Highland Games

[cjsmith]

On Sunday rfrench and I visited the Highland Games in Pleasanton. I had no idea the Highland Games ever showed up outside Scotland, but apparently they most certainly do.

I brought my (ahem, Clare's) quad-cane and boy was I ever glad I had it. I'm stable enough, but I simply cannot be on foot for long without something to help bear the weight. I should have had the walker, really, and even better would have been one of these so I could sit. Oh well - hindsight is 20/20!

There were an incredible number of vendors at this thing. I spent most of my time shopping; here are some pictures of clothing I ogled. I wish I'd taken photographs of a few more items as well!

A lot of people who came were dressed up. Some looked much more RenFaire than Scottish, but many men wore full formal dress with the kilt and sporran and flashes and all, and quite a few women were wearing the plaid draped over one shoulder. I wish I'd taken a few photographs of the folk in nifty clothes.

We heard some bands, some good and some loud (mostly disjoint sets). We saw a stage packed with fiddlers, leaving just enough room at the front for a few people dancing the Highland fling. We stopped in at a booth selling all manner of edged weapons and we chatted for a while with the armored woman (a SCA fighter, I understand) who was helping keep an eye on the stock. She recommended a shortsword for my light weight and small hands, and darned if it wasn't comfortable to hold! If I'd been in the market for a sword.... We saw two pair of Highland cattle, "Bonnie and Clyde" and "Fiona and Ceilidh". I'd never seen Highland cows anywhere but, well, the Scottish highlands! We also saw a display of birds of prey, where four birds (apparently all brought by one falconer) gazed steadily back at us from their perches. The birds looked rather bored, actually.

One event I had never seen before was the sheepdog trials. At one of these, a handler and a dog walk into the large dirt-floored arena; a timer is started and four sheep are released into the ring. Within minutes the human shepherd and the dog, who is usually a young border collie, must work as a team to get the sheep to and through several narrow passageways scattered around the area and then at the end they must herd the sheep up a ramp into a trailer. When all the sheep are in the trailer the announcer reads off how long it took. Man, those dogs can MOVE. Their concentration and focus are just as incredible as their energy. That was fascinating, and I would have watched a lot longer if my feet hadn't been hurting.

Oddly enough, the things we didn't see were the traditional mainstays such as the caber toss. Seating in the grandstand was limited and cost extra, and there was no place to stand and watch. I would have enjoyed seeing those competitions, but it's okay that we didn't -- I had a great time doing what we did do.

Unsurprisingly, achy feet drove us out of there. And yeah, I "paid for it" a bit today; I'm glad I didn't have to do much. But I don't regret going. I enjoyed myself, I've got a lovely bodice that will arrive in late September, and I now know I can go to an event like this for part of the day. That's a pretty good combination.

Comments

[firecat]

Aren't sheepdog trials fun?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

They were great to watch! Those dogs are FOCUSED. :-)

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

*whimper* I think we have highland games here but I never remember when they are.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Rob found this one. I don't know what reminded him or made him want to go. Once it's on the calendar, of course, it's easy.

[elfkat.livejournal.com]

There is another one coming up in Ben Lomond on October 1 if you want to go again.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks! (I had to ask MapQuest where Ben Lomond is.)

My neck of the woods

[wooddragon.livejournal.com]

Ben Lomond is very close to me. The name probably says to most of us that it might be a good place for highland games... :)

Re: My neck of the woods

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I was surprised to see that on the map. Though I'd been to your house more than once, I still had no clue where Ben Lomond was!

There's even a Loch Lomond Park!

[elfkat.livejournal.com]

My sister and I are coming up that weekend to help scatter Cameron's ashes and attend our international clan meeting. So we will be there in our kilts and gear.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

My condolences on your loss.

Which clan are you?

One of these days I want to figure out which portion of which clan I'm closest to. I descend from a few of 'em, so I have to find the male line, and I think that winds up being McDonald, which isn't a complete answer because depending on which sept you get totally different plaids.

Or I could just legally wed rfrench and make the answer moot easy. Then my bloodline doesn't matter and I'm a Scott.

[elfkat.livejournal.com]

We are going to the MacFarlane meeting which was one of my dad's. Dad was a MacFarlane, Stuart/Stewart, MacGregor and oops Campbell. And mom was a Cumming, MacGregor, Murray and a few others farther off. I generally wear the Cumming Hunting and my sister wears the MacFarlane Hunting. That way both sides are represented. And yeah, both sides are MacGregor but not close at all thankfully. My parents did the thorough Scot's brainwashing thing from birth. I even had to take Highland dance lessons. You may not be able to get married but the Scot's were big on adoption and fosterage. Which is the excuse I used to get my Irish ex to wear tartan. Heehee.

The user pic is from the Southern California Gathering this year.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Oh wow! I've had a bunch of traditions handed down from all the various roots (I'm also an eighth Polish, f'rex) but I've never had Highland dance lessons! Did they make you learn to fiddle, too? ;-)

I like the adoption-and-fosterage angle. Good enough for me!

If I go to the Ben Lomond Games I'll keep an eye out for you.

