Scottish Country Dance of the Day

It's Spring! And if it doesn't look like it yet, it should be. It's the Vernal Equinox, the time to cast your dancing thoughts to spring flowers, warmer weather, and less chilly dance halls.

Channel your Young Rooster and Spring Chicken Days with this 40 bar jig which thoughtfully contains no setting nor poussettes but is still challenging enough for chickens of all ages! And speaking of chickens (and eggs) ... urban and suburban homesteading on the rise, and the popularity of keeping backyard chickens for fresh eggs is more popular now than ever! Native to Scotland, there are two traditional chicken breeds: the Scots Dumpy and the Scots Grey. Assert your chicken-owning rights whenever possible. Your omelet-loving ancestors demand it!

The colours of eggs laid by chickens are dependent on both the breed and the sunlight, chicken feed etc ... Breeds that naturally produce blue and brown tinged eggs can result in eggs of all shades!

And there are also "Easter Egger "chickens, a variant of Araucanas and Ameraucanas breeds can naturally produce a variety of egg colors such as blue, green, brown, sage, olive, cream, and rose to fill your upcoming Easter Baskets! 🐣 🐣 🐣 🐓 🐓 🐓 💙 💚 🤎 💗 🥚 🥚 🥚

Happy Easter! Pastel eggs are a classic Easter egg decorating activity. And Scotch eggs are a delicious egg-shaped sausagey treat, but believe it or not, there are special tartan eggs as well - both beautiful and utilitarian!

And of course, there is this "Egg-celent" dance for a dancing Easter! Read on Easter bunnies ...

This eggy 64 bar reel in a square set, starts with a round basket-like circle and contains enough crossing figures to virtually decorate your easter eggs - with a tartan pattern (right and lefts) and a swirly decorative Schiehallion reel!

From mid-century modern traditions of dye tablets and vinegar baths to the use of natural vegetables, fruits, and herbs—or the intricate egg decorating techniques passed down from Eastern European ancestors—colored and decorated eggs have been central to Easter and springtime celebrations for centuries, rich with symbolic and even mystical meaning.

However, in Victorian Britain, the fascination with decorated eggs took a distinctly Scottish turn with the rise of tartanware—wooden items covered in transfer-printed tartan patterns. Among the most charming were tartanware eggs, often created as sewing “egg” cases that opened to hold thimbles, needles, or small notions. These became especially popular in the mid-19th century, during the height of Queen Victoria’s enthusiasm for all things Scottish after her visits to Balmoral.

The firm of W. & A. Smith of Mauchline is often credited with popularizing tartanware production, developing innovative transfer techniques that allowed detailed clan tartans to be applied to everyday objects—from snuff boxes to needle cases shaped like eggs. These pieces were both practical and sentimental, often purchased as souvenirs of Scotland or as gifts.

Today, antique tartanware eggs and other Mauchline ware are highly collectible, admired for their craftsmanship, historical charm, and connection to Victorian Scotland’s tartan revival.

So whether your Easter involves decorating, rolling, hunting, tapping, or simply admiring a beautifully crafted egg in any form, including dancing this egg-ified and merry dance, wishing you a joyful and colorful Easter! 💗 💙 💚🥚🐣 🐰 🧺

Hot Cross Buns, a fruited yeast bread laced with spices, hold a cherished place in the pre-Easter festivities and particularly on Good Friday.

Wrapped in myths and steeped in tradition, these Lenten treats are more than just a delight for the palate. The symbolic cross adorning each bun is believed to ward off evil spirits, avert kitchen fires, and guarantee the success of every bread baked within the year when hung in the kitchen.

Moreover, carrying these buns on a sea voyage was thought to fend off shipwrecks! Sharing a Hot Cross Bun, as per the adage "Half for you and half for me, between us two, good luck shall be," is said to cement a strong friendship and bond for the ensuing year.

This lively 3 couple reel contains diagonal reels to replicating the icing cross on these traditional tasty treats! Inspired to whip up a baker's dozen to go with this dance? Vintage and modern recipes included along with the dance description ! 🕺 💃 💜 🤍 💛 ✝️ 🧁 🧁 🧁