skye.
June 19 1566 - Mary Queen of Scots gives birth to the future King James VI of Scotland and I of England.
June 19 1633 - Coronation of King Charles I at Holyrood.
June 19 1660 - "Day of Public Thanksgiving" on Restoration of Charles II as king.
June 19 1861 - Earl Haig, Commander in Chief of British forces 1915-18, founder of British Legion, born.
June 19 1937 - Sir J M Barrie, author of "Peter Pan" died.
June 20 1723 - Adam Ferguson, philosopher, historian, "Father of Sociology" born Logierait, Perthshire.
June 20 1887 - New Tay rail bridge opened, the longest in Britain.
June 20 1969 - First announcement of the discovery of high-grade crude oil in the North Sea.
June 21 1791 - Robert Napier, regarded as the "father of Clyde shipbuilding" was born. He died on 23 June, 1876.
June 21 1796 - Scottish explorer Mungo Park reached the source of the river Niger in Africa.
June 22 1725 - Malt Riots, Glasgow - against higher taxes imposed on Scottish malt.
June 23 1650 - Charles II sailed into the estuary of the river Spey and signed the Covenant before going ashore.
June 23 1927 - Singer Kenneth McKellar born.

Lachlan's Law No. 29

"Don't worry about what people think - they don't do it very often."

It's wedding season!

My cousin's son is getting married this weekend, so today I only have time for a quick ghost story post over on the Beyond the Veil blog.

AHA! You clicked the Read More link, didn't you? The great thing about this feature is you can truncate long, rambling posts behind a cut. The downside is, you can't turn it on and off, because you have to hard-code it into the blog html code. Hmm. I think Blogger could take a hint from LiveJournal and figure out how to fix this.

Anyway, here's your reward. You Pavlovian specimens, you. [wink]

13 Scottish Myths and Legends

Thirteen Scottish Myths and Legends 1. Black Donald - the devil - who cannot disguise his cloven feet. 2. Boobrie - water-bird of the Scottish Highlands. 3. Brownie - good-natured, invisible brown elves or household goblins. The younger version of the "Girl Guides" in Britain at least, are called "Brownies" for that very reason! 4. Clootie - another Scottish name for the Devil. The name comes from cloot, meaning one division of a cleft hoof. 5. Fachan - one leg, one arm and one eye. 6. Fionn - Scottish/Pictish magician, warrior and poet. 7. Ghillie Dhu - a solitary Scottish elf. 8. Kelpie - a water devil. 9. Lothian - Lothian traditionally takes its name from King Lot and father of Mordred. 10. Monster of Loch Ness - mythical? Surely not.... First seen by St Columba in 565 a.d. 11. Red Cap - lives on the Scottish Border in ancient ruins of castles. 12. Scotia - a goddess but frequently portrayed as an old hag! 13. Selkie - a marine creature in the shape of a seal. 14. Shellycoat - a Scottish bogeyman who haunts the rivers and streams. He is covered with shells, which rattle when he moves. 15. Sidhe the Gaelic name for fairies in both Ireland and the Highlands of Scotland. Okay, so there's 15. Sue me. :) Rampant Scotalnd Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. Dog's Eye View 2. Christina's Shoebox 3. Samantha Lucas 4. Amanda Young 5. Jenny's Wandering Thoughts 6. Off the Wall Thoughts 7. Emerald City Guy 8. NJ Walters 9. Will Write for Food 10. Shelley 11. Qtpies7 12. Seeley Deerborn 13. Michelle Pillow 14. Philly Transplant 15. Bending the Twigs 16. On the Lake Front 17.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Wordless Wednesday

Nothing to add here! [grin] Liam Neeson in "Rob Roy."

Can't Bury 'Em Under the Porch...

Last night I took my son for dinner at Texas Roadhouse, the local steak eatery, to celebrate him surviving finals week. My daughter works there and we sat in her section.

