September 2021 Here Are Some Things to Celebrate This Autumn September Is Chicken Month - Our Favorite Meal September 1 - Emma M
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The SAMS Lyceum of Martial and Societal Antediluvian Chronicles An addendum to The SAMS Sporran September 2021 Here are some things to celebrate this Autumn September is Chicken Month - our favorite meal September 1 - Emma M. Nutt Day 1st woman telephone operator September 2- VJ Day, WWII September 4 - World Beard Day - first Saturday of September September 6 - Labor Day First Monday of month September 8 - National Ampersand Day- once the last letter of the alphabet September 9 - Teddy Bear Day September 11- 9-11 Remembrance Day September 12 - National Pet Memorial Day -second Sunday in September September 13 -Uncle Sam Day - his image was first used in 1813 September 14 - International Crab Fest Day September 16 - American Legion Day September 18 - National Cheeseburger Day September 21 -International Peace Day September 22- Autumnal Equinox - Fall begins! - date varies September 25 - National Hunting and Fishing Day - Fourth Saturday in September September 26 - Johnny Appleseed Day September 30 - National Mud Pack Day Scottish History A Wee Bit of This and That Aboot Scotland As the 'dog days' of summer wane, the remaining hamburgers of Labor Day are reheated and we are faced with the arrival of autumn and its promise of the coming winter. Perhaps a mental trip to Alba just might lift our spirits and give us some food for thought. Some are old and some are new, but they all are interesting. THE SALTIRE or National Flag of Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Bratach na h-Alba, Banner o' Scotland), consists of a blue field blazoned with a silver or white saltire (Cross of St. Andrew).The saltire has been in use since AD 1286. In AD 1385 the Scottish Parliament decreed that all Scottish soldiers shall wear the saltire in white on both their chest and back to distinguish them in battle. It became the official flag in AD 1542. According to legend, in AD 832 Oengues II led an army of Picts and Scots into battle against the Angles, near modern-day Athelstaneford, East Lothian. The legend states that while engaged in prayer on the eve of battle, Oengues vowed that if granted victory he would appoint Saint Andrew as the Patron Saint of Scotland. St. Andrew then appeared to Oengues that night in a dream and assured him of victory. The day of the battle, clouds in the form of the cross of St. Andrew appeared in the sky. GAELIC is part of a very old language group collectively referred to as CELTIC languages. It came westward when the ancestors of today's Scots left Circassia in Central Asia, now modern day Kazakhstan. There are six subdivisions of the Celtic language: Scottish Gaelic, Irish, Welsh, Manx, Cornish and Breton. HAGGIS is essentially a sausage. Think of it as a large hot dog made from scrapple and you have haggis. Scots, being the frugal folks they were, used every part of the sheep except the bleat. The offal or leftovers were used to make haggis. Today there are strict controls over the type of meat used in haggis. Only choice cuts are used. That is why haggis is expensive. It also contains oatmeal and assorted spices for flavour. Originally, haggis was made from cattle offal. It was only after The Highland Clearances (when sheep replaced people) that sheep offal were used. THE KILT -There are actually two types. The most common is the modern kilt of feile beg which means small kilt. The modern kilt is a creation from the Victorian Era. A textile mill owner and a Sassanach to boot, in Scotland designed them because he felt the original Scottish kilts were too dangerous to wear around machinery. Originally, the kilt was much larger and was one complete unit the breacan feile which means big kilt. It was wrapped around the waist and held with a belt. Then, thrown over the shoulder, essentially covering the wearer from the knees up. It also served as a blanket at night. It was about 56 inches wide and nine yards long. Hence the origin of the phrase The Whole Nine Yards. TARTAN is used to distinguish different clans. It is believed that originally, each clan wore a tunic of a different solid colour. Although, if the clan was prosperous enough a second or third colour might be introduced.The Roman writer Virgil referred to the Celts as wearing “striped” tunics. Consider that Latin at that time did not possess a word for checkered therefore striped was used.If truth be told all tartans were created during the Victorian Era. The intricate designs of today were created by two