Ian M.
New member
This past Sunday Fallon and I accompanied my Dad to the 37th annual New Hampshire Highland Games at Loon Mountain, NH and it was an amazing time for all of us. Dad and I were particularly impressed with some of the athletic events such as the caber tossing. 300 plus pound guys throwing 17 foot long poles that weighed in at anywhere from 150 to 180 pounds each. These have to be thrown from an upright position, end over end or it doesn't count! I wouldn't want to have one of those guys mad at me!
We also heard and saw the massed bagpipe and drum bands and that can really gets the blood pounding. We loved every minute of it. As well, we ate our way through some of the best food on the planet - Scotch "goodies" such as fantastic Shepherd's Pie, Brunswick Stew and pasties (hand-held meat and vegetable pies) were available and were delicious. Needless to say, Hagis (stew made with sheep's intestines) and Scotch Eggs (hardboiled eggs thoroughly wrapped in sausage and deep-fat fryed) were items that we passed on. We could just hear our arteries snapping shut just at the mention of eating things like that! But the pastries are absolutely to die for and Fallon got a couple of recipes she intends to try out on me. I'm all for it!
Two events we were able to watch that were really neat to see were herding sheep with trained dogs and sheep shearing. I knew right off that being a farmer would never be my thing! Fallon felt pretty sorry for those poor sheep after they were completely shorn. She said they looked both chilly (it was around 70 out) and somewhat embarrassed at being totally "naked" and she thought it was almost inhumane. When we bought her a really beautiful hand-woven, wool blanket, she began to appreciate sheep shearing a bit more!
The day was gorgeous and the colors in the mountains were awesome. Loon Mountain, where the Games are held, is only about 40 odd miles from where Fallon and I live and so it's a super trip into the beautiful White Mountains through "God's Country".
Incidently, we came to the conclusion that most guys don't look all that good in a kilt.
Ian
We also heard and saw the massed bagpipe and drum bands and that can really gets the blood pounding. We loved every minute of it. As well, we ate our way through some of the best food on the planet - Scotch "goodies" such as fantastic Shepherd's Pie, Brunswick Stew and pasties (hand-held meat and vegetable pies) were available and were delicious. Needless to say, Hagis (stew made with sheep's intestines) and Scotch Eggs (hardboiled eggs thoroughly wrapped in sausage and deep-fat fryed) were items that we passed on. We could just hear our arteries snapping shut just at the mention of eating things like that! But the pastries are absolutely to die for and Fallon got a couple of recipes she intends to try out on me. I'm all for it!
Two events we were able to watch that were really neat to see were herding sheep with trained dogs and sheep shearing. I knew right off that being a farmer would never be my thing! Fallon felt pretty sorry for those poor sheep after they were completely shorn. She said they looked both chilly (it was around 70 out) and somewhat embarrassed at being totally "naked" and she thought it was almost inhumane. When we bought her a really beautiful hand-woven, wool blanket, she began to appreciate sheep shearing a bit more!
The day was gorgeous and the colors in the mountains were awesome. Loon Mountain, where the Games are held, is only about 40 odd miles from where Fallon and I live and so it's a super trip into the beautiful White Mountains through "God's Country".
Incidently, we came to the conclusion that most guys don't look all that good in a kilt.
Ian
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