The SAMS Lyceum of Martial and Societal Antediluvian Chronicles An addendum to The SAMS Sporran July- 2021 July is the Dog Days of Summer -Month July 3 - August There is something to celebrate everyday of the month ! July 1- Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day I can only tremble July 2- World UFO Day Keep an eye out for Mulder and Scully July 3- International Cherry Pit Spitting Day. Do I really need to explain? July 4- Sidewalk Egg Frying Day- also Independence Day July 5- National Bikini Day July 6- International Kissing Day Great excuse not to wear a mask July 7- National Strawberry Sundae Day July 8- National Blueberry Day July 9- National Sugar Cookie Day July 10- Teddy Bear Picnic Day Don’t go out into the woods alone July 11- Don’t Step On A Bee Day July 12- Pecan Pie Day It’s not just a Southern thing now. July 13- Fool's Paradise Day listen to a Buddy Holly record July 14- Pandemonium Day kind of reminds me of work July 15- Cow Appreciation Day Go out and give a cow a hug, just don’t tip her July 16- Fresh Spinach Day or read a Popeye cartoon. July 17- Peach Ice Cream Day July18 - National Caviar Day July 19- National Daiquiri Day July 20- National Lollipop Day July 21- National Hot Dog Day July 22- Hammock Day It’s the middle of the Dog Days time to relax July 23- Vanilla Ice Cream Day The world’s favorite July 24- National Day of the Cowboy My heroes always were cowboys July 25- National Chili Dog Day July 26- All or Nothing Day the name says it all July 27-Walk on Stilts Day a day to stand tall amidst your peers, July 28- National Milk Chocolate Day July 29- National Lasagna Day July 30- National Cheesecake Day July 31- Mutt's Day 8 out of 10 dogs are mutts. A Brief History Of The 4th of July It might come as a surprise to you but the 4th of July has only been a national holiday since 1941.(Asin paid vacation day) But the tradition of the celebration can be traced back to the American Revolution, however, there were no barbecues or hamburgers or hotdogs, pizza or even steamed crabs. Actually, none of those had been invented yet. Fireworks were around but they weren’t part of the celebration either. In the years prior to the revolution the colonists had held annual celebrations of the king’s birthday, which traditionally included the ringing of bells, bonfires, processions and naturally, speechmaking. When the initial battles of the Revolutionary war occurred few colonists wanted a complete break with Great Britain. They only wanted recognition of their status and limited self government. However, Britain’s ham-fisted handling of the situation weighed heavily on the colonists' minds. Then in the summer of 1776 some of the colonists held a mock funeral for King George III signifying the end of his hold over the colonies. That sort of got the ball rolling as it were. The First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia (there was no Washington, The District of Columbia yet) and Richard Henry Lee introduced a motion proposing independence from Britain. Considering the state of the collective colonists' minds it was not met with overwhelming support. So naturally, a committee was formed. This is congress after all. So Ben Franklin, Tommy Jefferson, Johnny Adams, Roger Sherman and Bobby Livingston were charged with composing a rationale for justifying a break with The King and his Parliament. The committee actually wrote one and it was met with grudgingly overwhelming support. Johnny wrote to his wife Abigail that July 2nd “will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival” and that the celebration should include “Pomp and Parade… Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other.” Pretty prescient for an old guy from Massachusetts. Festivities were indeed held. They included concerts, bonfires, parades, the firing of cannons and muskets and instead of speeches, the first public readings of the Declaration of Independence. Philadelphia held the first annual Commemoration of Independence on July 4, 1777. Taking a more practical approach, George Washington issued double rations of rum to all his soldiers to mark the anniversary of independence in 1778, and in 1781. So now we had almost all of the trappings of a typical 4th of July celebration except for fireworks and parades. The tradition of setting off fireworks on the 4 of July began in Philadelphia on July 4, 1777, during the first organized celebration of Independence Day. The Pennsylvania Evening Post reported: “at night there was a grand exhibition of fireworks (which began and concluded with thirteen rockets) on the Commons, and the city was beautifully illuminated.” That same night, the Sons of Liberty set off fireworks over Boston Common. The tradition remained confined to those cities and local environs. However it became more widespread after the War of 1812. That’s the one where Baltimore saved the country from becoming British again. Fireworks were once again in favor mainly because of Franky Key and his “rockets red glare”. Over the years, the political importance of the holiday faded but Independence Day continued to be a cause for celebration. The major focus was one of leisure activities and for family get-togethers, often involving fireworks and outdoor barbecues and of course parades. Parades had been around