The Courtyard Deli are now offering an ‘order and pick-up service’. You can phone in your order (or ask from the door), they will pick and pack, and you can collect from their shop door. This helps them as it means they can then prioritise their deliveries to those who can’t come out.
Best to order fruit and veg in advance as their suppliers have cut down to 3 deliveries a week. Please put your orders in before 2pm on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays for pick-up the following day.
Pizza Delivery
Lawers Hotel are going to make a pizza delivery to Fearnan on Fridays, starting 27th March. Pizzas can be ordered on 01567 820436 before 16.30 for collection at the Hall at 18.00.
Payment is taken over the phone at time of ordering. They ask that everyone abides by the Government’s social distancing guidelines. If it proves to be a success, they will aim to continue with this in the longer term.
KenmoreBakery Van
Kenmore Bakery’s bread and produce van is in Fearnan at 10.30 on Tuesdays and Fridays:
Other times and locations are: Lawers Hotel Carpark 10am Fortingall Village Hall 11am Keltneyburn Monument 11.30am
Wild Hearth Bakery
Wild Hearth Bakery of Comrie, who specialise in sourdough bread and wonderful pastries have launched a free home delivery service to selected locations in the central belt of Scotland. They will be in the Kenmore/Aberfeldy area on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and are happy to deliver in the surrounding area. See their website for details of how to order www.wildhearthbakery.com
The Fish Van
Sadly, the Fish Van will not be back in Fearnan for the next three weeks at least, but he will let us know when he is resuming his round.
Clap for Carers
Last night, Fearnan joined in the nationwide initiative to give a round of applause to all the front line coronavirus staff and careworkers. Please join in tonight and every night at 8pm. How much noise can Fearnan make?!
Send photos and video to the Blog!
Life Under Lockdown
We have a couple more Life Under Lockdown moments.
Fran and Elaine decided to get on with some of those tasks on the ‘to do’ list. Elaine decided to sort out the chest freezer which tends to get into a mess and she found some frozen fruit at the bottom so that’s her job for today. Here’s the first batch (strawberry) getting put into jars. Next up, Rhubarb and Ginger – eat your heart out, Mrs Bridges!
Not so much lonesome guitar, but lonesome ukulele – Neil is missing his band mates but playing on alone…..
Who else is playing on alone? Can we get a ‘photo orchestra’ of people and their instruments together? Send your Lockdown moments, musical or otherwise, to fiona@fearnanvillageassociation.com
And Finally….
If people are wondering where their garden ground cover has disappearing to, the Blog has been told that there has been a huge increase in the number of voles – possibly due to hot summer and mild winter. The little devils are eating any low-growing vegetation they can find in gardens, and the hills are alive with them
Offers of help and support continue to be made by many of you within the community. Unfortunately, several offers that were made are now off the agenda, given the most recent restrictions on movement. (For example, the Borland staff were offering to collect and items from Perth or Edinburgh that people need but can’t get delivered, but that will need to wait until journey restrictions are eased.)
However, one offer that still stands is that Borland are making accommodation available, free of charge, to any key workers who need it. Please pass the offer on to anyone who you think might be interested. Contact Borland on info@borelandlochtay.co.uk or 01887 827691 if you would like to take up one of their offers.
Don’t forget Jenny Penfold’s offer, made in the last blog, if you are needing shopping done closer to home. She’s happy to add items to her regular delivery if you are stuck or can’t get a delivery slot. Contact her on jcpenfold@hotmail.com
Kenmore Shop
The Kenmore Shop is changing its hours for the immediate future. The Shop will be open from 8am – 2pm, and the Post Office will be open 9am – 1pm Monday to Friday, and 9am – 12pm on Saturdays. This is being done to help protect the staff, following a huge influx of visitors who were not following Stay at Home advice (home being some considerable distance away in many cases) or even the Social Distancing rules once inside the shop.
Kenmore Bakery
Just a reminder that the times for Kenmore Bakery’s Mobile Shop are:
Lawers Hotel Carpark 10am Fearnan Village Hall Carpark 10.30am Fortingall Village Hall 11am Keltneyburn Monument 11.30am
Anti-Bacterial Cleaner
Jo M offers her ‘recipe’ for anti-bacterial cleaner in case you have run out or can’t get any: dilute 1 measure of bleach to 9 of water as a cleaning agent if you run out of anti-bacterial cleaner. Sent to her by a nursing friend.
She had also put forward a couple of ideas for getting exercise, for example arranging a regular walk, but keeping 2 metres apart or joining the ladies golf group. Unfortunately, the latest restrictions on social groups mean these will have to wait.
Ideas and Suggestions for Self-Isolating Times
The Fearnan Book Club has been thinking about the fact that we are all going to have more time for reading over the coming months and has come up with some reading suggestions. Perhaps it’s a chance to get to grips with something you have been intending to read for a while – or a chance to re-read an old favourite
If you enjoy non-fiction and auto biographical writing, you may enjoy some of the following:
Educated by Tara Westover – a coming of age memoir that chronicles a young woman’s efforts to study her way out of a tough childhood in a Mormon fundamentalist family and find herself through books. Challenging reading!
All That Remains: A Life in Death’ by Professor Sue Black who talks candidly about death. As a Professor of anatomy and forensic anthropology, she has investigated mass fatalities due to war and natural disasters. A combination of tragedy and humour. This was a Waterstones Scottish book of the month for April 2018 and although it sounds a tricky subject for these unsettling times, there is a lot of humour in the book.
If Only They Didn’t Speak English, by Jon Sopel.A very readable and insightful portrait of American life and politics by the BBC’s North America Editor.
If you enjoy fiction and liked last month’s Book Club book The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley, her latest book The Guest List, published in February 2020, is another atmospheric thriller.
