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Tartans celebrating America, or those with a red, white, and blue theme seem a good topic for today's blog, even though it's a repeat of last year's July 4th blog ~

Lochcarron of Scotland has created a line of special emblem tartans, including
The Great Seal of America.







There are 6 others, which are very patriotic in color and name. Over the years they have been designed for and by Americans ~ American, American with Eagle, American Bicentennial Commemorative, American National, Scottish American, and United States.

These can all be viewed at Scottish Wedding Dreams, on the American Tartans page.

One other universal tartan with red, white, and blue is Diaspora #2690. House of Edgar designed Diaspora tartan for a clothing manufacturer.

Monday, more blue tartans...

July 3, 2008 07:58 - William Wallace

Hero of the movie Braveheart, William Wallace, lived from 1270 to 1305. Through the years he has been revered in Scotland as a hero. The movie made him a folk hero around the world.

In 1477, a poet called 'Blind Harry' wrote an poem of nine volumes, celebrating the life and death of William Wallace. Down through the ages, The Actes and Deidis of the Illustre and Vallyeant Campioun Schir William Wallace has been respected as a fine piece of historical poetry. Blind Harry claimed his work was based on a book by John Blair, a boyhood friend of Wallace and his personal chaplain.

In turn Randall Wallace wrote the novel on which the move Braveheart was written. Some fan of Wallace and the movie has transcribed Wallace's speech before the Highland troops as he encouraged them to stand against the British once and for all.

Sons of Scotland, I am William Wallace. Crowd: William Wallace is seven feet tall. Yes, I've heard….kills men by the hundreds, and if he were here he'd consume the English with fireballs from his eyes and bolts of lightning from his arse. I AM William Wallace! And I see a whole army of my countrymen here in defiance of tyranny. You have come to fight as free men, and free men you are. What would you do without freedom? Will you fight? Crowd: Fight? Against that? No, we will run; and we will live. Aye, fight and you may die. Run and you'll live -- at least a while. And dying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take... our freedom!

Tomorrow, a replay of America's red, white and blue tartans…

July 2, 2008 07:09 - Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Tartan

For most people, blue is their favorite color. For Diana, with those big blue eyes, this was probably also true. Red also ranks right up there in popularity. So a selection of lighter blue tartans, with a touch of red, is in order.

For a baby blue, Diana, The Princess of Wales, Memorial Tartan is a good choice. Designed in 1997 to commemorate the life of Diana and to raise money for her many charities.

Diana, The Princess of Wales, Memorial Tartan WR2515

The groom and groomsmen could wear Highland Granite or Douglas Clan tartan kilts.

Highland Granite Universal Tartan

Douglas Clan Tartan WR1127

Just add red roses, a favorite of women and of Scots everywhere, and the Diana Tartan is complete ~

Image courtesy Wikipedia

Or some Forget-Me-Nots, which would be quite appropriate ~

Forget-Me-Nots image courtesy Wikipedia

Lily of the Valley is another good choice to go with the memorial tartan ~

Lily of theValley image courtesy Morgue Files

Bluebells are found in wooded areas throughout the British Isles. Diana possibly ran among them in her childhood.

Virginia bluebells image courtesy Wikipedia

Next week, more blue tartans to follow. Tomorrow, the William Wallace speech as we prepare for Independence Day…

July 1, 2008 08:55 - July Highland Games

For many of us, the heat of summer is in full force and going to any outdoor event seems daunting. But if the weather's mild and you've the inkling, you can get a good dose of Scottish things. Some hold piping competitions, some have Highland games. There's always vendors selling all kinds of Scottish merchandise.

If you're looking for a local piper this is a good place to start. You can also look at sample books with many, many tartans displayed. Walking through the crowd, you can see a variety of kilt styles. Visiting the clan tents you can learn more about your clan history.

You can hear many different Highland tunes being played, eat a day-full of Scottish food, and see lots of Scottish traditions first hand.

For more detailed information about the events listed, go to U.S. Scots and the Scottish Heritage Society. Then click on the individual events and look for the link to the event's own webpage.

• July 1, Pugwash, Nova Scotia, Canada ~ Pugwash Gathering of the Clans
  
• July 1, Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada ~ Manitoba Highland Gathering
  
• July 2 to 7, Banner Elk, NC ~ Grandfather Mountain Gaelic Song, Language and Harp Week
  
• July 4 to 6, Kincardine, Ontario, Canada ~ Kincardine Scottish Festival
  
• July 5, Aberdeen, New South Wales, Australia ~ Aberdeen Highland Games
  
• July 5 to 6 Monterey, CA ~ Monterey Scottish Games
  
• July 6 to 7, Payson, UT ~ Payson Scottish Festival
  
• July 7 to 8, Chatham, Ontario, Canada ~ Tartan Sertoma Highland Games
  
• July 7 to 8, Athena, OR ~ Athena Caledonian Games
  
• July 7 to 9, Mount Vernon, WA ~ Skagit Valley Highland Games & Faire
  
• July 8, Mt Morris, NY ~ High Banks Celtic Gathering
  
• July 11. Montreal, Quebec, Canada ~ Montreal Celtic Festival
  
• July 11 to 12, Saline, MI ~ Saline Celtic Festival
  
• July 12 to 15, Linville, NC ~ Grandfather Mountain Highland Games
  [See the Newsroom July 16 to 24, 2007 blogs for photos]
  
• July 12, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada ~ Halifax Celtic Feis (Festival)
  
• July 12, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada ~ Halifax Highland Games and Scottish Festival
  
• July 12, Haliburton, Ontario, Canada ~ Haliburton Highland Games
  
• July 12, Prospect, ME ~ Maine Scottish Military Tattoo
  
• July 14, Burton, OH ~ Brigadoon Celtic Festival
  
• July 14 to 15, Oakland, CA ~ Oakland Dunsmuir Highland Games
  
• July 16, Orillia, Ontario, Canada ~ Orillia Scottish Festival
  
• July 18 to 19, Cambridge, Ontario, Canada ~ Cambridge Highland Games
  
• July 18 to 20, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada ~ Antigonish Highland Games
  
• July 19, Westfield, MA ~ Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival
  
• July 19, Gresham, OR ~ Portland Scottish Highland Games
  
• July 19 to 22 Belfast, ME ~ Maine Celtic Celebration
  
• July 19 to 20 Flagstaff, AZ ~ Arizona Highlands Celtic Festival
  
• July 19 to 20 Kiowa, CO ~ Kiowa Celtic Festival
  
• July 21, Horsham, PA ~ Graeme Park Scottish Heritage Festival
  
• July 21 to 22, Reno, NV ~ Reno Celtic New Year Celebration
  
• July 22, Leetonia, OH ~ Leetonia Celtic Festival
  
• July 26 to 27, Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada ~ Highlands of Durham Games & Festival
  
• July 26 to 27, Enumclaw, WA ~ Pacific Northwest Scottish Highland Games
  
• July 27 to 29, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada ~ New Brunswick Highland Games
  
• July 30 to August 4, Monterey, CA ~ Monterey Bay School of Piping

Tomorrow, Princes Diana and her memorial tartan…