Friday, November 02, 2007

Being creative every day is one of my goals but I am still mostly a mom!

Last year in November, my youngest son and I went to a Saint Andrews Festival at a church in a nearby town. We had heard about the bagpipers and free Scottish food to be had at the annual event. We went early to visit with friends in the band and to ensure a good seat. When we heard the first bagpipe a few feet away, my son's eyes got huge. He said, "I want one," or something to that effect. When he saw the knife, sgian dubh, in the sock traditionally carried by pipers he asked if he would get a knife if he learned to play the bagpipes! The sgian dubh, pronounced "skee(a)n doo" is the ceremonial Celtic dagger traditionally worn tucked into the sock (kilt hose) of Scottish Highlanders.

He got his practice chanter last Christmas and has now moved up to a borrowed bagpipe and kilt! He has been brave enough to appear twice in public, at a halloween party and the next night at a Fall Festival at school. When asked to play the pipes he has done so, "Amazing Grace," to enthusiastic applause from his mostly jr. high friends. Last night he played the very best I had heard him play. He even remarked later that contrary to his own expectations he did better with an audience!

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Tell him I said he looks very many in his kilt.

K said...

That's amazing! He is very brave!
You mentioned making a kilt in your Flickr post. Let us know how it goes. I would think it would be pretty easy, except for the pleats.

Rael said...

I second the words of the venerable Jon Pile- Robert the Whitefield does indeed look quite manly. Fierce, even!

Ach, laddie, I'm glad the pipin' goes weel!

~Lady Rael~