Tam's Tall Tales
- August is an Autumn Month in Scotland
From Commonwealth Games, Edinburgh Festival to Indyref Via Ayrshire Earlies
Gosh, doesn't time fly when you are enjoying yourself? A couple of blinks of an eyelid and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow has come and gone and the Edinburgh Festival is entering its final stage.
Many thanks to those who have e-mailed me about pieces in previous editions. The wee story I did about Ayrshire Early potatoes seeking legal protection for the name aroused quite a lot of interest. Here is one rather touching note from Canada
I came to Canada about 45 years ago and I as well as everybody else miss my Ayrshire spuds, I get a pretty good substitute called Early Warbas and plant them late March to early April and when they are ready they don't last very long - my family can't get enough of them. Mind you not Ayrshires but pretty damned close. So Plant Reap and Enjoy. All the best from Victoria Canada.
Another story about pipe bands got two other readers reaching for their digital notepaper
As an 85 year old retired piper I really enjoy any coverage of the games Many years ago I played with the Toronto Scottish during many competitions. Please keep up your excellent work.Another Canadian verged on the controversial:
The only tartan that should be worn is The Royal Stewart......Even here in Powell River, B.C. The Pipe Band goes out and plays the Pipes…,in the Royal Stewart
Scottie and I love readers' comments. The connection is really important to us and helps us judge the vital "What works and what doesn't?" issue.
If you saw bits of the Commonwealth Games, I hope you enjoyed them. In Scotland I think there was a quiet pride and some relief that the Games were successful in terms of both atmosphere and organisation. Glasgow got a lot of plaudits for extending a really warm welcome to all the visitors. It was a great effort.
There was a lot of sunshine in July, particularly at the time of the Commonwealth Games, but the Scots folk who respond to good weather with the doom laden "We'll pay for this" were proved right again in the first half of August when we got the usual amount of rain for the whole month during the first two weeks. Temperatures were nothing to boast about either and confirmed the observation in the gardening books that "In Scotland, August is an Autumn month."
Things improved a bit recently and in Edinburgh the Festivals, both Fringe and Official, have benefited from a good run of fair weather and the crowds are out in force. I recently invested in a dedicated camcorder, about twenty years after most other enthusiasts, and have been prowling the streets of Edinburgh, interviewing performers seeking publicity for their Edinburgh shows. I called my YouTube channel scotscam and I hope there are some things there that might interest you. See YouTube scotscam channel.
Oh, perhaps I had better make fleeting reference to the Indyref, a Twitterish term for the poll to be held asking Scots if they want to become independent.. It is on 18 September, before I will get to pixel the next set of tales. You want my prediction? It will be 'No.' About 55%:45% is my guess.
If you want to see a set of cheeky wee comments about the whole thing so far go to an updated Kelty Clippie on YouTube.
And finally….
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe has so many comic acts that one wag suggested that they should be met at Waverley Station by an appointed person who might say: "Welcome to Edinburgh, I am your audience for the Fringe."
Tim Vine won the awards for the best gag on the Fringe with "I decided to sell my Hoover... well it was just collecting dust." It must be the way he told it?
Please give me whatever feedback comes to mind via tamfromrampant@gmail.com.
Tam O'Ranter
May 2014Return to Tam O'Ranter Index