probably since some of the first cavemen carried home their kills tied to poles and were greeted with cheers and adulations now that the entire tribe could eat. (Barbecues came into being when politicians held “feasts” of cooked pigs and oxen for their constituents.There is probably some kind of connection there.) Parades were usually held as celebrations, usually of holidays. Nobody threw better parades than the Romans. They called them Triumphs. Triumphs usually honored some general for winning a war. It wandered through the streets of Roman so all of the citizens could come out and cheer (free wine helped a little) Triumphs were hours long with musicians, soldiers, captives, soldiers, musicians, wild animals, more musicians and soldiers. Finally, a procession young maidens throwing flower petals on the road paving the way for the hero. The general riding in a golden chariot pulled by four white horses with a slave holding a laurel wreath over his head while the people of Rome cheered. The slave also whispered into the general’s ear, “Sic transit gloria mundi.” “The glory of the world is fleeting”. Now, that is what I call a parade. Most parades since have been of the military variety with marching bands but without the wild animals and young maidens. The first 4th of July Parade was held in Bristol, Rhode Island in 1785. A Wee Bit O’ 4th of July Trivia On the 4th we consume about 150 million hot dogs including Nathan’s Annual Hot Dog eating contest. We also wash it down with beer, The National Beer Wholesalers Asso. calls it the number one holiday for beer sales. Just don’t eat spoiled fruit. In 1850,President Zachary Taylor did and died. Americans consume about 700 million lbs of chicken on the 4th. Calvin Coolidge was the only president born on the 4th of July. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on The 4th of July 1826, James Monroe died July 4th 1831. We spend over 1 billion dollars a year on fireworks. Macy’s is the largest and it takes about 8,000 hours to prepare for it. Independence Day was once celebrated on July 5th. In 1779 the 4th fell on a Sunday so they celebrated the next day. On July 4th 1776 the population of the colonies was about 2.5 million, now it's about 325.7 million. The Liberty Bell did not crack because it was rung too hard on July 4th. It cracked on George Washington’s birthday in 1846. The Liberty Bell is Tapped 13 times on Independence Day to honor the13 original colonies. The word Pennsylvania is misspelled on the Liberty Bell. It’s missing the second ‘n’.
Places and Things to Avoid on your next Visit to Scotland Last month we explored some of the caves of Scotland. This month we will take a glimpse of some of the inhabitants in and around those caves. Undoubtedly you have heard of or seen a motion picture about The Loch Ness Monster. You are also probably well aware that the three witches Macbeth met were Scottish. I mean the play was set in Scotland after all. However, you might not be aware of some of the fierce creatures that also inhabit Scotland. So if you do venture forth to Auld Alba anytime soon be on the lookout for one or more of these Scottish inhabitants. The Wulver is a form of werewolf that stalks the lands of Shetland but unlike the common myth, this creature was never human. It has the body of a man but the head of a wolf, and is not seen as aggressive if left to his own devices. He will occasionally leave fish on the windowsills of the poor to ensure that people don’t starve too.
The Bean Nighe is described as a form of banshee, but otherwise known as the washer woman. She can be spotted at the edge of isolated streams washing blood from the clothes of those about to die! The appearance of the Bean Nighe is normally that of a hag, however she can change her appearance to that of a beautiful woman if she so decides. Any living person can approach the washer woman, with a variety of outcomes possible, including being told the names of those soon to die.
The Kelpies are shape shifting water spirits commonly seen as a horse but it can also change its form into a human. Unlike the friendly looking sculpture though Kelpies will lead humans to their death; by luring them to the water and devouring them, hence why they are seen as demons.
The Blue Men of the Minch have the appearance of normal sized human men but are blue in colour. They are located in the Minch, which is the waterway between mainland Scotland and the Outer Hebrides, and have the ability to create storms and interact with humans. It is said that if a vessel comes into contact with them the Chief of the creatures will recite two lines of a poem. The master of the vessel who encounters them must complete the poem otherwise they will do their best to capsize the vessel and kill all inside.
The Selkies are seals that reside in the sea and shed their skin in order to take human form on land. They are said to be very attractive in their human form and have no trouble forging romantic relationships with humans. However, as their home is the sea it is not long until they make their return, unless a human is able to hide the skin they’ve shed, without this they cannot return home. A Selkie can have a husband/wife and have a family but if they are able to obtain their skin again they will immediately return to the sea.
