The Heartland Buzz - Issue 9

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March 2016 | Issue No.9 | FREE

YOUR

MON MAGATHLY ZINE

IAIN STRUTHERS PHOTOGRAPHY

SHAGGY DOG FUNDRAISING

JML

GARDEN ROOMS MAKE DO, CAN DO, WITH

ROOBEDO THE

FRENCH CONNECTION

Plus...

Barley Bree Restaurant Black Grouse Dawn Walk Ann Ruddy - Shorelines: Summer In The Coorong Stella's Story

BIG

ING BOONKTS K C O BL ISCOU D

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If you are looking for further information, you can contact us Monday to Friday 9.00am 5.30pm. Alternatively you can email us at hello@ heartlandbuzz.co.uk anytime or visit our website.

March 2016 | Issue No.9

e have slowly crept out of the winter months and things are starting to look all that brighter. 2016 is well underway and we are already planning as far ahead as our Christmas issue, but let's leave that for another time, I am sure we are all very much looking forward to enjoying Spring and Summer first!

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JOIN THE BUZZ We are on the hunt for local distributors that are reliable, physically fit and friendly to give up one or two days of their time each month. In some cases even a few hours might be all that is required if this suits. In particular, we are interested in hearing from you if you would like to distribute

CONTENTS

in the Pitlochry, Blair Atholl and Dunkeld & Birnam areas. In return you will receive a good rate of pay and you will feel all that fitter! We are also flexible with the area you would like to cover. Get in touch if you think you can help, we would love to hear from you.

MOVING FORWARD Once again, we will be expanding on the magazine over the coming months, there are a few more contributors coming on board, however, we would like to hear from you about what you enjoy reading the most. We want to make sure we are heading in the right direction together. Send us your thoughts to hello@ heartlandbuzz.co.uk.

As always, enjoy the magazine.

Colin

IN MEMORY OF BAILEY

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07850 991 254

www.heartlandbuzz.co.uk

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Kind Words "I recently received a copy of Heartland Buzz from a relative because it was known that I lived in Fearnan for nineteen years and still have very happy memories of the village and the surrounding areas.

It was good to read the articles and see the fantastic photographs. I have read the magazine several times and still see something that I missed before. I think it is a great magazine and I look forward to receiving future copies.

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Good luck with your venture. I am sure there are many people who will get much pleasure from future reading (including me!)

I send my very warmest regards from East Sussex to everybody I have known and remember and wish them well."

Janet Harding

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N RTISI ADVEATES R

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Deadline Dates April/May • Issue 10 June • Issue 11 July • Issue 12 August • Issue 13 September/October • Issue 14 November • Issue 15 December • Issue 16

04 April 12 May 20 June 28 July 05 September 13 October 16 November

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THE FRENCH CONNECTION

THE FRENCH CONNECTION

what's buzzin' You are approaching Pitlochry along the A924 when you see the 'Welcome to Pitlochry' sign. Perhaps you have driven this way so many times that you no longer register its message.

I

f so, the Friends of Confolens would like you to interrupt your journey to explore the highways and byways of “twinned with Confolens, France”.

WHERE 2 RIVERS MEET

the

FRENCH

CONNECTION Pitlochry Forges a New Alliance

Confolens is a town of medieval origin in the beautiful Poitou-Charentes region – what we Brits generally think of as the Loire. Confolens means “confluence”, and the town is built where the river Vienne meets the river Goire, just as Pitlochry is situated by the confluence of the Garry and the Tummel. That is just the first thing the two towns have in common.

Both are surrounded by magnificent countryside which attracts walkers, cyclists, anglers and watersports enthusiasts, and both are centres for cultural tourism. Pitlochry is the home of the acclaimed Festival Theatre and the Enchanted Forest, while for a week every August, Confolens hosts the Festival de Confolens Danses et Musiques du Monde, which features dance and music from every continent and attracts 200,000 visitors each year.

Confolens also has a rich architectural heritage including the medieval keep, the 15th century house of the Duke of Epernon and the Chapel of the Commanderie du Saint Esprit. Sunnybrae Cottage is probably not in the same league, but

Confolens means “confluence”, and the town is built where the river Vienne meets the river Goire."

Pitlochry’s surrounding countryside does offer its fair share of castles and historic buildings to interest our French visitors.

Although it is clearly not the case that Pitlochry and Confolens are identical twins, the people have many interests and experiences in common which makes it easy for them to forge links.

WHERE 2 PEOPLES MEET

Imagine sitting in a pavement café under blue skies and brilliant sunshine, sipping a glass of chilled Pineau des Charentes and watching a colourful parade of Brazilian dancers go by. That

THE FRENCH CONNECTION

THE FRENCH CONNECTION

We can supply speakers for local organisations who want to hear more about our activities.

There are opportunities for local businesses and organisations to become involved in new kinds of exchanges."

was the situation enjoyed by a group of people from Pitlochry, accompanied by the Ballinceol Ceilidh Band, who were guests in Confolens during the Festival in August 2013. In August 2014 we couldn’t quite reciprocate the weather, but gave a warm welcome to an 18-strong party from Confolens who visited Pitlochry and enjoyed a wide variety of experiences from McKays to Scone Palace. More recently, Gillie McNab took a group of young pipers to Confolens to play at the Easter Market. They thoroughly enjoyed their trip, especially as it involved a detour to Futuroscope, a nearby theme park.

Paris from where we will take the train to Poitiers. There is still time to sign up for what promises to be an interesting and entertaining trip. If you are interested please contact Chairperson Harden Carter whose details are given at the end of this article.

Another regular feature of the twinning is that each year students from Confolens come to Pitlochry for work experience and stay with local families, and there is the opportunity for this arrangement to be reciprocated. In 2015, Helene Morin was our guest student. You may have met her if you went for coffee in the Festival Theatre café in the first few weeks of December.

She loved working at the theatre and could not get over how kind, patient and ‘sympathique’ were the folk of Pitlochry towards a young French woman in a strange environment trying to improve her English.

While Pitlochry folk are in Confolens or our French counterparts are in Pitlochry, they stay with local people in their homes. They share breakfast with their hosts but most other meals are taken as part of one of the organised excursions. On previous visits to Confolens we have been given the warmest of welcomes and the hospitality of our hosts has been extremely generous. The people of Confolens take the twinning very seriously. We hope to welcome a party of our French friends to Pitlochry in 2017 so you may wish to consider being a host. New hosts occasionally worry that they have insufficient fluency in French, but that is not an issue.

The most basic First Year French is all that is needed to communicate with our friends from Confolens who all speak some English and whose organiser, Jacqui, speaks perfect fluent English. In reality, good will and

For 2016 plans are afoot for a group from Pitlochry to visit Confolens.

Does this sound like something you would like to do? The dates are Thursday 2nd – Tuesday 7th June. The plan is to fly Easyjet from Edinburgh to

FORGING A NEW ALLIANCE

The purpose of the twinning, which began 15 years ago, is to promote friendship and understanding between the people of the two towns. Although this is a noble and serious aim, there is nothing stuffy about the process, which involves a lot of eating, drinking, music and merrymaking.

humour on both sides ensure that all parties communicate happily and successfully in a combination of Franglais and hand waving.

PUT THE FUN IN FUNDRAISING

The twinning committee in Confolens receives some financial support from their local authority, which is not the case in Pitlochry where fundraising is necessary. In recent years this has taken the form of a Soirée Française in the theatre restaurant with French food and entertainment, and a ceilidh in the Tryst. By the time you read this, the annual ceilidh should have taken place, giving people the opportunity to dance the night away and enjoy a traditional supper of stovies while raising money through the sale of raffle tickets. The committee also raises funds by selling quiz sheets, but we would welcome any other ideas for filling our empty coffers.

The committee is also looking for innovative and imaginative ways of exploring and exploiting the twinning to enrich the lives of both communities. There are opportunities for local businesses and organisations to become involved in new kinds of exchanges.

FIND OUT MORE

OUR TWINNING COMBINATION IS A WIN-WIN SITUATION

If you want to know more about this exciting initiative or think you could become more involved either as an individual or as a local organisation or business, we would love to hear from you.

Please contact Harden Carter on 01796 470065 or email hardentacarter@ gmail.com.

SHAGGY DOG FUNDRAISING

SHAGGY DOG FUNDRAISING

fundraising

BY SARAH MCGARRY

wo years ago I was forced to retire due to a condition I had developed called Transverse Myelitis: a similar disease to MS. I found myself at home, unable to do anything I had enjoyed in the past; I was unable to walk my dogs, or do anything with my horse. My life had changed forever and I felt isolated and lost hope.

T

SHAGGY

DOG FUNDRAISING

Rescuing Romania's Faithful Friends

I had taken a college course many years ago in jewellery making so I decided to start doing this again; I spent my days experimenting with jewellery and glued to my laptop looking at Facebook. While on Facebook I accidentally came across an online auction for Galgos and Podenco dogs of Spain (FB Galgos del sol). I decided to do some research and was horrified when I found out how these poor dogs are being treated. I then made the decision to support their cause.

Looking around at other rescues I was again deeply affected by the way dogs in Romania are being treated and I came across a Romanian woman called Maria Tudor (FB Marinela Tudor).

She has a Facebook page (Paws United/

To date, we have raised in excess of ÂŁ13,000 for the animals!."

Margaret Shelter) which aims to save the dogs from the 'Cornetu Shelter' in Bucharest. She had single handedly taken on the responsibility of feeding and caring for over 250 dogs! The conditions in the shelter were appalling; the dogs were starving, living in filthy cramped 'kennels' and most of them required veterinary care. Maria is appealing for foster homes for the dogs so they can be taken out and cared for properly until a permanent home is found. Donations for food is also extremely helpful and encouraged.

There seems to be a lot of German supporters helping her but none thus far from the UK. Knowing this, I decided I would help her by becoming an admin on her Facebook page. I really want to help save these dogs! I unfortunately couldn't take in any of the dogs at that time; however, my friend in Somerset had agreed for me to put a kennel in her garden (FB Team Utopia) so we could bring over 2 dogs from Romania. The plan was for her to foster these dogs and when we had found them their 'forever homes,' bring another 2 over.

The first 2 dogs we brought over were 'Cappu' and 'Dexter.' At this time the winter had set-in in Romania and it had snowed very heavily. Poor Cappu had a skin condition called Generalized Demodicosis which caused all of her hair to fall out; she wouldn't have survived the winter. Maria took her out

SHAGGY DOG FUNDRAISING

In Romania dog catchers get paid ten euro for each dog they catch and because of this, they have been known to grab people's pets from their homes."

SHAGGY DOG FUNDRAISING

of the shelter for me and she stayed in a vet clinic whilst being treated for her condition. The other dog, Dexter, was completely traumatized; he wouldn't let anyone near him. He was taken out of the shelter with great difficulty and left at the vet clinic Cappu resided at so that he could receive his inoculations and tests. He had to be heavily sedated because he was so petrified.

The day eventually came when the dogs were due to arrive in Somerset.

I was so excited! At the same time though, I also felt very frustrated as I couldn't be present for their arrival.

Since then, we have found Cappu her forever home and she has adjusted well. Another dog called Nico, who also came from Maria, has joined her and they are great friends. Dexter has remained in Somerset with my friend Julie and even now, 2 years later, he still will not accept a lead. We believe he's associating the lead with a dog catchers pole. When Julie pulls even slightly on Dexter's lead he gets very frightened and stressed. In Romania dog catchers get paid ten euro for each dog they catch and because of this,

they have been known to grab people's pets from their homes.

Since, we have had many more success stories. After Cappu, we adopted out a lovely girl with half an ear and half a tail named Potter.

Myself and another friend also rescued a greyhound called Jerry. We knew Greyhounds don't do well in shelters and so we got him out as fast as we possibly could. Thankfully Kerry, at Birmingham Greyhound Rescue (FB Birmingham Greyhound Rescue) took him in and he has also found a lovely home. At present, we have at home 2 rescue burmese cats and 2 dogs, 1 of which is a rescue.

Maria now has her own shelter and has also rescued cats, goats, pigs and chickens. There are stray dogs everywhere in Romania because people refuse to spend money to neuter them. There, the dogs are treated like vermin, and so, I am very thankful for people like Maria.

For the last 2 years I have been running online auctions with a friend to sell my jewellery (FB Anpu Jewellery)

Get in touch with Sarah

and charms; all money that has been raised goes into purchasing food for the shelter animals. To date, we have raised in excess of ÂŁ13,000 for the animals!

