The Fortieth Year of the Stone Mountain Highland Games has come and gone. I've been going for twenty, excepting years when I've been out of the country.
The carving on the mountain is the largest bas-relief sculpture in the world.
The Games for me are a lot of work. I spend most of the weekend on my feet in the ring, teaching history and the physics of medieval warfare, and telling stories of how American freedom and culture has deep roots in Medieval Scotland and Britain.
The best part of the Games for me, though, comes before and after the crowds. When the Games are not going on, we spend the weekend camping and feasting with old friends.
Nobody said a word to me about the sword strapped to the bike.
The mountain at dawn.
Rise early, and there is a quiet moment to read by the fire before others get up.
It was good to see reader V. R., who stopped by the ring to chat as she usually does. For her as with me the Games are mostly work, as she is associated with a charity aimed at helping the elderly and disabled enjoy the festival. It's a noble thing.
2 comments:
Love the sword on the bike (and the jacket). Sitting by the fire in the quiet is nice, too.
The other day I was leaving a friend's house and he walked me to the bus stop. We always pass a sundries store and in the window they had an umbrella that had a sword in the handle. Thought of all of you.
I went there for the show the day I graduated boot. That is a beautiful place.
William sends.
Post a Comment