Attention: All Who Love a Good Concert

Jim Malcolm is a personable and very talented folk musician from Scotland
who has fans in many countries. His recordings are heard often on Fiona
Ritchie's National Public Radio show, Thistle and Shamrock. You can sample
his music on his informative web site www.jimmalcolm.com and on U-tube.
These concerts are great fun and are held in cozy, intimate venues.

Tickets are $18. Reservations are required and payment is at the door. Cash
and exact change are appreciated. Checks are accepted but plastic is not. If
you reserve and then must cancel, please notify me as soon as possible
because Jim's past concerts have all sold out and there might be a waiting
list. Thanks.

Friday Feb. 5 in Forest Grove
Door at 7:00, music at 7:30
BJ's Coffee Co.  2834 Pacific Ave. in Ballad Towne Shopping Center, west
side Food and drink service available before start and during the break.

Sunday Feb. 7 in S.E. Portland
Door at 6:30, music at 7:00
Private house concert at 6333 SE Scott Dr. See internet map. Home is near SE
Stark and 62nd.


Reservations and information:  lynx3@verizon.net or 503-357-2947

O wad some power the giftie gie us To see oursel's as ithers see us! It wad frae monie a blunder free us. And foolish notion; What airs in dress and gait wad lea'e us, And ev'n devotion!

The line above is from Robert Burns': To a Louse, (on seeing one on a Lady's Bonnet, at Church).

January 25th is Burns Night, to celebration the 251st anniversary of the birth of the great poet of Scotland!

This (above) is one of the many 'most quoted' lines from the vast writings of the man.
To think that such a powerful and thought provoking line as this ...is tucked into a poem about a louse (single of lice) making it's way onto a bonnet of a fair lady is astonishing!

It is said that the words of a poet brings change to the world. Poets tends to say, eloquently, the things that others ...only think.
This man, born 2 and half centuries ago has had a lasting effect; not only on Scotland and her people ...
but throughout the world.
I have often said.."I started to read Burns at the age of 8, ... and started to understand it when I was 30!"

Someone, quite young, asked me last year, "Who was Robert Burns?"
I replied,  "He's the one that wrote that song, ...that you sing on New's Year Eve every year!"

So if you have a chance, ...seek out the local Burns Night Supper Event and raise a glass to honour and celebrate the man! Scots wha hae...!

Cheers,
Linda

Burns Night Supper Event

Sorry about the late posting of this.

There will be a Burn's Night Supper in Roseburg, Oregon... at the Douglas County Fairgrounds on Jan 16th.
No host bar at 5pm
Buffet Dinner at 6pm

$27.00 each

For more information please contact Deb Rutter at (541) 672-9396

Dear folk I normally have more posts about events like this ....but this year...seeing the tradgic death of a friend in Scotland has taken alot of my time this week. Working on Obituary for him with news agents back in Scotland.

Things should mellow out after the Memorial on Monday.

Cheers, Linda

David R. Ross - Author, Historian, Biker, and Scotland's Favoured Son

ALL MEN DIE ...BUT NOT ALL MEN REALLY LIVE !

  Yesterday when I opened my laptop I was faced with a very sad report from my
publishing house in Edinburgh.

My good friend and fellow author David R.Ross had passed away at his home
on 2nd Jan. 2010 from a heart attack at the age of 51...to be 52 in Feb.
( I wrote about him in my book) He was a major 'mover-and-shaker' in Scotland and...
I don't know what Scotland and many individuals like myself will do without him.

He has written many books about Wallace, the Bruce, Bonnie Prince Charlie...and the like..
the most recent being one on The Black Douglas ...James the Good.
He had just completed another book about great woman in Scotland and sent it to the publisher, this Autumn.

He was scheduled to leave his home today (Jan 7th) to tour Florida...no idea if anyone there has been notified yet.

Everyone thought it was 'just' a rumour...then confirmation came in yesterday early.

Spent the day crying and drinking whisky.

You see David and I had set out to do the same thing...promote Scotland in America (though he was much further ahead in the game than myself ) we had agreed that he would take the East Coast and I would take the West Coast and we'd meet somewhere in the middle. LOL!

With his passing I feel quite alone now....

He was the Convener for the Society of William Wallace in Scotland and was the single-handed force in organizing all of the events that have taken place in these past couple of decades since the Parliament vote was passed.

Oh Me! Who can fill his shoes?

He was a huge man and had had trouble with his heart ever since he was in preparation for the Walk for Wallace in 2005, (preparation started 4 years before). He walked 450 miles in the same 19 days it took Wallace to be transported to London for execution in 1305, and did this on the 700th Memorial to the capture and murder of Wallace by the English.

Each time I saw him he would mention his health....but strangely ...it seemed to me ...he had been pushing quite hard this last year and a half...
though now it seems that maybe he knew his time was short and he was trying his best to complete what he had set out to do....free his nation and ....education of the masses here was the key to that.

The memorial for him will be on Monday next....I won't be able to go....some times I hate where I live just because of the logistics of it all.  Most of the time I love my home, my town, my country, ...but, ... this is one of those times where I wish I lived in Boston so I could just hop the plane and be there.

Sorry I'm dumping all this at your doorstep...but I thought you...being who you are would not only care to know but would understand my ramblings about it.

Thankfully I saw him at my book launch in Stirling. And it occurred to me yesterday that we (this core group of people that have been working for Scotland since
we first 'became' the core group in 1997) ....we all sat down 'together' for the first time since 1997 and had lunch at the book event...it was brilliant to all be there at once
talking away about what we were each up to and planned to do in the near future.

That day when David first saw me ...he was sitting on a ledge of a wall inside or a table ...he called he over grabbed me with his massive arms ...and pulled me in...he then wrapped his legs around my legs while hugging me tight and wouldn't let go, ... while he talked into my ear telling me all the things that 2 people that have know each other for quite some time say to each other. We stayed in this clutch for 15-20 minutes.                And ....I so cherish this now.
He spoke about his heart and his health at that time as well.

Once when we spoke through email this Autumn he was still on the East Coast at the time, he spoke of being tired and "just wanted Home".
I'm glad for David that he was home when he passed. He'd always said when I die...take me home to Scotland if I am not already there.

I had been re-living the Wars of Independence at the mark of the 700th Anniversary for each event.
Starting with the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1997...the Falkirk, the Death of Wallace, the Coronation of Robert the Bruce, ....next is the 700th of the Battle of Bannockburn 2014...but this time David won't be there...he's always been there....the Wallace Day march in August...and all the other pinnacle events....where we would 'run into each other'. If he has it within his power he will be at Bannockburn in 2014....like he was in 2006 for the Bruce's Coronation event. I'll be there....and I'll be looking and watching for any sign of him.

David, ....you are sorely missed now...but the void you have left in your wake, I fear will not be fully understood for many months to come.

Rest easy my friend, ...you deserve it....for all you've done for Scotland ...your beloved Homeland ...and the rich history you single-handedly kept in the forefront for the people today.

Linda MacDonald-Lewis