The City of Seaside is Gearing Up for the 4th of July Fireworks Display

Last year by a strange quirk of fate the Vancouver, Washington fireworks display was canceled and the media re-directed the crowds to Seaside. Even some of the bands showed up and marched in the parade down Broadway.
After living in Seaside for over 20 years, I have to say, ....I was really impressed.
There was a steady stream of traffic coming into town all day. People were parking where and when ever they could. It was brilliant, ...a 'Woodstock' gathering atmosphere filled the the air.

I know that many of you have come here in the past and enjoyed the Fireworks. And for such a small Coastal Town, Seaside has always been able to 'rise to the occasion' and consistently 'outdo the year before' and create a spectacle well worth the viewing.

The Fireworks Fund request came this week.

If you would like to make a contribution please forward your cheque (check) to:

Fireworks Fund
C/O Seaside Chamber
PO Box 7
Seaside, Oregon  97138 

Any amount from one dollar to one hundred...or more would be greatly appreciated and help in the creation of this years' Celebration of Independence, the Freedoms we share, and the Founding of this Nation!

Cheers,
Linda

Beltane Night- The Story of Nan con't...(Part 4)

Nan woke early the next day, with Gillian on her mind. She had a quick bite to eat, and made her way to the shed, to sort through and process all she had gathered the day before.
As she entered she saw the goods that she had hastily laid out on the shelves. She took a deep breath and got started.
She gathered up the herbs and made small bouquets then she straightened the stems to equal lengths and bound them up with strips of rags to hang up-side-down from the rafters to dry evenly.
With this automatic mindless work she had plenty of time to ponder the experience of the night before and think about Gillian.
How strangely he just appeared when she was preoccupied...and how quickly he disappeared. But, with all the questions she may have about him...she had to admit she couldn't wait to see him again. In fact ...she felt a bit tingly when she turn her thoughts to him ....those blue eyes of his....and his pleasant voice. Oh dear...what was going on in her head? She'd never had much thought about men in general...she'd spent her days so immersed in her work to help others. But now ....
"Shake it off....shake it off girl" ...she said to herself out loud. And turned her attention back to the task at hand. 
She divided the roots into categories and laid them out, where they wouldn't touch each other, on the wooden shelves, these would have to be turned everyday for even drying and to keep mold from setting in. Her father had left the gables peaks opened so the breezes could blow through and help air circulation for this drying process. So she placed the dampest roots at the top shelves and less damp further down.
"His eyes are different then I've seen before....they're so blue and bright...almost otherworldly....beautiful...beautiful blue...one could almost get lost in the depth of them ...." she sighed deeply with a lost, dreamy look on her face. Blankly staring into the distance and fading into another realm herself, ...
then suddenly a cawing crow in the distance snapped her back. She shook her head slightly and whispered to herself, "Get a grip girl!"
Trying to concentrate on the task in front of her, she continued her struggle between drifting into thoughts about him and tumbling back to reality until all work was done.

She finished up by 11ish in the morning and went back to the house, ...by way of walking through the fields in the opposite direction, mindlessly walking as she thought about Gillian and their meeting this night.

Her mum saw her aimlessly walking around and called for her. Nan made haste to the croft.
She spent the rest of the day helping her folks with the daily tasks and counting the minutes passing as the sun peaked and started to make it's descent into the late afternoon.
She spent most of the rest of the day in her room thinking. She had told her mum she was going out that evening with someone she had met...her mum assumed it was a gal friend and never questioned it. In turn Nan offered no more information to her.

Live Music comes to Celtic Story ....

Recently a Celtic Music firm - 67 Music- made contact with me and asked if I would host some of the musicians at the shop....

So ....on June 26th at Noon and 2pm
Anton Emory will be here playing Acoustical guitar
with a stream of Celtic Music.

Hope to see you soon...
All the best,
Linda

Back at it....

I returned on last Weds. and have been in the shop.

The Whitehorse Mother's Day High Tea was a success ...but with less attendance than the past events.
There seemed to have been a conflict this year with another event happening elsewhere that saw many of the Scot Society members taking to the road as opposed to staying close to home. (Let's just hope this is not a trend for the future.).

While I was gone a shipment of exclusive (to my shop) Scottish designed sweatshirts arrived at my doorstep.
I took them to the shop on Thurs. and they have been selling ever since.
One design has the word Scotland with the St. Andrew's Cross flag in the center.
The other has two intertwined dragons of differing blue tone with the word Scotland.

I am working on a speaking tour of the Seattle area for Sept.

So far I have 2 confirmed dates:

The Caledonia and St. Andrew's Society of Seattle are sponsoring my event on 17th Sept.
Which is US Constitution Day with a special meeting at:
7pm
Located at:

Lake City Presbyterian Church
3841 NE 123rd St., Seattle, Washington

For those of you the head-up the Clan Assoc. of the NW....we are respectively inviting to set up tables with information for your Clans in the front foyer. (Tables will be provided).
I will be bringing Visit Scotland materials for the Clans and the general public as well as my books available for signing, provided by the Elliot Bay book shop.
Music will be provided by a local Pipe Band

The next day 18th Sept. I will be at :

5pm-with talk and music and dancers.
Location:

Third Place Books
17171 Bothell Way NE
Lake Forest Park, WA
It is my understanding that there is a food court at this establishment.

I will keep you posted on other developments and will be posting more information about events this season...so stay in touch.

Cheers,
Linda

White Horse Coffee in Sutherlin-Mother's Day High Tea Event

I will be heading south in a few days to attend this event, put on each year by the Douglas County Scots Society.
This year I will be the MC for the event, no doubt a history lesson, some poetry, and a few good stores will be part of that as well.
This is a great event, and the White Horse will have a grand fare of food laid out as well as some very good musicians.
My son has said he will run my shop on Sat. and Sun.....this will be the first time the shop has been open for Mother's Day in quite some time...(I've been leaving for this event since 2005 and usually have the shop closed up.) The agreement (between he and I ) is....if it doesn't have a price and he doesn't know the price...then he can't sell it. Fortunately he ran the shop last summer whilst I was in Scotland promoting my newly released book:
The Warriors and Wordsmiths of Freedom
and he is fairly well versed in the operation and the pricing of the merchandise. So all should go well...but there's always the outside chance that there is some item that has no sticker on it and he may be stumped.

I will be back and in the shop on the 13th.

All the best,
Linda