Order of Good Whisky

Samuel de Champlain settled at his Habitation just down the road from our home four hundred and sixteen years ago. To bolster the frigid spirits of these early European explorers during the long cold winters here, he created the celebrated "Order of Good Cheer". Food, wine, theatrics and parades were the backbone of this merry festivity.

Now had he been Scottish, instead of French, he might actually have created a feast with whisky and haggis, rather than wine, fish and fowl. Had he been a poet instead of an architect we might have had cause to celebrate his birthday. 

Now the Scots did come here. But they did not stay long, although their presence has given our Province it's name, albeit in Latin. 

Then, more than a hundred years later, we had a whisky loving Scot who wrote poetry and has become a Scottish icon. He never visited Nova Scotia that we know of. But his celebration on January 25 every year is very much in the genre of that "Order of Good Cheer". And being in January, it is a convenient excuse to chase away the winter blues.

Most years in post retirement, we have been in Cuba at this time. There, we do raise a glass to his memory; however, we have to admit it is not of whisky, but of rum. Burns would approve, for it is excellent Cuban rum. 

This year, however, like most sensible folk, we do not travel. So we have stayed home for a Nova Scotia winter and been able to do both Robbie Burns and Monsieur de Champlain proud with our festivities on January 25, 2021.