Roadhouse is one of those places where the waitstaff will gather around your table and sing at the top of their lungs if it's your birthday, and they've got a saddle on a sawhorse for the kids to get their picture taken on.

Any of you see where I'm going with this yet? LOL

I'm sitting there enjoying my Killer Ribs and mashed potatoes, when suddenly a posse of six, black-shirted waiters and waitress descends upon my table, saddle/sawhorse in tow. Led, of course, by my red-headed daughter. They plunk the saddle down next to my table and refuse to go away until I slide out of the booth and get on it.

Once I'm comfortably (?) seated, my daughter screams across the restaurant, "Hey y'all, this is my Mom and she just published her book! Can I get a big ol' YEE HAW?" By this time my face is red, and my son is laughing so hard he's falling off his chair. (It taks so little to amuse a 15-year-old.)

After the obligatory yee haw, I was released and I crawled back into the booth, already plotting my revenge. Oh yes, she knows it's coming. Sometime, somewhere. Muaahahahaaa.

Actually, it's nice that she's so proud of me. And at least she didn't scream that I'd just published a trashy romance, or a spanking book. LOL

Scotophile Monday

Welcome back to Scotophile Monday! The following are selections of news snippets from selected Scottish news sources. All sources are credited. Enjoy!

Litter Police Patrol Glasgow Streets - In Body Armor

A force of 30 uniformed enforcement officers are now patrolling the streets of Glasgow to crack down on litter louts by imposing £50 on-the-spot fines. With body armour under their smart tunics (just in case...), they issued 120 fines in the first week - and the publicity got many others to think twice before dropping litter. Read more

One Less Munro to Bag

Peaks in Scotland that are over 3,000 feet above sea level are classified as "Munros" - after Sir Hugh Munro (1856-1919), who produced the first attempt at an exhaustive catalogue of such hills and mountains. From time to time, the list has been updated as a result of more accurate measurements. Mountaineers and hill walkers in the UK and from around the world, become enthusiastic "Munro Baggers", attempting to climb them all. Recently, there had been speculation that Foinaven in Sutherland might meet the requirements - a number of amateur surveyors claimed that it was above the required level. But this week surveyors commissioned by the Munro Society, using new satellite technology, checked the mountain - and found it was 12 feet short of 3,000 feet. Even though it's not a Munro, but a "Corbett" (between 2,500 and 2,999 feet. Read more

Nessie Captured on Video?

A lab technician from Yorkshire has claimed that he has shot a video of a black object, about 45 feet long, swimming at about 6mph in a straight line across Loch Ness. Described by a marine biologist and "Nessie" watcher as "some of the best footage ever seen", the video is to undergo analysis in the coming months. Read more

Bronze Age Cemetery Found on Barra

Researchers on the TV Channel 4 archaeology programme "Time Team" have uncovered a Bronze Age cemetery on the island of Barra in the Western Isles. Over 50 archaeologists and a television crew undertook a three-day dig at the Allasdale sand dunes and uncovered 4000-year-old burial kists (small stone boxes used as coffins), some containing perfectly preserved skeletons. Read more

Badger Badger Badger Badger...

THEY come out at night and upset your bins... No, it's not the local gang of hoodies, but Britain's heaviest land carnivore, the badger. While hoodies just get slapped with Asbos when they step out of line, the poor old badgers - despite being a protected species - are facing a cull as the government attempts to eliminate bovine TB. Show the critters you care on National Badger Day, next Saturday, by joining a fundraising walk or by making a donation at http://www.badger.org.uk/.
This article: http://heritage.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=898842007

Scottish Wildlife Web Cams

Get the best view of Scottish wildlife. Click here

Scots Gaelic Film Screened at Cannes

A Gaelic language film made on the Isle of Sky, which was recently screened at the Cannes Film Festival, has secured UK distribution and so should be seen by a wider audience. Entitled "Seachd: The Inaccessible Pinnacle" it is the first-ever Scottish Gaelic feature film. It tells the story of a young man who visits his Grandfather in hospital. Angus wants to find out the truth about the death of his parents and the truth behind his Grandfather's ancient, incredible, fearful stories. Stories from the whole swathe of Gaelic history of poisoned lovers, bloody revenge, water-horses and Spanish gold. His Grandfather hijacks Angus' life for one last time, leading him to one of Scotland's most treacherous mountains, The Inaccessible Pinnacle, and an ancient truth he never expected to find... See also http://www.seachd.com/.