Contact Sarah on 01887 830779 or, if you would like to help, you can kindly donate through Paypal rescueteamutopia @gmail.com

I know the plight of stray dogs in the UK is also a major problem, but in many countries, such as: Greece, Serbia, Egypt, Spain and Romania (to name but a few), it is the way the stray dogs and cats in these countries are being treated that is the major problem. It is truly disturbing; dogs are being clubbed to death in the streets and people of these countries will just ignore it, as they have seen it so many times before. To think this is acceptable is so inhumane! These countries need education on the merits of neutering their animals, as this is ultimately the only way the problem will be solved.

In the meanwhile, rescuers are trying to pick up the pieces and pull as many dogs as they can out of these countries.

Its an awful reality that animal abuse is a global issue, and I know I can't change the world, but I can change the lives of a few dogs who otherwise had no hope for a future.

To find out more about Sarah and her fundraising visit Sarah's Facebook page The Shaggy Dog Fund Raising group.

IAIN STRUTHERS PHOTOGRAPHY

IAIN STRUTHERS PHOTOGRAPHY

art + creativity

Iain Struthers Photography Fifteen years ago, if you’d told me I would be making a living from photography, I would have laughed! I’ve had many different jobs over the last few decades, none of which I ever really enjoyed. equipment we had. The Power-Images website was set up to display and sell our photos to race teams and track day customers and the sales soon started to come in.

Every penny we made was spent on better equipment, which in turn, improved the quality of our work. Our reputation grew and so did our website and customer base. It wasn’t long before Knockhill was asking to use our photos and so began a good working relationship that’s now stronger than ever.

hotography had always been a bit of a hobby but my true passion was motorsport.

I regularly attended Knockhill Racing Circuit to watch car and motorcycle racing and would always snap away with my camera while I was there. In fact, I think my love of motorsport photography was born out of the frustration triggered by my early attempts and poor results.

P

Around 12 years ago, I made the decision to take photography a bit more seriously. I invested in a decent camera and a few lenses and, along with a friend, Colin Thomson, started a small company called Power-Images.

We managed to talk the Knockhill staff into giving us press passes and trackside access and started covering track days and race events. Every weekend, we would head to the circuit and spend hours and hours and hours standing out in all weathers, trying to get great shots with the limited

Every penny we made was spent on better equipment, which in turn, improved the quality of our work. "

Colin has since taken a back seat due to work and family commitments but I continue to run Power-Images today and, for the last five years, I’ve been the official photographer for Knockhill Racing Circuit. I still have an incredible passion for motorsport and I now get to work with some of the best car and motorcycle racers in the country, and have supplied images to some of the biggest race teams in the UK. As a result, I see a side of the motorsport world that most spectators only get a glimpse of. The extreme highs and lows of winning and losing, the pain of accidents, the hard work and long hours to raise the funds just to get onto the start line. Trying to capture all aspects of racing is a challenge and it’s one I relish. I’m counting the days until race season begins again, so I

In the age of internet, marketing is key to selling a business and great quality photos that showcase what you do are an invaluable tool. "

IAIN STRUTHERS PHOTOGRAPHY

IAIN STRUTHERS PHOTOGRAPHY

in people’s faces. Sometimes the best shots are the ones when the subject is completely unaware I am taking their picture, those moments when I am able to capture them completely relaxed and enjoying their day.

A lot of wedding photography is very staged and not everyone is comfortable in formal poses, but I like to keep everything relaxed so people can be natural.

Documenting an event like a wedding is also great fun. I’ve met some great people and made great friends in the process! Lots of my clients still keep in touch and I’ve since photographed their children’s christenings and family portraits.

This year looks like it’s going to be another busy wedding season and I’m looking forward to it!

suppose you could say it’s my dream job!

I was asked to photograph my first wedding about eight years ago and was initially very apprehensive.

Wedding photography is a big pressure job and if you don’t get it right, there are no second laps! After speaking to a few other photographers, who said “don’t do it” and “are you mad?”, I decided to give it a go! I told myself if I really didn’t enjoy it, I wouldn’t do it again. Eight years and over 150 weddings later, wedding photography is now my main business and I love it.

When I started shooting weddings back in 2008, photography was still only my part-time job. I was working as a builder 9-5 but the amount of photography work I was taking on, both motorsports and weddings, was starting to interfere with my day job.

Decisions had to be made.

I launched another website dedicated to my wedding photography and started to promote myself properly with advertising and by attending wedding fayres. By the spring of 2011, I was ready to go full time.

As you may imagine, making the transition from builder to photographer wasn’t easy! Work was scarce for the first year and I initially wondered if

I’d made a huge mistake - but I was determined to make it work. I attended more wedding fayres, undertook more promotion, and eventually, this led to more weddings and more word-ofmouth recommendations from happy clients. My diary started to fill up and I now average over 30 weddings a year, which is mainly due to previous clients continuing to recommend me. I will always be thankful to them for that.

You would think weddings and motorsport couldn’t be more different but they’re actually very similar to photograph, It’s all about capturing the moment. Sometimes these moments are fleeting so you have to be ready for them. You need to tell the story of that day and be in the right place at the right time. With a wedding, there are times when you can stop and pose the couple in the perfect backdrop and make sure the dress is lying perfectly and so on, but most of my day involves shooting things as they happen – exactly the same as when I’m covering a high speed motorsport event.

As a wedding photographer, I need to have a good rapport with my clients and their guests in order to get the best out of them when taking their picture.

Being unobtrusive is key. I have to be in the middle of the action but not right

You would think weddings and motorsport couldn’t be more different but they’re actually very similar to photograph. "

I discovered a few years ago that, if your hobby becomes your job, you lose your hobby! It’s difficult to keep the enthusiasm after 10 days of constant snapping so I always like to challenge myself to try something new and motivate my brain again!

Thankfully, photography has such a broad scope that I can try something completely new and still have a camera in my hand.

My latest obsession is astrophotography. It’s probably the most technically challenging type of photography I’ve tried yet and I’ve had mixed results. Everything needs to be perfect - camera settings, focus, weather, lunar cycle; getting all that to fall into place on an evening when I’m not working? Rare!

I’ve lived in Aberfeldy for the vast majority of my life. My family are from Cheshire and moved to Scotland two years before I was born. The scenery in this area is a photographer’s dream.

There are plenty great landscape photographers out there so I’ve recently been looking at other ways of showcasing our local area - I recently shot a couple of drone videos of our local scenery which are racking up thousands of hits on Youtube.

Photography is one of the most competitive markets out there and you

have to be versatile to stay ahead. This year, I’m going to focus on building up the commercial side of my business.

In the age of internet, marketing is key to selling a business and great quality photos that showcase what you can do are an invaluable tool.

I’m also branching out into video and have invested in the latest video equipment. I started making videos at Knockhill in 2015 as a way of showing the highlights from an event and, as they work really well on social media, this is another side of my business that I hope to expand this year.

2016 has plenty new challenges ahead and I hope I’m ready for them!

An old photographer told me recently that “camera phones are killing photography - we will all be out of a job soon.” I disagree. It just means we have to work harder to stay ahead.

Get in touch with Iain

Find out more about Iain Struthers Photography by visiting iainstruthers.com

ROOBEDO

ROOBEDO

art + creativity

A fresh perspective on Recycling and Repurposing from Highland Perthshire.

MAKE DO, CAN DO, WITH

ROOBEDO rom her small studio space in the picturesque Hamlet of Moulin, near Pitlochry, international designer-maker and textile tutor, Ruth Morris creates classic and contemporary capsule collections using luxury Harris tweed, local Glenlyon tweed as well as a range of other fabrics that sell all over the world.

F

Taking a break from completing a felted Harris tweed dressing gown, complete with hand stitched edge and eternity scarf for a client in Australia, Ruth shares some of her thoughts at the foremost of her mind this Spring.

SUSTAINABILITY IN 2016

“Sustainability and the circular economy are themes that seems to be literally revolving constantly in my mind. I keep coming back to these ideas and so it’s become my ambition to take a new direction in my work in 2016 in which I aim to respond and reflect this ethos, with Scottish fabrics remaining at the centre of my work.“ TODAY’S FAST DISPOSABLE FASHION AND TEXTILES INDUSTRY

“I’m well aware of the sad reality of the side effects of today’s fast disposable fashion and textiles industry.

Presented with so much choice and cheapness all around us, it is much easier to consume what is convenient

I’m well aware of the sad reality of the side effects of today’s fast disposable fashion and textiles industry. "

without thinking too much about the larger impact or consequences of our choices – particularly in textiles with the continuing use of toxic chemicals, haphazard disposal of waste, unprotected workers and unsafe practices. These conditions simply cannot be sustained long-term if we are to continue living on this earth.”

WORKING AGAINST THE GRAIN

“Roobedo creations are, and always have been, practical and made-to-last.

It goes somewhat against the grain, or commercial sense to make clothes and other creations that last, but I find that my customers come back time and time again. Sometimes it’s to buy new things for themselves, or to purchase gifts for others, sometimes it’s just to

THE ROOBEDO WORKSHOP

ROOBEDO

ROOBEDO

COMMUNITY

Aberfeldy & District Probus Club

WORK IN PROGRESS

UPCYCLING GLENLYON COFFEE SACKS

2016 is now well and truly upon us. To go back to December though, our Christmas lunch was everything we had hoped for, plus a bit extra. Our lunch at the Ailean Chraggan had a menu with something for everyone, the food was of a very high standard and served swiftly with a minimum of fuss and so our thanks go to the staff.

Our speaker /entertainment – what a revelation! Sandra Thomson spoke to us about the jute industry in Dundee in the most informative, interesting and hilarious terms. What a find.

Santa could not be there, but he sent us a letter explaining why and this can be read as soon

ask me to fix or reline their original, but now threadbare purchase! It’s wonderful to know that my creations have become a customer’s favourite, go-to item of clothing.

Creating sustainable luxury pieces is one way in which I can make a small difference. For example, I prefer to use local raw materials such as Glenlyon tweed alongside re-using, repairing and repurposing textiles.”

PASSING ON SKILLS

“Sitting on the Scottish Textiles Academic Group gives me great perspective, as does part time lecturing in garment technology and pattern cutting at Dundee and Angus College. Passing on skills and enthusiasm for creating, making and repurposing is another way I enjoy inspiring students to stop, think and create rather than just dispose and buy. In many ways, I do what I teach and I teach what I do!”

Ruth grew up in Dundee. Annual family holidays to the Outer Hebrides from the age of four introduced Ruth to the wonderful story and origin of Harris Tweed.

This is how a life long love of this remarkable cloth began. Graduating from The Scottish College of Textiles in 1993, Ruth went on to work in

a variety of roles in the Clothing Industry including being a buyer, a merchandiser, a designer, a machinist, a Pattern Cutter and a Garment Technologist, before setting up her own business Roobedo in Edinburgh in 1999.

Moving to Pitlochry ten years ago brought Glenlyon tweed, which is woven in Aberfeldy, to her attention.

“Feeling lighter in weight than Harris Tweed, it has a beautiful drape, soft handle and almost a bloom on it’s surface”. I was already aware of Glenlyon as a place through the music of Martyn Bennett who I had the privilege of meeting in Edinburgh. In fact, I made a few outfits for some of his band on their first Scottish tour.

And here I am, wandering the hills of Glenlyon only last week in search of inspiration. After a successful initial series of coffee inspired creations last year, Ruth plans to work once again with Glenlyon Coffee to repurpose their waste products ie coffee sacks into accessories”.

Ruth is also involved in a new, local initiative. In partnership with Zero Waste Highland Perthshire this year, Roobedo will be running a Repair Café (for Clothing) at Café Calluna in Pitlochry on Wednesday 30th March 7-9pm.

as I've wri... Oh, here come the grandchildren.

Now we are into 2016 and our first speaker in February was John Low speaking on the John Muir Trust (nothing to do with the John Muir Way). His talk was beautifully illustrated, clear and thought-provoking, very much appreciated by those present.

We move forward now with Ken Allstaff (Google) on the 6th April and 4th May by Gordon Leighton (Changes).

Good news! New members have appeared over the horizon with a promise of more to follow.

Even better news – there is still room for you! We look forward to seeing you.

More information as usual from Stan Pirie on 01887 820487 or David Parmley on 01887 829503.

It’s wonderful to know that my creations have become a customer’s favourite, go-to item of clothing. "

For more information you can check the website roobedo.com or call Ruth direct on 0781 470 4256.

