Early Burns Dinner Pics from da U.P.

**MacMullen** · 22nd November 05, 10:25 PM

As I posted when I first arrived on the BBS, I was invited to a Burns Dinner at a hunting camp up here in the Upper Penninsula of Michigan. As I post pics, note well that this is a hunting camp, so you'll be seeing a lot of plaid flannel shirts and even longjohns

with kilts.

Not on me, of course, but hey, they were kilted! One guy even had a fleece kilt.

It didn't look very traditional, but I'll bet it was very warm!

Just to give a quick rundown again on why we had a Burns Dinner in November, the Scots-minded guys at the various cabins up here are from all over Michigan and Wisconsin, and they happened to be in the area for deer hunting. In January, everyone is home and the camps are inaccessible due to the massive snowfall up here. Last January we had to hike over a mile with snowshoes to get into the camp so we could hunt coyotes. So, if we didn't have the dinner now, we wouldn't have the dinner.

The menu was haggis, mixed veggies, scalloped potatoes, and fish stew. Lots of single malt was available, and I brought twelve 1 liter bottles of Stout and Scottish Ale that I brewed for the occasion.

Here's a pre-dinner pic of me (the tall guy) standing with the owner of the camp holding the implement of haggis destruction. Take it easy on him, he was my host. :mrgreen:

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I'll post more pics tomorrow.

**macwilkin** · 23rd November 05, 06:56 AM

Sounds like a Burns Night in the Yukon -- straight out of Robert Service! ;) "The Ballad of how MacPherson held the floor" comes to mind.

Cheers,

Todd

**MacMullen** · 23rd November 05, 07:00 AM

There, I hope that fixed it. Thanks for the heads up!

Here's the road in to the hunting camp:

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Another one of my hosts:

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Piping in the Haggis:

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The piper is a police officer in Appleton, Wisconsin, and plays the pipes for police funerals. He told me he's attended several Highland Games (kilted of course), and occasionally kilts casually. I did pass the link for X-Marks on to him.

**MacMullen** · 23rd November 05, 07:08 AM

The Ballad of how MacPherson held the floor

As you can see, things are considerably less formal even than that. :mrgreen: Although Steve, who is a 6'6" cop, could definitely hold the floor.

The Presentation of the Haggis:

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The Address To and the Cutting of the Haggis:

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**MacMullen** · 23rd November 05, 07:22 AM

As you can see, more piping occurred:

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The Hen Pecked Husband (the poem, not the man in the picture) :

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Kilts in the snow:

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**MacMullen** · 23rd November 05, 07:30 AM

Here I am reading Scots Wha Hae:

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And, here I am again, leading the Toast To The Lassies:

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Note, again, the fine workmanship of my wife, who made my kilt.
I can't pass up a chance to brag on her. To my lassie!

Steve playing Amazing Grace:

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**GMan** · 23rd November 05, 07:31 AM

Well done Joel, well done!

**flyv65** · 23rd November 05, 07:33 AM

It looks like you guys had a great time at the camp: good job!

Bryan...so how tall *are* you?...

**MacMullen** · 23rd November 05, 07:34 AM

Originally Posted by flyv65

It looks like you guys had a great time at the camp: good job!

Bryan...so how tall *are* you?...

I'm 6'10". It was nice to have another person there *almost* as tall as I am. It was weird looking the piper in the eye, as I usually have a good view of the tops of people's heads. Whether they wanted to or not, everyone at the dinner looked up to me.

Of course, the dinner ended with Auld Lang Syne, although most of us hung around until the wee hours.

Fine single malt was consumed by all:

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Maybe it was too fine?

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It was a great experience and I'm looking forward to going again next year. Now that I've attended the backwoods version, I may have to find myself a more formal Burn's Supper to experience that too. Of course, St. Andrews is coming up. Hmmm...

I had told Steve the Cop said that I was half expecting to see him in the full piper outfit, which he said he'd wear next year just because I asked. I hope I haven't gone and ruined the unique experience of a UP Burn's Supper by making it more formal!