Rabbie Burns may be famous for his 1794 song Red, Red Rose, but at Balhousie Stormont in Blairgowrie, Perthshire, residents took to creating the more traditional Scottish flower, making wonderful, vibrant blue thistles to decorate their home for their Burns Night ceremonies.
And what celebrations there have been across the Balhousie Homes to honour our Scottish Bard! Pipers arrived, platters were set up, Selkirk Grace rehearsed, and knives wielded for the dramatic Address to the Haggis!
At Balhousie Willowbank in Carnoustie, the day was filled with traditional songs, poems, Burns heritage and reminiscences, for a true celebration of all things Burns and all things Scottish. They even decorated pictures of their poster boy in tartan.
At Balhousie Huntly in Aberdeenshire, a resident declared the Address to the Haggis for her fellow residents, and then a local dance school brought in a troupe to take the proceedings up a gear. The Sword Dance or Ghillie Callum was performed by an amazing tiny dancer. There is no Highland Dance older or better known as the ancient dance of war of the Scottish Gael, said to date back to King Malcolm Canmore, Shakespeare’s Macbeth! Quite a responsibility for those little feet – but it was carried off superbly, to great applause
From the swirl of the kilt to the skirl of the pipes, every honour was respected and enjoyed.
Slàinte Mhath to all!