The Sluagh or ‘Host’ are a malevolent flock of spirits that haunt the Hebrides. They fly through the night sky, snatching mortals and then taking them into the earth, or dropping them from great heights to their deaths. Considered by some to be fallen angels, and by others to be the unforgiven dead, the Sluagh often take the form of birds that they fly about ‘in great clouds, up and down the face of the world like the starlings, and come back to the scenes of their earthly transgressions.’
The Red Cap is a murderous goblin who lurks in ruined fortresses and castles along the borders region, particularly those that were once the scenes of wicked deeds. When travellers take refuge in his lair, he pelts them with huge stones, then soaks his cap in his victim’s blood in order to retain its colour. He is described as ‘a short, thickset old man with long prominent teeth, skinny fingers armed with talons like eagles, large eyes of a fiery red colour, grisly hair streaming down his shoulders, iron boots, a pikestaff in his left hand, and a red cap on his head.’ Red caps get a mention in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, where they are referred to as ‘nasty little goblin-like creatures that lurked wherever there had been bloodshed.’
The Each Uisge is the fiercest and most dangerous of all the water-horses. It disguises itself as a fine pony or a handsome man in order to lure people, most often women, into Highland lochs. There, the each uisge‘s skin adheres to its human prey and the creature dives to the depths of the loch, drowning its victim, before tearing her apart and devouring the entire body except for the liver, which floats to the surface. Survival tip: watch out for water-weeds or profuse sand in the hair before riding a horse or accompanying a handsome stranger towards the water.
The Baobhan Sith appears as a beautiful young woman wearing a long green dress. Look closely, however, and you’ll see she has deer hooves instead of feet. She is no normal woman: she is the vampire of the Highlands. The baobhan sith mainly prey upon male hunters, drawn to them by the scent of blood on their clothing. In the recorded tales, they often appear after a man expresses a desire for female companionship. They dance with their victims until they are exhausted, at which point the women’s nails turn to talons: they then slit open the men’s chests, and promptly drain them of all their bl ood. The Nuckelavee from Orcadian mythology is part horse, part devilish man. The beast has no skin; you can see the black blood coursing through its yellow veins, and the pale sinews and powerful muscles are visible as a pulsating mass. The Nuckelavee’s breath is believed to wilt crops and infect livestock, causing devastation and famine. It was so feared, Orkney Islanders could not speak its name without immediately saying a prayer. In good news, it’s unable to wade through fresh flowing water, so can be escaped by crossing a stream.
The Bean Nighe (Scottish Gaelic for ‘washerwoman’) haunts desolate streams and washes blood from the clothing of those about to die. To some she has appeared as an old hag with webbed feet, one nostril and one protruding tooth, and on the Isles of Mull and Tiree she has breasts so long she throws them over her shoulders to hang down her back. Bean nighe are believed to be the spirits of women who died in childbirth, now doomed to wash the clothes of the near-dead until the day their lives would otherwise have ended. It is said that if you sneak up on the bean nighe as she sings her mournful dirge and seize hold of her before she flees, she will reveal to you the name of the soul condemned to die. And if your luck is in, she may also grant you three wishes.