Photo ©Marieke McBean Photography

Roo fro m m s ÂŁ7 9

A warm Scottish welcome and friendly service await you at The Townhouse Aberfeldy.

Relax, take some time and enjoy our newly refurnished hotel, restaurant and bar.

14 en-suite bedrooms, stunning views of the surrounding hills and inimitable Perthshire scenery. Off street parking and free wi-fi throughout.

Our Upstairs Restaurant and Bar serving food Thursday to Monday evenings, 5.30pm - 8.30pm Booking Recommended - Tel: 01887 829 995

The Townhouse Aberfeldy, Breadalbane Terrace Aberfeldy, Perthshire PH15 2AG T: 01887 829 995 www.townhouseeaberfeldy.co.uk

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Tortellini of Ricotta, Spinach & Pinenuts

food + drink

Serves 4 People

Barley

BREE

DEXTER BEEF

Barley Bree is an award-winning restaurant with rooms in the picturesque rural setting of Muthill in Perthshire.

wned by Alison and Fabrice Bouteloup, Barley Bree offers an eclectic selection of French dishes with a traditional Scottish twist.

drinks industry. Starting out washing dishes in the family hotel business, she went on to become a manager of the wine merchant Oddbins. From there she gravitated towards the wine industry and spent two years working in France. Alison has the Wine and Spirit Education Trust’s level four diploma with dreams of becoming a Master of Wine.

Fabrice grew up in Mayenne, northwest France. After moving to Edinburgh in 1993 he worked in the prestigious Restaurant 36 and The Atrium. He also earned his stripes in London with Anthony Demetre, the Michelin-starred chef at Putney Bridge.

Having travelled the world gaining the best hospitality experience, Alison and Fabrice decided to settle in Scotland. After searching all over country for the perfect bolthole, they found their perfect renovation project in 2007 and have worked hard to put their passion and stamp of personality into Barley Bree.

O

Alison’s background lies in the

Named Restaurant of the Year at the Scottish Restaurant Awards in 2013 . "

Everything is freshly made on the premises. Fabrice’s crusty, countrystyle bread is justifiably famous and accompanies every meal in traditional French style. The menu changes daily showcasing the finest local produce from trusted suppliers.

Fabrice’s enthusiasm for the very best in both traditional and modern French food shines through in Barley Bree’s menu while Alison’s eclectic wine list offers the perfect wines to match. It’s clear that their shared expertise of the industry has made Barley Bree a recipe for success, putting Muthill firmly on the foodie map. So much so, that it was named Restaurant of the Year at the Scottish Restaurant Awards in 2013.

Eat, Sleep & Relax Barley Bree is open from Wednesday to Sunday for lunch & dinner. It also hosts six contemporary ensuite bedrooms.

TORTELLINI OF RICOTTA, SPINACH & PINENUTS

Ingredients

Filling

• • • • • • • •

Blanch spinach, sieve, leave to chill, squeeze out any excess moisture. Chop roughly and add in all the other ingredients. Check seasoning.

250g ricotta cheese 1 clove garlic (finely chopped) 250g of baby spinach leaves Lemon zest (1/4) 50g freshly grated parmesan 50g pinenuts (toasted) Salt & pepper 400g pasta dough

To make the pasta • 500g 00 pasta flour • Pinch of salt • Dash of olive oil • 10 to 12 egg yolks (depends on size) Blend everything together with a mixer or by hand. Leave it to rest for an hour in the fridge (wrapped), when needed roll out through pasta machine till stretched to the thinnest setting.

Use a cutter to make circles with the pasta. Take a teaspoon of the filling, put it in the middle of the circle and fold into a half moon shape. Use water to dampen the edges of the circle to make it stick together. Make sure it is just enough to stick the pasta and not too wet. This simple half moon shape is ravioli.

If you’re feeling brave, to make the tortellini shape use a cutter to make circles as before. A teaspoon of filling in the middle as for the ravioli, make a half moon shape but then bring the 2 ends together to

shape the tortellini, being careful not to split the pasta dough.

When finished rest the tortellini spread out on a tray which you have sprinkled with polenta in the fridge – it will keep like this for a day before cooking.

To cook, plunge into salted boiling water for 3 minutes.

Drain and serve with pesto sauce or just olive oil, or if you prefer with some tapenade, or rocket salad, baby tomatoes, courgette, anything you fancy.

Sprinkle some more grated parmesan over the top and serve. Voilà!

WINE OF THE MONTH

with Vacherin Potatoes and Seasonal Vegetables

100g stem broccoli Bunch of baby beetroot Bunch of baby carrots

•

Jus to serve

DI SC O UN T

This is a fresh, simple everyday drinking wine, made in Spain.

It has flavours and aromas of citrus, melon and with soft almond and floral notes.

Matches up nicely with Pork Belly & Fish Stews

£6.99 75cl - 12.5%

AVAILABLE ONLINE

Wines start at £5.99 and are available online, by phone or email.

Delivery in The Heartland Buzz area is free.

£

• • •

El Muro Macabeo 2014

AV 10 AI .

LA 99 BL 75 E O cl NL IN 12 .

E

4 x 200g Dexter Beef Sirloin 2 large Rooster potatoes cut ½cm dice 1 clove garlic, crushed 2 sprigs thyme 200 mls double cream ¼ Vacherin Mont d’Or Salt and pepper to taste

5%

Ingredients • • • • • • •

US ET HE FO CO R DE A

by Th eH ou se W GA of IN N M E TW en RY zie s T IN

Recipe for 4 People

H E

W M in Li o e tt n o F le t AU OR C Ye h f t ST R R IS ri Ye h AL P, ng r e IA EL N E i

Ch ng ar St do at O ES io TA , T n n n ST H a E IS y. .

IS T

Dexter Beef

“B 10UZ % Z”

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Method Slowly cook the potatoes into the cream with the garlic and the thyme until the potatoes are cooked. Season with salt and pepper. Divide between 4 moulds, press down slightly and top with a slice of Vacherin. Gratinée at 200oC in the oven until golden brown.

La Ina Fino NV

Prepare the vegetables and cook individually until just cooked.

Get in touch with Barley Bree

Season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper then pan fry until cooked to desired doneness. Remove the steak from the pan and place on a warm plate. Leave to rest for 3 minutes until the blood has stopped dripping.

Barley Bree 6 Willoughby Street, Muthill, Crieff, Perthshire, PH5 2AB

Plate up as in the picture.

Dexter Beef Cattle The Dexter is the smallest British breed of cattle, originating in the south western region of Ireland. It is hardy and produces beef of excellent quality and intense flavour.

It is a dual-purpose breed, early maturing, with the average weight of a cow being some 300 - 350 Kgs. Barley Bree sources its Dexter beef, locally from Comrie in Perthshire where it has been grass-fed before being slaughtered at around 18 months of age.

Call 01764 681451 or email info@ barleybree.com www.barleybree.com

Is your business interested in the Recipe of the Month?

If so get in touch, it's FREE!

Fino sherry is the lightest sherry and is very dry with powerful savoury flavours. It should be served chilled as an aperitif or with Spanish tapas. This fino is tangy and crisp with flavours of almonds and green olives and some yeasty notes. It should be served slightly chilled.

Currently, screw caps seal 75% of Australian wines and 93% of New Zealand wines.

£12.99 75cl - 15%

balance between an upfront fruit style and lean acidity means that they shine with any food. Chief Wine maker, Willy Lunn has more than 25 years’ extensive and intimate cool climate winemaking experience, both in Australia and overseas and has been at Yering Station since July 2008. Committed to dynamic, experimental and progressive winemaking, Willy is setting the bar very high.

A

Victoria's first vineyard, Yering

Station, was originally planted in 1838. Despite the threat of Phyllloxera and the property narrowly avoiding grubbing up to be used as a permanent dairy farm, the vineyard ultimately prevailed.

Rated a 5 star producer by James Halliday, Yering Station create beautiful cool climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

This medium-bodied wine has great intensity with notes of subtle minerality, the palate combines a delicate nutty taste with sweet nectarine and a hint of grapefruit and cool citrus fruit. It is delicious with all white fish or chicken pesto pasta!

AVAILABLE ONLINE

Tim Adams Bluey's Block Grenache This wine comes from the Clare Valley in South Australia, and is made from 100% Grenache grapes. It is a rich and fruity wine with flavours of blackberry and red fruits, with some earthy, spicy notes as well. A good match with BBQ meats & Roast Scottish Lamb.

£10.99 75cl - 14.5%

AVAILABLE ONLINE

The House of Menzies was established in 1999 and has built a strong reputation for stocking and selling an eclectic range of New World Wines not readily available on the High Street.

The House of Menzies, Castle Menzies Farm, Aberfeldy. PH15 2JD Call 01887 829666 or email info@ houseofmenzies.com

THYME TO TASTE

Thyme TO TASTE

Lemons pring looks like it might finally be here; what better way to spend a relaxed evening in the garden than cocktails with friends? This month’s cocktail is a zinger – sweet, sour & salty guaranteed to banish the winter blues and prepare you for summer. The main ingredient is Preserved Lemons - Preserved lemons are whole lemons that have been preserved by being packed in tall jars with salt, flavoured with herbs and spices, covered with lemon juice or brine and left to cure for a few weeks. They are used extensively in North African cooking.

S

Lemon & Lime Beldi • 35ml preserved lemon syrup

To make preserved lemon syrup

• 35ml Grey Goose Vodka

• 1 jar of preserved lemons (in brine)

• Freshly squeezed juice of ½ a Lime

• 75g sugar (granulated)

Roughly chop the preserved lemons. Place in a saucepan with the brine and granulated sugar. Heat slowly until the sugar is dissolved and bring to a slow boil. Turn down the heat to a very gentle simmer and leave for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Once cooled blend to a thick puree and pop into a clean sterilised jar.

To make the Lemon & Lime Beldi Place all the ingredients into a Bar Blender with a good handful of ice. Blend to a thick pulp & serve in a Martini glass with Lemon and Lime wedges for garnish.

If you don’t have a Bar Blender just bash the ice in a thick bag with a rolling pin until you have the desired consistency and mix all the ingredients together in a measuring jug.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THYME AT ERRICHEL - TASTE. EAT. CELEBRATE.

Errichel House & Cottages, Thyme at Errichel Restaurant, Errichel, Crieff Road, Aberfeldy, PH15 2EL t: 01887 820850 m: 07483 352123

errichel.co.uk

t. 01887 840760 info@ theinnonthetay.co.uk www.theinnonthetay.co.uk The Inn on the Tay Grandtully Perthshire, PH9 0PL

Happy Easter

© Photos By Zoe

4 & 5 Star accommodation nestled in the Heart of Highland Perthshire.

Thyme Restaurant, offering the best in Scottish produce, hospitality, outside catering, functions and events.

Sunday 27th March

Easter fills us with hope, joy and warmth. It is a time to get together with friends, family and loved ones and celebrate this wonderful time of year! We have created a delightful family roast as well as Easter entertainment for all!

To book telephone 01887 820850

Errichel, Crieff Road, Aberfeldy, PH15 2EL

www.errichel.co.uk Stay Dine Celebrate Create Shop

Easter Roast Roast Lamb £15.00 Roast Chicken £12.00 Roast Gammon £12.00 Nut Roast £10.00 Kids Roast £7.50

All served with Rosemary Roast Potatoes, Seasonal Vegetables, Clapshot and a Red Wine Gravy Food Served from 12pm with last orders at 2:45pm, 5pm with last orders at 8:45pm

Easter Sunday Fun day!

Come and join us at The Inn Kids Treasure Hunt Egg Painting from 12noon until 2pm

STRATHTAY

ABERFELDY

BAR | RESTAURANT | ROOMS

GRANDTULLY LOGIERAIT

MEL'S HILLTOP DIARY

MEL'S HILLTOP DIARY

pen are now totally illegible. I hope as the leaves develop I can tell my sweet peas from my mange tout and my cosmos from my summer savoury!

life in the glen

Mel's HilltopDiary

BY MELANIE BONN

me in no doubt which is their favourite tree.

We treasure our rare breed chickens but always keep a few utility breeds as there's good reason these fancy fowl are rare: not many are great layers.

Three white leghorns give us a steady daily egg supply from the start of February and as the tourist season builds, we add a half dozen more to the crew. I'll probably go for Black Rocks, they're a good hybrid mix of Rhode Island Red and the Sussex.

Another sound choice are the prolific Speckledies, with a nice dark egg from Maran crossed with Rhode Island Red.

Photography by Jason O'Flynn

I don't know about you, but I feel the year is starting to push out nicely into spring.