The Book Club’s read for April is Where the Crawdads Sing, a novel by Delia Owens. It has topped the New York Times Fiction Best Sellers for 2019/20 and is a novel that is a murder mystery, a coming of age narrative and a celebration of nature. It is a story of survival, love, hope, prejudice and nature. We will review this on-line and report back in due course.
If you feel like some humour in your reading (who doesn’t just now), here are some more suggestions :
This is Going to Hurt: Secret diaries of a junior doctor by the British Comedy writer Adam Kay. It is a collection of diary entries written by him during his medical training. Waterstones’ non- fiction book of the month for May 2018. Painfully funny!
And some classics of the humour genre:
Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome (1889)
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams ( 1979)
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole by Sue Townsend (1982)
Bridget Jones Diary by Helen Fielding (2001)
The Ode Less Travelled by Stephen Fry. (2005)
The Fearnan Book Club’s latest book review appears later in the Blog.
Who’s Doing What?
The Blog asked a few people what they had been up to during their first few days of social distancing and as we move into a more locked-down life-style. We’re delighted to be able to bring you the following exclusive snapshots of life in Fearnan.
Both Linda and Cath McG have been gardening:
Linda has created this impressive garden feature by adding a cobbled border to the large rock that was already in the garden. She says it’s dual purpose – it looks good and will also suppress the weeds and moss. It’s also very therapeutic and addictive – calm yourself by cobbling.
Cath tells us that last year, on Countryfile, she saw a feature about someone who had a field full of cowslips. It looked wonderful. He had brought the plants on from seed, potted them up and when they were big enough planted them out in his field.
‘This was for me!!’ Cath said. ‘Last summer I planted lots of seeds. Today I’ve planted about 50 of the bigger plants that look like they will flower out in wild places around the garden and in the field. The smaller plants (in the photo) I have potted on to plant out later.
Alastair G has been out on his bike, setting out in bright Spring sunshine but finding quite a lot of snow on the road from Bridge of Balgie to the Lawers dam.
Peter has also been out walking and went to the west coast before such journeys had to stop. He sent us this relaxing, calming video of lapping waves. Enjoy!
(Apologies for the fact that, when you click on it, the video appears under the Blog Editor’s name. The Blog used its own Flickr account to embed the video, and finds it is beyond its competence to remove its own name from the title. Sorry, Peter!)
We’d love to know what other readers of the Blog have been up to – both achievements and maybe those things that didn’t go quite as planned, or something that might bring a smile to someone’s face. We’d love to hear from readers in other countries about what it’s like where you are, and how you are occupying your time. If you would like to share your Lockdown Moments, please send pics along with a short description to fionaballantyne320@gmail.com
Fearnan Book Club
The Book Club is going to continue in a ‘virtual’ form and members are happy to contribute their recommendations in the months ahead.
These will be duly collated in the usual way into a book review. We hope that they will continue to give you ideas for your next read.
Our group’s read for March was The Salt Path by Raynor Winn, a Sunday Times non-fiction bestseller in 2018. The author and her husband Moth, who was diagnosed with a terminal illness called corticobasal degeneration, became homeless after a bad investment and decided to walk the 630-mile South West Path from Somerset to Dorset, via Devon and Cornwall. Over the duration of the journey we read a sweeping narrative of inner courage and nature’s ability to heal.
On the whole we found it an inspirational true story which was upsetting or even excruciating at times, but we concluded that we were glad we had read it.
A few of us felt frustrated and outraged at the outcome of the court case which resulted in the couple losing everything. Annoyance was felt with the judge, who appeared to lack understanding or empathy for their situation.
We enjoyed the well written pen portraits of the locations en route especially those that had been visited by members of the group. There was also a lovely combination of descriptions of wildlife, fellow walkers and their own feelings, hardships and experiences along the way. The people they met reflected human nature, some being kind and generous, others plainly embarrassed by their appearance and situation. We considered them incredibly brave and hardy in wild camping, having a limited diet, living on a very low budget, suffering pain and varied weather conditions.
Despite this, the wry sense of humour and positivity radiated from the text. It was summarised by one of the group as a love story as the closeness of the caring, unselfish relationship was revealed. The author made sacrifices and persisted with the very difficult journey as she could see it was beneficial to her husband.
The advancing growth in sales is testament to the fact that The Salt Path is a genuine word of mouth best seller. Her second memoir, Wild Silence which will be published in hardback in late spring 2020 is about her task to re wild an over farmed piece of land. This book explores the themes of life-long love, nature and what it means to find a home.
Many thanks to those who got in touch after the last Blog posting with thoughts and suggestions.
Kenmore Bakery
We’re pleased to be able to pass on the news from Kenmore Bakery that they will be running a mobile bakery van in the area.
At this stage they will be delivering on Tuesday and Friday starting this Friday 20th March : Lawers Hotel Carpark 10am Fearnan Village Hall Carpark 10.30am Fortingall Village Hall 11am Keltneyburn Monument 11.30am
The Bakery Van will carry a good stock but you can order by telephone on 01887 830556. They are also teaming up with the Courtyard Shop as a delivery partner for essentials like milk (and gin!).
The Courtyard Shop themselves are very keen to help the local community, and will deliver anything from their shop to anywhere in the area, direct to your doorstep.
Offer of Support
Jenny Penfold has kindly offered to help out anyone who is having difficulty getting supplies (e.g. can’t get a home delivery slot with ASDA) or is having to self-isolate. If you are in this situation, then please get in touch with Jenny on jcpenfold@hotmail.com . She can’t promise to conjure up the elusive loo rolls, hand sanitiser or tissues but will do her best with other things.