This Week in Scottish History

June 10 1688 - James Francis Stuart born. In honour of the "Old Pretender", this is known as "White Rose Day" in Jacobite circles.
June 10 1719 - Battle of Glenshiel, Jacobites with Spanish assistance, and government forces clashed.
June 10 1727 - Death of King George I and accession of George II.
June 10 1768 - Construction of the Forth and Clyde canal started. It was to take 22 years to complete.
June 10 1903 - The floral clock in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh, began operation - initially driven by clockwork and with only an hour hand. But it was the first of its kind in the world.
June 10 1939 - Sir Jackie Stewart, three-times world motor racing champion, born in Dunbartonshire.
June 11 1560 - Marie of Guise, widow of King James V and Queen Regent of Scotland, died.
June 11 1488 - Battle of Sauchieburn during which King James III died attempting to subdue a group of rebel barons.
June 11 1975 - First oil pumped ashore from British oilfields in the North Sea.
June 13 1831 - Birth of James Clerk Maxwell, first Professor of Experimental Physics at Cambridge University. He created the electromagnetic theory of light.
June 13 1975 - Rate of price inflation reached 25% in the UK.
June 14 1940 - Queen Mary, Aquitania, Empress of Canada, and Empress of Britain arrive in the River Clyde with the first contingent of Australian and New Zealand troops.
June 14 1946 - John Logie Baird, inventor of the first television, died.
June 15 1945 - Queen Mary leaves Greenock, taking nearly 15,000 GIs home to US.
June 16 1338 - Siege of Dunbar Castle by the English was raised.

THIS ONE'S FOR THE GIRLS!!

Congratulations to Belmont Stakes winner, Rags to Riches!!!

Get better soon, SJ!

Author of the following is JM Ward. Our mutual friend SJ Willing is ill in the hospital - just a few days after his book came out! So all his friends are getting together to pimp his book for him.

Feel better soon, SJ!!

-----
Just a few days after S.J. Willing's first novel, CYBERIUS III, was published in December 2005, SJ landed in the hospital. Fast forward 18 months, SJ's new novel, POSEIDON VII, has been released by Samhain with a beautiful cover by Vanessa Hawthorne, and guess what... *sigh* SJ's back in the hospital.

Fortunately, it's a lot less serious than it was last time. Unfortunately, SJ will probably remain in captivity--er, a patient at INOVA Alexandria Hospital, for at least a week. Which makes it kind of hard to push out the book video and excerpts.

Or it would, but I figure there's no reason why somebody else can't do the honors on SJ's behalf. Click the Read More link below:

First, for your viewing pleasure, is a link to POSEIDON VII's very first video (drumroll, please):

Click here

Second is a link to the book and cover itself:

Click here

The blurb is actually too modest. This SF romance scorches the pixels. I know first hand. I was one of SJ's beta readers on this, and I had to keep fanning my screen...and a few other things besides. ;-)

The G-rated, action-enriched excerpt can be found here, but I'll see if I can find something sizzling to whet your appetite. Until later.

Cheers,
Jean Marie

Stonehenge vs. Olympics??

OK, I don't often get serious here in my bloggy, kilt-ridden playground, but this ticks me off. Politicians are politicians, no matter where you go.

A former Transport and Heritage minister is calling for Stonehenge to be removed from the list of World Heritage sites.

Salisbury's Conservative MP Robert Key says a failure to deliver long overdue improvements means Stonehenge no longer deserves the listing.

