Well worth its nickname of ‘Queen of the Hebrides’, Islay, the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides, lies in Argyll just south west of Jura at a distance of only 800 m and about 40 kilometres north of the Irish Coast. This lovely island is famous for its landscapes and wildlife, its ancient history and of course for its … Continue reading →
Having travelled many times around Scotland, I noticed that many Scottish towns have a unicorn carved on the pinnacle of its ‘Merkat’ Cross. Why so?… Because the ‘Mercat’ (market) cross was the traditional heart of the burgh and although we now look at the unicorns as a mythical creature, in times past there were a lot who believed in their … Continue reading →
Dundee, one of Scotland’s seven cities, has acquired a few names over the years: ‘Jute, Jam and Journalism’ ‘One City, Many Discoveries’, ‘UNESCO City of Design’. Scotland seven “cities” are Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness, Perth and Stirling. Dundee, which is the fourth largest one is situated on the north bank of the Firth of Tay which … Continue reading →
. A Work for Poets To have carved on the days of our vanity A sun A ship A star A cornstalk Also a few marks From an ancient forgotten time A child may read That not far from the stone A well might open for wayfarers Here is a work for poets- Carve the runes Then be … Continue reading →
THE QUEBEC THISTLE COMMITTEE AULD ALLIANCE AWARDS CEREMONY In just a few days will take place in Montréal, at the Officer’s Mess of the Black Watch (RHR) of Canada, the annual event presented by the Quebec Thistle Committee to winners in several categories including Scottish music, cuisine, culture, athlete of the year, country and highland dancing, piping and “Scotsman / … Continue reading →
Bonjour Marie-Agnes, Janice et Jean-Claude – Ca va bien? – How are you all today? 🙂 Margaret and I love to read all the letters you send us, so full of kindness and bonhomie! Our readers here at Scotiana may not know that your letters are in fact doubly charming, for they are always illustrated! (As you have often … Continue reading →
Dear readers, Today, in our quest of the best of Scotland, I invite you to discover the Orkney Islands, one of our favourite Scottish places. There is something magical in these islands of the North, something different than in mainland Scotland. In sharing our pictures with you I’ll try to give you an idea of the beauty of the … Continue reading →
Hi Mairiuna, Having written down as part of my New Year’s resolutions to dedicate time each month for viewing Scotland related films, I’d like to share with you some of the titles on my list. Top and foremost, I’ll watch again BRAVE by Disney – Pixar as it’s visual magic and stunning storytelling simply carries me away! The subjects of … Continue reading →
Dear readers, I’m very happy to be back on the keyboard to share with you new pictures, new stories, new books about our beloved Scotland. Time flies. January is already ending though, in the south west of France, we’re still waiting for the arrival of winter. The skye is as blue today as in a summer day and I … Continue reading →
Happy New Year to all our friends in Scotland and around the world! Haste ye back, we loue you dearly, Call again you’re welcome here. May your days be free from sorrow, And your friends be ever near. May the paths o’er which you wander, Be to you a joy each day. Haste ye back we loue you dearly, Haste … Continue reading →
Many thanks and a big bear hug to Nathalie & Jean for their lovely interpretation of Jingle Bells !!! Jean, my grandson, who just turned 9 last month, started to learn English at his primary school in Toulouse. Hear him sing Jingle Bells accompanied by his mother Nathalie on her metallophone and helped by Fabien his father and Ronan … Continue reading →
Dear readers, I’d better hurry if I want to give you one or two more ideas of books to offer at Christmas for we can already hear the merry sound of the jingle bells of Santa Claus’s sleigh. We are leaving tomorrow for our holiday in the family, a round trip of more than 2000 km and I’ve still … Continue reading →
Dear readers, The book I’ve chosen today for our Christmas selection is Scotland, A History from Earliest Times by Alistair Moffat. It is the author’s last published book and a very good choice for people who love Scotland and more especially the history of Scotland. I had already downloaded the book on my kindle but the beautiful hardback edition … Continue reading →
Gather the bairns and the grown folk and set sail for a fine collection of Scottish tales retold by a master storyteller! Williamson was celebrated for a lifetime of traveling the byways of Scotland, collecting and telling tales. In these 18 stories, broonies, fairies and, of course, a unicorn cross paths with common folk on a regular basis. There’s a … Continue reading →
‘A mind amongst books, like fire in the heather’ Books ! Books ! Books ! Wigtown, the famous Scottish book town situated in Dumfries & Galloway, is certainly one of our favourite places in Scotland ! Dear readers, You know how fond we are of books on Scotiana. Janice finds it harder and harder to cope with her … Continue reading →
