The Virginia Highland Games - 2012

So I headed out west of Bull Run mountain to the Highland Games in The Plains Virginia this morning. The skies were threatening rain on a grand scale, but a few desultory sprinkles were all that happened. This trip is one I’ve been looking forward to for months as it is my first Highland Games and a chance to meet a cousin from a distant branch of the family. As a bonus I was able to convince my dad to come along

Downside to this trip, besides the stifling humidity (summer in VA), I was so busy looking at the sights and talking with people that I took almost no pictures. A capital crime, but so be it.

 

There were a number of rescue and shelter organizations for Scottish dog breeds near the entrance. Didn’t spend much time looking at those as I already have 2 cats, and I don’t have the time to care for a dog.

Next up was the border collie sheep herding demonstration.  Two ladies put 3 collies through their paces herding 3 sheep. The one leading the demonstration has been breeding and training them since at least the 1960’s. Kind of hard to hear her sometimes as the mike kept cutting out and she had a quiet speaking voice. Watching the dogs at work was fascinating; like seeing a wolf or cat stalking its prey, but never taking it down. The sheep in question were a meat sheep variety as opposed to wool bearing sheep and they took the workout with fairly good grace.

 

Eventually dad and I moved over to the vendor section. I should note that there were far more food and clothing vendors than clan tents. Pssst, clan associations, next year please come to the Virginia Highland Games in The Plains; you were sorely missed.

Lots of vendors selling different but similar things.

There was a man selling Welsh ‘biscuits’ which were like a thin southern biscuit, but sweet and filled with currants; I recommend currants, tasty!

Another vendor sold high quality hand made ceramics. To prove it he demonstrated the tone of his stoneware, nice ring.

Lots of stalls carries clothes, jewelry, etc., but didn’t really convince me to look carefully at the merchandise.

One seller had very nice looking sporrans and wooden boxes (the boxes had to have been made where cost of labor was low but still very nice and sturdy). I should have gotten his business card.

Another vendor has various dirks, swords and skeean dubhs (go easy on my spelling, Celtic to English has always been a hazardous transition) and I took his card to do some web browsing later on.

I avoided the food vendors because lately anything with milk, sugar or the unidentified ‘X’ has been causing me serious digestive troubles. The wafting burned grease fumes didn’t endear the food to me either.

The highlight of the visit, well to me at least, was stopping by booth of The Scottish Trading Company. It was a chance to talk with Cousin Matthew from Kentucky. They go around to a lot of these events selling items made in Scotland, Canada or the U.S. Scarves, shawls, clan badges, traditional headgear, kilt hose, even hoodies saying “Scotland.” It was fun browsing their tent waiting for a chance to say hello. It was like running into an old friend meeting my cousin for the first time. After a great visit, sharing stories and taking photos, to the amusement of the other customers I’m sure,  I took the plunge and got measured for a kilt; Elliot(t) ancient in 13 oz wool. Very excited, but I don’t expect to see the kilt before October.

 

 

The rest of our time was spent visiting the clan tents and talking with folks there. No Clan Elliot(t) to be seen, but we managed to visit Campbell and Murray – one of mom’s grandmothers was a Dinsmore. I would say at least half of them had posted a version of one of the two famous Scottish Clans maps. One has names superimposed on Scotland and the other divides the country up geographically and places the primary clan name in its traditional territory. All in all a great trip. Can’t wait to go again next year.

Yes, I completely missed the games part of the games.  I did see some of the hurling events in the background behind the merchant’s tents. There is no way I would want to get those guys angry.

My next big adventure: Visit to Scotland and Wales in the second half of September. I promise lots of pics. Now I suppose I need to set up a photobucket account. TTFN!