He claims money for improvements is being diverted to the Olympics.

He is writing to the UNESCO committee asking for the British government to be called to account.

Unique archaeology

"A plan is there which has been discussed endlessly but they've failed to make a decision," he said.

A £600m plan to drill a tunnel for the nearby A303 trunk road and build a major new visitor centre has been on review for more than a year after Transport Minister Stephen Ladyman said costs had risen too far.

But those campaigning to preserve the unique archaeology of the region say the plan is the only compromise that could work for the area.

TV archaeologist and Labour Party activist Tony Robinson said he was very worried about the future of Stonehenge.

Cultural legacy

In an interview with the BBC's Politics Show he accused the government of "leeching" on the iconic image of the monument to win the bid for the Olympics.

"As a nation we're in danger of letting Stonehenge down badly. Most politicians don't get heritage, they think they can just leech on it, exploit it, that it doesn't need tending," he said.

English Heritage, the government agency that runs Stonehenge, do not dispute visitor facilities and access are inadequate, but still hope improvements will be made in time for the Olympics.

"It is a stated aim of Visit Britain and the government to maximise the benefits of hosting the Olympics," a spokesman said.

He added that the Stonehenge project would be a major contribution to the cultural legacy of the games.


Source: BBC News

Thirteen Lesser-Known Celtic Goddesses

Thirteen Lesser-Known Celtic Goddesses Pretty much everyone knows about Brighid, Cerridwen, Arianrhod, Epona and the Morrigan. The following list gives sheds a bit of light on some of the goddesses who reside in the better-known ladies' long shadows. 1. Abnoba - Goddess of woods and springs; protectress of hunting and beasts. From her name, the name of the English river "Avon" is derived. 2. Aeval - "Lady of Sexuality". Among the Celts of Ireland, Aeval was the Fairy Queen of Munster. She held a midnight court to determine if husbands were satisfying their wives' sexual needs, or not, as the women charged. 3. Aife - Scottish Warrior Goddess who stole a magick alphabet from the deities and gave it to humans. For this act and her meaness she was turned into a crane. Sacred to Aife: The crane, the lance. (The Celtic Ogham alphabet is said to be based on the images of cranes flying.) 4. Arduinna - Gallic Goddess of moon, woods and hunting in the Ardennes. The Ardennes Forest in France is named after Her, were Her special domain. 5. Beag - Mistress of the Well, owner of the Well of Wisdom. 6. Fotla - Irish Mothergoddess; one of the mothers of Ireland. 7. Scathach - She is the patron of blacksmiths and warriors. 8. Sulis - Goddess of the thermal-baths of Bath. She was also a goddess of the Underworld, Wisdom and Fortunetelling. 9. Druantia - "Queen of the Druids". Mother of the tree calendar; Fir Goddess. Fertility, passion, sexual activities, trees, protection, knowledge, creativity. 10. Habetrot - A "spinning" Goddess. Spinning is both Pagan lingo for spell casting and for the turning of the Wheel of the Year. Habetrot is best known for her powers of healing which were linked to her skills with weaving fiber. All who wore the clothing she made would never fall ill. 11. Nehalennia - Primarily associated with protection of travelers over the sea. Her known temple locations are always on the coast, and surviving inscriptions often praise her for successfully completed voyages, or implore her for similar journeys to come. 12. Stine Bheag O'Tarbat - This old woman, who lived near Tarbat Ness, was said to be very powerful, with special mastery over the weather. 13. Uroica - Goddess of heather and heather wine. (I think she's my favorite!) Sources: Joelle's Sacred Grove Celtic Realm Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. Dog's Eye View 2. Christina's Shoebox 3. Samantha Lucas 4. Amanda Young 5. Jenny's Wandering Thoughts 6. Off the Wall Thoughts 7. Emerald City Guy 8. NJ Walters 9. Will Write for Food 10. Shelley 11. Qtpies7 12. Seeley Deerborn 13. Michelle Pillow 14. Philly Transplant 15. Bending the Twigs 16. On the Lake Front 17.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants



Want more? Click here!