T

he sunshine may shows up all those sooty cobwebs but I'm humming a tune and so are the birds.

My dedication to filling the feeders when times were tough has meant we have some familiar characters flying in.

Mainly it's chaffinches coming for the peanuts and we get a pair of spotted woodpeckers.

In particular I'm fond of a great tit who picks through all the grain until he uncovers a black sunflower seed.

He makes a mess but always gets his prize.

The only trouble is, the hens have noticed the bits and pieces he's nudged off the bird table and they come round the house to clean up. And with them is the rather dashing Cochin cockerel, a white fluffy-legged fellow with a tinge of tangerine.

Usually the sound of a rooster is a

We treasure our rare breed chickens but always keep a few utility breeds "

nice morning greeting, but our one was gifted to us because he has the chicken equivalent of a Jonathan Ross lisp.

When he crows, he misses the last bit of the 'doodle doo', like he's got a bit of corn stuck in his throat. He's as tuneful as a rusty gate.

Since the guinea fowl started to roost on a branch by the back door, putting the dog out last thing at night is a noisy affair. Woken by the door closing, their alarm call of “Tax, tax, tax, tax!” goes off in the moonlight leaving

We inadvertently created our own bantam blend last year; the result of the Cochin rooster and a Rosecomb hen.

The result was two pullets that were black like their mum with feathered feet like dad. They've got a great shape like a Chinese junk in full sail but they're extremely shy birds, darting away like little black ghosts.

Our Belgium bantam is the opposite, flying in like a missile when I bring the corn and often landing right in my uplifted bucket.

Back when the nights were in the minus numbers and the snow shovel lived by the front door, I was thinking ahead to growing summer crops. Now three weeks later, seeds are coming up a treat.

The window sills are cluttered with trays sprouting green and soon everything will need pricking out.

Trouble is the whole family pitched in enthusiastically for a seed planting frenzy, and our labelling system leaves a bit to be desired. Many stickers pealed off with the first watering and those pretty name tags written in felt tip

WELCOME TO LIFE ON OUR HIGHLAND PERTHSHIRE CROFT l live in Glenlyon with my husband Jason, daughters Alice and Sarah and a whole lot of animals.

Lack of light makes spindly stems so I shouldn't hold off much longer from moving them outside. But there's quite an art to managing the temperature in an unheated greenhouse. I'm often home from Perth late and racing out to fleece up is the last thing I feel like doing after getting in.

The changeable weather at this time of year is one thing down here in the glen, but up on the ridges it can be fatal. Recently we had a seasoned climber stay at the B&B and we learnt a fair bit from him about staying safe out walking. He swore by a Norwegian weather forecasting website, geared for mountain climbers.

He was one of these people who meticulously planned and he wouldn't be put off that more bitter weather was coming; he had his kit and he'd been planning his Monroe mission for months.

After breakfast he finished his coffee and marched off confidently with his crampons, heading for the Invervar horseshoe, leaving a written plan of his solo climb.

Along with running a B&B and holding down a job on the paper, I indulge in a bit of the 'Good Life'. We're on a constant journey to make the best of our beautiful surroundings.

I was relieved when he returned safe and happy at teatime. I took a note of his tip for accurate mountain weather forecasts and I pass it on here as you can never be too well informed. Check out www.yr.no – just write the location you want in the search box and every detail is there.

Lemon Drizzle There is something irresistible about the smell of baking in the house and with the hens having started to lay, it's the perfect excuse to use up the surplus eggs.

There is one recipe we come back to again and again – lemon drizzle cake. The light, fluffy sponge with a crunchy topping makes a delicious pudding with a splash of single cream, or a tasty snack with a cup of tea. If you double the mixture, you can make one cake and twelve big cupcakes at the same time.

Lemon Drizzle • 100g soft margarine • 175g caster sugar • 175g self-raising flour • 1 teaspoon baking powder • 2 eggs • 4 tablespoons of milk • Finely grated rind of one lemon For the topping: • Juice of one lemon • 50g caster sugar Pre-heat the oven to 180oC Grease and line a 7 inch deep round cake tin with grease proof paper.

Sift the flour and baking powder and then put all ingredients into a large bowl and beat well until smooth.

Spoon the mixture into the cake tin.

Bake for 40 minutes – it’s ready when the cake has shrunk slightly from the side of the tin.

Stir together the lemon juice and sugar and spread on the top whilst the cake is still hot.

Leave to cool and turn the cake out of the tin.

ANN RUDDY | SHORELINES: SUMMER IN THE COORONG

ANN RUDDY | SHORELINES: SUMMER IN THE COORONG

COORONG WAVES

art + creativity

BY DIANE SCHNEIDER

Ann

Ruddy Shorelines: Summer in the Coorong

BARKERS KNOLL

now crunched under foot and the sky was heavy with the promise of more to come when I visited Ann Ruddy in her studio. The scene inside, however, could not have been more different. Her studio, a large glass conservatory, was full of oil paintings-in-progress depicting bright seascapes and luminous beaches.

The inspiration for these paintings, obviously, did not come from the scene outside the windows.

S

Ann grew up in Fort William so the sea has always been part of her life and imagination even though she has spent the last 16 years living in Aberfeldy.

The sea these paintings depict is not the wild, old Atlantic of her

CORIO SHACK

high summer sun. Her first impression was of a place that felt untouched, somehow prehistoric. ‘As soon as I stepped off the boat I knew I had to paint it,’ she recalls, ‘the place almost started to paint itself. Everywhere I looked compositions formed in my mind.’

childhood, but the vast Southern Ocean on the other side of the world.

In the winter of 2014-15, Ann, her husband Pat and 12-year-old son, Joseph, visited southeastern Australia.

While there they travelled to an area called the Coorong.

The Coorong is an expanse of saltwater lagoons southeast of Adelaide. It is a national park and is a place renowned for its natural beauty and wildlife. The area is protected from the pounding ocean by the Younghusband Peninsula which runs for 140 kilometres parallel to the coastal dunes. Inside its sheltering arm a vast wetland ecosystem has been created consisting of ocean beach, freshwater lakes, estuaries, saline lagoon and river mouth.

Summer temperatures in the region can reach 45 degrees and Ann recalls the ‘blinding’ light of the

Ann is entirely self-taught in the medium of oil painting. "

Since that moment of vivid inspiration there has been an awful lot of hard work and perspiration. Ann is entirely self-taught in the medium of oil painting and, rather unusually, her first oil canvases were produced when she signed up to take part in the Artemis Great Kindrochit Quadrathlon.

This is an extraordinarily tough physical challenge beginning with an open water swim of 1350m, then a hike or run over seven Munros, a seven-mile loch kayak, all finished off with a 35 mile road cycle.

‘I needed to raise money for the

38

ANN RUDDY | SHORELINES: SUMMER IN THE COORONG

She has also always been fascinated by the colour blue in all its shades. "

charities supported by the quad,’ says Ann, ‘so I created a series of still life paintings using everyday objects (a simple lemon on a bright blue background, a small cactus from the conservatory) which I then sold.’ She had never painted in oils before but she was hooked.

Her artistic career began in a very different way. She studied Graphic Design and Illustration at Edinburgh College (then Telford College). Since childhood she had always wanted to design book or album covers and posters. For her final show at college she designed posters for the Edinburgh Film Festival (film is another passion) in the style of German Expressionism.

After college she lived in the capital for seventeen years during which time she designed posters for Edinburgh nightclubs then designed exhibitions for Scottish Cultural Heritage.

Later she worked for Edinburgh City Council curating the art on display in their offices and courtrooms. A favourite part of this job was going to the City Arts Centre where she could pick works from both famous and

YELLOW FLOATS

CHRISTMAS DAY AT GOOLWA

Shorelines: Summer in the Coorong an exhibition of oil paintings by Ann Ruddy will be on display at The Watermill, Aberfeldy from 19th March – 31st May.

39

ANN RUDDY | SHORELINES: SUMMER IN THE COORONG

upcoming artists for display around the city.

Her creative work has been varied, ‘I designed a pamphlet for young, homeless people which won a COSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities) award and also helped design the tartan for the city of Edinburgh Housing Department.’

of work which seems to capture the essence of summer and the wildness of the place.

‘The area was the setting for the Australian children’s novel ‘Storm Boy’ by Colin Thiele and I remember watching the television series as a child.’ Perhaps this is partly why the area captured her imagination.

Since coming to live in Aberfeldy she has started a company, Firebelly Design, which designs websites.

You would be forgiven for thinking that the company is named after her passionate nature but it comes from the oriental fire-bellied toads that she has kept as pets for over two decades.

She has also always been fascinated by the colour blue in all its shades. The deceptively simple seascapes bear witness to this. It is clear that the immediacy of her time on the peninsula has never left her, ‘I can recall the sounds and smells; the heat and cries of the birds.’

It is no surprise that when Ann turned her hand to oil painting she did it with such evident commitment and dedication.

As well as the natural beauty of the Coorong Ann was particularly interested in the ramshackle huts which have grown up there over the past century. ‘No one lives permanently on the Younghusband Peninsular, there is no electricity or running water, but some families own shacks which they carefully tend and pass down from one generation to the next,’ she says, ‘I have always been attracted by the man-made in a natural landscape and these huts are so weathered by the sea and the wind that they have taken on the properties of natural objects. The corrugated iron roofs, for example, have the pearlescence of a shell. The shacks’ organic chaos in the simple natural environment appeals to me.’

Watermill owner Jayne Ramage saw the work Ann had produced for her quadrathlon fundraising drive and immediately felt she was seeing a rare talent and invited Ann to have her first solo show. Using photographs and sketches made at the time she has produced an extraordinary body

Ann plans to continue painting in oils, ‘The beauty of oils is that you can change things and keep working on them until you are satisfied. They are only finished when you are ready to walk away. Some I am still not ready to walk away from!’ she says, looking critically at a beach scene.

One thing is for sure, she will pursue her painting future with passion.

KNIGHTS BEACH

As well as the natural beauty of the Coorong Ann was particularly interested in the ramshackle huts which have grown up there over the past century. "

WILDLIFE AND NATURE

WILDLIFE AND NATURE

If you would like to get involved in black grouse monitoring, contact Claire Smith at the RSPB Perth office.

BLACK

GROUSE W

The numbers of black grouse in highland Perthshire fluctuate, but the numbers are generally good.

The largest lek counted last year was at Duncoillich, with 53 males.

hen was the last

The male birds display on lek sites

stronger. The bubbling call of the black

time you got

in the early morning to attract the

grouse travels well on the breeze but

outside before

attentions of the hen birds. This gives

sunrise? I don’t

us a brilliant opportunity to count all

mean a stagger

the male birds, and so monitor their

to the car, but

population. Declining throughout

out into the

Britain, the birds exist in good numbers

wide open spaces. Never an attractive

in Highland Perthshire and have been

prospect from the warm nest of your

monitored for more than twenty years.

bed, but pick the right day and the reward for your crepuscular effort can be truly magical.

There is a keen group of folk in

But back to the glory of the early morning... Somehow the low sun and transient colours are different to those at sunset. Cleaner and crisper, more

Highland Perthshire who go out this

magical. Early morning mists often

early during April and May to help

linger and hover in the glens, slowly

count the numbers of black grouse.

breaking up into wisps as the sun gets

Early morning mists often linger and hover in the glens, slowly breaking up into wisps as the sun gets stronger.

it’s notoriously difficult to track down.

On a calm morning the sound can travel many hundreds of metres. As you get closer, the harsher squabbling calls and wing flaps make you realise the morning is not all about beauty

porting glossy

declined during the 1990s but have

and atmosphere. It’s serious stuff for

black plumage

been increasing since 2002. The

and a bright

Perthshire Black Grouse Study Group

red wattle over

has been monitoring the black grouse

the eyes, black

population in highland Perthshire since

grouse are

1990, providing crucial information

certainly one

about how well the birds are doing.

these birds, the best males will get the attentions of the hens, so they are in a full blown adrenaline fuelled tumult.

But as you tune out of the black grouse and focus more widely again, all kinds of other wildlife can add to the joy of your morning. The dawn chorus blasts out from the edge of the woodland, wildly noisy tunes competing with woodpecker drumming and squawking jays. The red deer are usually very active at dawn, as are many other mammals.

Pine martens are at the end of their night-shift, heading to bed. I have seen a golden eagle hunting over a lek, and stags grazing unconcerned, bang in the middle of all the activity.

by Polly Freeman Countryside Ranger, Atholl Estates.

