Scotland and Robert Burns Birthday

 

January 25th is the birthday of the famous Scottish author and poet Robert Burns who was born in 1759.

And loving Scotland and all things Scottish has been famous for years...

 

 

 Queen Victoria and Prince Albert loved the Scottish Highlands, and Prince Albert redesigned Balmoral Castle into their Highland retreat.

And Queen Victoria splashed tartans... including several they designed themselves... around the interiors...

Above is a family drawing of a drawing room at Balmoral, that has hardly changed, as Queen Elizabeth II loves it as well...

Her Majesty at the Ghillies Ball in 1971...

Burns is still remembered by many with Burns Night festivities which include poetry, whiskey and haggis...he even wrote a poem to the famous regional dish of Scotland... which I don't like.  

I recently re-read a cozy murder mystery by Canadian author C. C. Benison called Eleven Pipers Piping, where the murder occurs at a very rancorous Burns Night supper. A very fun read! 

  I also love his series featuring transplanted Canadian Jane Bee who finds herself a housemaid at the Royal palaces and sleuthful helper of the Queen. Great fun!

These 2 photos of the Scottish Highlands, some of the most popular posts in the last few years on my Facebook page, may go someway to explaining the beauty and appeal of the highlands...

the above photo is of an unidentified location, and the photo below is of Loch Muick in Aerdeenshire...

Or this of the Cairngorms on the Balmoral estate...

And always a popular theme in decor. Shelley China, England, a marvelous pottery which unfortunately closed in 1966, had a long lived popular pattern called Heather. 

Below is an example of the wonderful Scottish landscape with multicolored heather by what I am sure is a salmon stream in a gorgeous large plate or charger...

So remember to sing For 'Auld Lang Syne today...one of Robert Burns most famous compositions. I won't suggest raising a glass of whiskey...don't like that either! I make a poor Scot... good thing I'm English...I'll have that cup of tea now...