Perhaps you know someone else in the area who is vulnerable and possibly having problems with supplies, and if so please put them in touch with her. Please also contact her if you are not in a vulnerable category and able to offer help to others such as shopping, picking up prescriptions etc.
The FVA Blog is only part of the jungle drums system that operates around the village, but we are going to try to pass on as much helpful information as possible, so please do let us have anything that you think might be of interest, of help, or which might bring a smile to someone’s face – tell us how you are passing your time (photos always welcome). And please do pass the link to the Blog on to anyone that you think would find it useful – they don’t need to be an FVA member, or even live in Fearnan. You can get in touch at fiona@fearnanvillageassociation.com
Light at the End of the Tunnel
Not knowing how long this is going to go on adds to the sense of uncertainty that most feel at the moment. So, we would like to end on a positive note with a message that Richard Wagland received from his contact in Shanghai confirming that all things do pass:
Hi Richard:
I’m fine. My families and friends are all fine too. Thank you.
I think the situation in China is becoming better. The number of newly confirmed cases is usually single digit. Wuhan is still lockdown. But other cities are returning to normal. Most of companies reopened.
I know that western people don’t like wearing a breathing mask. But it does work. If OK, prepare some masks for your families. The virus spreads very fast. Take care of yourself.
Best Regards
Alex Wang
(We know that the medics have differing views on the effectiveness of masks, so you should do your own research on the subject.)
This week we are passing on helpful advice from Neighbourhood Watch about protecting yourself, your loved ones and your community in these somewhat unsettling times. We are also reproducing a chart issued by the World Health Organisation that helps to differentiate the symptoms of Coronavirus from those of the common cold and flu.
The Neighbourhood Watch advice emphasises the importance of retaining social contact with friends and neighbours and having contact numbers readily accessible in case you need a bit of extra support. Don’t forget that last year the FVA produced the Staying Connected directory, that contains emails and phone numbers for many of our members across the village and has useful emergency and public service numbers on the back. If you have misplaced your copy, let us know and we will arrange a replacement.
The FVA website also has a Useful Contact Numbers page (click on the heading in the black border under the header photo).
If you have neighbours who are not FVA members, you might want to exchange contact details if you haven’t already, particularly if they are in a category that makes them vulnerable.
Advice from Neighbourhood Watch
You will all be aware of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Neighbourhood Watch Scotland exists to look out for communities and at a time like this we encourage you to consider ways to keep yourself, your loved ones and those in your community safe, particularly the isolated and vulnerable. We are following the advice from the government and encourage you to do the same: https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response
10 ways you can protect yourself, your loved ones and your community:
Meet with household members, other relatives, friends and neighbours to discuss what to do if a COVID-19 outbreak occurs in your community and what the needs of each person will be.
If your neighbourhood has a website or social media page, consider joining it to maintain access to neighbours, information, and resources. Alternatively, share phone numbers and email addresses particularly with those who are isolated or vulnerable.
Consider establishing a ‘buddy’ system within your community to ensure everyone stays connected to COVID-19 related news, services and can receive support safely, such as essentials deliveries.
Plan ways to care for those who might be at greater risk for serious complications.
Choose a room in your home that can be used to separate sick household members from those who are healthy.
Create a list of local organisations that you and your neighbours can contact in the event that one of you need access to information, healthcare services, support, or resources. Consider including organisations that provide mental health or counselling services, food, and other supplies.
Create an emergency contact list of family, friends, neighbours, healthcare providers, teachers, employers, the local public health department, and other local authority, community resources.
Practice everyday preventive actions including regular hand washing.
The following useful chart describes the symptoms of Coronavirus, the common cold and flu.
Keeping in Touch
There are lots of ways of keeping in touch with friends and neighbours – telephone, email, WhatsApp or Messaging and the Blog will try to do its bit. If you have any messages, useful info or tips to pass on do get in touch, either by adding a Comment to the Blog, or send info to: fiona@fearnanvillageassociation.com so it can be shared. Cheery and uplifting thoughts and comments will be particularly appreciated!
The Fearnan Winter Pudding Night is a firm fixture in the diary. Some say it is something to look forward to during the worst days of the winter, others think it actually marks the coming of more spring-like weather. Most of us, however, just look forward to the opportunity to eat as much pudding as we fancy without anyone else looking askance at the amount on our plate.
This year, we introduced a table of savouries in order to cater for all tastes, so there were flans, sausages and cheese and biscuits alongside the meringues, steamed puddings, mousses and tarts. We don’t think anyone ended up with a sausage on the same plate as their rice pudding but, with the lights dimmed, it was a close run thing on a couple of occasions.
As ever, we were able to enjoy live music, courtesy of our regulars, Doug and Hilary, Audrey, Andrew – and some new faces! Among them was Alice, who some will remember as the Pudding Champ of 2018 – a title she won by managing to sample everything on the menu. This year she turned down the opportunity for second helpings and took to the stage instead. Well played, Alice!
This is Doug, who was meant to be having a break from the stage, but was still joining in playing slide guitar from the floor.
Many thanks to all our musicians, to our pudding makers, the setting-uppers and the clearing-uppers, and to everyone who came, and made sure that EVERYTHING got eaten!
Transport Volunteers Needed
The Upper Tay Transport Project are introducing a new Community Lifts Scheme through which volunteers offer to drive members of the community to appointments, to visit friends, to go shopping, to get to the train or to go to the cinema.
The Upper Tay Transport project is run by the Tay Valley Timebank and a Project Coordinator is organising the scheme and is responsible for recruiting and managing volunteer drivers. They will undertake some basic checks on drivers to ensure they are competent to volunteer for the scheme.
Members of the community who would like to use Community Lifts as passengers will register for the scheme and pay a £5 joining fee. They can then request lifts by phone, text or email. Passengers will be asked to pay expenses for the lift, and the drivers will be reimbursed.