BLACKGROUSE DAWN WALK

One thing is for sure, you will be glad you persuaded yourself out of bed, and your breakfast will taste like a glorious feast, gilded with dream-like memories of your early morning foray.

S

of Scotland’s most iconic species.

This group of dedicated volunteers

During spring these distinctive birds

check all suitable habitat and count

gather at dawn and dusk to perform

all male black grouse within seven 10

their impressive courtship displays at

km squares (70,000 hectares), roughly

traditional ‘lek’ sites, you could say its

spanning across from Kinloch Rannoch

nature’s equivalent to a dance floor on

to Kirkmichael and from Aberfeldy up

a Saturday night! It is the male black

to Blair Atholl.

grouse who put on the show, inflating their necks and raising their white tail feathers as they compete for the best spot at the heart of the lek. The females (known as greyhens) watch from the edges and choose the fittest and most dominant for a mate.

Despite declines in numbers of black grouse, in highland Perthshire they have bounced back and the area is now a stronghold for this species. Across the county, numbers

Please contact 01738 630783 or email perth. admin@ rspb.org.uk to book your place or for more information

“It’s great that black grouse are doing so well in Perthshire and we hope it continues. Estates and land managers have put a range of measures in place to benefit black grouse and we are fortunate to have such amazing longterm information from the hard work by volunteers within the group.”

Watching a black grouse lek is a great wildlife experience, with rivals sparring amid bubbling songs and harsh scolding sounds. RSPB Scotland, the John Muir Trust and Highland Perthshire Communities Land Trust are

Last year, 676 male black grouse

running guided walks to offer people

were recorded during the survey which

the chance to see this spectacle at a

revealed that the numbers were up

lekking site near Schiehallion.

more than 20% from the previous year.

A dawn walk will take place on

Perthshire’s mosaic of habitats benefits

Wednesday 30th March from 6 –

the birds with recent studies showing that they are responding positively to native tree planting in the region.

Claire Smith is a member of the Study Group and a Conservation Officer for RSPB Scotland. She said:

7.30am and dusk walks will take place Photography on page 41 and circle, page 40 by Andy Hay (rspb-images. com)

on Sunday 20th March 5.30 – 7pm and Sunday 20th April 7.30 – 9pm.

The walks start from the Braes of Foss car park, cost £4 per adult (children are free) and booking is essential.

JML GARDEN ROOMS

JML GARDEN ROOMS

18 SQM HIGHLANDER, FAMILY ROOM IN COLINTON, EDINBURGH

18 SQM LOWLANDER, HOME OFFICE IN BROUGHTY FERRY, DUNDEE

e are a luxury, family run, Garden Room company called JML Garden Rooms based near Auchterarder, Perthshire. Our garden rooms are uniquely built using Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs which allows them to be super insulated (minimising utility bills and allowing all year round use), made only using the finest materials and built to last. They are quick to erect, with minimal disruption to your home (our panels can even be carried through your home if back garden access is tricky!) and most don’t require planning permission.

They all come with a 10 yr structural guarantee to give you 100% peace of mind and depending on the size and specification we can be off site and handing over your keys within three weeks. We currently have a range of modern (Lowlander) and traditional (Highlander) garden room designs which can be personalised to better suit our clients’ needs or we can easily build something completely bespoke. Our JML Garden Rooms have become a very popular option for many who want to increase their living space but don’t want the hassle of moving or the stress and expense of a disruptive extension to their home. The fun element of our JML Garden Rooms is their multi-purpose use allowing them to be used and

W

JML

GARDEN ROOMS

Thinking Outside the Box

13 SQM HIGHLANDER, BACHELOR’S RURAL RETREAT, PERTHSHIRE

9 SQM LOWLANDER, ARTISTS STUDIO, BLACKHALL, EDINBURGH

enjoyed by the whole family. Popular uses include a stylish office, gym, art studio, granny annexe, guest room, playroom, games room, therapy room, sales office, library, music room, cinema – the list is endless.

Over the past six months, we’ve been very busy developing an exciting range of compact Office Pods. Due to the increase in people working from home and it’s benefits – not least the savings on cost and travel, the flexible hours, and the ability to maximize family time. We decided to launch a range of Office Pods available in three different sizes. Time normally wasted on commuting can be spent at work, and studies show that an employee’s productivity rises by about a third when they switch to working from home.

Our aim has been to make them as economical as possible without compromising on the top quality materials we use for our garden rooms. Our compact Office Pods are created as dedicated office spaces, successfully utilising every available inch. Available in three standard sizes (the biggest being large enough for two people to work in simultaneously), we guarantee that whichever of these high-spec buildings you choose, it will become an office you will be keen to escape to. We have ensured the internal size fits both the Ikea desk units and also a more premium range, so it is practical on every level and

Our aim has been to make them as economical as possible without compromising on the top quality of our garden rooms."

JML GARDEN ROOMS

JML GARDEN ROOMS

20 SQM GRANNY ANNEXE, ABERDEENSHIRE

can be fully furnished ready for you to start work. We have an IT specialist on board who can advise you on the best products to suit your IT and communication needs and lighting, alarm and heating systems which can be controlled remotely. We have a full range of extras which will ensure your Office Pod is as high tech as you need it to be. These JML Office Pods are so practical they have been built in such a way that they can be moved at a later date should you want the flexibility of taking your investment with you when you move home. As these will not require planning permission, our aim will be to have a supply of finished office pods ready at our factory, allowing us to provide clients with a very quick and cost effective solution to their home office needs and suitable for even the most compact of gardens!

13SQM HIGHLANDER, LANGLEY FAMILY ROOM BY NIGHT, PERTHSHIRE

13 SQM HIGHLANDER, HOME OFFICE IN PERTHSHIRE

Here are some of the case studies we have recently completed.

13SQM HIGHLANDER Bachelor’s Rural Retreat in Perthshire

This Highlander Garden room was built for a client who had the perfect spot for a garden room. The location is accessed through the woods at the side of his garden and has spectacular views over his fields and the Perthshire hills. He wanted to use the room for socialising with friends and card nights with the boys! For this social space we had our joiner make some smart, bespoke units and fitted two fridges (for refreshments), a lovely Belfast sink and an all important flat screen TV! We also built extensive decking in Scottish Larch so he could make the most of the views whilst entertaining guests on his new terrace.

USES

Our client uses his garden room primarily for socialising with friends, BBQ’s, card nights with the boys and as a quiet space to retreat to with a glass of wine and admire the views.

13SQM HIGHLANDER Artists Studio in Auchterarder, Perthshire

We built this Highlander JML Garden Room for a client to be her dedicated art studio. She has amazing views from her garden and she wanted to take advantage of these views and the natural light to create a peaceful and creative space away from her house. We had our finishing joiner make some bespoke drying racks for her paintings and also some cupboards she designed for her utensils which we then painted in a farrow and ball colour of her choice. Her husband loved the space too and had a flat screen and music system installed

THINK BIG!.

JML Garden Rooms can manage every step of your Garden Room project for you.

USES

Our client LOVES her new, ultra insulated, JML Garden Room for painting in (she claims she’s been twice as creative since its arrival!) and she said it is equally appreciated be her whole family. Her husband monopolises the space to watch any good sporting events and to listen to his Opera and her daughter used the Garden Room as a quiet space to study for her A-Levels during her school holidays and weekends.

Please call our offices on 01764 663271 to find out how we can help you put your plans into action.

13SQM HIGHLANDER Langley Family in Perthshire

30SQM HIGHLANDER Granny Annexe in Aberdeenshire

This was the first Highlander Garden room we built and it is used by our whole family. As with all our JML Garden Rooms it’s built using SIPS, it has high spec triple glazed AluClad Rationel windows/doors, it is clad in Scottish Larch and we have used reclaimed traditional Scottish slates Internally, we have fitted underfloor heating (although as it’s so well insulated we rarely need to turn it on), a large flat screen TV with wifi and a Sonos music system. We also had the JML Garden Rooms finishing joiner build some bespoke units for storage along one wall. The external decking is also in Scottish Larch.

Our client approached us as her mother was no longer able to live on her own and she really didn’t want to go down the Retirement Home route for emotional and financial reasons. She considered having an extension built on her own house but was discouraged by the lengthy planning process, the disruption to her home and also the high costs. We were able to design a very practical and highly insulated granny annexe for her garden which consists of a small bathroom, bedroom and an open plan sitting room/kitchen area. They are absolutely delighted with the results, her mother has her own independence away from her daughters house where she can have friends for coffee and live independently with her cat, but with the security of having her daughter close by. Her daughter will also have a great investment for her money as once her mother passes away she will be able to use her granny annexe as a holiday let or extra accommodation when friends and family come to stay.

USES

This space has many flexible uses and is equally enjoyed by us all. We have a double sofa bed there which is used when we need an extra bedroom for guests. Our kids LOVE using it as a cinema room for movie nights with friends, my husband has a rowing machine in it for his work outs (fuelled by re-runs of the Olympics on the flat screen!) and we also have hidden external speakers so we can use it as a fantastic social space for family and friends when we have BBQ’s. I also love the peace and quiet of this external space for my yoga sessions.

USES

Currently a granny annexe for her mother so she can live independently but also have the peace of mind that her daughter is next door. Later this can be used as a holiday let and will greatly increase the value of her home should she decide to sell in the future.

THE JOTTERS

THE JOTTERS

TwelfthNight ecay; yes there is decay. He is getting decrepit; the mind works well, but has stiffness, soreness and the cussed nature of his limbs not being as quick as before. She is decrepit, in her mind. The limbs work all right, but the computer in charge is no longer able.

There is decay in the flat; they moved here ten years ago, when the house and garden were too much for them.

They think a little honest dust never hurt anyone; their son thinks the place is distinctly grubby.

They are in the kitchen. He is at the sink, doing some dishes.

'Christmas soon, love. Quiet time, I think; just us.'

There is a pause. 'Martin not coming this year?'

'No, love. They're off to their place in Spain again. Back in mid January.'

'Have we been there? You and me?'

'No, love, we never did. Don't think we'd fancy it much; too hot really.'

Another pause, then he says 'No presents this year, just like last. We don't need any more stuff. I thought I'd

D

local writing

cook for you this time.'

'You always cook, George. You cook nice things for us!' She has taken up her book. It's quite tattered now that she's been round it four times. 'This is a good book, George. I'm sure you'd like it.'

'I've read it, love, and yes, it is a good book.'

She is in her chair, used so much it fits her like a glove. She doesn't need to plump up the cushions; they just fit her as they are. He goes to his usual place; the Windsor chair at the end of the beech table. Martin, ages before, had arranged for the charger for the laptop to come up through the table, the flex being under the floor. He was aware of risks of falls, and tried to protect the old pair from trips. George has his puzzle to hand, and his pencil; he uses the computer for e-mail and the internet, and his books totter by his left hand. He has long been plotting the cooking for this Christmas; their fifty eighth together.

Christmas comes. It is quite a nice day, and George goes out for the paper.

The Indian man in the newsagent knows him well. 'Here is your paper, Mr. Anderson! And I have put a poke of sweeties in for your Christmas.'

George takes them. 'That's very kind, Ikram! Mabel and I will enjoy them!'

Back in the flat, he potters about, working with the shopping he has been gathering. He takes the partridge, and cuts away the breasts from each side.

The rest he puts in a pot with water, an onion, half a carrot and some salt and pepper. All this is put over the heat, where it simmers away all morning.

Mabel is reading her book, and the radio is on at Radio Three. There is no conversation, but the companionship is palpable. He gives her Ikram's sweets, one by one. Each one is taken with; 'That's nice, dear, you shouldn't have bothered.'

He enters into a ritual, 'They're a present from Ikram! You know, that nice man at the shop.'

'Well wasn't that kind of him.' The book is raised again.

George is getting the meal ready.

The potatoes are boiling. The stock is boiling hard, having been drained, and some sherry added.

He cleans out the stock pot, and in goes some boiling water,

This month our contribution was written

by Hamish.

for the calabrese. He is juggling pans now.

The potatoes are cooked and go in a dish. The two pieces of partridge breast go in the pan with olive oil, and he takes his piece de resistance. This is a small pan with hot butter, into which he puts the sliced pear.

All is ready; he plates up, the partridge, the potato beside it, and the calabrese with the buttery pear drenched over it. 'This looks nice, dear?

What is it?'

'This is your Christmas lunch, love!

I've made a partridge in a pear tree!

Look. The calabrese is the tree, and that's pear dribbled in it!'

'Oh, you are clever, George. It looks just lovely.'

