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The
"J" Birds
By Mona Lease
Hi, all!! A trip back in time is in order here to understand this
column. The United KIngdom includes Scotland, England, Wales, and
Northern Ireland. Each has retained their individual lore and heritage.
According to rock-n-roll legend, Rod Stewart... when he started making
"real" money...he bought a fancy sports car...to "pull" the birds.
"Birds" are pretty young women. And so begins our story.
Three "J" Birds...Mama J Bird, daughter J Bird, and Mama J Bird's
sister-in-law went for a two week vacation to Scotland. They boarded a
plane in Boston and landed in Glasgow, Scotland.
Scotland sets directly north of England...on the same continent. Their
weather has been cool and mostly sunny these last two weeks with daily
temperatures hovering in the 50s for the high and down to 45 at night.
As I write this - 9:11 pm (5/8/2018)...it's 2:11 am (5/9/2018). They
are five hours ahead of us.
The steering wheel is on the right side of the car and you drive on the
left side of the road...which is what these "J" Birds did...whole new
learning experience!!
For some of their tour they had a guide to drive them as some of the
roads are one-lane and you might have to do some backing to avoid
things native to their land.
The continent of Scotland/England is surrounded by water and Scotland
is some 200 miles across. That's a trip to Indianapolis from Greenville
and back...roughly. Scotland/England is made up of 787 islands. Of
these 787 islands...one quarter of them are uninhabited. The population
of Scotland works out to approximately 167 people per square mile.
The official language of Scotland is English. Think of Craig Ferguson
of the Late Show and you will get an idea of how the language sounds.
The youngest "J" Bird says she'll come home to the USA speaking their
English and she really does not want to lose it...or come home.
In this two week vacation, the J Birds toured as much of the country
(Scotland) as they could. They walked...they drove...they rode a
train...they flew a small plane to other islands.
They toured war monuments...they ate local cuisine...they toured a
house that had feline residents...ready to be petted and cuddled. They
did a "meet and greet" with all Scotland has to offer.
They went bird-watching in Westray"s cliffs...visited Noup Head
Lighthouse...and went for a ferry ride.
Being as Scotland is surrounded by water on three sides...I should not
have been surprised when I was sent a picture of their dinner...a
fillet of fish covered half of a normal sized dinner plate!!
A typical Scottish breakfast includes: a slice of tomato, a fried egg,
blood pudding, a fried slice of ham, baked beans, hash browns, closed
cup mushrooms, and bubble-and-squeak. Added to this is a bowl of cut
fruit and tea.
Bubble-and-Squeak Recipe
1/2 of a medium head of cabbage, sliced
3 slices of bacon, diced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 cup of cooked ham
1 T of butter
3 cups of potatos, baked, cooled, thinly sliced
1/2 t paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
In a medium saucepan, cook cabbage in a little water for 5 minutes or
until tender. Drain and set aside.
In a well-seasoned cast iron skillet cook bacon and onion until the
onion is soft and the bacon is tender. Add ham and cook until heated
through.
Add butter and then mix in cooked cabbage and potatos. Season with
paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook until browned on the bottom, turn and
brown that side. This can be served with catsup.
Thanks for the pictures, "J" Birds!! Have a safe flight home!!
Happy Mother's Day to all you Moms out there. Your "behind-the-scenes"
work does not always go un-noticed!!
Remember the kiddies and our service people. Take good care of the
furry and feathered ones out there. Be safe and healthy. See ya next
time. Ever Toodles!! MONA
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