Community Lifts is simple and will help many people to get out to participate in social events, attend appointments or activities. At the moment, more drivers are needed for the Fearnan and Fortingall area. Could you help?
If you would like to volunteer, you need to be 18 years or over (there is no upper age limit), have a full UK driving licence and a fully insured and MoT’d vehicle, and be willing to have a Disclosure check done.
This month we have 2 photos from the past of children in the Fearnan area, one from the early 1930s, and the other from the early 1970s. Both belong to Frances Brace.
We are hoping that someone will be able to tell us who the important looking couple in the photo below are, and where this photo might have been taken. Also, can anybody name the lady on the extreme right or name any of the children? Frances’ mother, who was then Chrissie Butters, is in the bottom left of the photo. Please either add a comment to the Blog, or email fiona@fearnanvillageassociation.com if you can help.
Photo courtesy of Frances Brace
The second photo is much closer in time – it’s Kenmore Primary School in the early 1970s and will be a little trip down Memory Lane for some of our readers. Perhaps you can spot yourself or some old friends? (Here’s your starter for 10: Frances is in the middle wearing green.)
Photo courtesy of Frances Brace
Please add any stories or comments to the Blog, or email the Blog (as above).
FearnanBook Club
Elaine writes:
At the February meeting of the Fearnan Book Club we discussed The Hunting Lodge by Lucy Foley. The story revolves around a group of old friends from University who gather together each New Year. On this occasion the venue is a hunting lodge in a remote part of Scotland.
As well as the group who are staying at the cabins around the main lodge house, there are 2 permanent members of staff caretaking as well as a handyman and, unknown to the group, two other visitors .
On page 2 of the book, a body is found, and the remainder of the book explores the differing characters involved and exposes the conflicts within the group. They are described as the beautiful one, the golden couple, the volatile one, the new parents, the quiet one, the city boy and the outsider. Generally, it was thought that the characterisation of the girls was good, but the men were less prominent. Some of the guests appeared to be more in the background but….
….. close to the end of the book, the circumstances of ‘the body’ are explained, not an accident but a murder among ‘friends.’
The majority of the members enjoyed the book. It is Lucy Foley’s debut crime novel. She was inspired to write the book after a visit to a remote area in Scotland.
Several of the group thought that they could identify the property on which this Hunting Lodge was based, and one actually had some photographs!
For the March meeting, the Book Club are reading The Salt Path by Raynor Winn, a moving memoir of a couple who walked the South West Coastal Path after being rendered homeless.
Forthcoming Events
The Fearnan Pop Up Coffee Shop will be popping up for the first time this year on St Patrick’s Day – Tuesday 17th March in the Hall. Please note that we will be starting slightly later, at 11.00, and will be open for delicious home baking and tasty savouries until 12.30.
The FVA’s Annual General Meeting will be held in the hall at 4.00 pm on Saturday 28th March. All members are welcome, and it’s a chance to give your views and feedback.
In the last Blog, we were able to share these 2 views of Fearnan from the south bank of the loch – one from the 1940s and one from the 1970s:
Since publishing these images, we have received four more which let us chart the development of Fearnan (as seen from the other side of the Loch) from the 1940s to the present day:
Fearnan 1989 – Courtesy of Niall Munro
Fearnan 2003 – Courtesy of Peter McKenzie
Fearnan 2007 – Courtesy of Peter McKenzie
Fearnan 2019 – Courtesy of Peter McKenzie
Many thanks to Peter and to Niall Munro of Shoreside for sharing their pictures.
Pop-Up Coffee Shop and Other Dates for 2020
After a seasonal break, the Pop Up Coffee Shop will be back in March to tempt you with all sorts of goodies – sweet and savoury – and a chance to catch up with friends and neighbours.
The dates are below, but please note that starting in March, we will be popping up in the village hall at the slightly different time of 11.00 – 12.30. So we’re open for elevenses – or an early lunch, should you so prefer.
17th March
14th April
12th May
16th June
8th September
27th October
In addition, we have a number of seasonal events. These are:
Saturday 25th July at 3pm: Strawberry TeaZ: Cakes, tarts, scones, ice cream and more – all made or served with strawberries. Live music.
Sunday 8th November: Remembrance Sunday10.50 at the War Memorial and afterwards in the village hall for tea and coffee.
Saturday 5th December – Mulled Wine & Mince Pies 4 – 6pm: Enjoy seasonal goodies and good company.
These dates are all up on the Blog’s What’s On page and available at anytime throughout the year.
Our next event is our leap year Winter Pudding Night on Saturday February 29th, starting at 6pm. It will be another 28 years before February 29th next falls on a Saturday – and by extension, 28 years before the Fearnan Pudding Night next falls on February 29th. That’s a long time to wait – come this year.
Big Shed Concert
On Saturday 4th April at 7.30pm, The Carrivick sisters will perform at the Big Shed – and hopefully they’ll bring the spring sunshine with them!
One of the UK’s top bluegrass and folk acts, Laura and Charlotte perform original songs and instrumentals, plus carefully chosen covers on guitar, mandolin, fiddle, dobro, and claw-hammer banjo. They have released six albums and performed at festivals across the UK, including Glastonbury.
Tickets are £10 (£5 if in full time education: under-5s ) and are available via wegottickets via www.wegottickets.com/event/495600/ Some tickets will be available at the door on the night
Remember to BYOB – tea, coffee and soft drinks will be available.
FVA Annual General Meeting
The FVA’s Annual General Meeting will take place on Saturday 28th March in the village hall at 16.00. All members welcome.
This week we start with two fabulous views of Fearnan, one from about 70 years ago and one from 50 years ago. Both are taken from the other side of the loch.
