Phyllis's Scotland                    

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Saturday, September 16, 2006

Nancy and David Hunter are natural tour guides. They’ve shown me many sites including the Beech Hedge, a green wall of beech plants planted in 1745 that runs a quarter of a mile. It stands up to 120 feet high Trimming the hedge every ten years requires up to six men, a crane and scaffolding and takes 4 weeks at a cost of over $33,000.

This morning we go to a Coffee Morning in Alyth (another familiar Calgary St name). This is like our Church Tea and Bake sales with tables set up to have tea and vendor tables with baking, jams and jellies as well as lottery tables to win prizes and goodies.

The people are friendly and the Hunters know lots of folks so it feels like I am among friends.          

                                                          
             Alyth Church                                         Coffee Morning - vendor goodies                                     Pack Horse Bridge in Alyth

Heather picks me up and we sight see on our way to Perth and then a Ceiligh tonight.

We can hear a soccer game in a field and have to take a photo.

Their voices are obvious but to quote a Scottish un-named editor, the Scottish landscape “finds tongues in trees, books in running brooks, sermons in stones and good in everything” That is so what I am experiencing!

                              
             Rocks in my shoe                                         Village on our way to Perth                                           Soccer (football)

 


Perth


He backcombs his!

 

In Perth she takes me to a music store. I’ve been looking for Celtic flutes to bring back but haven’t been able to find a music store that sells them. I did find something – not a Celtic flute but even better. Bright Red and shiny – two important requirements for a car or instrument! (I’ll tell you about that later)

 

 

Anne Pack has organized a special night so I can experience a Ceileigh, at the home of Jim and Cathy Douglas.

We arrive at Jim’s home and are greeted by smiling faces of all ages. And familiar faces from Red Barn! Jim is a man who began another life once he retired from teaching. He became a silversmith, poet, songwriter and painter. His work hangs in Buckingham Palace, his songs recorded by many Scottish musicians. There are even songs written about him and I can understand why!

                               
         Ceileigh at Jim Douglas’                                            Donald and Gillian                                   Jim and a small sample of his work

 I’ve been looking forward to meeting Nell Hannah. She started her singing and story telling career in her late sixties and has become popular at festivals and around Scotland for 15 years. Nell’s mom milked the famous Turra Coo. (Turriff Cow) (The jist of it is: In 1911 Robert Paterson, a highly respected man in Turriff refused to contribute to the National Health Insurance Act. His men were in agreement. His cow was confiscated by the authorities and sold to pay the bill. Actually tried to be sold… in the end the citizens bought the cow back and presented it to him at a packed meeting in a field off the Market Square. Unaware of her rise to fame, this white cow had become an emblem of solidarity. Because she was still a cow after all, Nell’s mom became quite famous as the lady who milked the Turra Coo.)

The magnificent voices and story telling of Donald Innes, Jim and Nell as well as Anne and Heather and Gillian make a wonderful mix of Scottish brew. Top this off with great food and drink, dialects of all sorts and lots of laughter and that’s a Ceileigh. Thank you Jim and your family! And Anne, what a lovely memory to take home!

                                                              
                                             Scottish                                                                            Anne, Nell and Stuart

 

 

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