She is right; it does look lovely, and it tastes good as well. They have some red wine with it. Five times she says, 'This is nice dear; what is it?' Five times he repeats the litany of his cooking.

Afterwards, he puts all the dishes to soak, and they settle in their comfy chairs. He gives her another sweet. 'Oh George, that's kind! You shouldn't have bothered!'

'They're from Ikram, love, for you Christmas.'

Soon they snooze; the music from Radio Three is their lullaby. Routine wins; George comes to, and goes to do the dishes. They clean easily for being soaked. Tea is made, and Mable woken for hers. 'That's kind dear; you shouldn't have bothered.' They don't stay up late; nine o'clock has them toileted and bedded. They both need more sleep these days.

Boxing day arrives. They have an e-mail from Martin and the family wishing them a Merry Christmas.

'That's nice dear, isn't it? They shouldn't have bothered.' George goes out for the paper.

'Mabel really liked those sweets, Ikram! Thank you very much.'

'A pleasure Mr Anderson. Is Mrs Anderson keeping all right?'

'Not too bad Ikram. Forgetful, you know. We're both getting on, nowadays.'

'Well, you just look after yourself, Mr. Anderson; that wife of yours needs you!'

Home he goes, and into the kitchen, Mabel is up, and in her chair, the book is in her hand. 'This is a very good book, George! I think you'd like it' 'I'm sure love. Now let me get on

The Jotters We are a small, informal group of writers.

We meet once a month to read and discuss our work.

Enjoy.

here.'

Earlier he had gone by the butcher, who was surprised at the request for a pigeon. 'Not often asked for a pigeon,' he said.

'It's for the wife; a sort of Christmas present.'

Now, he takes the pigeon, and does the same as with the partridge; breasts cut away, and the rest into boiling water with the small onion and the other half or the carrot. They never tire of potatoes, so they go into the pan.

He has put them in with the stock, to save pans. Now he takes another pan with olive oil and a diced onion which goes over the gas. A few stirs and then in go the lentils; he had found some fancy ones in the supermarket, so he's pleased with that. again a few stirs, then in goes the stock. The potatoes are already in the dish, keeping warm.

When the lentils are nearly ready, he puts the pan with oil and the pigeon breasts in it over the heat.

'Boxing Day dinner, love,' he says.

He plates up the meal, the meat on a bed of Puy lentils, with the potatoes on one side.

She looks at it for a moment; 'Two Turtle Doves! Oh you are clever, George!'

He smiles. No, he doesn't; he grins.

There are crossword bits of her brain still working. 'You're quite right, love! I got it from the butcher.'

'That was kind of him! He shouldn't have bothered!'

'It was shopping, love; not a present.

The present was from Ikram.'

'From who, dear? This is very nice.'

He doesn't bother answering. He is enjoying the red wine he started on Christmas Day. After the meal, he puts the dishes to soak in the sink, and sits down, as his wife has done. Radio Three lulls them to sleep once more.

Routine stirs him and he washes up the dishes. 'Time for bed, love.' It's half past nine again. He reminds her of her pills, and soon they're cosy under the duvet. 'You're very kind to me, George,' she says.

'You've been kind to me all these years, love. Maybe my turn.'

It went on. Three Chicken breasts in a creamy sauce, a small musical box he found in a second hand shop with four budgies on it, a bracelet he made of gold foil made into five linked

rings. She remembers each day that his offering comes from the song. There are eggs for the geese and swans, junket for the maids a milking, biscuits for the dancing ladies and the leaping lords. He is particularly proud of the pepper dish for the pipers piping.

Now it's twelfth night, and he's at the stove again. He has drumsticks for the drummers. He has made a special breadcrumb mix, with unusual ingredients he got from the internet a month before. He puts on the potatoes, eggs the drumsticks and rolls them carefully in the breadcrumbs; they go into the oven with a little oil in the dish and some drizzled over them. There is a pan of sprouts on the boil as well.

'This is the last of the meals, love; would you like a glass of sherry for a start?' She has never said no to this, and doesn't this evening. The drink eases down quite quickly; he has one as well. 'Lovely sherry, dear; you shouldn't have bothered.' He finds it a little bitter; perhaps the internet shopping slightly changed the taste.

The meal is ready; 'Dinner time, love!'

'That's kind, dear; you shouldn't have bothered.'

'It's no bother at all, love. I enjoyed making the meal, and I'm going to enjoy eating it.' The drumsticks are tender, and the special breadcrumbs taste fine.

'It's been the nicest Christmas with all your little meals and presents. We weren't to do any, I remember that!'

'Just a little fun, love.' He is sipping the last of his red wine.

'I'm getting a little tired, dear. Maybe an early night.'

'I am too, love; let me help you to bed.' He leaves the dishes where they are, not really caring about them. They totter throught to the bedroom; she is dozing as he gets her into bed. It's just in time, as he is also starting to get sleepy; he gets into pyjamas, and slips in beside her; she is already sleeping. He leans over and kisses the unresponsive lips.

'Good night, love; it's been a grand life.'

It is Ikram who raises the alarm.

George has not come for his paper for two days. The policeman manages to get the door open, and the two are found, dead in bed; dead in each others arms.

THE SCOTTISH CRANNOG CENTRE

THE SCOTTISH CRANNOG CENTRE

2,500 year old butter dish from Oakbank Crannog. The numbers in the photo represent the locations where samples were taken and the OB88 refers to the year in which it was found.

things to see

THE SCOTTISH CRANNOG CENTRE Celebrates the Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design

2016

is the Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design, celebrating the richness of Scotland’s beautiful built heritage, culture and environment, alongside the contemporary and cutting edge designs of today. From textiles and technology, to architecture, fashion, and more, this Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design shines the spotlight on Scotland’s greatest assets, icons, and hidden gems.

The Crannog is well-placed in this light, as its Iron-Age inspired design and construction is unique in Scotland and showcases a type of dwelling that was popular for thousands of

years. Loch Tay contains the remains of 18 ancient homes but there are hundreds in lochs throughout the country. Designs may have changed in that time, but in-water and waterfront property certainly remains much sought-after today!

The Crannogs in Loch Tay are found at both ends of the loch and dotted along the shoreline in between, located in some very exposed positions. While the structure of our roundhouse is not on the site of an original crannog, over the years it certainly has had to cope with being pounded by wind, waves, floating debris, and boats and structures breaking free from nearby premises. It is a tribute to the architects of 500BC and both ancient and modern builders

that the structure is able to withstand such impacts.

We are pleased to report that we are on target for early opening on the 26th March. "

After a winter of refurbishment and rectifying storm damage to the structure, we are pleased to report that we are on target for early opening on the 26th March and for our Easter Sunday Pancake Eggstravaganza on 27th March.

The first in a superb line-up of events for the 2016 season, our Easter Sunday Pancake Eggstravaganza starts at 10.30 and finishes at 4.30pm.

Throughout the day our Iron Age chefs will be preparing duck eggs as well as hen eggs mixed with spelt wheat flour and turning them into delicious pancakes over an open-fire. Tasters of these together with other seasonal goodies will be freshly prepared throughout the event, and as the smoke from our wood fires drifts over the site, visitors will be able to see, smell and taste the Iron Age! In addition, they can knead and form bread dough into rolls and bake them in our clay ovens and, while waiting, they can churn butter to spread on the rolls once they’re cooked.

Churning butter is a great family activity and takes quite a lot of effort to get the cream to turn to butter when it is so cold outside. The added benefit, however, is that all that effort will warm you up!

WHAT'S ON AT THE CRANNOG Churning butter features at many of our special events throughout the year: inspired by a discovery at Oakbank Crannog, Fearnan, when underwater archaeologists from STUA (Scottish Trust for Underwater Archaeology, registered charity SCO18418) retrieved a perforated wooden container from the Loch.

Upon closer inspection, a greasy-type substance was found to be lining the object which, following laboratory analysis, turned out to be 2,500 yearold butter – hence butter-churning at our special events! The container would have been used for draining the buttermilk and may also have been used in cheese-making.

Our second event of the year is the Beltane Spring Celebration on 01 May, 10.30 – 4.30pm. Beltane was an important date in the Celtic Calendar and marks the beginning of summer when livestock were put out to pasture.

Rituals were performed to protect cattle, crops and people from harm and to encourage growth during the summer months; bonfires were lit; feasts prepared and offerings made; flowers were used to decorate homes, cattle and byres. The theme of the day therefore is the celebration of the start of Summer, we hope!

Wild flowers and foliage will be on hand for garlands and crowns and visitors are encouraged to bring a blossom along to decorate the Crannog to ensure good luck throughout the season and growing cycle of the year.

Our core special events are detailed on the calendar opposite.

All events include entry to museum exhibits, talks around a log-fire (when possible) in the Crannog roundhouse together with demonstrations and hands-on experience of ancient crafts which are great ways to stay warm and work up an appetite!

Events at the Scottish Crannog Centre are inspired by discoveries in Loch Tay by our underwater archaeologists from the STUA and feature demonstrations by craftspeople and specialists as well as our team of expert guides. Our special events resonate with this year’s theme of innovation and they are always educational, inspirational and informative - not to mention fun!

Events and news can also be viewed in detail on our NEW website which we are delighted to say will be launched this month and can be found at www.crannog. co.uk. The new-look site is designed to enable us to add more dynamic content including images, videos and comments from visitors. There’s also a section aimed at school and

university visits together with archaeological information from the STUA, including past research. We would love to receive your feedback on the website so please take a look and let us know what you think. The ‘Visitor Comments’ page contains an easy link to enable you to easily contact us - we look forward to hearing from you! The new website also has a section showcasing images taken by our visitors. If you have any images taken while visiting, please do share them with us.

Please note! We know it’s only March but, as we were voted one of the UK’s best Halloween celebrations in ‘The Sunday Times Holiday Supplement’ last year, we’re already taking bookings for our Spooks & Sacrifice Celtic Samhain Festival on 31 October. So if you want to come along, don’t leave it too late to secure your places! Soon you will be able to book tickets online, but for now you can book by calling or emailing us at the Centre.

Apart from trying to fend off Mother Nature and creating our new website, we’ve been really busy in the background with a lot going on, including recruiting new staff. We look forward to welcoming some new faces at the Centre including new guides, a new ‘Mr Fix It’ and a new Centre Manager who, along with our core members of staff, are very much looking forward to welcoming friends old and new in 2016.

Easter Sunday March 27th, 2016 Pancake Eggstravaganza Sunday, May 1st, 2016 BELTANE! Spring Celebration Sunday, May 29th Celtic Spring Food Festival Sunday June 12th Ancient Textiles & Nettle Festival Sunday, June 26th Iron Age Ingenuity Hands-on Ancient Skills Thursday, July 21st Iron Age Gourmet Day Thursday, August 11th Lughnasa Harvest Festival Sunday, October 9th Autumn Harvest Event Monday, October 31st Spooks & Sacrifice Celtic Samhain Festival

For more information on our events or how to volunteer to assist us at an event, please contact us on 01887 830583 or email info@crannog. co.uk.

Visit crannog.co.uk

THE WELL OF THE NORTH WIND

local writing

BY KENNETH STEVEN

The Well of the North Wind never believed I would be capable of writing anything resembling a historical novel. I feel the people best equipped to pen such works are the Neil Olivers of this world: those who know what the court of Mary Queen of Scots would have been like, or who understand precisely what happened during the Battle of Waterloo. Of course that’s not sufficient: there’s a requirement for a good, strong imagination – the salt and pepper which will take dry historical facts from the page and breathe new life into them.

I

I have always felt hemmed-in and constrained by the kind of historical setting about which too much is known. What kind of shoes would the aforementioned Mary have worn on a particular day? Would they then have made a noise on that particular staircase, because this would make the difference between her being heard and not? And what was the weather like on that morning?

Perhaps then there’s something of a coward about me when I choose to go running off to Iona and the high days of the Celts, to a story hidden away in the more shadowy corners of early history. Actually, I don’t feel it’s about cowardice at all, but I do certainly think it’s more exciting.

There’s far greater breathing room because we don’t have all the answers

to what took place when in Columba’s lifetime, yet I like that too. It feels a comfortable place for a novelist like me to duck and dart; I can neatly avoid what I don’t know and concentrate on what I do – the characters, the island, their story.

I have the privilege of calling Iona a second home, and my spiritual home too. I’ve been spending summer weeks there since my parents took me to stay as a babe in arms. My mother still maintains I learned to walk on one of the island beaches. And the links became stronger once my sister Helen became Justice and Peace worker for the Iona Community.