Fearnan from Achianich late 1940’s
The wonderful image above was taken from Achianich, and is thought to date from the late 1940s to early 1950s.
The Bartholomew’s map on the left dates from the same period and Achianich can be seen just under the ‘Y’ of Tay.
It looks like it was taken in late Spring, and the hill behind Fearnan is completely bare of the forestry plantations that are so familiar today, although it looks like the lower slopes are cultivated for crops or grazing. Many thanks to Aberfeldy Museum for this visual treat.
In early Autumn around 25 years later, a member of the Brace family took the photo below, also from the loch side but a bit closer to Acharn.
Fearnan 1972 (Courtesy of Frances Brace)
The forestry plantation now looks well established and the Blog might be getting a little over-excited here, but is that a bird flying over the loch (location marked on in-set photo on the left)? An osprey, perhaps?
Let us know what you think by ‘Replying’ to the Blog below.
What’s On?
If the nostalgic Spring and Autumn images above have left you with a nice warm feeling, don’t forget that you can continue to beat the winter blues by coming to the FVA’s Pudding Night on Saturday 29th February starting at 6pm. From steamed and baked family favourites to sophisticated desserts and tarts, there’s something for every taste. This year, we will also be introducing a limited range of savoury treats for those who are more piquantly inclined. There will be live music and all you can eat for £7.50.
Come hungry and it’s BYOB!
Fearnan Book Club
At our first meeting of 2020, we discussed Old Baggage written by Lissa Evans and described as a funny and bittersweet portrait of a woman, previously a militant suffragette, who has never, ever given up the fight. We found it an easy read, both entertaining and witty, and which held our interest as it progressed. Our discussion revolved round some of the themes explored in the book.
The book opened in 1928, when we’re introduced to Mattie Simpkins, an interesting, strong character to whom we warmed and identified as “a jolly hockey sticks” type. We enjoyed the references to her militant suffragette days and the introduction of other, well presented, characters that had shared her passion and actions during that period.
It was clear that after her exciting past, that Mattie was now seeking further action and purpose. All through the book we acknowledged the well-written characterisation and excellent use of vocabulary and word choices.
A wealthy lady who shared her home with her companion and fellow activist, Florrie (Flea), the contrasting characters acted as a foil for each other. We discussed the high proportion of women who were single during this period in history due to the loss of husbands, fiancés or potential husbands who were killed or badly injured during WW1.
We were reminded of the social history of this period, the worrying rise of fascist groups gaining in popularity and the dreadful living conditions, disease and poverty that existed pre-NHS. The perfect period detail was accurately portrayed and the book was lightly woven with feminist history.
However, we all agreed that the ending, which did provide Mattie with a project, lacked plausibility and was unsatisfactory in comparison to the rest of the well-crafted novel.
Our book for discussion in February is The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley, and described as “A riveting, murder mystery – wily as Agatha Christie – charged with real menace.” It is a murder mystery set in a remote hunting lodge in Scotland, an update on the classic country house mystery – a murder among friends!
Stay Safe Online
From time to time, we publish information about staying safe online and avoiding scams. Perth & Kinross Community Watch recently published the following advice on avoiding online shopping scams and we’re passing it on here. It was compiled by Neighbourhood Watch Scotland and is worth a quick look, even if you are a regular online shopper – or perhaps, particularly if you are a regular online shopper! As the first section says ‘Trust Your Gut’. If it doesn’t feel right, it most likely isn’t right.
Trust Your Gut: Just as you wouldn’t go into a shop that you don’t recognise and seems a little off to you, don’t shop at stores online that give you a bad feeling and appear shady. If at any time during the shopping or checkout process you feel like the site is asking for too much personal information, just quit the transaction and leave the site. You may hate to leave behind a really good deal, but the money and time you could lose if someone gets your credit card information will definitely cancel out the benefits of a sale price. If the site looks like it was designed in the 90’s, has a weird address, fills your screen with pop-ups, just forget about it.
Be Extra Careful If You Are Using A Mobile Device: Smartphones can basically do everything a computer can do nowadays, but that doesn’t mean they are as protected against threats as your desktop. Most phones aren’t equipped with the anti-virus software that you have on your computer, so it’s easier for criminals to get malware on your mobile device that could help them steal information you enter. There’s also the risk of your phone being stolen, so make sure it’s password protected so any information you may have stored on it isn’t easily accessed.
Don’t Use Public Wi-fi To Shop: Anytime you enter personal information using a public network, you’re setting yourself up for identity theft. Most Wi-Fi hotspots don’t encrypt your data, so any hacker can basically just pluck your identity out of the air if he has the right software. This applies to mobile phones, too, since you’re often using nearby Wi-Fi. Be aware when you’re using a hotspot that any information you send through the Internet could be picked up by strangers; if it’s information that could make you vulnerable, wait until you get home to your protected network. It may be less convenient, but it’s much safer.
Check Your Credit Card Statement Regularly: Using a credit card is really the only smart way to shop online. If you buy something from a scam site using a debit card, check, or cash, there’s no way to get your money back. If you use a credit card, the card companies have to reimburse you for fraudulent charges. But they can’t always catch purchases you didn’t make or receive, so it’s up to you to keep an eye on your statements. If you see something fishy on your statement, just contact your credit card company to dispute the charge and possibly get a new card so the charges won’t continue.
Change Your Passwords Regularly: We know, we know. It’s a pain to go through and change the passwords on all your online accounts, not to mention the trouble it’ll take to try to remember them all. But if you really want to keep your information (and bank account) safe while you’re shopping via the Internet, it’s essential to mix up your account passwords every three to six months. This puts the kibosh on any hackers who have managed to break into your account. You should also make sure that you don’t have the same password across all your accounts, since that makes them all vulnerable if one is hacked.