[kimatha.livejournal.com]

I went to a Highland Games in Santa Rosa one time. Long, long ago. I think 1991 or 92.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I used to have the idea that they were something like the Olympics: held exactly ONCE per time period (year, I think I might have imagined), in ONE place, in Scotland, with very very official registered athletes and very very official registered cabers and everything.

Me learning better now. :)

[lesliepear.livejournal.com]

They have highland games in NJ in June. I've never gone, but I bet they are fun.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Alan might love watching the sheepdogs and/or the athletes!

[lesliepear.livejournal.com]

We've never gotten a chance to go - I think they are usually the first weekend in June and that always seems to be full of things to do around here.

Maybe next year.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Yeah, when it's just one of many things to do, it's a harder decision!

[aelfie.livejournal.com]

You just missed the Campbell games. If you are going to Ben Lomond, stop at the White Cockade on 9. Almost exactly an hour outside of Saratoga. Its on the right and sorta easy to miss. Old fashion pub, run by a short bald scotsman. Great beer and food.

I need to figure out which clan I belong to as well. The last name is Smith (duh, like yours) and from what I've been able to figure out its either Macintosh or Macphearson. I have a birth place, but I'm not sure after that.

I am annoyed I missed the games this year. I haven't been in awhile and I really wanted to go this year.

Gotta love seein' all those lovely men in kilts!

[layer.livejournal.com]

man, i haven't been to the campbell games in years. they're so nice and small...

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I'd never even heard of them. Where have I been? Under a rock, seems like.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

White Cockade? Thanks for the recommendation!

Searches on Smith tend to come up MacPhearson in my experience, yeah. I'm not a Smith in terms of genealogy; two generations back there are no Smiths in my family tree at all, and at four or five generations back you see my dad's maternal line taking that name upon arrival at Ellis Island. So I'm not likely MacPhearson. I have a bit of figuring to do.

Hey, there's always the Ben Lomond one first weekend of October! C'mon out! Sock your mom with the twins! ;-)

White Cockade

[wooddragon.livejournal.com]

About six miles up Hwy 9 from Bear Creek Road,on the logical west side of Hwy 9. If you hit 236 (which does loop off 9), you've gone a little too far.

Re: White Cockade

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Do they have rfrench-approved French fries? ;-)

Re: White Cockade

[wooddragon.livejournal.com]

No idea. I've never been there. I'm sure the beer would be excellent, but no clue about the French Fries...

[aelfie.livejournal.com]

Too Young to leave with mom. That's what slings are for! =)

Tho we are thinking of Renn Faire!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

True, you're BF. Renn Faire? That'd be pretty cool!

[just-cyd.livejournal.com]

oooh, those bodices are so pretty! and that dress! wow! i can't make out the detail that well, but i'd bet it's worth the hefty price tag.

and am i wrong, or is your hair shorter? i seem to recall it being waist-length...?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

The dress was just stunning. Man oh man. But I am simply not spending $425 on ANY dress, no matter how nice... particularly one I can't exactly wear on an average day! Can you imagine me coming in to work at a techie Silicon Valley office in that thing? Hah! Ah well. :-)

My hair is still long, it's just covered by the bodice in those pictures.

[rampling.livejournal.com]

Glad my stuff is still there for you when you need it. As I got slowly better, I got in the habit of leaving the walker (later the quad-cane) in my car so I'd have it somewhat nearby if I needed it.

I still ogle those fancy rolling walkers with seats and hand-brakes! I've developed quite the sensitivity to how helpful the right piece of medical equipment can be at the right time, so I still notice a nice cane or fancy-looking walker. That part has stayed with me long after the need.

Those Highland Games sound like quite a blast! Glad you had so much fun, and I hope your feet are are recovering well. One of these years I'm gonna check out such an event myself....

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I don't keep those things in the car at the moment, but my days are pretty predictable and easy. For the last two years I have known not to walk much. It's now a major event, including planning and logistics, when I do. :-/

I LOVE those rolling walkers with seats. I also love those canes that fold out into a little temporary seat. Oh, have I ever drooled over this stuff!

I've developed quite the sensitivity to how helpful the right piece of medical equipment can be at the right time, so I still notice a nice cane or fancy-looking walker. That part has stayed with me long after the need.

Yeah. I wonder if it's a little like being poor enough to go hungry: once you've been there, even if you're not there any more, you're a lot more aware of things than someone who has never lived it.

[rampling.livejournal.com]

Oh man, I've been coveting one of those little folding cane-seat thingies for ages! I can even imagine using that now, in my relatively healthy state. Imagine waiting for hours in the annoying SRO crowds at a House of Blues (oh, that place annoys me!) and being able to flip out a little seat! The relief!

True, I agre about having "been there", so I do feel more aware of these things. Though I've always had some attention this way; I remember always noticing an especially nice wheelchair or pretty cane. But now it does feel more personal, like I'm taking notes for potential future needs.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I may get one of those thingies soon. Even in the best case I'll have a LOT of foot-stamina to build back up.

taking notes for potential future needs

Absolutely. That, and being much more aware of what the owner of that nifty medical thing is going through.

[cyan-blue.livejournal.com]

Lovely outfits!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I also tried on a generic fantasy dress with long flowy sleeves, and I wish I'd taken a photo of that as well. I could copy it for FAR less than the $240 they were asking -- it was really cheapy material.