Aye ... local Highland Games is scheduling for 2021 .... at this time it looks like the usual attending history groups for the Living History area are not excited ... guess we all have a ways to go before "normal" arrives ... Cheers !

Johnnie, 93rd Highlanders

Thorfinn Sigurdsson  aka Thorfinn the Mighty, Earl of Orkney (c 1009 - 1065)

One viking era pirate was the grandson of Malcolm, King of Scots. Earl Thorfinn began his raids at the age of fifteen, and became noted for his courage and tactical abilities. Tall, strong, and ugly, he craved fame. He often raided with his nephew, Rognvald.

Perhaps the most noted of the Orkney raiders was Svein Asleifarson. After his five ships raided the Hebrides, he headed for Dublin. Along the way he captured two merchant ships laden with broadcloth. Upon his return to Orkney, Svein made awnings from the broadcloth and stitched it to his sails to give the appearance that they were made of fine fabric. Doing so earned the raid the name "the broadcloth viking trip.'"

On his last raid, he left Orkney with seven longships. Finding little plunder in the Hebrides, Svein and his men plundered settlements along the coast of Ireland until they reached Dublin. They took the town before the people even knew the pirates were there. The Dubliners offered to pay Svein whatever he wanted, but only the next day. During the night, they dug deep pits in strategic places, then camouflaged them with branches and straw. In the morning, when Svein and his men came to collect, the Dubliners positioned themselves so that the Norse fell into the pits where they were slain.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorfinn_the_Mighty

http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/historicalfigures/thorfinn/index.html

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/first-food-writer?utm_medium=atlas-page&utm_source=facebook.com&fbclid=IwAR16eHsoi8-Y52Z0iG8fDnLsiF_xibjcM1cevHtZ3jIdsp6ZNEKKGwr3kQQ

When William Dampier permitted himself a curiosity for food, he played a pioneering role in spreading ingredients and cuisines. He gave us the words “tortilla,” “soy sauce,” and “breadfruit,” while unknowingly recording the first ever recipe for guacamole. And who better to expose the Western world to the far corners of our planet’s culinary bounty than someone who by necessity made them his hiding places?

"Dampier wrote of a fruit “as big as a large lemon … [with] skin [like] black bark, and pretty smooth.” Lacking distinct flavor, he wrote, the ripened fruit was “mixed with sugar and lime juice and beaten together [on] a plate.” This was likely the English language’s very first recipe for guacamole."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Dampier



Also see:  https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2019/01/origins-most-popular-caribbean-foods/579052/ 

The SCA Board of Directors has extended the no face-to-face event rule for America through 5/31/2021.  See SCA.ORG or your kingdom website for more details or updates. 

These are actual goggles recovered from the 1856 wreck of the SS ARABIA.   If you visit Kansas City I highly recommend visiting the museum.  https://www.1856.com/