Look For HTTPS On Link Rather Than HTTP: The Internet has a thousand different acronyms and it’s impossible for those who aren’t tech savvy to keep track of them all. One you really need to know if you’re going to make online purchases, though, is HTTPS. The added “S” means that the way your information is being sent is secure. HTTPS using SSL, or Secure Sockets Layer, which encrypts the information flying through the wires so that only the intended recipient can see it. If you’re considering buying from a site whose URL starts with HTTP, be careful with the information you share. Other signs of a secure site are a closed lock or unbroken key at the bottom of the screen.
Don’t Click On Email Links: Instead, type out the address in your browser to make sure you’re going to the site you think you’re visiting. Many phishing scams involve emails from what seem like legitimate sites — banks, online stores, anything you might trust — and then send you to a phoney site where they can gather your information to steal your identity. If you get an email from a site where you’ve shopped before, make sure you don’t follow the links and don’t provide any financial or personal information the email requests. Real sites won’t ask for important information over email. If you have any doubts about an email’s authenticity, go to the company’s website and get in contact with them.
Update Your Browser: Each new version of your Internet browser, especially if you use one of the more popular browsers, gets a boost in security. Older browsers, besides not working as well with some websites, often have holes in their security that hackers have discovered and can exploit. The same goes for your operating system and anti-virus software. Updates will keep you ahead of would-be identity thieves and keep your credit safe.
Looking for advice? Call Consumer Advice Scotland 0800 316 1442. If you have been a victim of this type of crime call Police Scotland on 101.
In this cold, wet week, the Blog is delighted to be able to transport you to sunnier climes and blue skies through Jason Oliver’s account of his recent study trip to Cyprus.
Before coming to Fearnan, Jason worked as a Junior Research Fellow at the Royal Academy of Art in London and it was there that he became interested in how people connect to their heritage using traditional art and skills.
He now works at the Scottish Crannog Centre, where part of his work involves coming to understand the methodology, limitations and resources available to the crannog dwellers who lived circa 400 BC, on Loch Tay.
Inspired by a small textile fragment found in the remains of the crannog in Fearnan Bay and preserved by the cold, peaty water, Jason has been trying to recreate the skills and techniques that would have been available to the Iron Age people who made it, along with the dyes that would have been available to them from local plants and berries.
In September 2019, Jason was invited to join a study visit to Cyprus to learn about the sustainable development of cultural and natural assets in two mountain villages. The visit was organised by the ARCHnetwork in Scotland, which is funded by the EU Erasmus+ scheme, and aims to promote European diversity in cultural and natural heritage. The Network facilitates visits to many countries, such as Poland, Iceland, Latvia and Romania among others, and by connecting people to the tangible and intangible* crafts, arts and traditions of those countries, encourages the sharing of ideas and skills.
*(Intangible crafts are those that are intellectual rather than physical, such as the skills and knowledge needed to produce something, as opposed to the craft item itself.)
Jason writes:
We travelled in a small group of five, seen on the left with the Course Co-ordinator.
The next seven days were spent meeting and connecting with a variety of crafters, forestry workers and local people who are building and maintaining communities in rural areas.
The visit went past very quickly, so I’m going to share some of my personal highlights.
We stayed in a small village called Lefkara, on the south coast of the island, with blue skies and temperatures hitting 30C most days, so it was welcome relief from the dreich weather with the ever-present mizzle, of Perthshire!
On the first couple of days, we had the opportunity to learn about the reforestation of the local area. Many oak trees are being planted, and we had a go at making small clay acorns, which were to be sold in a local shop, to raise awareness about the planting project. The acorns were fired in a handmade clay kiln, with bricks made from mud and straw, and held together with cow manure and mushed up clay. It did the trick; we got the kiln up to 1000C to fire our clay objects using a small fire inside the kiln, which was slowly built up, the clay added, and then the kiln was sealed for 24 hours.
We also visited a local silversmith in Lefkara. As happens in so many rural villages that are some distance from towns, the young people have left to find their fortunes in the city. This means that not only is it difficult for the silversmiths to find apprentices but also that their skills are not being passed on, and consequently the number of people skilled silversmiths is sadly waning.
The studio was tiny and extremely hot because of the method of creating silver. They use the lost wax method, which involves making a mould out of resin, which is then injected with wax and left to cool. The objects are then put into a flask, covered in silica, which is held in a liquid, and then through a few other processes, the wax is melted out to create a mould for the liquid silver, which is poured in. It was incredible to see the craftspeople at work at a very laboured process.
They are hoping that these traditional skills will be kept alive, with foreign craftspeople coming to learn the processes. They are also being encouraged to get an online presence, so they can sell their work worldwide.
Lefkara is also a world-renowned centre for lacemaking. Leonardo DaVinci met his wife in the village, and the lace inspired the tablecloth on the Last Supper painting. Again, there has been a problem with young people taking up this craft as it doesn’t pay well; the people who still make lace can only earn 10 euros per day. It is also a time-consuming occupation and takes years to learn.
So, to counter this, The Green Village Shop has been set up as a community-led cooperative. Vintage clothes from the 1950s are bought from all over Cyprus, including north of the border in Nicosia, and small sections of Lefkara lace are sewn into the garments, making them fresh and relevant and creating a local fashion that is distinct. People from all over Cyprus come to buy ‘Lefkara Fashion’ and it contributes to a very specific regional look.
The shop has been a great success and has meant that the traditional craft of lacemaking is being kept alive, and a lot of younger people are working at the shop, sourcing clothes and sewing the lace into the garments. The shop has a very ‘Audrey Hepburn’ feel and it’s remarkable how community effort can reinvigorate a craft that appeared to be dying out. The north and south of Cyprus are markedly different, and this project has built a bridge between the two communities.