FROM THE MESS DECKS Scottish Bang Bang Chicken Ingredients: Chicken - Breasts, wings or drums (all work) Marinade- 200g peanut butter 75ml sweet chilli sauce 50ml sesame oil 50ml light soy sauce 20ml rice wine vinegar 2 drops tabasco The dressing 50ml sesame oil 50 ml rapeseed oil 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds Juice from 2 limes 1 tablespoon honey Method: 1. Mix marinade ingredients together. 2. Marinade the chicken pieces for a few hours before you need to cook and store in the fridge. 3. Cook on a BBQ top until juices run clear. (The chicken can be served hot or cold.) The Scotsman
Barbecued strawberries with shortbread Ingredients: 500g of strawberries 100ml of red wine 2 star anise 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest 2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar 4 scoops of vanilla ice cream 100g of all-butter Scottish shortbread
Method: 1. Remove the leafy tops of the strawberries. 2. Place them into two big sheets of foil. 3. Wrap the foil up around the edges to create a slight bucket effect, then pour in the red wine. Add the star anise, black pepper, lemon zest and sugar. Wrap the foil to close everything in. 4. Cook the strawberries on the barbecue either for 20 minutes, or until the strawberries are soft but still have a little firmness. 5. Spoon the strawberries into four bowls, then drizzle with the red wine mixture. 6. Crumble shortbread on top and serve with vanilla ice cream Serves Four Airhouses
Irn Bru Glazed Chicken Ingredients: 3 tbsp Honey 3 tbsp Orange Marmalade 1.5t bsp Dijon Mustard 4 tbsp Irn Bru 6 tbsp Brown Sugar I oz scotch whisky
INSTRUCTIONS 1. Mix together all of the ingredients for the glaze. 2. As an added step, you can marinate the meat in the glaze in the fridge for several hours/overnight if you like. 3. Line a baking tray/dish with paper or tin foil to stop the glaze from sticking too much. 4. Cover the meat (in our case, chicken) with the glaze, making sure to brush as much as possible on the meat itself. 5. We cooked the chicken for around 30 minutes due to the size of the drumsticks, brushing the glaze over again halfway through as it thickened with cooking. 6. If barbequing, you can start the meat in the oven to help thicken the glaze and then finish off on the barbeque for extra flavour, brushing with the glaze frequently. (Irn Bru can be purchased from Amazon or from Wegmans or Walmart Superstore.) The Scottish Scran
Scottish Smoked Salmon Ingredients: Fresh Salmon (2.5kg, serves up to 14 people) Fresh Dill Salt (1.5kg) Sugar (1.5kg) Lemons (1 dozen) Salmon: Method: If you do go to the effort of going to a Fish Market, ask for a polystyrene box to take your salmon away in (sic). Curing the salmon Leave your sides of salmon in the polystyrene box and tape up the holes of the box If cooking one side of salmon, then cover your salmon with 1.5kg of salt, 1.5kg of sugar, the zest of 12 lemons and a large bunch of chopped dill. Gently use your hands to mix the above contents to encrust the salmon, ensuring no part of the salmon is uncovered. Put the lid of the polystyrene box back on and leave in a cold room or fridge for 24 hours. This will cure the salmon, which basically means drawing out all of the salmon's moisture and replacing it with the flavours of Dill, sugar, lemon and salt. 24 hours later, gently remove the salmon and rinse under a cold tap. You will notice the colour of the salmon looks darker and the fish slightly stiffer. Use the lemons that you have already zested and slice into 1cm thick pieces. Be certain you have enough slices so that the salmon does not touch the grill. At The BBQ Setup your grill for indirect cooking. Place the slices of lemon directly on to the grates (as if you were going to indirectly cook them. These are going to be used in much of the same way as a Roast holder or Baking Tray is used when cooking a joint of meat indirectly. Place the Salmon side skin down on the lemon slices - these protect the fish from being burnt by the grates, infuse flavour and promote indirect cooking. Cook for approximately 90 minutes or until the internal temperature of the salmon reaches 160 degrees celsius or 320 farenheit. Remove the salmon carefully to ensure it stays in one piece and wrap in tin foil to rest for 15 minutes. WOWBBQ SCOTTISH CRACKERS
Whenever your kids are out of control, you can take comfort from the thought that even God's omnipotence did not extend to his kids. After creating heaven and earth, God created Adam and Eve. The first thing God said to them was: "Don't." "Don't what?" Adam asked. "Don't eat the forbidden fruit," said God. "Forbidden fruit? Really? Where is it?" Adam and Eve asked, jumping up and down excitedly. "It's over there," said God, pointing to a tree and wondering why he hadn't stopped after making the elephants. A few minutes later God saw the kids having an apple break and he was very angry. "Didn't I tell you not to eat that fruit?" the First Parent asked. "Uh huh," Adam replied. "Then why DID you do it?" God asked exasperatedly. "I dunno," Adam answered. God's punishment was that Adam and Eve should have children of their own. Thus the pattern was set and it has never changed. There is a reassurance in this story. If you have persistently and lovingly tried to give your children wisdom and they haven't taken it, don't be so hard on yourself. If God had trouble handling his children, what makes you think it should be a piece of cake for you?
GOOD OLD FASHIONED SCOTTISH WISDOM
Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.
If you have any questions about Scotland or the Celts to which you want and answer or you have a suggestion for an article or simply information, Please contact me at; [email protected] Thanks.
Do A Buddy Check on the 22nd of Every Month