lads of dubious heritage the Sobieski Brothers ( They also went by Hay Allan, Stuart Hay and Sobieski Stuart. That is a story in itself.) The textile manufacturers went along with the charade and produced today’s tartans. These “tartan’s” were later adopted by the laird of the clan. Laboring under the assumption that folks will buy anything if you sell it correctly, each manufacturer created a slightly different,lighter pattern of the same clan tartan called classic, hunting or ancient. Supposedly, these were patterned after tartans later found on the battlefield at Drummossie Moor or Culloden. Scots at that time typically removed their tartans before battle and wore only their tunics in battle. TARTAN DAY April 6 th, Jean Watson of Nova Scotia, began it in 1986, as a day to display your Scottish heritage. This date was chosen because it coincided with the signing of The Declaration of Arbroath April 6, AD 1320. On this day all those of Scottish descent are to wear something Scottish. It is celebrated, literally, around the world . The largest event is now a week-long celebration held in New York city culminating in a parade whose Grand Marshall is always a famous Scot. See what the power a single Scot can weild. THE DECLARATION OF ARBROATH sometimes referred to as The Oath of Arbroath. The Declaration of Arbroath is a declaration of Scottish independence, made in AD 1320. It is one of three letters (the only one to survive) submitted to Pope John XXII, dated 6 April AD 1320, intended to confirm Scotland's status as an independent, sovereign state and defending Scotland's right to use military action when unjustly attacked. It was signed by 39 leading Scots. It contained the famous phrase: ...for, as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom – for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself. It is widely, though incorrectly. regarded as the inspiration for The American Declaration of Independence. THE FLOWER OF SCOTLAND is not a plant, it is the unofficial anthem of Scotland. It is sung at special social occasions and before all sporting events. (there is a fabulous rendition sung by 65,000 fans before a Scotland -England football tie at Wembley Stadium.) It refers to the victory of the Scots, led by Robert the Bruce, over England's Edward II at the Battle of Bannockburn in AD 1314. The “official” anthem is God Save The Queen. THE EDINBURGH TATTOO is properly called The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Held each August, it began in 1950 to display the talents of the British military bands. The show now includes bands from the Commonwealth as well as invited groups from all over the world. The term Tattoo refers to “Last Orders.” It originally was a signal, sounded by the local military garrison, to the tavern owners to close the taps on their ale kegs, so the soldiers could return to their billetes at a reasonable hour. GRETNA GREEN on the Scottish borders was the place a young couple could tie the knot of matrimony. In England there were rules governing who,when and at what age one could wed. However, in Scotland, although part of the UK, those rules didn't apply. Gretna was located just over the border and became The Place to hurriedly tie the knot. Until recently, a similar arrangement was found on The US East Coast in Elkton, Maryland. THE FALKIRK WHEEL is an engineering marvel that connects the Forth and Clyde Canals to the Union Canal. Basically, it is shaped like a two headed Celtic axe and acts like a ferris wheel that lifts or lowers two caissons. The caissons or gondolas are 24 metres (79 feet) long. Each caisson holds a canal boat with people and 80,000 imperial gallons (96,000 US gallons) of water. The trip up or down takes about 4 minutes. GREYFRIARS BOBBY was a Scottish Terrier whose owner John Gray passed away in AD 1858. Bobby was so devoted to John Gray that he remained by his owner's grave until he himself passed away on January 14,1872. He is immortalised with a statue located in front of The Greyfriars Pub in Edinburgh. THE SLEAGH MAITH or Fairies have been a part of Scottish Folklore since the time of the Picts. They are dwarf like wee folk who wear highland dress and live in underground caverns. They eat human food and drink fine spiritus liquors (some say it is the progenitor of Uisage Beatha (the Water of Life ie:modern day Scotch). Some of the food is stolen from human hearths and the liquor is made from stolen grain. They venture out only on selected days and times. That is when mere mortals can see them. Usually they can be seen only be seen by those with Second Sight ( The seventh son or daughter).