One striking thing that we noticed in southern Cyprus is the historical religious divide between Catholics and Muslims, evidenced by the colour of people’s front doors; blue for Catholics and green for Muslims. The barriers are slowly breaking down, and the Green Village shop is one step further in this direction.
Another impressive community-led project is the creation of a large number of mosaics that brighten up the streets of the local area, and beyond. Many students and visitors from around the world, come to Lefkara to learn traditional mural making skills and help with the installations in the surrounding villages and towns. This provides further income for the town, jobs for the local people, and has created a thriving community atmosphere.
Left: Mosaic wall, in Kato Drys. Right: Some hands-on mosaic making experience
Just outside Lefkara is a smallholding that creates halloumi cheese from scratch. The goats, which are looked after very well, are kept outside in the yard and their milk is used straight from source. It is heated and goes through a number of labour-intensive processes, including stirring the milk for 8 hours straight, to create the halloumi.
Making Halloumi
It doesn’t taste anything like the shop bought version we buy in this country; it is very creamy and doesn’t have a high salt content. It is perfect when grilled and served with freshly baked crusty bread, olives, cucumber and tomatoes fresh from the plant, drizzled with locally made extra virgin olive oil.
The trip really demonstrated the power of collaborative community effort, the importance of traditional skills and how by adding a small modern twist, they can be kept relevant and in line with modern tastes and fashions. I returned from the trip feeling inspired and it will definitely inform both my own personal artwork and my work focusing on ancient textile production, at the Crannog Centre.
I have really only scratched the surface of our 7 days in Cyprus. I haven’t mentioned the Ottoman period churches; the Roman splendour of Kourion; the beautiful mosques and architecture of Nicosia; the rope making from palm leaves or the visit to the olive forest to learn about how climate change has impacted the trees, but I hope that I have given a brief taster of the experience!
Please also enjoy these photos, taken from a photo-blog I kept during the trip.
If you would like to know more about Jason’s work at the Scottish Crannog Centre, and all the other interesting things that are happening on the site, it re-opens full-time in March this year.
Perth & Kinross Remembers
Culture Perth & Kinross are running a project called Perth & Kinross Remembers, the aim of which is to create a First World War Legacy Collection that will be housed in the Perth & Kinross Archive at the AK Bell Library, where it will be preserved and made accessible for future generations of researchers.
The FVA is going to put the research from our project to commemorate WW1, through which we traced information about the 8 men who are commemorated on our war memorial, into the Archive. We succeeded in finding not only family and war service information about all the men, but also found photographs of 7 of them. We also traced some of their descendants.
In addition, we will add photos and information about the Fearnan Poppy Project which produced over 900 poppies (knitted by Fearnan-connected people on several continents) that we used to decorate the war memorial on the 100th anniversary of the end of the war.
On Saturday 22rd February, Sadhita returns to the Big Shed for a one day yoga workshop priced £50, including a vegetarian lunch.
The workshop sounds great for anyone who spends a lot of time sitting and staring at a computer screen as it will consist of two practices: one based on remedial back work and the other shoulder work. Some meditation will be included.
Sadhita originally trained as a physiotherapist and has an incredible understanding of the structure of the human body. You can get more background about him from his website https://www.bodhiyoga.es
As we enter 2020, retrospectives of the past 10 years are all over the press – so let’s have one for Fearnan!
Over the past decade, we have taken hundreds of photos at FVA events, and we are using these as the basis of our retrospective. They are not in exact chronological order, as they are grouped by subject, rather than date.
Given the number of photos in this post, it will probably be easier to look at it on a computer or iPad, rather than a smart phone screen. If you suffer from a really slow internet connection, The Blog can only apologise for putting up so many photos at once.
Publications
Way back in 2010, and again in 2011, we produced calendars which showcased our wonderful scenery and wildlife. For the 2011 calendar, a photo competition (based on a theme of ‘the seasons’) produced a high number of entries from which a final selection of 12 was made by members of the community. Here’s a small selection:
In 2012, we had our own Fearnan Christmas card – thanks to our resident artist Keith Brockie – and in the same year, Ian McGregor published his book Fearnan, The Story of a Highland Village of Northern Perthshire. Copies of the book are still available to purchase from the FVA – click here to get in touch about it.
Social Events
The FVA’s social events provide a chance to touch base with friends and neighbours across the whole village. Here’s a selection of events from the past 10 years:
Coffee Mornings? We’ve had a few ………
Over the last 10 years, some friends and neighbours have moved away or, sadly, are no longer with us, but they remain in our hearts for ever.
Over the decade, the annual Pudding Night has brought cheer to the dark days of winter, along with the best selection of puddings, desserts and good company that you will find anywhere, ever.
And come the summer, Strawberry TeaZ provides a strawberry extravaganza! A feast for the eyes, as well as the tastebuds and one that tempts not only residents but also some of the many visitors to the village.
Mulled Wine and Mince Pies
Over the years, the Mulled Wine and Mince Pies event has provided the first opportunity of the year for folk (normally shy and retiring folk, it has to be said) to don Christmassy gear – and in some cases, to sport a range of seasonal decorations. All in the best possible taste, of course.
Wild (and not so wild) Life
A selection of some of the visitors to our skies and gardens, along with Archie and Crannog, who trotted off to new horizons.
Many thanks to all those who have contributed pics to the wildlife gallery:
Sadly, Fearnan the eagle (pictured here with Keith), met an untimely end through poison.