Playing With My Toys...

While my creme brulee flavored coffee is brewing (gawd, it smells GOOD!), I've been (vewwy carefully) recoding the html of this blog so that I can start truncating long, rambling posts behind a "Read More" cut. OK, OK, don't everyone cheer at once.

So here's you're reward for clicking on the "Read more" link:

Scotophile Monday

Adventure Racers Insured Against "Nessie Attack"
The 196 competitors in the recent Adventure Racing World Championship had been insured against attack from the Loch Ness Monster (known locally as "Nessie") as they swam and kayaked across the UK's most voluminous area of freshwater. Read more

John Paul Jones - Bonne Homme or Pirate?
He may have been Scots-born but, as a firebrand captain in America's emergent navy, Jones had no compunction in harrying his homeland as part of the colony's revolutionary war against Britain. Read more

Delight at Foals' Births
THREE rare foals belonging to the globe's last truly wild species of horse have been born at the Highland Wildlife Park. Read more

The Sporran: Definitively Scottish
The sporran, or sporan in Gaelic, has come a long way from a doeskin bag containing ammunition or daily rations. Read more

Scots Beaches Win Environmental Award
Seven beaches and one marina achieved "Blue Flag" status which is recognised worldwide for locations that meet tough standards of cleanliness, environmental management and provision of information. Read more

Coastal Erosion May Wash Away Key Sites
Thousands of archaeological sites around the Scottish mainland and the Northern Isles are at risk of being washed away by the sea, according to experts. Read more

Scottish Castles Photo Library
Click on the links below to access good size photos of around 100 Scottish castles. You can access them individually - or take a tour, as each page is linked to the next. Read more

This Week in Scottish History
June 3 1726 - James Hutton, founder of modern geology, born.
June 3 1774 - Poet Robert Tannahill born in Paisley.
June 3 1931 - The company formed by John Logie Baird televised the Epsom Derby which was then transmitted by the BBC.
June 4 1818 - First recorded inter-club golf match - between Edinburgh Burgess Golfing Society and Bruntsfield Links Golf Club.
June 4 1977 - Damage estimated to cost £15,000 caused by fans who dug up the pitch at Wembley after Scotland defeated England 2-1.
June 5 1592 - An Act of the Scottish Parliament came into force "concerning the Office of Lyoun King of Armes and his brether Heraldis" creating the best regulated system of armorial bearings in Europe.
June 5 1723 - Adam Smith, author of "The Wealth of Nations" born Kirkcaldy.
June 5 1975 - Referendum held on British Membership of the European Community. In Scotland the vote was "Yes" 1,332,286; "No" 948,039. Turnout was 61%. Only Shetland and Western Isles had majorities against.
June 6 1838 - Thomas Blake Glover, founding father of Japan's industrialisation (including Mitsubishi) and Japanese Navy, born Fraserburgh.
June 7 1329 - Robert the Bruce died, Cardross Castle.
June 7 1811 - Sir James Young Simpson, pioneer of anaesthetics and chloroform, born.
June 8 1772 - Robert Stevenson, engineer, who constructed 18 lighthouses around Scotland, born Glasgow.
June 9 597 - St Columba died.
June 9 1942 - First US troops (over 10,000 men) disembark from Queen Mary on the River Clyde.

Humor – A True Scot
They say that a "True Scot" in North America is one whose ancestors came from Scotland - but who were born in North America to save the fare...

Gia Dawn, This One's For You, Darlin'

Because I promised Gia Dawn I'd dig out this adorable photo for her:

Out of town!

Dear readers,

I will be at Lori Foster's Readers 'n Authors Get-Together in Cincinnati today through Sunday.

See you on Monday for my regular Scotophile Monday post!

Carolan