My Scottish bookshelf

After a weekend of bagpipe band activities (to see my son playing drums, check this video out) I've changed my blog music to all Celtic tunes.

And now is a good time to share with you my favorite Scottish titles from my bookshelf.

The Wee Scotch Piper
by Madeline Brandeis
Copyright, 1929, by A. Flanagan Company

The author, also a writer, producer and director of silent movies, wrote two series of books about children of America and foreign lands because most of what was available at the time was written years before.

Along with her 8yo daughter Marie and her reflex camera Ref, she journeyed about Europe so they could then create the books to share what they saw and heard.

She closed out the Foreward with "So, though I sign myself Madeline Brandeis, I am really only Marie's Mother."

Portrait of a Dog
by Mazo de la Roche
Illustrated by Morgan Dennis
Little, Brown & Co., 1930

Long before Marley & Me, there was this book which chronicles the life of a Scottish terrier pup.

Interestingly, yet again I am drawn to a book written by a woman. Didn't know what kind a of name Mazo was until I looked her up.

And another fun tidbit -- the illustrator did the Black and White Scotch ads of yore.


The Highlander's Cookbook
by Sheila MacNiven Cameron
Illustrated by Mario Casetta
Gramercy Publishing Co., 1966

I have to try my hand at some of these recipes eventually, esp for my favorites like Forfar Bridies, Chicken Stovies, Shortbread, Haddie-stuffed Potatoes and Taiblet.

Info on the illustrator -- worked on publicity programs for USCG, in short films and tv commercials as a producer-director and art director, then at an LA-area radio station where he spearheaded many ethnic fair and festival fundraisers.

Lemon oil and elbow grease

It is amazing what a little lemon oil
will do to rejuvenate a piece of furniture.

This table has been on our back porch all winter
in the condition it was in when I found it.

All it took was a bit of cleaning it with lemon oil
and we now have a beautiful table in our bathroom.
So much easier than stain.

I want a pony!!

I don't know who I bought this pony for -- him or me.

We were out of town, with extra room in the van to bring it home, so I just had to buy after I saw the price tag -- $8.00!!!!

My older son tried to talk me out of it because he knew what Dad's reaction would be. He neglected to tell me there was a second horse available elsewhere in the store.....

Shadow play

Baby ripples

Now that I'm halfway done with the second of a pair of coordinating baby blankets for soon-to-arrive twins, I've finally taken some more pictures for you. (And only because I brought both the blankets and my camera to the playground this afternoon.


This is the finished one -- it has two rows of each color with a ribbed detail in the center of each color.

This is the half-finished one. It is 3 rows of each color with the ribbed detail at the edge of the color.

Instead of going to the chapel....

...we went to the library for a wedding yesterday.

The bride's son and our 10yo have been friends since the first day of kindergarten. Her son was the best man and her daughter was the maid of honor. They are such a special family already.

Those are just my favorites. Many more on Flickr.