Special Events
Two extra special events stand out:
In 2015, Fearnan Hall celebrated it’s 60th birthday. The Hall is a fantastic asset for the village. Without it we would not be able to run the number of social and community events that take place in Fearnan. We have a previous generation of villagers to thank for their efforts (over many years) to raise the funds and, in post-WW2 Scotland, to source the materials to build it. You can read the story of how the Hall came into being here on our Blog.
The story of the air crash itself is on the Blog, here.
WW1 Armistice 2018
Every year we mark Remembrance Sunday in November with a service at the war memorial but 2018 was a special year, being the 100th anniversary of the end of WW1.
Two projects were associated with this event. The first was a quest to identify the men commemorated on the memorial and to understand something of their family connections and wartime service. This we succeeded in doing, as well as tracing some of their descendants, and the Blog article Remembering WW1 summarises their stories
The second was the Poppy Project, which resulted in over 900 knitted poppies being produced, not just by the local community but with contributions coming in from all over the world.
The project itself was a wonderful community project. It linked present-day residents with former residents, re-united long-lost friends and stirred a forgotten (but not altogether happy) memory of learning to knit in Fearnan School during the war years.
Much work went into not only knitting the poppies but also into the decoration of the war memorial for Armistice Day – and with impressive results. An exhibition of WW1 memorabilia was mounted in the Hall on the day.
Clubs and Local Activities
Whatever your interests, there are clubs and activities to suit. Since the Hall was built, there have been choirs, country dancing and even line dancing. Some of the current activities (Art Club, Book Club, Bowling Club, Tai-Chi) that we’ve covered on the Blog of late are represented below:
These photos are just a small selection of those we have featured on the Blog over the years. Here’s to the next decade – and lots more pics!
There were plentiful supplies of mulled wine and mince pies on offer in the Hall last week, along with a selection of traditional home baking, including ginger bread and a veritable forest of shortbread Christmas trees. As far as the Blog is concerned, it was Frances who won Star Baker for her puff pastry mince pies – pies made in heaven!
Some villages have traditional figures like the Burry Man in South Queensferry, others have their Straw Men, but Fearnan can now boast its own Christmas Tree Lady after Julia arrived lit up like ……… well, lit up like a Christmas tree, truth be told.
We were joined by our local ‘Ukes’, aka the Highland Perthshire Ukulele Club, starring several villagers and other well-kent faces, who played a selection of Christmas carols and songs. Audience participation in the singing, although not obligatory, was good and given the rate at which the ukulele is being taken up by locals, we anticipate an even bigger band next year.
Next Event: It’s Pudding Night on Saturday 29th February – get it in the diary now, and tell your friends – there’s always plenty to go round, from traditional winter puddings to delicate desserts. This year, in addition, we will trialling a small selection of savoury goodies to cater for all tastes.
A Big Cheque for Fearnan Hall
Last month we reported that Fearnan Hall’s Christmas dreams had come true, with the award of a cheque for an amazing £6,824.86 from the Co-op’s Community Fund for local good causes.
Elaine and Karen were presented with the cheque by the local Co-op manager, Martin.
Fearnan Art Club
Fearnan Art Club (below) met for their Christmas lunch – no painting, no drawing, just eating and talking:
Fearnan Book Club
The Book Club also had their Christmas Lunch recently – at Ciro’s, at Loch Tay Highland lodges. No photos? We’re wondering why not!
It’s Book Club catch-up this month, with 2 reports. Linda wrote the November report, and Lesley provided the December one. The Club’s Book of the Year is revealed at the end of the report – take note if you are looking for some Christmas reading.
November: The Club reviewed The Strings of Murder, a debut novel by Oscar de Muriel. The book, an easier read than the previous month’s, was set in Victorian Edinburgh in 1888 with a storyline cleverly written, although gory and gruesome. Those of us familiar with Edinburgh enjoyed the descriptions of the locations and the historical references.
The interaction and banter between the main characters met with a mixed reaction from the group. The characters were portrayed almost as caricatures – the archetypal tough Scots Detective, and the disgraced, dandyish, London-based Inspector sent up to assist with the case. Jack the Ripper is on the loose in London and there are fears that this is a copycat crime.
As rivals, they dislike each other from the outset and insults are exchanged throughout the book. A dysfunctional duo but, as the book progresses, they begin to respect each other’s strengths. This was the first book in the series featuring these two complex characters and there were aspects that could be developed in subsequent books.
Some found the use of language inaccurate for the period and peppered with Americanisms, but for most this didn’t detract.
This was a challenging set of murders to solve and for us to predict who the killer was!
December: Our book this month was The Silent Companionsby Laura Purcell.
A staring, malevolent eye on the book cover gives you a presentiment of fear and danger. This is a Gothic ghost story with a dual timeline moving between 1635 and the 1860s.
It starts in the 1860s, with Elsie who is badly scarred by fire and so traumatised she cannot speak. She is confined to an asylum on a murder charge and a sympathetic doctor encourages her to write her story. Thus we learn that newly widowed, and pregnant, Elsie travelled to her late husband’s country house accompanied by his cousin, Sarah. There the scene was set, a gloomy house, sullen servants and hostile villagers who refused to come near. The appearance of ‘The Silent Companions’ and the discovery of a diary from 1635 presages subsequent, unsettling events.
This book evoked a variety of reactions in our group: either it was a rational murder plot, a portrayal of paranoia, or a very scary ghost story that you wouldn’t want to read alone at night! It was agreed it was very atmospheric especially around the appearances of ‘The Silent Companions’. We discussed the subservient role of the central female in both timelines and how this impacted on their lives. The ending was open to interpretation with several theories being aired.
Our Book of the Year for 2019 was judged to be a draw between ‘Magpie Murders’ (Anthony Horowitz) and ‘The Lost Man’ (Jane Harper).
We look forward to a new year of reading and discussion.
Fearnan Village Association 