A Bonny Good Village, Church and Festival

Over the summer, Dan and I made the difficult decision to change church congregations. After visiting different ones throughout the summer, we finally decided, this fall, to make the Salado Church of Christ our new “home.” This congregation is in the village of Salado, Texas, just a few miles south of Temple, where we live. 

We’ve already grown to know and love many of the members there. We’ve been welcomed so warmly, and invited out to lunch, into homes, and to church and community events. We've also been impressed with the preaching and teaching.

So, we are really finding it a blessing to be worshipping with the Salado church, but we are also finding it a joy to become more acquainted with and connected to the little town of Salado. What a special community it is! There are not many towns left, for instance, that still have a community-wide Thanksgiving service, with a dessert fellowship following! And THIS weekend Salado hosted, as they have done for 55 years, the Scottish Gathering of the Clans and Highland Games. 

I’ve gone to this festival before, but this weekend was Dan's first time. Two of my great-grandparents were Scots (a McIlwrath and a Patterson), but Dan doesn’t think he has any Scottish blood in him. Still, he agreed to go this year, and I think enjoyed himself. He mentioned to someone there that he wasn’t Scottish, and they asked, “Well, do you like the bagpipes?” He said he did, and the other person assured him, “Then you're Scottish!” 

The festival runs all weekend, including today. Our friends, Andy and Kay, both have Scottish roots and always take part in all three days of the festivities. We saw them yesterday, after the parade, and I took their picture. 

This morning, at church, there were a number of people wearing their tartan plaids. Some of the men were even in their kilts, including Andy, again, but this time he wore his fancy Prince Charlie jacket. He is our Sunday morning Bible teacher. I doubt that there were many, if any, other churches in America today, with a kilted Bible class teacher. He looked good!

Marching in the parade, in this photo, are more friends from church, Kelly and Trish. Kelly (second from right) is blind, but that never stops him from going and doing. He is being assisted, here, by his granddaughter. Over on the left, waving, is Trish.

I saw quite a few dogs wearing kilts, as well, such as this one. 

There were lots of bagpipes. This was one of the larger clans in attendance.

The gentleman to the left was the grand marshal of the parade.

Hay pitching. There were lots of other Highland Games in the afternoon, but we didn't stay for them.

Parade, Scottish food, Highland Games, bagpipe contests, Scottish dance contests, clan booths and vendor booths. It was a lot of fun. By next year I hope to have my own clans identified, so I can get a sash or scarf in my tartan. It will take some research. It's not as easy as just looking up your family name in a book, Ive learned. My initial research tells me I might be in either the MacDonald or Frasier clan (on my great-grandfather's side), and the Farquhar clan (on my great-grandmother's side). More research is needed.