ABOUT KENNETH Kenneth is a widely published poet, novelist and children’s author with his roots set in Highland Perthshire.

From an early age I remember wandering the island, exploring every possible corner. Yet it’s a joy to me to acknowledge that at 47 there are still places I haven’t found yet. That wandering and exploring was as safe on Iona for a young child as anywhere in the Hebrides: if my parents had concerns at all about my early morning expeditions it would have been for high tides and barbed wire. But the result was that I came not only to love this island fiercely for its tiny glens and myriad hidden coves – I also came to know it.

And since all those places effectively haven’t changed since the days of Columba, they have the potential to be used in a story like this.

That story began with my fascination for the Book of Kells, the great treasure of the Celts all but certainly begun on Iona and then taken away for safe-

keeping to Ireland from the Viking raiders. I learned that it was believed four hands lay behind the artistry of the book’s pages: just whose hands were they? I imagined a young boy growing up on the west coast of Ireland and being taught to draw in the sand by one of the monks. In the end he shows such promise that they take him over to Dalriada and the island of Iona to become the last of those hands in the uncompleted book. There he encounters the ageing and failing Columba, still full of big dreams and the hopes of new journeys, but all too aware of his tiredness and his fraying temper. Yet the boy comes to love him all the same, and to be woven into the island’s greater story as the first year slips into many and the boy becomes a man at last.

I have little doubt the Neil Olivers would grumble about many things in my writing of the novel, and I have no doubt I have made any number of errors. But what I have done is to try to slip quietly in to the shadows of a time and place I love, and to come out carrying a story. It’s the story I want to be judged; that’s surely what counts.

And if nothing else It’s given me the confidence to believe the task of writing a novel of this kind is possible after all, because for long enough I was sure it wasn’t.

Find out more about Kenneth and his work by visiting kennethsteven. co.uk

The Well of the North Wind, published in London by SPCK at £8.99, is available at the Watermill in Aberfeldy, and through chains like Waterstones. It can also be found through the library.

HEALTH AND FITNESS

scottishnaturalclinic.com

Send us your questions!

Natural Clinic

Image is a Professional skincare line It is a clinical range with stronger more active ingredients. Designed to rebalance tired, stressed and dull looking skin.

The Natural Approach

BY AILEEN MCLACHLAN HND/FHT

olistic/ Complementary/ Alternative Therapies are becoming increasingly popular. More people are looking for natural, healthy ways to help them relax and cope with higher stress levels.

H

Therapies may help when you just don’t feel 100%. We can easily lose our connection with ourselves when we are busy trying to fit everything in, we can become frazzled, harassed, or just feel worn out and drained of energy. Having relaxing, therapy treatments can restore harmony and balance to your mind, emotions, body and spirit.

Why get a massage and which massage should I choose?

Hot Stone Massage Relaxing yet beneficial massage using hot volcanic stones to provide heat and pain relief. Stones are used on Key acupressure sites that heat and relaxes the muscle which allows for a deeper massage.

Aromatherapy Massage Using essential oils that are specifically blended to benefit the individual using their curative properties. Holistic therapy is good for anyone who suffers from stress, depression, fluid retention, migraines and insomnia.

Indian Head Massage Deeply relaxing holistic therapy that can be used to treat the whole person. Great for anyone who suffers from stress and anxiety.

The treatment will include massage of the face, neck, head and shoulders.

Manual Lymphatic Draining Massage The lymphatic system is our frontline of defence in fighting bodily infections, detoxifying the body and transporting metabolic wastes, excess water,

with natural ingredients such as clay, algae, plankton, trace minerals and essential oils. Phyto5 products are based on the five elements of traditional Chinese medicine: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water.

bacteria and toxins out of the body.

Lymphatic massage aims to assist and encourage the flow of lymph.

Beneficial for poor/sluggish circulation.

Lava Shell Massage World’s first selfheating massage tool. This treatment promotes deep relaxation as physical tension is released and is a great cure for aching muscles and over-exertion.

Combining strong massage moves with the heat of the Lava Shells, this treatment encourages relaxation of the muscles to allow the body to reenergise.

G5 Mechanical Massage Good for fitness enthusiasts, athletes or anyone who enjoys a deeper massage.

Improves flexibility and stiffness of the muscles after training.

Swedish Massage Involves smoothing and stretching the muscles of the body. As well as being relaxing and enjoyable, this massage helps to alleviate lower back pain, increasing circulation, awareness of body, breathing and posture, relieving stiff joints, reducing stress and anxiety, increasing energy levels.

Why get a Facial?

It’s a fact, whether you like it or not your face can most often reveal your true age. So keep skin looking and feeling younger than your age by receiving regular facials to improve the appearance, texture and look of your skin.

Professional Skincare products contain more potent and active scientific ingredients to treat a wide range of skin problems. Phyto5, Image and Murad professional products are Incorporated into both my holistic and professional skin treatments.

Phyto5 is new to Scotland! Made in Switzerland, this skincare line abounds

HEALTH AND FITNESS

Unable to get to the clinic in Crieff? Home visits for locals within 15 miles. Please contact Aileen for further information.

Chiro Corner Open and Shut Case

Murad Relatively new Professional skincare line from LA. Formulated by Dr Howard Murad in his medical Spa in LA. Aileen works within the Natural Clinic and is available on a Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and by appointment. Offering a wide range of beauty and holistic therapies, skin treatments and conventional therapies.

07546 712 827 aileen@holistictherapybyaileen.com

BY PATRICIA WAITE DC, MCSP

The Natural Clinic, 4 Comrie Street, Crieff, PH7 4AX Call 07774 546384 or visit us on Facebook The Natural Clinic.

LADIES, LUNCH + LUNGES

So By bathing in these hot springs it: • Increases our body temperature gradually, killing harmful bacteria and viruses, especially those on the skin.

66 Degrees North

• It increases blood circulation, therefore giving all our cells more nutrients and oxygen they need. By increasing circulation, our body is able to dissolve and get rid of harmful toxins faster.

• It increases metabolism, helping us to lose weight.

H

aving just experienced the amazing hot springs of Iceland, I thought I would write about the importance of our skin and what it tells us about our health.

Up to 60% of what is put on our skin is absorbed (deodorants, make up, moisturiser, etc). That's a heck of a lot of digestion on the body's part. What you put in is what you get out! So when our skin produces rashes or spots (toxins) it's telling us we need to change something in our environment or our diet. If you keep putting creams, lotions or potions of the synthetic variety on it you are forcing a toxin back into your system when it is trying to get rid of one - not good!

J

Deirdre Barron

During bathing in a hot spring, our pores open up and are able to absorb minerals in the water such as: sulfur, calcium, magnesium and lithium. These minerals are important as they provide healing effects to our organs, as well as having a therapeutic effect on skin problems including wounds, dermatitis, fungal infections, psoriasis and acne.

The hot water warms and relaxes our muscles and joints, improving our mobility.

This is especially beneficial to Parkinson’s sufferers.

Hot water gives us a deep feeling of relaxation and being weightless. As our body temperature increases, our body sends signals to the brain that we are ‘relaxed and ready to sleep’. An hour or two in hot water can help people who struggle to fall asleep, especially people who have insomnia.

Water in a hot spring is mineral rich, meaning it contains a lot of negative ions, which make us feel happy.

Now in our beautiful country of Scotland we are not able to experience this fantastic method of relaxation and detoxification however, the next best thing I could suggest is a hot bath with a cup of epsom salts and baking powder and if you wanted to sleep well some lavender essence.

Your skin is a brilliant gauge of your health and wellbeing - it never lies no matter how you cover it up!

Samantha Weir Call 07834 279446, or visit us on Facebook Ladies, Lunch and Lunges. ladieslunchandlunges.co.uk

ust think how hard, and how frequently, our jaw joints have to work throughout our lives.

It is amazing that the temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ) is seldom painful, or problematic.

The jaw bone, or mandible, attaches by a complex joint to the temporal bone of the skull just in front of the ear. It is not a simple hinge. Owing to the muscular arrangement and a cartilage pad in between the joint surfaces the mandible can slide forward and move side to side, and yet bring our teeth together to a very precise fit. If this goes wrong there can be mal-occlusion (the teeth not fitting together) due to tension, trauma, tooth fillings or dentures. The resting position is not with the jaw clenched.

Ear infection, or other swellings close to the joint, can also disrupt.

Sometimes the jaw can feel stuck – after opening too wide, or having to hold the mouth wide for the dentist – particularly with tooth extraction.

Most jaw pains are fleeting, like many of our aches through life, and settle spontaneously. Jaw surgery is seldom needed and can cause more problems in such a sensitive area.

TMJ Syndrome, or disorder, can present as a clicking, or grating jaw when chewing, with muscle pain at the side of the head, and cheek. There may be pain around the ear too, possibly headache or migraine.

Sometimes the jaw is difficult to open wide, either for fear of pain, or the jaw feels as if it may lock.

Because of the many muscular connections there may be associated neck and shoulder pain. Disruption of the jaw can affect the whole body as the jaw complex is like another girdle,

above the shoulders, and pelvis. Treatment may be entirely dental.

Bruxism, or tooth grinding in sleep, may be helped by a bite guard worn at night.

Sometimes changes in fillings, orthodontic appliances or dentures will help. A persistent uneven bite, or injury to the jaw, can lead to arthritic change, or damage to the disc, but this is not common, and some specific diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis, can affect the jaw.

Most of the pain comes from the muscles both inside and outside the mouth, and at the side of the head.

There are a lot of pain sensitive nerve fibres in these muscles, and other nerves register joint position, muscular tension and balance. Much of the treatment is directed towards rebalancing and relaxing the muscles.

A good start to self-help is to stop chewing gum and give the jaw a rest!

Improving posture goes a long way, so watch out for the slouch, and poking chin, particularly in front of the screen.

Can you stand with your back to a wall, with heels, bottom and shoulders touching the wall, and be able to touch the wall with the back of your head, keeping the eyes looking straight ahead WITHOUT lifting your chin? No? needs practice then! – gently.

Professional help may be sought from your dentist, and also from specialist physiotherapists, chiropractors, osteopaths, craniosacral therapists, acupuncturists and Alexander technique teachers – but check first that they do treat or can affect jaw pain.

A good start to self-help is to stop chewing gum and give the jaw a rest! ."

Patricia Waite Offizone, Kenmore Street, Aberfeldy.

Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday by appointment only.

Call 01887 820050 or 07808 223960.

STELLA'S STORY

THE BOOK CLUB

reviews

theBookClub £9.99

BY ABERFELDY WATERMILL

£20

£9.99 The Dragonfly Friendly Gardener

Beneath the Ice

by Ruary Mackenzie Dodds

by Kenneth Steven

Illustrated by Kari de Koenigswater

he essential guide to creating a garden haven for dragonflies. With stunning colours and phenomenal flying abilities, dragonflies are extraordinarily beautiful - and vital to our ecosystem.

T

"One of Britain's greatest living naturalists" Chris Packham Ruary Mackenzie Dodds, Britain's leading dragonfly expert, offers top tips on how to attract these amazing insects to your garden. From creating a pond and choosing the right plants, to long-term pond care and even help with identifying dragonfly species, Ruary is buzzing with ideas for how to make your garden a wonderful sanctuary for both you and dragonflies to enjoy.

In Search of the Sami enneth tells the fascinating, often troubling, story of the Sami - the indigenous people of the Scandinavian Arctic. A proud and resilient people in an unforgiving yet stunningly beautiful northern wildscape, the Sami have carved out an existence rich in tradition, where the old ways of reindeer herding, shamanic belief and the veneration of bears have not yet been forgotten.

K

"A poetic voice of great sensitivity" Alexander McCall Smith Kenneth Steven celebrates this unique culture in a collection of essays that chronicle his own lifelong love affair with the north, and his own encounters with the Sami. Displaying a deep empathy, he finds a people often persecuted and a community under threat from modernity and climate change. But he also uncovers the Sami's idiosyncratic culture and captures the very essence of northern spirit.

These and the best of new books are available from the Aberfeldy Watermill.

Voices of the Forest

fundraising

A Social History of Scottish Forestry in the Twentieth Century

Stella's Story

by Mairi Stewart he creation of large new tracts of forest, together with the development of a modern wood processing industry, was the single biggest transformation to occur in the Scottish countryside during the twentieth century. While the environmental and landscape impacts of this change have been much commented upon, its impact on Scottish culture and society has attracted comparatively little attention.

