Thursday Thirteen #6

13 things I love about Scotland

Scotland is one of my favorite places on earth! My family comes from Scotland and my dear husband and I went there on our honeymoon... what a romantic place! So, with that said...here are 13 things that I absolutely love about Scotland.

1. The beautiful rolling hills covered with purple heather.
2. Castles...especially the very romantic ruins of Castle Kennedy!
3. Tea time, complete with tea, clotted cream, jam and fresh scones.
4. The people! There's something so wonderful about them.
5. Kilts! Need I say more?
6. The music of Scotland...especially bagpipes, but also the more mellow celtic styles.
7. The many little kirks (churches) and lochs (lakes) scattered throughout the country.
8. The bright yellow fields of oilseed rape (which is used to make canola oil).
9. Shortbread - especially my Gramma's secret recipe!
10. The quietness of life in the highlands and various places throughout the lowlands.
11. Quaint little tea houses and gift shoppes in places you'd never think were there.
12. Gardens overflowing with gorgeous flowers, complete with old stone walls surrounding them....oh, and don't forget the sheep and cattle wandering all over too!
13. The eerie feeling you get at 'night' when the fog settles over the loch while the sun still shines bright at 10:00 p.m.

That's the short list...If you get the chance, check out the "Monarch of the Glen" series which was filmed in the highlands of Scotland for Scotland TV. I also highly recommend reading the Christian fiction books by Liz Curtis Higgs on Scotland! I especially love her book entitled "My Heart's in the Lowlands", which takes you on a journey with her through the lowlands of Scotland. She is an incredible author and you'll feel as if you're standing right there with her the whole time. My husband and I are reading the book together, and memories of our honeymoon just keep flooding back in our minds.

OK, I could just go on and on about what I love about Scotland. I truly consider it 'home' since that's where my heritage lies. Experiencing Scotland is so much better in person if you can get there...photos do not do it justice, but here's a peek anyhow to get you started.