The book also looks at the evolution of forestry policy and the changing roles of both the state-run Forestry Commission and the private sector.

However, at its core are the stories of the men, women and children who have lived and worked in the many communities where old and new forests have loomed large communities where, especially in the middle decades of the twentieth century, forestry was often the largest source of employment and income, and without which many of these places would have struggled to survive.

T

i readers, my name is Stella Reid. I am 11 years old and live in Dunkeld, Perthshire. I have been lucky enough to be chosen to represent Scotland this year in many ways. Firstly I was selected among other young talented children to take part in the Scottish film 'Tommy's Honour'. I had so much fun filming and being on set with the amazing actors and actresses cast in the movie. I loved working alongside Jason Connery and am very grateful for the opportunities that this has given me.

H

Aberfeldy Watermill, Mill Street, Aberfeldy, PH15 2BG. Call 01887 822896 or find us on Facebook Aberfeldy Watermill.

I have been chosen to represent Scotland this year over in Disneyland Paris at the face of the globe finals. I was recognised for my charity work in 2015 which I have been continuing

with. To date I have raised around £2245 in around the last 8 months. My target is £3000 and I hope with more help and support for the locals I will be able to reach it. The funds raised are going direct to the rainbow child foundation which is a charity that was set up by X factors CHICO. The rainbow child foundation is a charity that helps build shelters, provides food and clean drinking water in the form of play wells for underprivileged children around the world. It is amazing just how much work they have do for children in the poorest of countries and I would love to keep continuing to raise funds and maybe when I'm old enough volunteer to help these children through the tough times.

Alongside my dance team MPD, I had the honour of dancing in London at the queens showcase in December 2015. Bobby dazzlers invited us to

My target is £3000 and I hope with more help and support for the locals I will be able to reach it."

Visit justgiving. com/Stella-Reid if you can spare a little to help Stella reach her targets.

BY STELLA REID

take part in this magical experience in London's west end Her majesty's theatre. The show was amazing and I'm so glad I got to be apart of this. It is a memory I will treasure forever.

If there are any local businesses that could help me with my journey to representing our amazing country please get in touch with my legal guardian Chanelle through email chanellewilsonsod@hotmail.com or 07946 743 707.

I want to thank everyone for their support it means the world to me that people are supporting me in my efforts to help other children around the world. If you could donate anything please do so big or small on my just giving page. I can't tell you how much of a difference this makes. Thank you for reading my story.

Stella.

GROWING WITH ROSIE

GROWING WITH ROSIE

in the garden

Growing Your Own Herbs

• Growing mint, sage or thyme next to shallots improves their flavour.

• Basil grown with tomatoes improves their flavour.

• Cabbage white butterflies don’t like mint so will avoid plants grown next to it. Just make sure the mint is in a pot sunk into the ground as its roots are invasive.

BY ROSIE NIXON

Nothing tastes better than fruit or veg grown by your own hands but did you know that if you grow some herbs alongside they’ll taste even better!

S

ome herbs like chamomile even add trace elements to the soil like calcium, sulphur and potassium.

Growing herbs is easy and you don’t even need a garden. A container or window box that gets some sun during the day will do just as well.

Herbs are low maintenance plants as long as they get a bit of sun, are grown in free draining soil and not overwatered.

GROWING TIPS

Herbs are low maintenance plants as long as they get a bit of sun, are grown in free draining soil and not overwatered. "

Remember that if you use a terracotta pot then you’re going to have to water it more often in hot weather. One of my tips is to line the insides with something like bubble wrap to prevent evaporation. Don’t cover the drainage hole as good drainage is the key to success! I also recommend pot feet to keep the container off the ground.

You can even grow some herbs in the cracks in your paving… just make sure you don’t use chemical cleaners or weed killers.

GOOD NEIGHBOURS

• Did you know that growing chamomile with cucumbers, onions and shallots improves their flavour?

• Common sage, hyssop and rosemary should deter cabbage moths.

• Parsley, sage and rosemary help protect carrot crops against carrot flies.

• Chives improve the taste of carrots when grown beside each other.

• But avoid planting dill or coriander next to carrots – carrots detest these herbs.

• Planting fennel beside a dog kennel is supposed to deter dog fleas … I’m not a dog owner so I’ve never tried it.

Since fennel is allelopathic it will deter the growth of other plants grown nearby… plant it in a pot instead!

• Borage increases beneficial natural minerals in the soil but the fine hairs can make your skin itch and bring you out in a patchy rash. I speak from experience!

Many herbs look great grown between other plants in the flower borders and encourage pollinators into the garden.

Chives and sage are grown for their flowers in my garden and the bees adore them. The pungent smell from some herbs will repel aphids so planting them near those susceptible plants should be beneficial eg. plant garlic and chives near roses.

• Did you know that growing garlic between roses also improves their perfume?

Rosemary is one of the first herbs to flower each year. If you can keep it alive in a sheltered spot from year

to year then the bees will appreciate those early nectar rich flowers.

Herbs are good for adding contrast as they have different coloured leaves, foliage shapes and textures. I grow curled leaf parsley in a container with orange French marigolds and Verbena ‘Homestead Purple’. The late Christopher Lloyd from Great Dixter inspired me with that plant combination. Parsley is one of the few herbs that likes a rich soil.

While for a more pastel look I grow purple sage, silver thyme, lavender, pink dianthus and diascia together.

Kitchen bay is great to have growing in a container as a specimen plant. You can move the container into a sheltered spot or into a frost free greenhouse over the winter months.

a feed such as a seaweed feed. Herbs don’t need much feeding – if you feed them and get lots of lush leaves then the flavour won’t be as good. Parsley, dill, fennel, sorrel and chives are the exception as they like a rich soil and can cope with more feeding or a richer soil.

WHEN TO PICK YOUR HERBS

Gather them in the middle of the morning preferably on a dry day. By then the dew will have evaporated off their leaves as the sun hasn’t had time to dry up the volatile oils within the leaves.

Pick your herbs before they have flowered. Once the plants have flowered the flavour is much stronger and not to everyone’s taste.

SCENTSACTIONAL

Herbs are great for adding to a sensory garden as so many of their leaves are scented. Kids will love crushing the leaves and then smelling chocolate mint, spearmint and the curry plant… scents that they should recognise but surprised to find in plants.

Keep some herb pots near your favourite seat in the garden and you can enjoy their aroma on a warm summer’s day.

Herbs can be ANNUALS eg. coriander and basil. These plants live for just one season and need to be sown each year.

BIENNIALS eg. chervil and parsley. These plants live for two growing seasons and produce leaves in the first; flowers and seed in the 2nd season and then die.

PERENNIALS eg. sage, lavender, rosemary, fennel, mint, chives and thyme. These plants live much longer and can be divided up and cuttings taken of them.

After the winter many perennial herbs will look a bit sad. I give them a clip over in April to remove old woody and tatty growth and then give them

Potted herbs from the supermarket are pricey so why not grow some for yourself this year! There are so many to choose from. Think about what you use the most in your kitchen when deciding which ones to grow in your garden.

Rosie can be found writing about her own Perthshire garden at leavesn bloom.com

LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHY

All images by

Lochview Photography

LETTERS FROM THE ORCHARD

LETTERS FROM THE ORCHARD

life in perthshire

Letters

Orchard from the

BY FIONA HULBERT

PURE CLEAR LIGHT The sun’s warmth already tickling and cajoling life back into the earth. "

ike the cleansing effect of water flowing over you, the lengthening daylight awakens, refreshes, enlivens and energises.

The light has been particularly clear over the past month with a crystal like clarity, making the valley sparkle in anticipation. The sun’s warmth already tickling and cajoling life back into the earth… and into our hens.

L

We have kept hens for nearly twenty years now. Our first hens were

Silkies. A small, cute bantam breed with feathery feet and pompoms on their heads. They were very good, nurturing mothers but often went broody. Which meant no eggs for us!

One summer we came home with a box full of Scots Dumpy chicks; their owner was giving them away, back then. A very different story today.

Scots Dumpies are a very ancient native breed of Scotland. Historical and archaeological evidence suggests that they existed 700 years ago. In the early 20th century they were known by many different names such as “Creepies,” “Bakies” and “Daidies.”

surprised ourselves not only in our ambitions but in how strict we were with ourselves. It was great; we came away with the hens we wanted. And nothing more!!

The names themselves are charming and generally described their habit of appearing to crawl along the ground because of their very short legs.

The breed is now under threat and specimens of Scots Dumpy are hard to come by and expensive when you do find them. We do keep looking as they are indeed characters. We have taken rescue hens from battery farms, watched them adjust to the real living world and thrive as a result. And we have lost hens to foxes, dogs and pine martens. However, we are never put off, hens are just part of who we are and what we do.

We have French Maran, one of the last breeds to be introduced into the UK in the 1800s, originating from Maran near La Rochelle in France.

The eggs are dark brown but the depth of the even darker speckled pigment is more significant. Marans are very good layers. The other breed we came away with is the Barnvelder, originating from the Dutch town Barnveld. The Barnvelder, with it’s distinctive double laced feathers, lays dark brown eggs and are meant to be good winter layers. But, either the weather we have been having does not constitute a Barnvelder winter or our hens don't agree with this expectation of themselves!! Nonetheless, the eggs are the same on the inside.

Recently we agreed we needed to replace our hens and we poured over the breed descriptions and decided that we would choose rare, pure breed hens according to the colour of their eggs and egg laying times. We made a wish list and plumped for the breeds we wanted. This decision led us to the rare breed auctions.

What an experience! The buzz in the auction room was not from the buyers but from the birds. We had to be quick to decide which lots we would bid for, which lots were second choice and which were reserve. Then the fun began. Being an auctioneer is a skill to be admired. A musician with neither score nor conductor. Fast paced, rhythmic and with lyrics to encourage and capture the highest bid. Very entertaining.

Charged with fear as we had a budget, we had to be prepared to secretly hide our intentions and to bid with a strong competitiveness. We

OUR STORY. I moved out to Balhomais with my husband and family seven years ago and built our home in the grounds of the former farm Orchard.

We have now restored the orchard with traditional Scottish varieties of apple trees. We keep hens, bees and raise rare breed pigs. We keep a productive kitchen garden including fruit and we are developing a flower garden. We have two cats and a cocker spaniel.

With daylight lengthening in mid February, the hens started to lay again.

Yippee! The first egg of the year never fails to impress us. There is an end to the long dark days and the promise of good things to come. On a daily basis, the number of eggs at this time of year varies so we gently coax the hens with afternoon treats of tasty bits and turn our attention to the hen shed and run.

The hen run is bounded by a willow hedge which was planted three years ago to give shelter and shade.

But also for the pussy willows that adorn it in the spring and provide the basis of our Easter decorations. Last year we trimmed the willow shoots up the stalks as we didn't want bushy undergrowth. Instead we wanted to encourage top growth to give shelter to the hens. We created a woven willow hedge with the top shoots woven together to form many arches along the length of the hedge. It looked really neat and tidy and quite a feature. This year, the next step is to weave half of the branches into the arches to bulk up the structure and prune out the other half. Then with the remaining branches, we will weave them into the stalks to form a wattle lower panel.

With the larger pruned shoots we are going to plant up a willow nursery next to our rhubarb plot. For most of the year this hedge is neat and tidy giving us a clear view across the fields. While later in the season, crazy wild features of willow bending in the wind frame our view. I love both.

The hen shed is also part of our view. Ian has made four hen sheds over the years but, the one we have now is his best. Ample roost bars in an open plan space, four en suite nest boxes, hay loft insulation, pop door leading to a generous garden, front door with latch hook entry opening onto a built in larder with security fencing. In other words every thing a hen could dream of.

We use a deep litter in the base of the shed from the compost we make.

The litter is cleared of droppings, raked and topped up with compost. The shed gets full litter renewal twice a year usually in spring and just before winter.

The nest boxes are lined with the hay made from the meadow cuttings and stored above the roosts.

We are generous with the hay and make sure that there is a good thick layer in the nest boxes to make them cozy and draft free.

The fun part about the hen shed is that it has a turf roof. Like a moorland on a roof. The roof catches the early morning sun and the evening sun as it sets. The movement of the cotton grasses and sedges are quite beautiful in the wind and sunlight, while the many spiders webs are dappled with morning dew or laced with frost. Their existence only visible to our eyes for a few hours in the pure clear light.

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re d d e e r centr e From the shelter of the Red Deer Barn, stroke, feed and photograph these magnificent, iconic animals and meet Ossian the Barn Owl with a knowledgeable Safari Ranger.

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